Grey Flannel Dressing

Now, there is absolutely, positively no possibility of my ever, ever, getting my hands on any pieces from Orla Kiely's diffusion line Olive and Orange, and, in particular, any pieces from the Fall 2011/Winter 2012 collection.  So coveting any of the said pieces is pointless.  Nevertheless I covet.  Maybe I can find some imitation pieces, new or thrift, and, preferably, affordable.  (As an aside, I have been noticing this pairing of grey and brown/camel/tan lately.  I think that I am going to call this trend "grey flannel dressing".  It just sounds right to me!)

All photos from Olive and Orange's facebook page.

Wanting To Talk

Yesterday, I discovered that photos of the Dear Creatures Fall 2011/Winter 2012 collection had been posted on the Dear Creatures facebook page (and last Friday, at that).  So, this morning, I expected to see at least some of the usual suspects (i.e., some of the more popular bloggers who usually post about Dear Creatures) posting about Dear Creatures and their picks from the new collection.  Much to my surprise, I found no Dear Creatures posts.  I expect I will see them within the coming weeks, if not days (and maybe even by the end of today).  Still, I am somewhat disappointed.  I guess I was ready to "talk" about the new Dear Creatures collection, but no one else is on the same page as me.  Oh well, not the first time for this and, probably, not the last.  I don't usually do this, but here goes:  I am coveting the following from the collection:

All photos from Dear Creatures' facebook page.

Retro Varsity Chic

Thanks to a tip that I got that twenty-seven names was showing its Autumn/Winter 2011 collection yesterday, today, I was rendered speechless.  So much inspiration for right now!  I particularly like the retro varsity chic looks!

Source:  FashionNZ

Vagabond Chic

Yesterday, while trolling the blogosphere for new (to me) personal style blogs, I came across some photos from a fashion editorial in the April 2010 issue of Fudge, a Japanese fashion magazine (for girls, according to its website).  I first came across the photos on Rosemud, where they were sourced from Clever Nettle.  According to Clever Nettle, the editorial was titled "Wandering Trip" (featuring new American traditional clothing by Ralph Lauren).  Immediately after seeing the Ralph Lauren Spring/Summer 2010 ready-to-wear collection, I put it in my inspiration book.  Early in Spring, I styled an outfit based on the collection (click here to see it).  The fashion editorial from Fudge reminded me of the collection.  In fact, I could say that the editorial really brought the collection to life for me.  It really made me fall in love (again) with vagabond chic.  I say "again" because reviewing my ever growing inspiration books/files -- which I have been keeping since I left high school -- I note that vagabond chic -- or street urchin style -- or hobo chic -- has been a recurring theme since time immemorial, i.e., since I started keeping an inspiration book/file.  In any event, here are the photos from the editorial.

Nancy Drew

So everyone and their dog has now done a post on the Dear Creatures Fall 2010 collection.  And I too love the collection.  But what I find most intriguing about the collection, and what makes me love it that much more, is something that I haven't seen much mention of: the inspiration behind the collection.  Here is the "concept" of the Fall 2010 collection, quoted straight from the Dear Creatures website:

"Fall 2010 carries on Dear Creatures' panache for all things nostalgic and narrative.  A collection inspired by Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, the clothing reflects curious girls' and guys' instinct for smart and timeless fashion, the same instincts they assign to their crime solving adventures.  Elements of plaid, straight and A-line silhouettes, and clean, precise tailoring are pragmatic but not lacking in the brand's signature whimsy.  A line of utility bags, savvy enough for the most dexterous mission, also makes its debut alongside the consistently charming women's pieces and ever-growing collection of menswear.  Dear Creatures Fall 2010 sparks a fascination with mystery, intrigue, and visual optimism at it's finest."

Among many other books, I grew up reading Nancy Drew, the old books not the new ones, and I still love Nancy Drew, the old books not the new ones.  I definitely consider myself a "vintage young reader" lover.  So this Dear Creatures collection, inspired by something that I love so dearly, and rendering Nancy Drew so closely to my own rendition of her, strikes a particular chord in my heart!

All images from dearcreatures.com