Monki + meet up

Usually on Saturdays we take our time and wakeup without alarm clocks. I'll go out for a jog, come back and cook breakfast and we catch up on news and weekly stories we may have missed whilst getting through the week. Today however we were out of the house before 11 to meet up with our girl Rhi and also Tiffany of Fat Shopaholic (she's also made the move over to the UK for 9 months to study). We went to check out the East London Thrift 1 pound sale.

I was really excited to check it out because the 1kg 10 pound sale in Bethnal Green was good. It was clean, organised and it had a great selection of clothes. But yesterday we had to wait like an hour and half to get in, only to find a whole room full of clothes that were basically rejects. Stained, ripped and mouldy. SO NOT WORTH IT! The sectioned off part to their normal store had a pretty nice selection but the pieces that I managed to spy where all 20 pound and over so I was really disappointed in that. If you're looking for some key pieces to add to your wardrobe and don't mind paying some pounds then definitely check it out.

To be fair, if you are a straight size there were some cool jeans and overalls available for the pound but I wouldn't go again. The selection inside was not worth the wait. So I'm going to have to get out of London if I wanna thrift. I picked up a denim top, vest and 2 dresses that I'm going to cut them up and rework it.

Yesterday I wore my Monki Carla Tee available HERE and I decided to wear my good old faithful City Chic skirt because I didn't have to go to work and it wasn't freezing or raining! Boots are from New Look, these seem to be the closest one to them available online HERE.

Top Monki / Skirt City Chic / Lips Velour Australis / Glasses Street Stall NYC / Bow Philippines / Bracelet Samoa 

Waiting outside. The line went down the road and around the corner. Everybody was out hoping to catch a bargain.

I hope all of my Australian & New Zealand family and friends are enjoying the summer at home because I surely miss it. I'll try and keep my blog updated because I'm struggling to even find the time to write in my journal. 

Big Love & Seasons Greetings,

Mele 

Beautiful things: Thrifted wedding look in Hawaii

Aloha lovely people. Just wanted to share my wedding look for Mary and Trevor's wedding held in the Kameamea School Oahu chapel. The setting was so pretty and  the church was perched high up in the mountain and gave a breathtaking view of Waikiki. I have more pics to come later as these ones are just off my phone.

So before I left Mildura I donated the majority of my belongings to the various opshops around town. I was in a hurry but I quickly had a look around and I found this floral vintage dress and I thought it would be perfect for the wedding. It's light, cool and the white and pastel colours give it that fresh spring feel. Winning wedding outfit for $8. I picked up the white shells from and ABC corner store for 90 cents. Paired them with White sandals from Big W. I would have preferred a pastel yellow for contrast but that's all I could rustle up before I left the country.

Wedding was beautiful.....but I'll fill you in on that later. Until then, aloha!

Aussie Curves: Headwear

Dress: Vintage Thrifted $2 / Hat $3 Cabramatta / Boots Target 

I'm not sure when it happened, but I think it may have started after my first summer trip to New York 3 years ago. I found a cute little white hat in Harlem for like $6....I never realised it at the time but hats seem to be another little outfit saver for me. I'm always short on time and the trusty hat always seems to liven up my dull outfits. These pics were taken in the afternoon. We'd had lunch, watched some movies, rolled around on the carpet.....we may have even had a nana nap....but I got up and put this lavender beauty on. I picked it up at Cabramatta for $3 from one of those awesome dollar shops. YAYURR! 

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

teenage dream

Thrifted Threads: Dress $4 White Cardigan $4 Shoes Target Glasses Equip Earrings Prouds

Thrifted things make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream. 

All the things I could ever dream of when I was a teenager. Pretty clothes, cool shit. 

The type of gears that let everyone know; you were the shit and you knew it.

I was a complete poor soul. But I think everyone was. Nah that's bullshit. People were cool. I wasn't. 

I was a quiet, good, half-caste girl who was fat and couldn't afford all that fancy shit. 

It didn't kill my life like it did for others. 

It didn't sit at home and pine for it. 

I just waited around and grew into myself. 

It was nice dreaming away about all the things I wanted to become. 

I was connected to my family, friends and music and looking back, 

it seems to be the best youth ever. 

Things are getting messed up now days. 

You get everything you want and you get it quickly.

Now I realise that a lot of shit doesn't matter.

But it's nice to get all things that make me feel

like I'm living the teenage dream.

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

velour lips & quick visits

Hi!


Yes I know, it's been forever. I've been busy. School, niece, family & saving. All the necessary boring stuff that makes up a huge chunk of life. Amongst all the ordinary stuff, I was delighted to have my sis Emma come and visit my sister and I.

