Random Musings: Frocktober

It is that time of year again - Frocktober! The month where I wear frocks every day to raise funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.

The start of the month has been extremely busy. Last Saturday I held the "Spring High Tea" a fundraising high tea for Frocktober. I was lucky enough to be supported by a host of great Canberra businesses with items to raffle and auction and over 60 people attended the afternoon to enjoy delicious food and drink provided by the Canberra Institute of Technology and hear the lovely music of the Canberra Girls Grammar string ensemble.

It was a fabulous afternoon. The final bills aren't in but it looks to have made around $2,000 for the OCRF which is a complete thrill. You can read more about it here.

Aside from that I've been wrestling with the usual Frocktober challenges - having enough work appropriate frocks, battling wind and full skirts, figuring out how to accessorise for the weather. But it is a fun challenge and as always I'm enjoying it.

As always, Frocktober makes me think of the person whose diagnosis and death put me on this path to supporting the OCRF. It is 5 years now since Aunty Sue died and I'm still not used to the thought that she isn't here with us. It was her diagnosis that made me aware how difficult ovarian cancer is to identify and that without an early detection test we will continue to see a woman die every 10 hours from this hidden killer.

So while I may be spending the month having fun wearing frocks, it is for an amazing cause. Frocktober has already raised over $100,000 month for more research. If you want to donate, you can do so at: https://frocktober2015.everydayhero.com/au/lisa-robey

To see all my frock efforts visit my Instagram page at: https://instagram.com/lisablithemoments/

And if you feel inspired, it isn't too late to join in. Head to http://frocktober.org/ to get all the details.

Happy Frocking!

White Shirt Day

Those of you who have read this blog for awhile will know that I am an ambassador for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF). I fundraise for them every year and speak on their behalf at various events around Canberra.

Today marks the launch of the largest fundraising activity of the year - the White Shirt Day Campaign. Each year Witchery creates a special collection of white shirts with 100% of gross proceeds raised by the sale of the shirts going to the OCRF. This year there are 9 women's shirts and 1 men's shirt in the collection. You can view (and purchase) them in store or on the Witchery website.

Friday 1 May is White Shirt Day. To mark the day, I will be hosting a cocktail party. If you are Canberra based I'd love you to join me for an evening of networking with some great prizes on offer.

Registration details are below, please spread the word because currently 1 woman dies every 10 hours of ovarian cancer in Australia and we need to find an early detection test to smash that statistic.

White Shirt Day Cocktail Party

Friday 1 May

5:30pm - 7:30pm

Rydges Capital Hill

$40 - register at: http://whiteshirtdaycocktails.eventbrite.com.au

Frocktober 2013 Week 5

It is over. Another Frocktober has passed by in blur of frills, patterns, florals and petticoats. I've worn a different frock every day (and still had a few spare) and loved it - but I'm hanging out to wear my jeans tomorrow! There is no doubt that I'm a frock loving gal, but my jeans are also favourites that I have missed.

But of course Frocktober isn't really about the frocks, it is about the fundraising for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. The funds raised will be well used by them to fund their ongoing research into an early detection test for this terrible disease. And the fundraising has been amazing. This year I've managed to raise $3,386 and currently the total for the whole month is $ 279,752.45!!! It is just a brilliant result and will make a real difference for the OCRF.

There is still time to donate, my page is https://frocktober.everydayhero.com/au/lisa but there are many others doing amazing things to raise funds who could also use your donations.

Thank you for coming along on this year's journey with me. As always it has been a fun, humbling, memory filled ride!

Frocktober 2013 Week 4

Frocktober week 4 had a little bit of everything. Stripes, spots, pattern, block colour, floral, gingham. It is usually about this time of the month that I start to get sick of wearing frocks, but I haven't reached that point this year. I really do love my frocks! That said by next Friday I think I shall enjoy my jeans.

It has been such a full on month. Aside from Frocktober activities, work has been manic and this week, just to add to the mix, I'm making a wedding cake! Keep your fingers crossed for me that it all goes well, it is an honour to do it for my friends but it is high stakes too!

Frocktober 2013 Week Three

In honour of the lovely spring weather I made week three of Frocktober floral week. Every one of these frocks has a floral pattern, although some are hard to see in these photos.

It has been a very windy but warm October which is making Frocktober more comfortable than some previous rather chilly years but at the same time I do have super terrible hayfever. The big news this week was that I hit my target of raising $3,000! And even better, the entire Frocktober total headed over the $150,000 mark.  It is brilliant to see how the event has grown over the years.

