Alice’s dressing room – the space she uses every morning to dress and paint her face. Why does she love this room?…”Because its all mine! Its not to do with work, its not shared, its an oasis, a space dedicated to frivolity.”
Alice’s love for shoes started at an early age. “I love shoes, my mum loves shoes, my dad loves shoes, we all have a lot of shoes! I used to buy second hand ones from the Camberwell market, I remember a pair of black patent and mint leather brothel creepers from when I was in primary school. Once I found a pair of unworn Manolo Blahniks in the Salvation Army on Smith Street for $5, I almost had an asthma attack. I do love high heels now, even though I wear flat shoes all day at work, when I put on high heels its like party time, or holidays, or something fancy!”
The picture of the little girl in the bonnet was bought from a charity chop when Alice was living in London. “Nobody else seems to like it but I do, it reminds me of my friend Amanda.”
“The colour on the wall is called ‘Peach Delight’ or something like that. I love pink and peach but I didn’t want it to be too pastel. Once it was painted it on I thought ‘ARGH its too bright!’ , but now I love it. I read that Wallis Simpson chose the colour for her walls by dabbing her face powder puff on the walls and getting a paint to match. I suppose the idea is that your house should be the perfect backdrop for you.”
“I love tins and I love heart shaped boxes. I have plenty of trinkets so I need lots of little containers to store them in.”
The Terry de Havilland Zia high heels are Alice’s favourite item in the room. “They were given to me as an engagement present by Liz and Terry so they are pretty special.”
More art work is on the wish list. “I’d love a print by the artist Grande Dame, she makes these wild psychedelic artworks I love them!”
What’s the room and who uses it?
This is my dressing room, its also home to my shoe collection. I use it every morning to get dressed in and to paint my face. My partner William brings me a coffee while I do my make up and my little dog Rupert watches me, waiting until I can take him for a walk. I often use the room with my girlfriends to get dressed in the evening before we go out. Making ourselves more glamorous, listening to music, trying on high heels and having a drink. Its a bit of a shoe room, I love shoes, I especially love shoes by Terry de Havilland, also Preston Zly, Christopher Kane, Melissa, Manolo Blahnik, and Dr. Martens, and espadrilles for everyday wear.
What do you do for a crust?
I make clothes, I’m a dressmaker, costumier and designer. I have a shop/studio on Gertrude Street called Edgeley where I sell my wares and make them . It’s women’s wear, kind of easy glamour with elements of camp, kitsch, and cliche. I love helping people get dressed up, making sure they have the right earrings or shoes to match and the perfect undergarments.
What goes on in the room?
Dressing up, trying on shoes, make-up, and skin care lotions and potions, organising accessories like scarves, jewellery , gloves, bags, fans, books, listening to the radio, to podcasts, watching make up tutorials on you-tube, coffee drinking, lounging, wine drinking too.
Favourite piece in the room and why?
Maybe these Terry de Havilland Zia high heels. They were given to me as an engagement present by Liz and Terry so they are pretty special.
Anything on your wish list that you would love to add to the space?
More art work! I’d love a print by the artist Grande Dame she makes these wild psychedelic artworks I love them! Oh and more shoes of course and more make up and perfume and candles and jewels.
Describe the room in three words.
High Femme Den
Why do you love this room?
Because its all mine! Its not to do with work, its not shared, its an oasis, a space dedicated to frivolity.
What’s one lovely memory you have whilst being in the room?
This was once a junk room, filled with dusty junk and boxes of unused things, it was full right up to the top. When I moved in William said I could use it as my dressing room and slowly I moved everything out, painted and cleaned it, hung pictures, found furniture. I really look forward to coming in here every morning for about 45mins and on Sundays sometimes I spend an hour and a half just doing my face and hair, trying on shoes and outfits and playing with Rupert.
The Room Illuminated 
I wish I had a dressing room, how amazing is that!
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