Swan Lake

Jill Stuart dress. Vintage Eva Mae Modes headpiece, coral necklace (worn as belt), charm necklace & cork necklace (worn as bracelet). Wood bangle. Chanel sandals.
"Now wakes the owl, now sleeps the swan / Behold a dream, the dream is gone / Green fields / A cold rain is falling / Near the golden dawn. / & deep beneath the ground / The early morning sounds & I go down" - Pink Floyd, A Pillow of Winds

White dress + feather headpiece = swan about town... This petticoat frock is punctuated with lace & ruffles in the perfect light fabric (more opaque, less sheer). My chain necklace is difficult to see, but it's compiled of old charms: a green tote printed with a poodle (the provenance of my Barbie keychain) & an emerald-esque ring. This fiery feathery headpiece has a netted base trimmed with a velvet bow; perhaps a bird would perch on my hat if I set it in the grass.

Let the Sunshine In

Traffic People dress. Vintage elephant necklace (worn as belt), feather roach-clip (in hair) & beaded necklaces (worn as bracelets). Chanel sandals.
UK clothing company Traffic People indulges girls nostalgic for old world parties: sixties swingers, haute hippies, et al. I fell in love with the flirty feminine frocks parading through this season's whimsical run-away-to-join-the-circus lookbook. After effusively expressing my appreciation, Traffic People sent me their aptly named 'Cinderella - Bow Dress'; I promptly slipped it on & felt like Elton John's Tiny Dancer celebrating the summer equinox with some slinky sun salutations. This floral silk-chiffon frock is a short & sweet glorified tunic with a pussycat bow at the neckline & bell-sleeves. To keep the groovy gypsy vibe going, I belted the dress with a little elephant necklace & strung these feathers in my hair.

About a Dress

3.1 Phillip Lim dress. Calvin Klein belt (worn backward). Vintage coin & enamel bracelets. Delman shoes.
This magnificent specimen of a dress is as close as I’m getting to couture (for now); it’s a stand-up-&-shout piece requiring only the odd trinket: a belt worn the wrong way & two bracelets. Sometimes I wonder which to prefer: a fancy frock all alone or a plain one ornamented with extras. If forced to choose a signature style, I'd be fancy forever: it makes life easy in summertime, which is when I want the least amount of stuff on my skin. Glamour girls bedazzle their bikinis with jewels, but I often opt for just the suit - & perhaps some blackout sunnies & a straw purse (I'm talking to you, Chanel 'Coco Country' bag for spring 2010)… Some accessories are a prelude to couture.

Bluebell Flower - Fairy Bell

3.1 Phillip Lim resort 2010 collection, look #4

Chambray shirt. 3.1 Phillip Lim skirt. Hadley Pollet belt. Vintage chain necklace (worn as bracelet) & Byzantine bracelet. Chanel shoes.
"She's making history, / Working for victory, / Rosie the Riveter. / Keeps a sharp lookout for sabotage, / Sitting up there on the fuselage. / That little girl will do more than a male will do" - Redd Evans & John Jacob Loeb, Rosie the Riveter
My chambray button-down was inspired by two American sartorial symbols: Rosie the Riveter & cowboys. Rosie's iconic WWII poster depicts a woman dressed for factory work in a denim collared shirt with a red polka dot bandana wrapped around her hair - a feminist icon who wore her "We Can Do It!" mantra on her sleeve. Cowboys radiate romantic adventure, but I wouldn't wear their all-jeans-all-the-time uniform (unless it's look #20 from Chloé's spring 2010 fashion show). This chambray shirt is softer/thinner than denim; it toughens up my lace skirt & suits Sunday brunch en famille.

Sunglasses at Night

Jill Stuart dress. Heart sunglasses. Chanel earrings & clogs. Vintage pearl necklace, bead necklace (worn as bracelet), woven cuff & Judith Jack bag.
Lolita meets Holly Golightly for Breakfast at Tiffany’s… I took on Audrey Hepburn’s iconic costume from the opening scene: black dress, sunglasses & pearls. I worship her look but wouldn’t wear something so plain. I gravitate toward girlie, so on went this floral frock: chiffon ruffles trimmed with blue satin/lace cascade beneath a rosette pinned at the waist. I twisted my hair in a chignon to honor Ms. Hepburn, the better to display my strand of pearls.
What came first: Lolita or heart sunglasses? Shelley Winters wore a red pair in Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov’s novel. I read the book & don’t recall Mr. Nabokov describing Lolita’s eyewear, but heart sunglasses are forever associated with her thanks to the movie's costume designer.

Terra Firma Starfish

Vintage crepe dress, feather roach-clip (in hair) & wood necklace (worn as bracelet). Miu Miu sandals.
Fashion’s cyclical nature makes it possible to revisit any era & vintage clothing is my passport to gentler times... My peach of a dress hails from the 1940s; delicate beading swans around the shoulders, chest & hip. True story: I found this frock at a local antique boutique & my tailor (whose been sewing for over half a century) recognized it when I took it in to be hemmed! She remembered repairing the shoulder's embellishment with a pink flower (see first detail photograph) to contrast with the rest of the topaz starfish for the original owner, who had a cache of crepe tea dresses. These red feathers decorate one of my vintage roach-clips, which I use to pin back my hair; I collect them because they’re prettier than bobby pins.

Rhinestone Rocker

3.1 Phillip Lim dress. Vintage chain necklace worn as belt, pendant necklace worn as headband & seashell ring. Chanel sandals.
I was pleasantly surprised to find my Phillip Lim frock (from the fall 2008 collection) this morning… Usually I hang dresses & fold knits (or risk stretching them), so I almost forgot I tucked this one in a drawer to avoid a similar fate to its crochet/chiffon fabric. It's also studded with (falling) rhinestones, making me at least partially responsible for the sparkle in the Sidewalks of NY. I rewarded my rediscovered dress by pairing it with the debut of my Chanel sandals: ankle-strap/t-strap demi-wedges crowned with carnations. Walking in beauty (Lord Byron) made me realize everyone would be happier with flowers on their toes.

P.S. Visit ban.do's blog for their featurette on me wearing their hair-sparkler!