Appropriated Edge

The subject matter is easier today. To tell the truth, it feels a bit like cheating. I put this outfit together when Angie suggested citron/olive/cognac and I've been waiting for the weather to be warm enough to wear it. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture.

I made the dress myself from a 1940's pattern. The fabric is grey on one side, citron on the other. You might be able to see in the picture that all the back panels are sunny side up.

The Margiela pour H&M coat belongs to Mr Edge but it's been on my back a fair bit  this winter. Along with my '80's mix tape bag I think it somewhat resembles the curtain behind her. I added a few coloured accents with resin accessories (eyewear, bling) and it's good to go. 

Stark black and white is a good place to start and the very best art finds a savage beauty in the horrific. It is indeed challenging to seek out fashion inspiration in such a confronting image, but after a trip to the UK at least partly dedicated to remembrance and acceptance it feels right.

It's the perfect excuse to break out the vintage haori and layer it over a Breton style shirt (Picasso would approve) with black knee shorts from ByBrown. Finishing the look in finest art goth style are my new George Cox creepers, which I finally tracked down in London last week. They're so good, worth every penny. They probably merit a post of their own. 

I got my ink out! (see what I did there?) And the weather's getting better so I'm cautiously transitioning into spring. 

I'm really enjoying my new perma-accessory. It feels just right and it makes a nice counterpoint to my watch, another piece of huge personal importance. Thanks again to everyone who commented in the original thread. It meant a great deal. 

#1 - Margiela x H&M skirt with a tunic of unknown provenance over a turtleneck wool-mix tee. I wish I could credit Angie for the inspiration, but this has been a transitional FFB for over a year now. And it's more navy than ink, but you get the idea.

The sunnies are optical quality LA Eyewear. I keep thinking I should get prescription lenses fitted. Also wearing the original snowflake, although you can't see it in the pictures. 

#2-4 Drykorn blazer, Comme(?) culottes, marble dyed cashmere tee and vintage Docs. I like the avant-garde/classic vibe of this look. And a good close-up of the ink. 

I'm sitting on a few end-of-winter looks, so I might do a couple more cold weather WIW's over the next few days before spring really kicks in. In the meantime, your constructive feedback is appreciated as always. Thanks for looking!

Thanks to the enablement of YLF I'm now the proud owner of a black leather moto jacket. I've resisted this style in the past because every time I've tried one on without fail they've made me look like I should be riding a motorcycle. 

I was hoping to avoid it with this one, but so far the end result has been the same. I really do look like I've just stepped off a Harley. Still, it's a classic look so I've decided to embrace it. I've layered it over an ultralight down jacket from Uniqlo for a bit of extra insulation in the cold, adding some bulk to emphasise the effect.

The jeans are from the small menswear collection that Isabel Marant did for H&M a couple of years ago. I figure if I'm going to wear so-called boyfriend jeans they should be actual menswear, and these fit as well as any jeans I've owned, fuelling a suspicion that when Ms M was designing for the boys she had half an eye on the girls as well. 

And another look with men's denim, this time oversized Levis with a belt by Ann Demeulemeester and a pair of vintage Docs, softened up with my Ma's cropped mohair sweater. I wore this last evening for drinks with a friend. Amsterdam's a very casual city, and this is a very casual bar, so I tend to dress down when I go there. Even so, I can't resist making a bit of a statement. 

By way of a footnote (pun intended) I'm limping around on a broken toe, so everything I wear right now begins and ends with whichever big boots I decide to put on. So, lots of menswear but no great hardship. 

What do you think? Too mannish? As ever, your thoughts and feedback are appreciated. 

In the post that prompted the epic thread about personal style versus fashion, Suz talks about "the type of person who sews all your own clothes from old patterns".... Well, hello YLF! That would be me.

OK, so it's not all my clothes and I most definitely look at fashion. But neither  of these models are new by any stretch of the imagination. I've also updated patterns from the 1940's and could bore you rigid about the classic tailoring from that era. But I digress.

The first is adapted from a pattern from around 1992. It's a very simple model with some rather subtle tailoring. The original was a hip-length tunic with long sleeves. I lengthened it, shortened the sleeves and added a separable zipper in the back. I like it a lot, it's really warm and great for the winter, but there are some issues with the lining ease in the hem so it's bagging a bit. Firecracker, Diane G, should I satisfice or pick it apart? Also not sure about the polka dot base layer, which was the thing that came to hand that morning. 

The second is from the late aughts. It is a different animal altogether, a challenging piece of couture sewing by Ralph Rucci that is as much about the making as the wearing. There's a piece about it on my other blog. This is why I sew. 