I also realised that I had worn very few of these frocks to work before, despite them being most definitely work appropriate. I will definitely start doing so from now on, just another Frocktober bonus!

Frocktober 2013 Week Two

Frocktober Week 2 was a BIG one.  A really busy work week, my birthday, a dinner out, seeing the circus/burlesque show Empire at the Spiegletent and of course, the highlight of Frocktober for me, my dance party Rock Your Frock.

We rocked our frocks last night and while the crowd was about half the size of last year due to the unfortunate coincidence of a ballroom competition in Sydney and the opening of a new salsa club in Canberra, I still manged to raise over $2,400 which I think is amazing.  I am so grateful for the support of everyone who helped, my brilliant friends Rob and Oren who provided professional quality sound and lighting to make the place look and sound amazing.  My Mum and sister who worked the door all night letting me have a few dances in between selling raffle tickets and comparing the night.  And of course the wonderful S, who helped set up, pack down and puts up with my months and months of distraction as I worked on the event.

All in all it was a wonderful night.

The rest of the week was pretty wonderful, albeit with some of those inevitable funny "frocktober" moments - such as wearing a cocktail dress with a quite short skirt and a decent amount of cleavage for Friday Cocktail Dress day, because I'd completely forgotten that it was also the day of our AGM and that the entire board would be in the office.  Needless to say I hid in my office quite a bit.  Today I'm dicing with a very short, flouncy skirt and a windy day, but as the plan is to stay home I think I will be ok.

Frocktober is once again proving to be a super fun month.

Frocktober 2013 Week One

The first week of Frocktober was a little chilly, very windy but with enough sunny patches that the ubiquitous Frocktober cardigans could be put away at times.

This Frocktober I'm upping the glamour stakes with cocktail dress Friday.  It is particularly noticeable in my office because we embrace casual Friday so with one person in satin when everyone else is in denim I think it is quite clear that I'm doing something a little different.

This week is the big one, Rock Your Frock. It is going to be a full on week which includes my birthday, a couple of dinners, a show and of course a huge charity dance. I expect it will be exhausting but fabulous.

Frock on!

Frocktober the first

Today marks the start of an emotion filled month for me.  October has always been that way.  It contains my birthday which is associated with a thousand happy memories, but it has also been a month of loss and upheaval in my life.  I enter every October with a little trepidation at what it may bring.

In the last few years October has had extra emotions associated with it, grief and gratitude being the prominent two.  This is because three years ago I lost a really important person in my life to ovarian cancer and each October I honour her life by fundraising for ovarian cancer research by participating in Frocktober.

I think of Sue every day through October.  Her loss is still huge.  Just recently I was working on a project for my parent's wedding anniversary and a dozen times I thought to myself that I must ask Sue about this or that only to remember that I can't do that anymore. It seems almost inconceivable that she won't be at the important milestones in my life, even after three years I can't picture a big family gathering without her there.

But while the grief at her loss is still a raw emotion, this month also fills me with gratitude at the support I receive.  From my family and friends who support my fundraising with frocks and funds to the businesses that donate prizes for the silent auction at my fundraising dance party Rock Your Frock, I am indebted to so many people for helping me fundraise.

In previous years I have blogged my daily frocks.  This year, if you would like to follow my frocking adventures, I've finally caved and switched over to Instagram so you can find me at http://instagram.com/lisablithemoments#

If you are in Canberra, please come along to Rock Your Frock.  You don't need to be a "dancer" but you are encouraged to frock up and it is guaranteed to be an amazing night.  Rock Your Frock is on 12 October at 7pm at the Harmonie German Club.  You can find all the details here: http://rockyourfrock.blogspot.com.au/

And finally, if you feel so inclined you are more than welcome (and hugely thanked) to make a donation at: https://frocktober.everydayhero.com/au/lisa

Frocktober Finale

And the frocking has finished, well not really, I'm still in my final frock, but today is the last day of Frocktober.  Once again it has been a brilliant experience.  I've raised over $4,000 and at this point the event has raised almost $190,000 for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.

I've proved that there is a frock for every occasion - dinner out, work, freezing cold day, cleaning the bathroom, sunny afternoon, even lying sick on the couch I managed to frock up. And I've loved every minute, which is not to say that I won't be very happy to wear jeans to work this casual Friday.