She brought gifts. The beautiful Australis Velour Lip Colour range. Two colours each. I was pretty keen to see how this gloss turn matte lipstick would work and I'm surprised by the punchy colour and staying power. It lasted through dinner and I literally had to wash it off. Cool for you makeup buffs out there.

My whole outfit was based around the lip colour. I decided to wear my rose blouse as a contrast to the lip colour. I love this thrifted find. Think it was like $2. Black skater skirt and boots. Casual and comfy. Went straight out to dinner after this. Thanks for making it all the way out here Emz. You are the bomb sis.

Big Love,

Falala Mele.

Aussie Curves: Feminine

Dress: Vintage Floral Australian Dress made in Melbourne. $2.50 at the Salvos

Hat from Cabramatta for $2

Boots: Target  /  Glasses: Cotton On

Hello my fellow Falalas,

I've finally made it back to the Aussie Curves challenge list. I'm so excited to be back and primarily because two of my girls have decided to join the challenge this year. I've been very fortunate to grow up around beautiful girls. Sally was my high school and we did everything together. Our love for music and food and Koori culture and all things ghetto brought us together. Our tastes and interests developed and our lives rolled out on different tracks but I still count her as one of my homegirls. She's been through a lot lately and I'm so happy that she's out there being bold and fierce not matter what. This is her contribution to the Aussie Curves Feminine week. I'm digging the floral dress. Nothing seems more feminine than a dress with a floral print. Sal's hair is freaking awesome too!

Then there's Lo. My curvaceous sister from another Mister and the first person I featured on my blog in the WHAT SHE'S WEARING POSTS see HERE. We met in college and pretty much became inseparable when she moved into dorms. She went off to Hong Kong when she graduated and moved to Mildura after that job. She is now the Deputy Principal of our little school. She is the main reason why I decided  to move here. I thought it's be awesome to be paid to work with your friend. The Mildura adventure has been great. I have loved settling into this town and know that I will miss it when I leave at the end of the year. I'm so happy Lo decided to join in with the Aussie Curves fun and she now has a blog of her own. Click here: CONFESSIONS OF A PLUS SIZED BEAUTY. Be sure to check her out and follow. This is a new adventure for her so why not share the journey with her.

How cute are my sister girls???

Big Love,


Falala Mele.

90's Rose

On Monday and Tuesday I went to Adelaide for a Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Workshop for professional development. It's one of the best parts of my job, teaching kids how to grow, harvest and prepare food.

We left Mildura at 8am and stopped at Taliem Bend Vinnies and I found this gorgeous rose top for $1.50. Lately I've been feeling the 90's vibe. I guess it's just the good feelings that swell up in my heart when I see anythings from this time. It's my youth.....recording mixed tapes off the radio, secretly crushing on the boys in the pop film clips and teen movies, waiting for the holidays so I could hang with my cousins to dream about growing up and going out. This was the time when parents ruled and after school 3-way chats on the phone were an essential daily ritual. You actually knew your friends parents because you'd have a quick chat when you asked for your friend on the regular.

People always be talking about the youth of today.....and I admit I have been one of them. Thinking about my childhood and teen years I feel a little sad for all the things our kids miss out on today. Sure iphones are cool and video calling is the bomb, but they'll never have to wait for anything so I wonder if anything is really appreciated or sacred? Easy come, easy go right?

When I loved a song or I wanted to hear the latest shit I'd stay up late to watch Rage. I'd wait out all the crappy songs to see one new song and I'd love it and remember the feeling of thinking "Yes this is my new favourite song!"

If I crushed on a boy I'd have to wait and hope that I'd see him around school. The anticipation, the butterflies, the satisfaction of whatever contact the universe would bless me with. This was gold. This IS gold and I'm wondering if this ever occurs these days?

 I could be wrong. Our kids communicate in sophisticated ways and I could just be out-of-the-loop with what the go is. However, all the little coming-of-age moments where one struggles with decisions, choices and heartache (you know, the real character building shit) seems to have been replaced with this self-idolising nature. Tumblr, Facebook, IG, Snapchat or whatever other new network is trending. Who has got the most followers? Who should be followed? Like for a like, follow for follow. The latest sound, the latest look, the latest must-have gadget. What is it teaching them? What will stick? What is truly valued?



Big Love,



Falala Mele.

Let's catch up

Hi friends,

I wanted to just come and say hello because I haven't been on here half as much as I would like to. I haven't had time to read all my fave blogs and that makes me feel disconnected and out of the loop. I used to be good at sharing what I've been up to. I know I've been a good blogger when my friends are like "yeah I saw it on the blog" and I haven't even kept them in the loop with my life. SMH. It's the same old "I'm just so busy drill" but I know that EVERYONE is busy these days so I'm here trying to catch up with you all.

How are you?


