Gwen Gillam - Dressed By The Best

Yesterday I attended the very first costume event of the year for the Australian Costumers Guild - Dressed by the Best at the Queensland Museum. We were there to see an exhibition of Gwen Gillams work. She was a very prominent Brisbane fashion designer in the 1950s and 1960s. In face her studios didn't close until the early 1990s. The work was incredible and very beautiful. We weren't allowed to take photos inside, but you have my word that I was impressed (Below is the promo image that the museum use for a snipet of her work). I was amazed to learn that she drafted all her work straight onto the fabric - meaning no patterns or mannequins - just drafting and fitting. And everything was hand finished. It was all just beautiful and really makes you appreciate the styles.

Afterwards we headed over to the fox for champagne and lunch. It was a lovely day out with the girls and made me feel like a real lady - despite the heat. For the occasion, I dressed in my peach halter dress and paired it with my nana's vintage bag and my vintage sun hat. I also tried my hand at doing a wet set on my hair. It turned out quite well but by the end of the day the humidity and heat had destroyed it. I think where I went wrong was that my foam rollers were a bit too big to get the right sort of curl. But I am not disheartened. Next time, pin curls. Oh and, I aired my newly purple hair got an airing.