Hello everyone,
It’s been a while.
In many ways I feel I have very little to share. Between a family wedding and book edits, I’ve also been rather under the weather, spending a lot of time lying horizontally on my parents sofa and finally catching up on television.
During these more reclusive times my dreams and writing projects seem a lot more exciting than my actual life. No ra-raing around Los Angeles to report, instead its just me and my thoughts.
However, one thing I have been thinking is what to do about Blonde not Beige! As a platform Substack is still a brand new beast to learn to handle, plus it’s another bloody form of social media to contend with…
Obviously the (usually) quality content on here makes it much meatier and more satisfying to get stuck into though. I have found that even though I have chosen to take a step back from a weekly output on here, I still read other people’s Substacks almost daily - certainly much more than any newspaper or other publication, most of which have succumbed to click bait. In that want to revive my Read Watch Wear monthly newsletter to satisfy my (and hopefully your) Substack cravings.
Do read the below to catch up on what I’ve been catching up on: tales of being misunderstood, a new favourite TV show and wearing my Mum’s old (fabulous) clothes.
Until next month!
xx Charlotte
Read
As a soon-to-be down under expat (again) something I read religiously is The New York Times’ Australia Letter. I loved last week’s hilarious piece by Peter McKenzie, titled Learning to Love My Incomprehensible Kiwi Accent. To say I felt “seen”thanks to this article is an understatement!
Having just spent six weeks in the States meant I had many miscommunications there with friends and strangers alike. Americans have never been great at gauging other’s accents, and who can blame them. Really it’s a side effect of having grown up in the centre of contemporary culture - people come to them.
When I open my moth on American soil, everyone there immediately assumes I’m either Australian or English, never once thinking I might be from the bottom of the planet (meanwhile, when I was in Rome late last year, a native Italian speaker knew I was kiwi as soon as I ordered my cappuccino!).
Few in LA comprehended my every word (including when I say my own name - “What? Sharla?”) to the point where I’d occasionally have to blurt something out in my best attempt at an American accent to ensure I was understood.
The funniest encounter of this kind probably being when I was in a lingerie store on Melrose avenue. I am clearly well-endowed, even today my Mum told me off for my level of cleavage - “Mum, these big bosoms are your fault - not mine!” - Back at the lingerie store I politely asked if I could try a few things on in an E cup. The person working there misunderstood, bringing a bunch of A cup bras to my fitting room instead.
I couldn’t help but laugh, was my accent that hard to understand? More than that, wasn’t it a little obvious that such a dainty cup wasn’t going to fit my melons? In a way I was flattered she thought I could be so petite. I guess I have to surrender to the fact that a new accent or a translator could be a part of my Californian future, certainly not A cup bras though.
Watch
Having been on the road for some time, television hasn’t been something I’ve indulged in for a while. Fortunately for me, during this slight lull in between exciting adventures (I’ll be back in Australia soon, I should add), and with the use of my parents Entertainment Room, the programmes being released right now are a series of bangers.
A personal favourite so far has to be Dreamland, from the mind of a favourite author, Emma Jane Unsworth. It’s a saucy comedy drama set against the British seaside town of Margate, in all of its glorious tackiness and technicolour.
The storyline and cast are all fantastic, varied and believable. It also happens to star Lily Allen, and the storyline centres on that specific friction which often occurs between sisters (something I can absolutely relate to being the eldest of three girls).
I’m happy to watch/read anything by Emma (who is one cool bitch and a writing idol of mine - her second novel Animals being a favourite). This is a brilliant show which showcases her dark sense of humour and penchant for deep storylines, as well as her love for a bit of trash. I couldn’t recommend it more.
Wear
I have been feeling in such a style rut as I enter month six of living out of a suitcase. Even though I’ve literally written guides on what to do to navigate this way of living, right now I feel so sick of the current set of garments I have on rotation, even if they were all originally carefully selected and are predominantly vintage.
My beloved little cousin Milly hosted a beautiful wedding the other day. She, being a very stylish Sydney interior designer herself, requested we wear quite formal attire to her wedding to complete the scene. Usually this kind of dress code gets me going - it’s a great excuse to go shopping and means that the fellow guests there will also be putting in a lot effort.
However, the timing of the event made me fret, I wanted to turn up feeling fabulous in a new look, yet couldn’t justify buying anything for the occasion as my suitcase is already bulging and the seams!
In the end I opted to borrow a dress instead. I called up a Christchurch-based friend, Phoebe, who has been a partner in style crime of mine since I was 15 (in fact it was she and her older sister who properly introduced me to vintage clothes). I asked if there was anything of hers I could borrow to wear to the wedding and she offered me up a couple of options, the same goes for my Mum.
In the end I opted for an olive green, off-the-shoulder dress, with long, sheer sleeves, perfect for the Autumnal, South Island weather and ready for a night out. Mum had leant it to me for the event, and had now generously given it to me, which is perfect as it’s a very trans-seasonal and lightweight piece, ideal as I will be staying on the road still for sometime.
Oh, and Listen
My How to be Fabulous podcast is in full swing for season two. So far I’ve spoken with Amy Abrams of the Manhattan Vintage Show, Elyce Aarons of Kate Spade and Frances Valentine acclaim, Michael Phillips who’s behind one of the hottest vintage brands right now, Toots Vintage, Edwina Hagon, a Sydney-sider who’s recently redirected her career and started a beautiful bespoke shirt brand, Hagon Workroom, and digital marketing maven and author, Kerry Pieri. It’s a great series so far, do have a listen on Spotify or wherever you get your pods.
Two final work updates… I recently spoke to the best-selling historical fiction author, Natasha Lester, for this same season of the podcast. During the interview we chatted her favourite vintage fashion find found on 1st Dibs. She shared more on the story in her Substack, Bijoux, which you can read here. The episode with her will be out soon, a little later on in the season, so do tune in once it’s live to hear more tales from this master storyteller!
Lastly I wrote an article on long distance relationships (and my own long distance relationship) for MamaMia, a few weeks ago. Have a read to find out what it’s really like, and why following your heart is always the way forward. I also wrote a piece for them on body image lessons from the shop floor of a lingerie store. You can read that piece here.
xx