By Annette Sanfilippo Photos Yanni
Can we pack any more dates into April? Wow! It’s a month filled with celebration, reflection and commemoration. I’ve already started eating hot cross buns and stocking up on chocolate easter eggs.
As our sunny, warm days start to wind down, our wardrobes ramp up with longer sleeves, woolly knits and we are all too quick to pull out the boots! It’s always been a very confusing time of year to plan an event outfit as the days swing from warm one day to windy and cool the next and we have to become masters of the backup plan.
Don’t be anyone’s fool from April 1st….be organised. As the season change settles in so has the availability of the latest fashion in all of our beautiful boutiques on the Mornington Peninsula. Pretty florals, graphics and textured fabrics like lace and tweed take centre stage this autumn and luxurious silks and chiffons and full-bodied satins feature prominently in our elevated designer dresses. Dressing will be a highlight over the next few weeks with Easter and also one of our major dress-up days, the Mornington Cup.
Accessories are going to be key to bringing these looks into line.
Accessories are going to be key to bringing these looks into line. Handbags, pretty shoes, jewellery and good grooming will create that unique look and it might be a to-do list that will keep you busily shopping for some time.
Easter is different for everyone. It can be celebrated at home or you may enjoy a gathering at one of our fabulous restaurants or venues. Comfort will be high on the list with all the gourmet treats and maybe a feature elastic waist will be a benefit. As I style every day working in fashion retail, I find one of the prerequisites to investing in a new piece is its versatility. Being able to reinvent a new addition to the wardrobe ticks so many boxes and allows you to utilise accessories you already have, wear it to a few other occasions and be a little sustainable to aid slow fashion. How fabulous would it be if you could just pop on a hat and also be race ready!
Sonsie Boutique
Location – Martha’s Table, Martha Cove
Whatever you want to call it, a hat, headwear, millinery is a piece of apparel that takes your outfit to the next level. I have been a milliner for over 25 years and get very excited when I design bespoke pieces that not only transform the look but change the emotion around wearing the entire outfit. With many happy clients, lots of race days behind me and plenty of lovely accolades, I always wait in anticipation to see how someone’s race-wear look evolves. Dressing up a sunhat or embellishing a beautiful bridal piece, thinking of your style from top to toe, is so necessary for a polished finish. As the saying goes “a little effort goes a long way”. I’m hoping that we can all take a little more time to think about accessorising and bringing our finery together so we can dress to impress and wear our clothing with confidence, pride and joy.
A great example of that pride will be seen as our Anzac Day parade passes us by on the 25th of April. Uniforms, medals and one of the most respected hats, dressed with a badge and sometimes a plume of emu feathers, is the Australian slouch hat. The mere idea of wearing one of those makes me emotional.
So, pop on your Easter bonnet and for whatever you get to participate in this month, try to visit some of our great businesses like, Sonsie Boutique in Mt Eliza or Katra Collections with their beautiful wares for yourself or to gift someone special. You may even like to hire or buy a beautiful piece of millinery from myself for the races or a special upcoming event, I’m here to help. Enjoy the fashionable few weeks ahead but bear in mind that, just when you think you’re sorted and ready to put your feet up, Mother’s Day is fast approaching and you may have to do it all again!
Happy shopping.
Fashionably yours,
Annette