Louis Vuitton's Dot Inspired Papillon

I might not know much about Louis Vuitton, but I do know I am infatuated with dots, spots and anything pertaining to glitter (in makeup), sequins (in moderation) and whimsy.  You can find whimsy anywhere, you just need to know what you're looking for.  Marc Jacobs saw that whimsy and flight of fancy in Japanese-born artist Yayoi Kusama.  Yayoi experienced hallucinations as a child, these hallucinations gave way to her creativity and something to focus her energy upon. Here's a quote from Yayoi in regards to the symbology behind polka dots:

"A polka-dot has the form of the sun, which is a symbol of the energy of the whole world and our living life, and also the form of the moon, which is calm. Round, soft, colourful, senseless and unknowing. Polka-dots can't stay alone; like the communicative life of people, two or three polka-dots become movement... Polka-dots are a way to infinity."

While Yayoi's artistry, for me, does not create images of grandeur, similar to what we've seen in our art history books - I'm referring to pointillism here.  I do, however, appreciate her point of view and the ways in which she colours her world (and to some extent ours) with polka dots.

Last week Scott broke down and coloured my world with a few spots and dots.  A statement piece with a lot of heart and flight of fancy.

Dots and spots

Well spotted

More spots on the inside

I am extremely proud to call this bag my own and to have learned a bit about Yayoi in the process.

AG Polka Dot Ankle Stevie. To buy or not to buy?

That is the question. I first spotted them (how pun-y) on Oh Joy's instagram feed.  Subtle, understated and envious! I googled until I found them on Anthro's online store and man, they're expensive! I'm a Gap girl and will do anything to avoid paying more than $70 for a pair of jeans; these on the other hand, retail for $178 USD.  Despite being baby soft and carrying rave reviews, I'm still unsure if I'm willing to bite the bullet.

Lucky for me, my local David Jones sells AG Jeans.  Upon trying them on I couldn't help but think it looked like I was wearing PJ pants - the price and final look sealed the deal.

AG Polka Dot Ankle Stevie

Or did it?  I kept asking myself why they were so long on me; I know I'm short, but I fully expected them to hit my ankles.  Back to google I went and thus my "aha" moment materialised - same patterns and colours, but in different cuts and lengths.

Do I spend $178 for a super cute pair of jeans or do I let them slip from my hands like I did with this jacket?

Swoon

 

Comme des Garcons wallet (see more polka dot bags)

I want! I want! I want!

Polka dots are sort of my thing - we share a long history.  My mom, P-Cakes, purchased a long sleeve, black and white polka dot dress for me when I was 10 years old from Marshalls.  It came with one of those scrunchy-type, alligator clip things you attached to the back of the of it in order to cinch the dress in. I didn't have a waste then, I was more rotund and chubby.  I remember wearing it a lot, so much that my mom fashioned it into a sleeveless dress in order for me to wear it in the summer months.  Somehow, my mom always managed to stretch out my clothes a bit longer; she's a crafty one.

Then there was the dress I purchased for my college graduation from NY and Co (please excuse the grainy photo).  Navy blue and white, sharp, crisp and represented a bit of liberation for me.  My college days were over and life was about to commence.  I held onto this dress for a few years, but it didn't manage to make the cut when I had to decide what could come with me on the big move last year.

For me, polka dots are the sort of thing that you shouldn't take too seriously - they are fun, bubbly and confetti-like.  The contrasting colors are endless and can adorn most anything.  The thing of the moment is polka dotted umbrellas; I saw a ton of people carrying them around the city last night.  My bedspread just might even be covered in polka dots!  I'm sure you'll see it quite often, as it will serve as the backdrop for some of the items I'll be talking about.

Discovered

I have a habit of wandering the city when I get a bit restless on the weekends.  Myer and David Jones are practically in my back yard, but walking the grounds of both of these deparment stores can get a bit boring as well.  Melbourne's CBD (Central Business District) is comprised of arcades, hidden alley ways and cafes - the coffee is always good, the arcades are abuzz and the alleys serve as a canvas to the street artists of the Melbourne-area. Melbourne is also rife with horse culture, as this part of the country celebrates the races on a grand scale.  The Kentucky Derby seemingly has nothing on the Melbourne Cup!  SJP, Dita Von Teese, Elizabeth Hurley and countless other celebrities made appearances throughout the week; the skies may have been gray, but it didn't dampen the spirits of those who took time out to attend the races.

In preparation for what's to come, stores go all out with their visuals and displays.  Some shops miss the mark and others, well, sport the whimsy and frivolity of the light-hearted nature of the weeks' events.

Giallo is a shoe store located a few blocks away from where I live and during one of my aimless wanders, I happened upon their store.  The tights above had me at hello; I really just had to have them.  What Giallo doesn't carry is tights - they were just for show.  So, I walked into the store and asked the associate where I could find these lovely, pink and aqua spotted tights.  "Across the street" she said and off I went.  Upon arrival I saw them on the back wall, but something was different; they lacked the dusty pink colour and looked much more like the bright tutu from above.  Apparently, Giallo layered the spotted tights over a black pair to create the look; however, for me, layering tights is out of the question. Wearing two pairs of tights? In Spring?  I think not.

There's this thing about Melbourne and a saying to go along with the phenomenon - you can experience four seasons in one day; Crowded House even has a song by that very name.  One second it'll be as hot as heck and in the blink of an eye the temperature might just drop dramatically.  Oh well, I thought and plunked down $25 AUS for Pepto Bismol pink and aqua polka dot tights.  Wear them I did, with a khaki skirt and plain white tee.