I've written extensively about how grateful the whole thing makes me feel.  For the donations of money and prizes, for the support, for the opportunity to do something worthwhile for this cause that is so important to me.  But I don't think it can be said enough so to everyone who has supported me this month ....

THANK YOU!

There is still time to donate if you want to at: http://everydayhero.com.au/frock_lisa and if I've inspired you, please join in next year.  You don't have to frock up every day like I have, you can be a Friday frocker or hold a frocking party, whatever works for you.  The key is that we do whatever we can to help the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation find an early detection test and help stop wonderful women like my Aunty Sue dying of this disease.

Frocktober - Week 4

Another Frocktober week is over.  In fact Frocktober is nearly over.  I'm getting to that point where I'm REALLY looking forward to wearing jeans again, but I've still got a few lovely dresses not yet worn.

It was an exciting Frocktober week, I hit my fundraising target of $4,000 and am now even a little over that.  I'm so grateful to everyone who donated or came to Rock Your Frock.  When I decided to aim to raise $4,000 it seemed an impossibly large amount of money.  After all I've been doing this for three years, would people still be so supportive, in fact would they be more supportive (my target last year was only $2,000)?

The answer was an overwhelming yes.  From the donations of friends and family, to the donations of complete strangers.  Not to mention the wonderful local businesses who donated the prizes that made Rock Your Frock such a success.  I'm filled with an immense sense of gratitude and I have to say a little bit of pride.

But there is still another 5 frocking days to go and some fabulous frocks to wear in that time - stay tuned.

Frocktober - Week 3

I can't believe that this time last year I had a thermal on over my dress.  Today is set to be 27 degrees.  My silk scarf is there for colour pop only,  I even considered going without pantyhose - but ended up acknowledging that the office aircon will get the better of me.

It has been a fantastic Frocktober week.  I'm still blown away by how much I raised at Rock your Frock.  And even better than the money, I keep hearing from people how much fun they had.  Putting on an event that people enjoy is a real thrill.

It also has been a week of gorgeous dresses.  One of the great things about Frocktober is that it reacquaints me with my wardrobe after the long winter.  While I do wear a couple of dresses in winter (and would love to wear more but dresses with sleeves are hard to find) the majority of my frock wardrobe sits waiting for the sun to return.  And now it has returned, and I have really enjoyed frocking up this week.

Rock Your Frock - the result

The male best dressed winner (in orange) with another of the wonderful men in frocks.

What a weekend.  What a crazy, amazing, thrilling weekend.

This weekend was Rock your Frock, the dance party I run as a Frocktober fundraiser and saying it was a success is such an understatement.  We had 186 people there and raised $3,337.75 - around $1,000 more than was raised last year!  I'm in shock at the amount, thrilled that so many people got dressed up and buzzing that everyone had such a good time.

I worked for awhile as an event planner so I have the process of organising such an event down to a practiced art.  But when on Saturday morning someone asked me what was involved and I started describing it, I realised it actually is a lot of work.  Somehow because I know what I'm doing and I've organised far bigger things I tend to downplay the effort in my mind.  But given I do all the work in my own time and on my own, it really is kind of a big deal.  And to pull off a night where people didn't want to leave and when they did they had exhausted smiles on their faces and heels in their hands from tired dancing feet, is pretty special.

Mum wrote a post on her blog this weekend about how fundraising is in our blood.  For me, it is just something that I do and now having a cause, ovarian cancer research, that I care about so deeply makes it that much more important to me.  The thrill of a successful event is great, but passing the money through to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, that is amazing.

But back to the night itself.  I don't pre-sell tickets as the extra admin and cost are not worth it, so it is always somewhat of a lottery as to how many people come.  But they did come, slowly at first and then in a solid stream that just went on and on.  My wonderful Mum and sister manned the door while I sold raffle tickets, organised and got in the occassional dance.  Every time I turned around more people had arrived and excitingly, there were more and more who I didn't know.  I expected lots of the dancers who I know well but as the numbers of new faces increased I got increasingly excited.

And the outfits.  The women were gorgeous, the table of 40's and 50's pin-ups was extraordinary, but then there were the men in dresses.  No description will do them justice, so please, enjoy these photos of some of the best dressed from Saturday night - I will leave it up to you to determine gender but as a hint, the facial and leg hair tends to be a giveaway.

This lovely lady in gold was our best dressed female winner.

