This year ACMI and Dangerfield have collaborated on a stunning clothing range to celebrate the brilliant
WONDERLAND exhibition currently showing at The Australian Center for the Moving Image or ACMI as it's known more fondly as.
If you've been living under a toadstool and have missed all of my social media posts then please let me update you about this amazing exhibition. Wonderland explores how this precocious heroine inspired revolutionary filmmaking, from groundbreaking special effects and animation to evocative storytelling and technological development.
A must-see event, take a trip through the looking glass into an immersive, enchanted world that draws together a remarkable selection of original behind-the-scenes material.
So if you are in Melbourne from now until the 7th of October you have to see this amazingly stunning immersive experience for yourself. I was lucky enough to attend on opening night and every little aspect has an element of magic. I won't go into too much detail because you'll need to see it for yourself.
For this post I'm sharing my favourite items from the Alice In Wonderland a collaboration between Dangerfield and ACMI shot by Brooke Orchard using the lush backdrop of the Geelong Botanical Gardens.
From the moment I was lucky enough to sneak a peek at this range I knew that I had to create a very stunning photoshoot to capture the whimsical prints and styles in this collection. We went way down the rabbit hole for this shoot so get ready for lots of images and Wonderland magic.
The Alice in Wonderland collection at Dangerfield comprises of 2 stunning print in skirt and dress form, 2 cardigans and two 3/4 sleeve tees. Given my body shape and own personal style I opted for specific pieces that would work best with my figure.
I'm 100% addicted to Dangerfield's knitwear collection so the White Rabbit cardigan was a must have. A stunning crop style with white rabbit embroidery on each lapel and 3/4 scalloped edge sleeves. I wear this style in a 16 which is my go to knitwear size for most of the labels at Dangerfield and it's super stretchy and soft to the touch. I can wear this buttoned up or open with out too much gaping as the fabric has heaps of give.
For this look I wanted to have a full rabbit them so I paired the cardigan with the Down The Rabbit Hole skirt. A swing skirt, waistband, zip closure, petticoat with tulle to giving you that extra volume. The silhouetted border print of Alice making her initial fall into Wonderland is absolutely stunning and so intricately and perfectly designed. I wear this style in an 18 and the cotton has very little give so it's a snug fit.
Hitting just below my knees this skirt is the perfect length and shape and can be styled in so many ways.
For a full Alice feel I paired this look with a few goodies from
The Costume Box which is my new go to store for everything party, costume or theme shoot related. A oversized Alice in Wonderland satin bow complete with pocket watch was the perfect accessory. Fully removable from the headband it arrived on you can wear this piece as I've shown or on your tails, as an oversized brooch or any way you so desire as it has a very large pin attached to the back.
The Costume Box also stock a great variety of standard and plus size stockings I've paired this look and the next with their plus size black and white stripe tights. These are a great fit on the legs but really don't go height enough for my liking. This is easily fixed by wearing a body suit over the top.
I also love the way these tights pair with my
Queen of Hearts heels from Shoe Me! These were the perfect choice for this photoshoot and for my red carpet look at opening night. They work perfectly for both Alice and the Queen outfits and are so comfortable.
Now for a quick change! For a different look and a brighter pop of colour the next look was paired with the White Rabbit Pocket Tee. You know that rule that plus or busty girls should never wear horizontal stripes? It's complete rubbish and should be ignored! We look freaking amazing in a bold stripe and the White Rabbit tee is absolutely amazing for busty girls.
I'm wearing this in a 16 and I really love the fabric and fit. Stretchy, soft and super light so you can layer this under coats and cardigans throughout winter. I opted to size down from my usual DF 18 as I noticed that it was more of a relaxed fit on the model and the smaller size hugs my curves perfectly. The long sleeve, almost bracelet length, is very flattering as well.
If you look closely you might see a familiar little fella popping out of my pocket. The same little guy from the cardigan has been hiding away on this tee! This might just be my stand out favourite look from this shoot so it was only fitting that I found another location and shot some more whimsical style images with a very special prop.
