Fashion Questions

Jess: I am desparate to find the dress matilda wore to the formal on tue 20 nov. please let me know who makes it or where i can find it.

Shelley: Matilda's formal dress came from Hussy.

Marie: I love the dresses Matilda has been wearing recently, please can you tell me where they are from.

Shelley: Matilda's dresses are from the following labels:
Blue dress - Blue Juice
Black dress (Viv's party) - Wish (but I shortened it a lot)
Black dress (hotel scenes) - Manning Cartell

Katherine: Last week you played an episode with the year 12 formal. I am writing to ask you where "Matilda" got that beautiful pin for her hair? I am getting married and i am not going to wear a veil but that would look awesome in my hair with my dress. please help me! i loved it so much!

Shelley: The butterfly hairpiece was from Lord Of The Jewels.

Sophie: Hi I was wondering if anyone would be able to tell me the place where u got the pink top that Sam wears. It's candy pink.

Shelley: Yes that one came from Seduce.

Michelle: Hi I was just inquiring about a dress that Matilda was wearing at the meeting about Jonah at the Surf Club. Could you please tell me the designer and where i could purchase this dress from. Thankyou.

Shelley: That dress is from Blue Juice.

Rachael: I was just wondering where I could find the dress Martha had on at Sally's hens night? Or maybe who the designer is?

Shelley: Martha's dress is by Guille.

Santana: Hi, I really liked the dress that Sam was wearing when she made the romantic dinner for Jack to celebrate their engagement. I was just wondering where I can purchase one exactly the same.

Shelley: Sam's dress came from Manning Cartell.

Liz: I live in the UK so I think I am about 6 months or so behind the shows being aired in Australia. Please can you tell what make Martha cow boy boots are they she has been wearing for the past 6 months or so (around the time she was working at the Rocket club).

Shelley: Hi Liz lots of fans have asked about those boots, and Martha has been wearing them for about 4 years. Unfortunately the label has worn off and I can't remember where I bought them from...sorry.

Cassie: I was just wondering about the blue dress, with the lace detail that Rachel wore on tonight's show. 4/10/2007.

It's a Fleur Wood design, you can find a picture of it on the Other Looks page, Look Three.

Melissa: Hi, would you please be able to tell me who 'Sally's' wedding dress was made by and where I could buy it. I'm getting married soon and when I saw it I knew it was the perfect one for me.

Sally's dress was supplied by Mira Mandich, Double Bay, Sydney. Tel: 9363 8844

Sheree: Wow lots of requests to know where the dresses have come from.. I was wondering where Cassie's came from, the one she wore to the wedding. I love it and my year 12 fromal is in like 3 weeks. Haven't found a dress yet.. Please tell me.

Cassie's dress is from Manning Cartell also.

Rebecca: Hi,I would like to know where the dress is from that Martha had on for Sallys wedding,I am going to my brothers wedding in a month or so and I havent yet found anything that has caught my eye the way that dress did, hope you can help me.

Martha's dress came from a designer called Nicki Birkill.

Serena: Hi, I was wondering what dress Matilda was wearing on tonight's episode (tue 4th sept) for Sally's wedding... I thought she looked gr8!

Matilda's dress was from Manning Cartell.

Michael: Hi, I was just wondering if you could tell me where the dress that Leah is wearing at Sally and Brad's wedding is from?

Leah's dress was from Wish.

Michelle: Hi, I really liked the dress that Sam was wearing when she made the romantic dinner for jack to celebrate their engagement in last night's episode (Friday 31st of August 2007), I was just wondering where I can purchase one exactly the same.

Sam's dress was from Manning Cartell.

Nikki: Can you please tell me where you get the leather chocker Belle wears?

Shelley: She uses pieces of black leather from a market stand, probably she can get some at Spotlight.

Shari: I just loved the red and black striped dress with the word "strange" on it, that Belle (Jessica Tovey) wore. Could you please tell me who designed it?

Shelley: The dress is by the brand 'Emily the Strange' - new season.

Linda: Can you please tell me where I can get the top that Belle wore, it's a black sleeveless top with the Norton motorcycle on the front. I really want one!

