“Life’s Too Short for Boring!”: Frock On for a Good Cause this October
- Words by Peppermint
above PEPPERMINT BARDON DRESS. PHOTO BY RACHAEL BASKERVILLE.
During October you can do some good as easily as getting dressed in the morning! For the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF), October is Frocktober, the biggest (and most stylish) fundraiser for ovarian cancer research in Australia, empowering peeps of all genders, shapes and sizes to channel their creative caring flair through their most fabulous frocks and raise urgently needed funds for the OCRF’s innovative research projects.
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological cancer, claiming the life of one Australian every eight hours. Frocktober funds are dedicated to the development of an early-detection test, which could save the lives of 1.3 million people globally over the next decade.
As far as excuses to dress up go, it’s hard to think of a better one! So, inspired by this year’s theme – “Life’s too short for boring!” – we’re putting our best frocks forward and celebrating some of the loudest and proudest Peppermint dresses as made by our Peppermint pals!
If you’re interested in learning more, head to frocktober.org.au where you can donate directly to the OCRF, or register a fundraiser of your own!
THE EVERYDAY ESSENTIAL
The foundational Frocktober challenge is to wear a frock all 31 days of October so where better to start than with the Peppermint Everyday Dress made in collaboration with In The Folds? @JuanitaFlett serves everyday glam in her Nerida Hansen cotton sateen number, while @RavenMaureen_ rang in the new year with her sequin-tastic hack!
THE BOUNTIFUL BOWEN
The fabulously floaty Peppermint Bowen Dress is an easy breezy make! Crafted by the brilliant Hubba Ding, it’s simple to put together with dramatic results. @Rhi___Made’s floral number flourishes in the beauty of the outback landscape and @LittleDanaDoes‘ patchworked spectacular tells the story of her sewing journey within its different fabric pieces.
THE BODACIOUS BARDON
A firm favourite among our sewing patterns, the Peppermint Bardon Dress is a perennial crowd-pleaser from the extraordinary Elbe Textiles! @SewDoItEmma is serving cottagecore cuteness in her bird-embellished Bardon, while the crafty @Maker.Mother.Crone has concocted some circle skirt magic in the tiers creating a show-stoppingly swishy skirt!
THE MAGNIFICENT MAXI
Another fantastic showing from the beloved Elbe Textiles, the clever construction details of the Peppermint Wide Strap Maxi Dress can’t be beat! From its premium pocket design to its ease-allowing elasticated back, it’s a joy to make and wear!
@PopsCanSew rocks her maxi in a wildin’ wildlife Ellie Whitaker print and some gloriously eye-popping colour combos, meanwhile, @Geri_In_Stitches opted for a tasteful white – then used her extreme tie-dyeing abilities to create a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour!
THE BEDAZZLING BUTTON UP
An oldie but a goodie, the Peppermint Button-Up Dress, also an In The Folds collabo, presents a pantheon of opportunities to bedazzle, bejewel or otherwise bedeck your make in adornments. @_GooglyGuys’s punk-rock frock features a funky print portrait, while @AutumnYarn eschews the buttons for a nifty zip and some excellent embroidered pockets!
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“My piece of advice for makers and designers? Run your own race… make sure your key decisions stay anchored in your brand’s core beliefs.”
- Bec Bligh
Quick show of hands: who’s opened a water bottle expecting a refreshing sip… and instead been greeted by the unmistakable whiff of uh-oh?
Because for something that follows us everywhere (desk, car, hikes, yoga…), the humble drink bottle is strangely prone to becoming a science experiment. Hard-to-clean corners and gaskets. Mystery smells. Bec Bligh and her husband Tim know it well. A six-month sailing trip along the Queensland coast left them with a lifetime of memories and one stubborn annoyance: mouldy water bottles they couldn’t properly clean.
So they did something about it.
Enter @EverVessel. Thoughtfully designed borosilicate glass and stainless steel bottles that keep things beautifully simple: durable materials, wide openings, easy-to-clean parts and none of the techy gimmicks that tend to age badly. Turns out simplicity, done well, is pretty powerful stuff. (Their many design awards agree!)
And lately they’ve added a little extra delight: the Artist Series, where creatives like Paola Castro, Ben Miners and Martin Thompson transform these everyday companions into tiny travelling artworks. There are more colabs in the works, too: hydration, but make it joyful! 🎨💧
We chatted with Bec about the sailing trip that started it all, the philosophy behind Ever Vessel, and why the most sustainable product is often just the one you keep using.
Tap the link in our bio to read the full conversation. 🚰
#EverVessel #ReusableWaterBottle
Pull up a chair… there’s room at this table!
For the first time, Feast for Freedom is bringing people together for a spectacular long-table dinner as part of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
A Longer Table is exactly what it sounds like: one beautiful shared table inside the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1), piled with generous dishes inspired by this year’s hero cooks, Noha and Nige.
From 6 to 9pm on Wednesday, 25 March, this is what you can expect:
🍽 A three-course shared feast
🍷 Matched drinks
🎶 Live entertainment
✨ A room full of good humans
Your ticket doesn’t just buy you a delicious dinner. It supports the ASRC’s vital work and helps create a fairer future for people seeking asylum.
Seats are limited, and long tables have a way of filling up quickly – head to @MelbFoodAndWine’s website to book now: feastforfreedom.org.au/mfwf
#FeastForFreedom #MelbourneFoodAndWineFestival #LongTableDinner #FoodForChange
Sew versatile! 🪡
Another great make from Lisa from @SunnySewsEveryday:
My #PeppermintWaratahWrapDress is finished and I’m so proud of it. It has been designed not to flap open and flash your pants in the wind, so I feel confident it will be a great wheelchair or standing dress in English weather.
#PeppermintPatterns #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
Frame your face with the Peppermint Bucket Hat!
Stay safe and stylish in the sun with your very own self-sewn and self-drafted wide-brimmed bucket hat. This beginner-friendly sew is perfect for a sunny day. Get out your pencils – this pattern is created using equations and maths!
This DIY project was featured in Issue 53 and now you can access it for the lovely low price of only $5.
Sun-safe chic is always in style. ☀️
Find it via the link in our bio!
Photos: @KelleySheenan
#PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintBucketHat #BucketHat #BucketHatPattern #DIY
✨ INSTANT CLASSIC ✨
The Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with a few special details based on the ever-stylish shift shape – the perfect dress you need in your wardrobe right now!
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from our lovely sewing partner @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Location: @ShareTheDignityAustralia
#PeppermintMyrtleShiftDress #PeppermintPatterns
It’s time to Feast!
Some recipes travel a long way before they land on your table to delight your taste buds. This year’s Feast for Freedom invites us to gather our friends, cook something delectable and raise funds for the incredible work of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1) while we’re at it.
The 2026 Feast features recipes shared by two remarkable cooks: Noha, who brought the flavours of Palestine with her when she arrived in Australia, and Nige, a Sri-Lankan Tamil cook whose journey with food began in the most unexpected of places.
You can host your own Feast up until 30 April – simply register online and get planning! Host a dinner, organise a workplace lunch, or gather your community… However you do it, the idea is simple: cook, connect and celebrate the cultures and stories that shape Australia.
Want to find out more? Head to the link in bio to meet Noha and Nige, learn more about their stories, and discover a delicious recipe to try.
#FeastForFreedom #PeppermintMagazine #FoodForGood #ASRC
