Une Pomme de ma Tête

Isn’t it funny the things that we become attached to? When I look through my room, I have so many things: books, hats, clothes—the list goes on and on. And yet, when  you ask me to point out the things that I would take with me if I had to leave it all behind, it’s the funny, nearly valueless things that mean so much to me. Now I’m not saying I would leave me rings and jewelry PUH-lease. It’s just some of my favorite things are quite unexpected. Take for instance this picture:

I randomally picked it up one day in a cute shop in Oxford called Arcadia (really a haven for vintage papers of all kinds). I think I probably got it because it was the only old magazine reproduction that was under 10 pounds, and yet, it has brought me so many smiles. One of my friends even referred to it as the “naked girl” picture. But that little French adventurer is more than a sometimes naked girl to me. She’s sort of my spirit animal. Well, the other day I looked at it and found myself caught looking at the white outfit. I couldn’t think if I had any hat that would be anything like hers and more or less gave the idea up. Literally, less than 5 days later, I was browsing an antique warehouse and came upon the on I’m wearing in pictures for 5 dollars. It was fate! I hope you like my interpretation.

Outfit Details: Hat: Thrifted | Shirt: French Connection | Capris: J.M. Collection | Heels: Loft

 

Madeline meets Dubai in South Bend

This week in South Bend, a squirrel frolicked amongst the hedgerows I found this wall:

I also found the Chanel 2015 Cruise collection and its ingenious pairing of tunic/ pant sets. (These photos link back to the Chanel website, where I got them).

This collection is an education on the “piquant pant.” Yes, you could run through the mountains bare-legged (probably unshaven) in your Salvation Army shirt-made-dress, but why would you when you can look perfectly chic and tailored in 1. see-through geometry pants? 2. sailor swag pants? 3. Harem pants (all day long)? Frankly, I’m ecstatic. Manrepeller termed them “unnecessary but deeply necessary pants.” I would have to agree, but would go one step further. On the strawberry walnut salad that is the outfit, it seems that Lagerfeld’s ankle-cinched pants are the dressing. You could go low-cal boring, trying to choke down spinach and iceberg without something to whet your whistle, but the taste simply won’t be “piquant” without the wisp of vinaigrette. I got my first taste of this melangé last year in India.

Pay no attention to the sunscreen-slathered blonde-haired reflector beam who in her Lawrence-of-Arabla-cultural-appropriating frenzy decided to shop for tunics kurtas at the open market based on color combinations alone (because I am one size to fit all). The point is India rocks the “tunic” cinched- ankle combo, and using the term “regional” loosely, I feel like as Lagerfeld is known to do, he kept this in mind designing Chanel’s 2015 Cruise looks.

 

So for those of us who want to look Chanel at the supermarket (as our consumer spirits should now be more than blitzed for), how can you bring the look home short of a Sailor Moon tweed tornado? Here’s my interpretation, un peu francais, n’est pas?

I started with color. A hybrid pair of sometimes pants, maybe leggings, and a bright dress set the tone. The hat and collar reminded me of Madeline (twelve little girls in two straight lines sounds almost like a runway), and the scarf was a piece which preserved the Dubai vibe while remaining distinctly Parisien. What do you think?

Outfit Details:
Dress: GAP outlet
Scarf as Belt: Talbots (thank you Mimi)
Pants: The Row (ebay) also shown here
Shoes: Anthropologie
Spotlight on Accessories:
Hat: Antiquing
Collar: I cut this off of an otherwise frumpy Primark clearance shirt (and it was well worth the pound I paid for it!)
La Petit Prince Watch: Madrid find!
Ring: Fossil

I’m sharing this to my favorite link-ups, Patti’s Visible Monday over at Not Dead Yet Style and Trend-SPin at The Fashion Canvas. Check it out, or even better join in!

 

French Provincial + Sass = Pigtails

Sometimes I sit up at night considering the Millenium Prize Problems:

Can a 4-dimensional topological sphere have two or more inequivalent smooth structures?
Do the nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function all have real part 1/2? 

And the equally perplexing but lesser known:

What is it about French girls?

They’re so cool- even brushing their teeth! What is that je ne sais quoi that envelops their being and reverberates through their every move? I’m no Archimedes, but I have a humble hypothesis, I’d like to present to you before the sweat begins to drizzle down your unassuming neck:

Pigtails.

And the most wonderful thing about pigtails done right? It doesn’t matter your body type.. they’re just whimsical and sexy without being too revealing (although I ask in advance you do your darndest to not to “Hit me baby, one more time”).

If Brigette can keep the girls in, so can you.

For a sassy but sexy, whimsical yet mature, escape from the heat, think Paris, pigtails, and ignore those Union Jacks in the background…

Don’t forget the sass.

Beret: antiquing
Necklace and bracelet: gift from a friend
Shirt: See By Chloé
Pants: H&M
Belt: Zara (although they were included with a pair of khakis
Shoes: Primark (surprise, right?)

 *Remember* Try your very best to stay away from Brittany’s Catholic schoolgirl (at least until later), or someone might just send a….

Merci pour ton attention!

Sharing to: Visible Monday, Monday Mingle, Funday Monday, Trend Spin, What I Wore Wednesday, Style Sessions Link-up