Last month I had briefly wrote about the
Wonderland High Tea my husband and I went to as part of the Wonderland Exhibition. Other than all the yummy treats and bubbles I fell in love with their tea settings. T2 and ACMI have paired and created the perfect tea party cup, saucer and teapot for the exhibition to brew and sip your T2 Wonderland Choc Berry tea with. The delicate design and colours featured on this cup and saucer had me swooning and I had to have the set. Next I'll be returning for the custom Wonderland tea and maybe round 2 of the exhibition.
You might have noticed my amazing nails throughout this set. These were a custom order from
Nightmare Nails an Australian based designer who makes the most amazing stick on nails in every shape, size and design possible. You can by directly from brilliant ETSY store or get a custom set made with your own idea and design custom made to your nail measurements.
For this shoot I was inspired by a Dark Queen vibe so I ordered a black and red ombre nail with crystal detailing
much like these but in a medium claw shape. They are super simple to put on with the glue kit and never broke or popped off at any point. I could not stop looking at these sparkly stunners either. I can't wait to order more and plan themes for more photo shoots. My day job makes it hard for me to grow long or have acrylic nails but with Nightmare Nails I can have the nails of my dreams and never break them!
It's amazing what a few props and team of creative minds can do. I ordered a mixture of Wonderland themed items from Costume Box for this shoot without having a clear image of how we could use them in my mind. But this stunning tree spoke to us and with some perfectly placed clocks and a tea time banner it's the perfect setting for a Mad Hatters Tea Party! I love that a few pieces can create such a magical look.
There also seems to be some creepy white rabbit following us around. He's right behind me isn't he?
Now we can't have a Wonderland shoot without the Queen of Hearts. At the opening of the exhibition I actually styled myself a gothic queen of hearts as this collection had not been released yet. But now I finally have my hands on the real Dangerfield Queens of Hearts look I was after.
My queen is a little more modest but still regal and funky, a modern casual take on her highness. Wearing the Mad Hatter Tee which features the Queen of Hearts peeking out of a tea cup on a black and white stripe cotton long sleeve top. The exact same shape and fit of the white rabbit tee so you can trust that it will be a perfect fit in a 16. This colourway and print is just as flattering and I can't wait to style this over the next few weeks.
Sticking with the darker shades I've paired this top with the Wonderland Tattoo print skirt. This tattoo flash print features potions, tea cups and even little Alices. Again I wear this style in an 18 and the tulle beneath this skirt is black. It's those little details like tulle to add more volume that make me love these pieces.
For a more regal and winter addition to the Queen's look I added the Twirl My Way coat in deep maroon from the current winter range at Dangerfield. This coat is not a part of the Alice collection but pairs perfectly with this look. I'll be going into full fit details and doing a full review of this coat and a stunning dress next week so I'll not go into too much detail here. But as a reference I'm wearing this in a 18.
Husband's Look
Lastly we have the ACMI Wonderland tees that are currently for sale at ACMI's gift shop and online store. With the same whimsy as the rest of the range Dangefield and ACMI have created 3 Wonderland theme unisex tees for you to snap up before or after the exhibition - or just because they are brilliant.
I wanted to show that these style look amazing on both men and women and the fit of XL's and Larges were perfect for both myself and my husband.
I'm wearing the Pocket Alice tee which features an adorable upside down white pocket on a red and white stripe tee. Alice is tumbling out of the pocket and it's super cute. The cotton has a little stretchy but it's not the same fabric as the 3/4 sleeve DF tees.
My husband is sporting both the Angry Alice and the Original Alice tees and I love how easily he rocks these with a simple black jean and plaid flat cap. The images work perfectly for a fella and I must say I'm a huge fan of men in a blue and white striped top. My husband also refused to take these off once the photo shoot finished so the Angry Alice tee is now officially his and I'm 100% ok with that as it looks adorable on him.
To celebrate this photoshoot, the exhibition
and brilliant collaboration between ACMI and Dangerfield I have a discount code for you! Use TEER15 via the online ACMI store for a 15% discount on any of the Dangerfield tees. So be sure to snap these up while stocks last. This code will be active until July 10th but don't worry I'll have another one for you in a few months!
Many thanks to Brooke Orchard the brilliant woman behind the lenses for this set of images. I just adore Brooke and her amazing eye. She made absolute magic with me for this set and I can't thank her enough for creating this with me. Many thanks to my adorable hubby for modeling some garments as well. Maybe I can rope him into his and hers shoots in the future!
