The Swelle Life

I Miss the Beach

Admittedly, I have not yet seen the film The Edge of Love starring Keira Knightly and Sienna Miller (who look as if they really had fun on the set whereas I thought they'd hate each other), about their relationship with poet Dylan Thomas. The costume is enough to make me want to see it (post WWII London, dresses worn with cardies and wellies - costume designer April Ferry immersed herself in researching the era). But combined with the beach scenes I'm really missing my favourite attraction which is just a few minutes walk down the road from me - the North Sea. Our part of the coast is just beautiful, there's a bay with castle ruins looking down upon from the cliff above, and a sprawling beach that is just massive at low tide. I know, it's just a few minutes away, but that's what makes it so hard, I too want to run around in floral dresses and wellies but it's too cold now (though the year-round surfers don't seem to mind):

King Edwards Bay, Tynemouth

And back to the fashion and beach scenes from The Edge of Love, which I believe were all filmed in New Quay, West Wales:

And for the sake of seeing Keira Knightley looking stunning while performing a number in her 40s songstress garb - it works for her, no?

Channeling 'Little Edie' Beale on Hallows Eve

 Last night I attended a proper Halloween fancy dress party, hosted by my awesome friend Sophie who made a fantastic goth/vampira-type with her white, shaded makeup and black fishtail dress with draped sleeves. I decided not to go scary (it's just so much work!) and instead had some fun getting kitted up as 'Little Edie' Beale with my 1950s brocade vintage coat and brooched head scarf (I feel terrible about the fur collar. Does it matter that the mink would have been long dead by now, anyway? No, no, of course not). As expected, no one knew who I was supposed to be. I was asked 'Are you in fancy dress?' (I admit it wasn't very costumey) and guesses as to who I was dressed as included a Romanian peasant woman and Anne Frank. I got that twice. (Geez, who would go as Anne Frank??)

So, who's 'Little Edie' Beale, you ask? Born in 1917, she was a New York socialite who modelled, danced and acted, and a first cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis. When her parents divorced, mom 'Big Edie' got the 28-room East Hampton estate known famously as Grey Gardens. In the 50s Little Edie came to live with her. She became known for her distinct style of dress and has since influenced John Galliano, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs (his 'Little Edie' bag from fall 2007), and Patricia Field ('Carrie Bradshaw' has been known to go full-on Edie) and two Vogue editorial spreads.

Well, mom was an odd bird and kept dozens of cats, didn't believe in litter boxes and apparently 'loved' the smell. Imagine. Poor Little Edie - a cat lover (and a urine lover) she was not. Not hard to believe, the house came into serious disrepair and was found in violation of every building regulation. And it was a sty that stank, ponged and reeked of cat urine. I feel sick writing this. Uch. Anyway, cousin Jackie O came to the rescue - the cat pee-pee garbage house had become a national story - and she paid $32,000 to fix and clean the place (that was like a zillion dollars back then). Workers carted away 1,000 bags of garbage. Wow. And it's said that the smell was still putrid despite the painstaking efforts. (I chose not to incorporate an olfactory element into my costume.)  

There have been three documentaries made about the Beales and Grey Gardens, and they've been the subject of several books, musicals, songs, and a movie starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange is set for release in 2009. By then everyone who wanted to know who Little Edie was will know, and so will a lot of people who didn't want to know. (I got really weird looks when I explained my inspiration for my costume. I should have said "Yes, Romanian peasant woman. Great guess.")

Back to the party - remember the rabbit monster from Donnie Darko? He showed up (and he was missing a neck):

Colour was in Vogue in the 1940s

1944 Vogue

You feel a bit daft saying "No! Colour photos that early?", especially when you've had a fairly thorough education in art history. But that's what I thought when I saw these awe-inspiring, 1940s fashion photographs from Vogue, discovered during a browsing by Susie Bubble at Elegance is Refusal's Flickr site, which is lush with beautiful vintage scans.

It would have been nice if my university learnings had endured at least until my student loans were paid off. But anyway, I've looked it up and while the history of colour in photography is a bit complicated, colour photographs have been around since the 1850s (starting with James Clerk Maxwell's work with primary colour filters, and the experimentation continued). But it wasn't until 1935 that colour photo-taking became a more common thing, when Kodak started to sell Kodachrome transparency film, followed by the introduction of color-print films and Ektachrome films in the 1940s. And no doubt there's a lot more to what went into creating these Vogue photographs than that skeletal history, but the point is, we are just so rarely treated to these delights - if ever - that they leave us truly stunned at what was possible so long ago. It's incredible that some of these photos appear completely devoid of that anachronistic look and mood that we associate with the 30s and 40s:

1948 Vogue

1941 Vogue


1944 Vogue


1949 Vogue

And this, from 1939 - no shadows, so awash with light:


1939 Vogue

Wizened, Wise and Really, Really Cool

Photo: The Sartorialist

Looks like I'm not the only one who marvels at the preservation of dapper and ladylike style with flair from yestercentury, as displayed by our beloved and stylish elderly. New blog Advanced Style is a different kind of street-style blog in that its subjects of intrigue are from the "wizened and silver-haired set", as seen in the streets of New York. I'm not sure whether the women who have just earned their seniors discount at McDonald's would appreciate being described as such, but the blog is a sincere tribute to those who brighten our day just to see them. Aren't their hats just the best?