On a side note can I say while many women seem to struggle walking well in heels, the guys did incredibly well on a slippery dance floor.  I'm going to surmise that being a dancer gives you great balance.

Currently I'm just $400 away from my fundraising target.  If you feel inspired, please do donate at: http://everydayhero.com.au/frock_lisa

Frocktober - Week 2

As happens pretty much every October, after a period of glorious weather the kind of which makes you want to write poetry about spring, winter has returned.  Today the countryside around Canberra is covered in snow and it has been a grey, wet week.

It is therefore possibly a reaction to the weather when I look back at the week and notice it has been significantly more colourful than last week - and that jumpers have been more prominent.  Polka dots made an appearance on Wednesday for my birthday, and today I am swathed in the most delicious cobalt blue pashmina that my sister gave me (the photo here does not do it justice).  I had planned on wearing a gorgeous pair of blue suede peep toe heels to match my black and blue outfit but with more rain and possibly snow forecast, boots seemed more sensible.

It has also been a very busy week as tomorrow (eek) is my big Frocktober fundraising dance party, Rock Your Frock.  My fingers are crossed for a big turn out, I think everything else is ready!

Frocktober - Week 1

Well it wasn't an ideal start to Frocktober.  A nasty head cold left me curled up on the couch for two days, but I am nothing if not committed to frocking it up all month, so I still wore dresses all day.

Get used to the black dress I'm wearing today, I will be wearing it each Friday, just with different accessories.  Today I went for a casual look with a denim jacket, leggings and leopard print accessories.  It also helps that S is away for work as he loathes animal print - you should see the look on his face any time these cute leopard print peep toes make an appearance, the scarf is pretty much banned!  Strangely enough my father is exactly the same.

Being under the weather has meant I've got off to a bit of a slow start with fundraising, but next week should be amazing.  It includes my birthday and Rock your Frock, my big dance fundraiser.  Still if you have some spare dollars that you would like see go to ovarian cancer research you can donate at: http://everydayhero.com.au/frock_lisa (and it is tax deductible).

The Frocking Has Begun!

I seem to say it every year but this year has just whizzed by faster than I could imagine.  All of a sudden it is October and that means only one thing - frocks! Yes once again I'm spending a month dresses (aka frocks) as part of Frocktober to raise funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.

As many of you will be aware, just over 2 years ago my Mum's best friend "Aunty" Sue died of ovarian cancer after a short but terrible battle with it.  Before she was diagnosed I often took part in charity fundraisers and volunteered for worthy causes.  I really enjoyed being able to contribute in a positive way to the community.  But there is nothing like losing a member of the family (Sue wasn't a relative but she was family) to commit you to a cause.

Since Sue's diagnosis I've found out a lot more about this cancer that I previously knew nothing about.  If ovarian cancer is found early the survival rates are really good.  However there currently is no early detection test and most cancers are found only after they have already spread to other organs.  As a result one woman in Australia dies of ovarian cancer every 10 hours.

The Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation is working on finding an early detection test.  With it, we will be able to bring the terrible death rate down but they need funding, hence my month in frocks.

In previous years I've posted my frocks here, but this year I will be putting them daily on Twitter (follow me @LisaRobey) with a weekly wrap up here.  If you would like to get involved, it isn't too late to start, just head over to www.frocktober.org to find out more or you can sponsor me at http://www.everydayhero.com.au/frock_lisa.

Frocktober is here again!

It is that time of year again.  When I start looking through my wardrobe, getting excited about the prospect of a month in dresses.  Yes that is right, a whole month wearing nothing but dresses.

If you are new to reading this blog, you may not be familiar with the concept of Frocktober.  Frocktober is a month long fundraiser for ovarian cancer research.  It is a choose your own adventure type fundraiser, but all the activities involve frocks!  You can frock up on Fridays, have a special frock afternoon tea.  You can wear a different dress every day of the month or the same one all month.  You set the challenge and get sponsored.

Last year I wore a different dress on every day of the month.  This year I will again be frocking up, but each Friday I will wear the same dress styled differently.  That dress is to be revealled (actually it is yet to be chosen) but here is a taste of what you can expect throughout October.

If you would like to join in, the frockettes would love to have you.  Just head over to the Frocktober website, set yourself up a page and choose a challenge then get as much sponsorship as you can.

