Continuing my previous styling journey…

Moving back to Sydney in year 2000. I eventually took my ‘Australian skirt’ to Australia, where I supposed it fitted in most naturally due to it’s design. And then I didn’t wear it once! During all those years, though I did think of restyling it in a more summery way; I didn’t really follow up with action. It remained folded and hidden somewhere – out of sight, out of mind. Until one day I dug it out for some reason and found little holes in several spots, some were larger than others… I was devastated that my lovely fine woollen skirt had been eaten by silverfish. What is it they say, nothing lasts forever! What to do, what would you do?

To save or to toss it, that was the question. Well I was emotionally attached and could not let it go lightly; after all, it was one of my favourite fashion items. So I took it to a trusted seamstress for repairs. I convinced my seamstress to cut out a piece of fabric from the inner seam and use it to cover-up the most visible hole. I was rather confident that it’d work because of the patchwork pattern. No one would notice unless they really looked for it. And I was right, no one noticed it. Just like that, my skirt was saved, and its second fashion life began in Australia.

The beginning of 2019 I started planning a trip to Uluru. It’s meant to be a celebration trip for the 30th anniversary of my Australia immigrant life. My ‘born again’ skirt travelled with me to the Australian outback where it blended in with the red soil, the desert plants and aboriginal paintings so beautifully! On our photoshoot and any outing I constantly had fellow travellers ask if I had purchased it in the local indigenous shops during our stay. ‘I bought it in Taipei 26 years ago!’ I proudly replied. And that became my most cherished and enjoyable times I had from wearing it!

Perhaps this vintage skirt has finally fulfilled its purpose; a Made in Taiwan number worn timelessly today in true slow fashion style. And yes, I wish to encourage more sustainable, ethical fashion and vintage wear from now on.

Like what you see? Photography by Kent Johnson. For more images from this Uluru location shoot and the Outfit-of-the-Day details, please check out my White Caviar Life post!