And I have to ask about the boots. These are a wild card turned orphan, Italian bench made and super comfortable. They look lovely benched on my shoe rack but they aren't getting the love they so richly deserve. I've worn them quite a bit with tapered pants but that's not working for me this year. How do they look with a dress? I'm thinking of trying them with more A-line styles in the spring.

I couldn't resist one more post before the weekend, because I'm enjoying today's outfit so much. 

As I predicted, the faux leather skirt is getting lots of wear in the cold weather. I'm particularly happy with the extra definition at the waist with this cropped mohair sweater layered over a merino wool polo neck, which makes me feel weirdly New Look by Dior.

In a highly unusual move I decided I had to wear open-toed shoes in sub-zero temperatures. But don't worry, I'm not completely insane. I reached for a pair of SealSkinz waterproof sports socks over the top of a pair of regular wool socks to keep my toes warm and dry. They bookend the blue of the sweater and the grey of my sleeveless coat (layered over an alpaca hoodie belonging to Mr Edge) very nicely.

No, YLF, I am honestly not trolling you. This really is how I dress. Have a lovely weekend!

It's hard dressing for February when you're no lover of down jackets. I'm awed by E's example of gorgeous winter style, and feeling the frustration of Suz when she rails against the tyranny of the freeze. 

We have no choice but to love our cold weather clothing. As I pointed out in the other thread, I think mainstream fashion does us no favours by defaulting to performance gear at this time of year, when sumptuous layers of wool offer such a classic natural alternative. 

So I'm back in my vintage coat. This is not my only winter coat, but it is definitely the warmest. Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to buy boiled wool of this quality any more, which is why I bought it when I could have bought a new coat for the same price (it wasn't cheap) and why I keep wearing it year after year. 

Worn with my all-time favourite winter jumper by Pringle 1815, and my new possibly-Comme culottes layered over leggings. Comfortable, comforting and warm as toast.

ETA: And I forgot to ask about the difference in length between the coat and culottes ... was that a faux-pas?

I've posted this 80's vintage Kenzo Jeans jacket here before, which I fell madly in love with at first sight. Everything about it - tailoring, material, print, construction - is amazing, but there was never any doubt it would be a challenge to style. My instinct is always to dress it up with other statement pieces because I think it can look a bit dated and underdone with more subdued garments, but there's always a risk of pushing things over the top. 

Rewinding another ten years to the inspiration for today's outfit, I've made no secret of the fact that I like to borrow from the boys and if there was ever a boy that every girl wants to be it has to be David Bowie. When I pull on a pair of gold pants, Ziggy Stardust is never far from my mind, but seldom with so literal a reference as a pair of lace-up boots. 

So tell me ladies, did I pull it off? Or is this just too much Vintage Glam for your Monday?

(Note to self - get a haircut.)

What with all the talk lately about dressing in uniform to play the protagonist in your own life, when I saw these pictures, I couldn't help but think of myself as a cartoon character. Grey, white, black. Signature haircut, statement specs, red lippy. Skinny legs and big shoes.

Mostly I'm not much of a minimalist. Then there are those days when I forget about what's not there and focus on the rightness of what is. They don't come around very often, because neither do these kinds of quietly perfect pieces that only make themselves known after a few wears. 

And there's the rub. There is only one of that jumper, found in an atelier shop in Lisbon, and only one of that Jil Sander/+J for Uniqlo shirt. I wish there were twenty, because it is without a doubt the best white shirt for ladies I have ever found, and the piece I will wave in the face of anyone who says chainstores can't deliver outstanding quality. 

Shoot on the execution, ladies. Shirt in or shirt out? And should my pants be looser fitting? 

I take a lot of inspiration from various Asian street style blogs. I don't know if this is a good idea because what works on bright young things from Tokyo doesn't always translate to a middle aged English lady. It doesn't keep me from trying though. 

Today I tried to sharpen up what is probably the most un-fashion item in my possession, a slouchy men's jumper from Scotland. I love this thing. The soft knit and rich colour scheme have a happiness factor that is off the charts, but there's no denying it looks bigger than it is, and that's being polite.

So, with the help of this picture of a willowy young man who seems thoroughly at home in oversized knitwear, I'm trying to convince myself that frumpy can be edgy and a chunky jumper works with a faux-leather midi skirt.

ETA with pic: I took your advice. Revisiting the look today with a sheer navy button-down shirt from American Apparel and my venerable DvN pleated skirt. I think this works much better. Thanks merwoman and avicennia for the suggestions.