Favorite Trends of Summer ~ Blush

Favorite Trends of Summer ~ Blush

fashion style    11:42 AM   

So, Fashionable Reader, is it now September and despite the hot weather Fall is in the style air. Autumn is my favorite season, clothing wise. Tights and leather? Cute jackets? Boots? Equestrian everywhere? Sign me up. And this blog will start to swing to reflect that affection shortly.

But it was a lovely Spring/Summer season, full of soft colors and structured retro silhouettes. And I fell deeply in love with a few of the color pallet trends. So before we leave the hot sun, I wanted to reflect back on some of my favorites. Some of which will probably stay in my wardrobe to pair with those very same tights and boots. And I'm going to start with this post all about . . . blush.

Some classic vintage takes from Chanel & Lanvin.

 1925 Coco Chanel The Museum at FIT; 1937  Jeanne Lanvin  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

And some more modern romantic twists on the color.

 Some retro takes:

 Elie-Saab-Couture for Fall 2012; Dress from Rusty Zipper

I will admit to being a little afraid of looking naked, because this color is close to my own skin tone, here are some options if you are like me with regards to fears of this color.

And here's one vintage and one modern way to wear this color.

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

Then & Now ~ Brights

Then & Now ~ Brights

fashion style    4:18 PM   

Then

Schiaparelli dinner dress from her Spring-Summer 1940

Now

 

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.

Sunnyvale in a Black & White Skirt

Sunnyvale in a Black & White Skirt

fashion style    12:13 PM   

I don't know if I've posted in the past about how, before I was published, I had this dream about flying to New York. I think every wannabe author has a similar dream. Only mine was very specific and very fashion orientated. My dream was that I would go to New York to meet with my agent and editor and I would be wearing a black and white skirt.

It's not often dreams come true.

In 2009 Orbit flew me to BEA in New York, before anyone had even heard of Soulless, to present the ARC to the unwitting masses. While I was there I would meet, you guessed it, my agent and my editor! I was understandably excited. I was also, as you probubly might have guessed, in a veritable shopping frenzy looking for the perfect black and white pencil skirt.

I hunted, I searched, I looked everywhere. I tried all my favorite stores both vintage and modern. I did the Height Street treck. I visited Santa Cruz. I couldn't find one I liked.

Crisis!

But low, my darling Mum came to rescue. She is a fabulous seamstresses and offered to make me the skirt from a vintage pattern and we could choose whatever fabric I wanted. Well I found this great black on white irregular spotted fabric, and she made me this wonderful fish tale pencil skirt.

Did I wear it to BEA in 2009 and meet my agent and editor? You bet your booty I did!

Ah, look how young and innocent I look. Lee sigh.

I paired it with red for that occasion. I do like black and white with red.

Sadly the skirt hasn't had much play since then. I guess I felt like it was meant for the dream, and the dream had been satisfied. But I rustled it out of my closet last weekeend to take down to Sunnyvale for a little event at the library there.

Here I am posing with the lovely young lady dressed as Alexia from the over of the Soulless manga. For this occasion I kept the whole outfit black and white.

So, with an eye towards wearing this skirt more often I've collected some inspirational images of how to wear a cute black and white skirt.

 With red, retro and modern

 With teal or turquoise.

 With pink or blush.

 With olive.

Just pure black and white with modern touches.

Inspired I put together these two outfits which I intend to wear soon.

 A retro take with blush, silly shoes, a chunky necklace, and olive bag.

Modern take with some mixed patterns and steampunk ankle warmers.

Both looks require high heals and I'm off them for the moment, but I can't wait to try them out soon.

Here's a evening idea, going with golds and neutral accessories.

It doesn't have to be a skirt these days, either. I've seen some patterned trousers turn up too. I'm not certain this look is really for me, but I have seen a few who could carry it off. And, of course, I'm on the perpetual hunt for the perfect black & white check pedal pushers.

While I adore my dotted skirt, the one I want to buy did finally hit the stores a mere two years too late, in fall of 2011. I'm hoping some day this Marco de Vicenzo will turn up in a consignment shop in my size. A girl can dream, right? After all, dreaming is what started this madness.

How about something black and white for Prudence to wear? Since I'm working on the Parasol Protectorate Abroad series right now my life if filled with 1890's dresses.

1900-1902  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This one is a little late period for her, but so pretty, I couldn't resist. It won't make it into the books though.

What to read when wearing black and white? How about Jane Yolan's marvelous Sister Light, Sister Dark and White Jenna?

 The omnibus of the two.

The best thing about this lyrical almost mythological two part series is the world building. I've not seen anything like it before or since and it's, simply put, amazing. The writing is definitely on the side of strong and empowered women (showing feminist 1970s roots, I believe). I think the world and story are complex enough for any reader, although I believe the target audience is YA. (When she wrote it I'm not certain there really was a "YA" concept yet.) Anyway, I love it, it's brilliant! I've kept these two books since I first read them over 20 years ago. It's a rare series that travels with me, as I move every 2 to 4 years.

Retro Rack is also on facebook where I post additional images and fashion thoughts.