One of the things I love about fashion is its ability to present strangely compelling ideas that pull us out of everyday life. Fashion makes us want to tell new tales about the life we are living and the characters we are. Fashion also inspires us to develop new characters, those who might drive the trajectory of our stories forward in unanticipated and exciting ways.
Lately, as you know, I have been pre-occupied with the romantic notions and latent sensuality of moody Victorian inspired looks. The melancholy elegance of the period suits my current mood. The rainy overcast days we have been experiencing here as we move into October provide the backdrop and set the scene for this week’s look.
The reality one faces when performing stories inspired by fashion is that we are performing in the context of living our real life. This creates the styling challenge of avoiding looking like you are wearing a costume (even though you are) and making runway inspirations functional for the everyday roles and tasks of women. We try to keep balanced on the edge of contradictions. So the line we are teetering on here is how to place Victoriana in a modern “mise-en-scène”. Questions posed might be “how does one reference corsets yet remain comfortable and free?” “how might one wear lace to work?” and “how might one dress chastely yet project one’s sensuality?”
History frames fashion and good students of fashion know they must know it. So my inspiration this week comes from women who actually lived in the Victorian Age. Working women and athletes who proposed, designed and wore more practical and comfortable clothing began what was known as the ‘dress reform movement’. These were “women on the move” and as feminists they argued brilliantly ahead of postmodern thinking, that a thoughtful change in fashion could change bodies and create a social movement that would subsequently change the position of women. Thanks to them we now wear less restrictive undergarments, pants and other clothing that allows us to move through our life narratives comfortably, practically and most importantly with freedom and grace.
Love love this photo! So creative and your outfit is very chic.
<3
katsfashionfix.blogspot.com
What a great shot!
Honestly I don’t think about fashion or runway fantasies when I dress. It’s all about me me me! LOL I have a gut reaction to clothing. Most of the time it starts with the colour of the item, then the cut and fabric. I know by looking at the piece if it will make me feel good or just ordinary. Who wants to be ordinary when they can be extraordinary?
I often don’t think of comfort and sometimes I wind up regretting that I don’t pay enough attention to it. I’m drawn to vintage clothing and most of the dresses from the 1950’s that I wear have very small cinched waists, with no stretch or give in the fabric at all. It makes me aware of my body and how I move it. I try to sit up straighter, pull my shoulders back more. It is restrictive, but it makes me more aware of myself.
Great post! You always get me thinking : )
bisous
Suzanne
What a great shot!
Honestly I don’t think about fashion or runway fantasies when I dress. It’s all about me me me! LOL I have a gut reaction to clothing. Most of the time it starts with the colour of the item, then the cut and fabric. I know by looking at the piece if it will make me feel good or just ordinary. Who wants to be ordinary when they can be extraordinary?
I often don’t think of comfort and sometimes I wind up regretting that I don’t pay enough attention to it. I’m drawn to vintage clothing and most of the dresses from the 1950’s that I wear have very small cinched waists, with no stretch or give in the fabric at all. It makes me aware of my body and how I move it. I try to sit up straighter, pull my shoulders back more. It is restrictive, but it makes me more aware of myself.
Great post! You always get me thinking : )
bisous
Suzanne
Hello!
I love the way fashion influences my behavior, my attitude, my energy. Like you, I am a huge fan of romantic dressing .. keeping it in balance with my age (74) and activity.
Thank you so much for an extraordinary blog.
Helen in Bend Oregon
Hello!
I love the way fashion influences my behavior, my attitude, my energy. Like you, I am a huge fan of romantic dressing .. keeping it in balance with my age (74) and activity.
Thank you so much for an extraordinary blog.
Helen in Bend Oregon
Inspiring post, Accidental Icon. I need to up my ante!
Inspiring post, Accidental Icon. I need to up my ante!
Hello I use a translator because my English is not good , is to say that for some time I follow , I love your outfits and what you post , sometimes understand them and sometimes I translate , I found you by chance, and now I’m your fan, Believe me when I say that your style is great is because you inspired me someday want to have a style.
many greetings
L.
Hello I use a translator because my English is not good , is to say that for some time I follow , I love your outfits and what you post , sometimes understand them and sometimes I translate , I found you by chance, and now I’m your fan, Believe me when I say that your style is great is because you inspired me someday want to have a style.
many greetings
L.
One of the reasons I love your blog is because you show how to adapt fashion from historical context. This is an area where I’ve been lacking. For the most part, I’ve been drawing from the bohemian era through the use of accessories. (noticing that fringe and colors from that era are making their way back, or have they ever left???) Please share more on this concept, for I have so much to learn. Your adaptation blends the best of all worlds.
For me constructing an outfit usually comes from my desire to match certain pieces together to express what is my vision of that day. I take a lot of popular trends, but I try to present my take on them and match things unexpectedly. It’s quite different from the way you go about channeling something in an outfit, but I absolutely agree that it can shape and change our trajectory unexpectedly. Great post!
Kosta // http://coolgearcavalier.com
For me constructing an outfit usually comes from my desire to match certain pieces together to express what is my vision of that day. I take a lot of popular trends, but I try to present my take on them and match things unexpectedly. It’s quite different from the way you go about channeling something in an outfit, but I absolutely agree that it can shape and change our trajectory unexpectedly. Great post!
Kosta // http://coolgearcavalier.com
I can’t tell you how much I value the intellectual stimulation you give, alongside the fashion inspiration. As an educator myself, I love this balance of thinking and feeling, as well as investigating both historical roots and what is happening right NOW.
And of course, your photo here is amazing–the action, the ensemble…Wow.
I can’t tell you how much I value the intellectual stimulation you give, alongside the fashion inspiration. As an educator myself, I love this balance of thinking and feeling, as well as investigating both historical roots and what is happening right NOW.
And of course, your photo here is amazing–the action, the ensemble…Wow.