What's new?

I've been spending my mornings in the gym, days at school and evenings watching Bomb Girls, Supernatural, Pan Am, The Carrie Diaries, Freaks and Geeks and Grey's Anatomy. Don't judge. It's officially winter.

The kids at school keep me laughing and my sister and niece who also double as my housemates have kept the good times rolling at home. Just the regular teasing, eating, dancing and laughing routine.

I've been eating Laksa and grilled cheese once a week because they are the faves atm and I spent last Saturday night going through all my thrifted finds deciding what to take to New York.

It is now officially two weeks to go. I'm cutting out on school 2 weeks early because I was supposed to be going to Spain, Italy and France. But lack of funds (and perhaps the added trip to the Philippines) left me saying "Well I plan to live there next year so why spend thousands of dollars on a little holiday now when I can save it for next year?".

So New York was the fabulous booby prize :D I get to catch up with my New York sisters Gabby, Candice and Deja. I get to meet up with my awesome Aussie blogger ladies in another country and I get to spend quality-non work-no stress time with my sissys Bullu and Sia.

So instead of getting up and going to my 8:30am boxing class today I decided to stay home, enjoy the rain and write to you all. I am blessed and thankful.

I hope that you are happy and well. I hope your joys outweigh your sorrows and that there is something exciting on your horizon. If there's nothing that comes to mind then why not plan a little something. It doesn't have to be huge but something to look forward to is so important amongst work and life and responsibilities.

It's a thrifted-op-shopped-vintage life <3

Waiting to hit USA again.  1. Vegas tattooing 2. Slots 3. Buffet 4. Esa-bagel Photos by @sikilou

1) Guy Sebastian concert 2) 51 ST NY 3) Katz's Deli 4) Brooklyn repping our own

1. Brooklyn Bridge 2. Grimaldi's DUMBO 3. Subway heat 4. Miss New Booty in Harlem

Best way to keep up with me lately is to follow me on instagram @mele2541 it's where I'm usually at.



Happy Sabbath xo


Falala Mele

Blue Rain

Just a super quick post cause I've been so MIA lately. SORRY GUYS! The start of the academic year has my life owned. I have so much to prepare and get sorted. PLUS I've been helping my school harvest the sultana grapes. The more we sell the more money our school gets so I gotta help out you know ;)

Anyways I wore this to church last Sabbath. So super quick. Chucked on my H&M black basic dress and livened it up a little with my beautiful vintage jacket. It's light and it's bold so it was a perfect option to wear to church. Respectable length and all round COOL design. I love the gold embroidery around the pattern. It was thrifted for about $3.00.

Jacket: Thrifted / Dress: H&M / Shoes: Target / Glasses: Equip / Earrings: Thrifted

Big Love,

Falala Mele

Casual Sunday

Shirt & Earrings Thrifted/ Skirt City Chic / Shoes Converse

Last weekend my beautiful friend Rhianon got married to her love Hayden. It was sooooo nice to catch up with my friends and witness such a beautiful union. While I don't have any wedding photos to share right now, I'm hoping I can source some from my friends because it really was sooooo nice and I want to share them with you guys.

This is just a super casual day-after-the-wedding look. We stayed in the Hunter Valley overnight and then spent Sunday morning with a little window shopping in Tuggerah with my sister and our friend Emma. She shouted us Max Brenners for a Christmas treat (oh dear the choc peanut butter frappe was soooooooooo good) but then it was time to leave again :(

Thanks Emma and Bullu for a relaxing Sunday.

I hope you guys are not too snowed under with all the holiday preparations. I can't wait till Christmas.




Big Love,


Falala Mele

Aussie Curves: Mixing Patterns

Rose Blouse Thrifted / Pants Big W / Shoes Rivers / Earrings Thrifted

Big Love,

Falala Mele

vintage faded denim melbourne

A few months ago I went away to catch up with some of my lovely friends in Melbourne. The cold weather (I hate the cold) meant that I could wear my vintage denim jacket purchased by my friend from my favourite local opshop Mickey and Mallory.

I fell in love with the studded detail and embroidery. It's probably one of the coolest pieces I own and I wore this when I went to see Daniel Merriweather HERE and he even said he loved my jacket too!

So here it is more it with my purple oversized blouse. I found this baby in Brooklyn when I went opshopping with the Trini-Sissy Gabby. The colour and the buttons caught my eye and I'm pretty sure it set me back like $4. WINNING! Would have been cool to wear it with some boots or wedges but it was FREEEEEZING that night and were walking all over the city so I had to be kind to my toes :/

Vintage Denim Jacket $35 / Purple Vintage blouse $4 / Black Tights Kmart $8

Do you like it? What's your favourite denim piece?



Much love,



Falala Mele