With my inability to host an event without subjecting guests to a theme, I thought I would now subject you, dear reader, to five different kinds of Australia Day.
Themes bring focus for the menu, drinks and décor – most importantly, themes serve as a guide to informed wardrobe decisions.
This is where an otherwise bland event becomes a memorable occasion.
I got to thinking about what is typically Australian to me, childhood memories, the movies we grew up with, countless hours sitting in tennis club rooms, coconut ice and chocolate ripple cake… I wondered, how do we make it an excellent public holiday, instead of a rampant bogue (rhymes with Vogue) fest? It is, perhaps, time to put away those Australian flag aprons and serviettes, and give this some respectful consideration.
These ideas are plucked from the air, though I hope they will resonate with you – most of the featured designers are Australian, yet some of the drinks are not. We are modern citizens of the world, after all.
Hint: click on each theme for a closer look.
L-R: Limedrop Taffeta crop blouse, Backstage ‘Sherilyn’ short, Limedrop ‘Bill’ playsuit, Limedrop linen tie dress, Shona Joy ‘Onassis’ tiered assymetric midi dress, Sarah J. Curtis handmade straw panama hat, Lucy Folk ‘Short & Sweet’ sunglasses in spring blossom, Sollis ‘Flower’ bracelet, Preston Zly ‘Lupita’ heel in ivory, natural, gold.
Play: table tennis or actual tennis on a clay court
Eat: chicken mix sandwiches on white bread, pikelets with jam
Drink:
The Gin Rickey: A quick, tangy highball
L-R: Sollis ‘Nefrititi’ necklace, Sollis ‘Scarab’ bracelet, Karen Walker ‘Flowerpatch’ sunglasses in sea blue, Third Drawer Down Beaded Shrimp Clutch X Eat Me Do, Limedrop taffeta crop cullottes, Gorman ‘Breezy’ tank, Limedrop ‘Boss Rib’ palazzo pants, Preston Zly ‘Precious’ heel in blue, choc, orange.
Play: coits
Eat: kabana, cubed cheese & Jatz, pavlova
Drink:
The Absolutely Fabulous: Cranberry, raspberries and vodka
L-R: Limedrop chalk blue silk kimono, Ephemera Noir crossed one piece swimsuit, Lucy Folk ‘Round the World’ sunglasses in jungle with ‘Poison Ivy’ eyewear chain, Sarah J. Curtis handmade straw hat with pinched crown, Sollis ‘Xan’ earrings, Third Drawer Down ‘Highway is a Disco’ Scarf X Del Kathryn Barton, Nobody Denim ‘Skyline’ short, Preston Zly ‘Sonia’ in green, red, blue.
Play: Marco (polo)
Eat: snags and a fruit fortress
Drink:
Planters’ Punch: A fruity and zesty rum punch
L-R: Limedrop Sheer Check dress, Shona Joy ‘Tribus’ drawstring mini dress, Backstage ‘Candice’ dress, Sollis ‘Pyramid’ earrings, Karen Walker ‘One Astronaut’ sunglasses in soft grey, Lucy Folk ‘Guns n Roses’ slap band bracelet, Preston Zly ‘Angel’ in ivory.
Play: Jenga (after a few beers, things really heat up)
Eat: a classic parma or pie floater
Drink:
The Vieux Carre: herbal, rich and slightly bitter (also our favourite description)
Upper L-R: Limedrop Sheer Check blouse, Limedrop Gradient Splash ‘Milly’ crop, Backstage ‘Alexandria’ top, Backstage ‘Florence’ top, Shona Joy lace handkerchief hem dress, Limedrop Sheer Check skirt, Limedrop Gradient Splash silk skirt, Nobody Denim ‘Geo’ pencil skirt, Nobody Denim cullotte
Lower: Kit & Ace ‘Gastown’ scarf, Lucy Folk ‘Fly Away Butterfly’ sunglasses in river rising, Preston Zly ‘Blanche’ shoe in tan, Lucy Folk ‘Guns n Roses’ slap band bracelet
Play: bocce ball
Eat: cold cuts, cheeses & chutney and egg & lettuce sandwiches.
Drink:
The Bellini: Elegant peach and prosecco
Shop Shop:
- Backstage
- Ephemera
- Gorman
- Kit and Ace
- Limedrop
- Lucy Folk
- Nobody Denim
- Preston Zly
- Sarah J. Curtis
- Shona Joy
- Sollis Jewellery
- The Cocktail Studio – click on images above for recipes, or head to the site for thousands of others
