Whilst the new salon is being readied for our arrival, Circa will go into sale mode – with more than thirty years of collecting, I’ve stashed an awful lot away and (good news for you) we don’t have room for it all.

From today, I’m starting to reduce select styles down to half price or more. New stock will be coming in every day so come in and see us to snaffle a bargain or three.

What: Circa Relocation Sale
When: from now until we move in July (date to be confirmed)
Trading Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm
Where: Circa Vintage, 102 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

Here’s the wonderful Strawberry Siren modelling one of the ’50s frocks that will be available. Thanks Strawberry!

1 – you’ll receive a bonus Westfield Gift Card (value $20) when you spend $100 at Circa’s Southland pop-up shop. This offer applies until May 24th. More information at the Southland website.

2 – DJ and Melbourne’s “first lady of Go-Go”, the wonderful Miss Emma Peel is joining me at the shop on Sundays from 12-5pm. Her late ’60s style is really turning heads…here she is mixing vintage with modern to create a unique style. Might see if I can bring down some Bossa Nova for EP Sundays, a little groovier than the much-loved Ella and Frankie.

Firstly – here’s the shop. You’ll find us on the Retail Bridge, next to the Style Lounge, Metalicus, Strand Bags, Mocha and the Coffee Emporium.

That’s an early shot, soon after we set up – you’ll be pleased to know that the mannequins (who bear a striking resemblance to Scarlet Johansson) now have wigs (although I rather like them bald headed as well).

Meet Becky and Hannah….my new glamourous assistants, who are here to help you choose your new vintage fashions and accessories.

You can pick up a copy of my book “Love Vintage” (they’re selling like hot cakes, I seriously think the print run will sell out at Southland so if you haven’t got your copy, come and see us soon).

Yesterday I met Suzi from “For the Love of Audrey” blog – she looks great in this fabulous ’60s French couture mod frock. Of course, I’d like her to come back and add it to her wardrobe because it’s a good, especially with her new hairstyle. Love the fringe, Suzi!

And here are some more shots of the shop and the beautiful fashions we’ve brought to show you!

Vintage jewellery – great for Mother’s Day presents this Sunday.

Hope to see you soon! Circa at Southland – for a limited time only.

What: Art of Elegance Fair
When: 11am-4pm, Sunday 13th May
Where: Maryborough Town Hall, Maryborough
More information available at the blog.

Now, if you’d like to win the two tickets, just leave a comment below mentioning your favourite cake.

I love Scally and Trombone, and I also love Smart Alec – they’re all lovely people. I’ll be working Saturday at the Southland pop-up shop but if you can make it, you’re sure to find some nice things at the sale.

What: Scally and Trombone plus Smart Alex Hatters garage sale
When: 9am to 4pm, Saturday 12th May.
Where: 189 Grange Road, Fairfield (enter from Christmas Street)

I’ve been there every day since, working up to 15 hour days and it’s been busy. I’m also at Circa in Fitzroy, but not as much as usual. Have I mentioned that I love what I do? I just may be a little bit of a workaholic too.

Amongst all the busy this week I received a very nice surprise – let me backtrack a little, to a day when Amanda Palmer came and visited Circa, and had afternoon tea and found a nice and surprising demure blouse. I wrapped it up, took a pic or two to commemorate the occasion and down Gertrude St she went, swinging her Circa shopping bag and leaving a Jack Kerouac water bottle behind (but that’s another story).

Believe it or not, that’s Amanda Palmer under the hat. Thank you to the lovely customer who took this shot.

Like many of my environmentally aware customers, AP was initially reluctant to take a Circa bag – but I get a great deal of pleasure out of seeing wonderful people walk out with one of the bold designs on recycled paper, so being a lovely person, AP obliged.

Then, the surprise arrives – AP is raising funds for the release of her new album, art book and tour with the Grand Theft Orchestra and has produced a Bob Dylan style video clip – and there, on three cards are bits of the Circa shopping bag! Cut out and repurposed – upcycled if you may. AP likes to recycle and reuse! Why am I not surprised?

Hopefully one day I’ll found out what she’s done with the blouse – it really was very demure and un-Amanda Palmerish so I’m sure she has something in mind for it. I can’t wait for the next surprise.