I will be blogging about my frocking adventures including the biggest part of the month, the annual fundraising dance I run called Rock your Frock.  If you are in Canberra or will be on the 13th of October I would love to see you there.  All the details can be found on our Facebook page.  I have had amazing support from the Canberra dance and business community so there will be some wonderful prizes on offer and as everything from the venue to the prizes has been donated, every dollar that comes in the door will go to the OCRF.

It isn't often that we can raise funds for an amazing cause simply by getting dressed in the morning, so I really encourage you to join in.  Frock on!

White Shirt Day

Do you have ovaries? Or love someone who does?  Well in that case today you should be supporting White Shirt Day.  White Shirt Day is a fundraiser for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation.  If you are in need of a new white shirt, Witchery has a special range where the profits go to OCRF or you can donate directly here: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/event/whiteshirtwitchery2012.

Ovarian cancer was something that wasn't on my radar until fairly recently.  Sure I knew it existed, but I had never really heard much or thought much about it.  That all changed in 2010 when in a matter of weeks my Mum's best friend, otherwise known as Aunty Sue, went from feeling unwell to having terminal ovarian cancer.  I don't mean that the cancer grew overnight, it is just that it is such a difficult cancer to detect that by the time most women discover they have it, it is too late to treat and that was exactly what happened in Sue's case.  Symptoms are easy to dismiss, they can include:

• changes in your bowel habits
• unexplained weight gain or loss
• bleeding in-between periods or after menopause
• back pain
• indigestion or nausea
• excessive fatigue

They are such generic symptoms that it is really easy to ignore them or not even notice them.  They key is to be aware of your body and if something is going on that is not normal, get it checked out.  If caught early, ovarian cancer is very treatable and this is why Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation is working like crazy to find an early detection test.

Each year I do my best to support the OCRF by participating in Frocktober - a month long festival of dresses.  I'm already planning activities for this year, so you will hear loads more in October but for today, wear a white shirt and consider if there is a way that you can support this amazing foundation.

November 1 and I'm still frocking up

It is the first of November and I'm wearing ... a frock!  I know, several people have already informed me that I no longer have to wear dresses, I think they are missing the point that I'm still allowed to wear them when I want to, they are just no longer compulsory.

Anyway, while today is the first of November it is also Melbourne Cup day.  For those international readers (I know there are a few), the Melbourne Cup is a horse race that has somehow attained the status in Australia as the race that stops the nation.  Melbourne gets a public holiday, everywhere else office productivity drops as people pop out to place a bet, office sweeps are conducted, lunches are held as are hat competitions and many other diversions.  My office isn't big into all those things but we will stop to watch the race and I always insist on wearing a fascinator.  I love hats but they make answering the phone difficult, so a fascinator is the practical office option for cup day.

Anyway even if the rest of the crew doesn't get into the spirit of the day, I like to dress up, which for me most definitely involves wearing a dress and a giant flowery/feathery thing on my head.

This is a shot from last year, hence the different hair style but you can get a better idea of my giant flowery headwear, ideally suited to the office environs.

Frocktober - the final frock!

It was a big decision, what to wear for the final day of Frocktober?  I considered many options, but in the end decided to wear what is probably my most girly, and definitely my most flowery dress, complete with a flower in my hair.

What an amazing month it has been.  The support, financial, emotional and frock-al has been wonderful.  I've loved every moment of wearing dresses, and it has been gorgeous to share them all with you.  At the time of writing, I've raised $3,893.15 and am the second top fundraiser in the country, only beaten by the amazing David Berkelmans who was sponsored to not only wear a dress, heels and earings for the day to work, but also to go out to lunch in his get-up.

Over $90,000 has been raised for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation which is completely brilliant.  This is a wonderful activity to participate in, I know Sue would have loved it and I feel really proud that I'm doing something to help this important cause.

There is still time to donate and help me get over $4,000.  If you are so inclined, you can make a tax deductible donation here: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/lisa_robey_0

Frocktober - day thirty

I can't believe that the month is almost over.  30 dresses down, 1 to go.  Today's dress was an impulse purchase in the Ben Than markets in Ho Chi Minh City.  I saw it and immediately thought of a friend who loves peacock feathers.  I considered buying it for her, but ended up getting it for me - opps.  I did get her a peacock feather top though.

I still have no idea what I'm going to wear for the last day.  I've considered the votes for a tutu, but I've decided that it would be a skirt which does not constitute a frock in my book, so the jury is still out on what to wear.

Hope everyone has had a lovely Sunday!