Shelley: Norton is the label, their head office is in Newtown.

Karen: I am trying to chase down a red and white dress that was worn by martha on the episode dated 7th March.

Shelley: This gorgeous dress is from Hussy – possibly last season.

If you have any questions for Shelley about the fashion in the show, write to 'Fashion' homeandaway@seven.com.au.

If you have general fashions questions, you can ask a Westfield stylist.

We went on a shopping spree with Shelley Murray - Costume Designer for Home and Away, around Westfield Bondi Junction to check out the latest fashion trends and colours this spring/summer.

The stores are bursting with citrus colours, mandarin, yellow, and beautiful fresh lime green. Smock styles and 60's prints are big this year. "There are lots of short dresses and mini smocks...the mini has been around for a while but they are staying with it, they are great on the right person to show off the legs" said Shelley. Full lengths are also in if you want to be a little more modest, but nothing mid-length.

Shirt dresses with a waisted belt are great for work, these are more casual than suits, but perfect for the season. 3/4 length jeans and trousers are a great option and we noticed in David Lawrence, lots of natural fabrics, white linen pants with a wide leg and silk blouses. It's all about comfort and style.

Trench coats are still in as they are light enough for this climate and cropped jackets which are shorter at the waist, with big buttons or bows.

As for shoes, Kitten heals are great for summer, and the 60's peep toe in high stiletto's are stunning. Of course there are lots of ballet flats in hundreds of colours and patterns, and the sling back thongs are coming back, very 60's again.

Skinny and straight leg jeans are a must have, they are a little bit higher at the back (to hide those g-strings) and they are keeping with the dark denim like the Bettina Liano jeans being worn by Rachel.

You may remember that Shelley took us to visit some of her suppliers a few months ago including Seduce, Katherine and Blue Juice and the clothes she ordered then, are now coming into the stores and will be seen on the show. You will have already seen the outfits she bought for Drew's mum Jazz. All the beautiful metallics, silver, gold and bronze were shown to us by Katherine and they emphasised the details like studs, buttons, and embroidery.

Lastly Shelley said "You can't go wrong with lots of belts and bangles, sometimes the cheaper the better, just pile them on in every colour."

We also asked Shelley about a typical week on Home and Away

I’m out buying two days a week: Tuesdays and Thursdays. I go straight to the wholesalers for the upcoming season. What I buy is about three or four months ahead, so by the time it appears onscreen, it’s just coming out in the shops. I always buy two of everything because we shoot studio and location at the same time, and we have one set of clothes at both, so the actors aren’t having to bring their costumes back and forth. We also do lots of fight scenes and lots of spilling things, so you’ve got to have at least two. I’m in the studio Monday, Wednesdays, Fridays, I have three assistants [who are called Standby Costume] who rotate week to week. It means there’s one person looking after one block each, which is a week’s worth of five episodes: prepping the clothes, being there onset and then washing all the clothes and putting them away. A big part of the job is continuity: making sure the characters are wearing the right clothes from scene-to-scene.

What’s the process of finding the right look for a new character?

We get a rough character breakdown from the script department then I’ll speak to the producer [Cameron Welsh] and we’ll work out what the general look is. I’ll get the actor in for a fitting, usually a week before they’re onscreen in case we have to do more shopping for them. If the clothes don’t fit it’s easier to put them in excess stock, which we use for extras, rather than getting it altered.

How did you get into the industry?

I studied theatre design: costume and set design at Wollongong Uni, a BA in Creative Arts. I did theatre for about five years which was a really nice start into building character. I streamlined towards costume and then moved into television about nine years ago. I definitely wanted to get into a creative field, I wasn’t interested in fashion at all, I was more interested in theatre, plays, creating more history-based things, which led to television. Some people come from fashion into TV, and some people come from theatre.

What advice would you give to aspiring costume designers?

Do the textiles-based course in year 12 – Textiles and Design. Some designers say you don’t need to know how to sew which can be true but I do believe knowledge in garment construction itself is necessary just for fittings: to know how to fit somebody is imperative I believe, and just knowing basics of design, colour, texture, line all those things, whether it's through sort of design course… Those base elements are quite important.