In the meantime, here is the link to Amanda’s fundraising project – it’s been very successful so far, and it’s great to see there are so many who want to support art and music. Warning: there are a couple of swear words (well, okay, one word that appears twice) and if you know where it was filmed, I’d love to know – my money is on Richmond.

Update: further validation.

nicole notices i butchered her bag for the kickstarter video: RT @nicole_jenkins Amanda Palmer likes to recycle&reuse. shar.es/2GzrA

— Amanda Palmer (@amandapalmer) May 5, 2012

What: Circa Vintage pop-up shop
When: 1st May – 1st June 2012, see website for opening hours.
Where: Southland Shopping Centre, 1239 Nepean Highway, Cheltenham 3192. Level 2, near Metalicus and Strand Bags.

We’ll be presenting a selection of vintage ladies fashions from the ’20s to the ’80s, with a focus on designer labels and autumn/winter, and some items from the webshop, for you to see and try on.

Additionally, I’ll be presenting a series of free workshops showing you how to create a look by mixing vintage and modern fashions – on May 5th, the focus will be on daywear of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s and then on May 26th it will be evening wear of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Bookings essential, as places are limited – call 0434 498 740 or 03 9582 5601, or email fashion.southland@au.westfield.com

For more information, contact us at Circa or see Southland’s website where you can also see some of the styles we’ll be presenting. Hope to see you there!

Not only a date, but some words: Australia and Australiano and Australien – and the print was one of those lovely ’50s ones that looks like it’s been hand painted. We even found a name “Suzanne”. Perhaps Suzanne was the artist?

We pieced together the story: here was a Melbourne made frock with a 1956 date and Australia in different languages…could it be an Olympic Games souvenir? The Melbourne Museum has a silk scarf in it’s collection, perhaps larger fashion items were made?

The dress is made of nylon plisse, a textured fabric often called seersucker – synthetic fabrics have “memory” and are great for embossed textures. It has a V neckline and extended shoulder sleeves. A diamante buckle ornaments the self-sashed neckline – it was missing a stone and I carried it in my handbag for a year before one day finding myself at Maria George where a replacement was found.

The dress was made by Flinders Lane label Leroy, who have provided many dresses for Circa including two from my own wardrobe (one has polka dots, one has a print of teapots). In 1954 they teamed up with a Hobart textile printer called Alcorso and together they ran an annual textile competition, to encourage better prints with Australian themes for the fashion industry. Each year one of the designs was made into dresses by Leroy.

Was this the winning design for 1956? That was the year that Aboriginal artist Mawalan 1 Marika won so perhaps this is his artwork?

In any case, this beautiful and very special frock is now available at Circa. It’s a small size with a 32 inch bust and 26 inch waist, so I’d call it a size 6 to 8, it could be a little bigger due to the bodice design. I do like a frock with a story.

“The Wardrobe Weekender is a fashion-packed three day event, with pop up shops, markets, workshops, exhibitions upcycling workshops, a pop up fashion book store, and a clothing swap. It will also showcase the work of local emerging and student designers through an exhibition installation.

Melbourne’s respected sustainable fashion pioneers The Clothing Exchange and Take 2 Markets will participate, along with over 20 other contributors. The RMIT School of Fashion and Textiles (Brunswick and City campuses) will showcase key projects that reflect best practice in contemporary Fashion and Textile Design alongside the work of some of Australia’s most exciting emerging designers, finalists from this year’s The Spirit of the Black Dress Exhibition.”

What: The Wardrobe Weekender
When: Friday 4 May to Sunday 6 May. Sunday hours 10-3pm, other days to be confirmed.
Where: McDougal Lane (within Barkly Square 90-106 Sydney Road), Brunswick
Enquiries and stall holder applications to: rina@take2markets.com.au

She’s starting a new class at the CAE on the history of fashion knitwear, and will cover progress from domestic handcraft to commercial product. Many designers will be covered including the revolutionary styles of Chanel and Schiaparelli in the ’20s up to Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood in more modern times.

What: History of Fashion Knitwear classes
When: 6 sessions on Tuesdays 11am to 12.30pm, 22nd May to 26th June 2012
Where: CAE Building B – 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Cost: $169 Adult or $164 Concession. Additional costs may be required for materials or textbooks.
Bookings:See the website or phone 9652 0611

For more information: click on the flyer below