I have a wonderful photo of my great-grandmother standing on the porch in the early 70s (she being in her late 70s), with her evergreen brooched wool coat and matching felt hat complete with demurely ornate flower embellishments, and proper patent pocketbook firmly in hand as if the outfit would fall apart without its presence. The best part is how tall and proud and 'together' she looks. Next time I'm home in Canada I'll be scanning that and sending it to you guys at Advanced Style. How she would have loved that.

Be sure to tip your hat and smile at the next silver-haired stylin' senior you see. They are true gems.

Zelda Kaplan, Philanthropist

As Sweet as You Can Get Without a Toothache

Beautiful, little children were sent out just before Luisa Beccaria's show in Milan to scatter the runway with rose petals, according to Style.com. I read this detail after reviewing the looks, and it reinforced the notion that Beccaria's intention was to create the most romantic dresses possible. Although I adored the collection, a couple of the dresses (and there were only two) were just a wee bit too sweet, even for me, but not due to candy colours or overdone frills - Beccaria never wandered into the dreaded 'bad taste' territory - rather, they were just missing that bit of textural balance that would keep me from feeling too Holly Hobbie, like:

...and this dress, with its frill-trimmed bodice and ruffled hem, is a bit too Southern Belle (though I have a feeling that in person I might be won over by the beautiful embroidery):

But how lovely - and indeed romantic - are these pieces below, impossibly feminine and so gorgeous with the simple ruffles, subtle floral prints and soft shades of silver, gold, yellow and nude. (Tangent alert: Speaking of nude, there is quite a bit of sheerness that I imagine will be taken care of come time for shipping to the shops. But you never know. Four years ago I bought a BCBG dress to wear to a friend's wedding that had a semi-transparent navy top on the runway, but had been made opaque for retail. Or so I thought. I wore it sans bra as the way it was cut made it difficult to conceal one, and back then - before childbirth - I could get away with it. It was a year later, while trying it on again in direct sunlight that I realised it was definitely not opaque, it was indeed still transparent. So just a warning to check these things before wearing!) Now, for the dresses, and a little bit of nudity that adds some edge to the otherwise demure creations:

Designers Guild Interiors are Delightful Daydream Fodder

  

It's another season which means more gorgeous interiors from the people at Designers Guild. They sell the wallpaper, furniture, fabrics, cushion, rugs and paint you see in the showroom looks - so it's not that far-fetched an idea to recreate a bit of the same in your space (but it sure would help to have the Victorian house with high ceilings, massive windows and crown moulding throughout!).

I just love looking at these rooms, the one above reminds me of the Erdem collection, as if this is where the dresses 'live'. Here's more for a little break from the daily drudgery:

 

 

 

Erdem Shows Us What "Hyper-romantic, a bit surreal" Looks Like

Backstage at London Fashion Week, Erdem Moralioglu said of his collection "I just wanted something soft and hyper-romantic, easy but a bit surreal at the same time." Done and done. When I look at these clothes I get the same feeling that Cecil Beaton's photograph Three Models gives me - like a joyful moment in time, in some heavenly dreamscape. Let's go there:

 

 

Photos: Style.com

London Fashion Week - Luella is Love at First Sight

Oh. My. God. I am blown away, gobsmacked, coveting...is it possible to be in love with an outfit? How about 20 at one time, is that wrong? I promise there's enough love to go around.

The Luella show on Monday displayed exactly what she had intended, "a proper, ladylike character—but a bit psychedelic." Just when I was starting to get a bit bored with my favourite feminine style of dress - with the ruffles and bows and bib bronts and puffed sleeves - Luella Bartley goes and reinvents it with knife-pleat details, bold colour combinations, brave mixing of prints and textures, all topped off with colourful birdcage veils. This is heaven - my girlie tendencies are indeed renewed, if not now much more discriminating.

Photos: Style.com

Prove Your Love at the Lakeside Park Carousel

My daughter was shouting it excitedly and I was thinking it (also excitedly - that's the great thing about keeping things to yourself, you're spared the public shaming): we wanted to ride on the shiny white horse adorned with the pink and blue gear. It was the prettiest of all the animals on the historic Lakeside Park carousel. Yes, that's the Lakeside Park made famous in Rush's song of the same name (..."so many mem-orieees").

As we ran onto the carousel giggling (her, not me. Okay, me too - but only in my mind, with a little vocal leakage), I noticed that we had no competition for our chosen ride, we were the only fun seekers clambering for this fine specimen. How could this be? I wondered. Then I saw why: no hydrolics, it didn't go up and down. Duh. Also, I don't think the others really considered the aesthetics of their animal. Unthinkable for us! To have only plain brown horses as options would really put the droll in our drollery. Luckily, for our next ride we found two lovely brown ponies  with purple and blue, side by side, and bingo! They did go up and down. I didn't feel like such a novice this time.

The Lakeside Park carousel is very special. Handcarved between 1898 and 1905 in Brooklyn, New York, this Charles Looff original (no cheap knock-offs here) was first an amusement at Hanlan's Point in Scarborough, Toronto. It found its current St. Catharines home on Lake Ontario way back in 1921, and still functions using the original organ - complete with twirling dancing girls - which was restored in 1985 thanks to Lottario funds. It boasts 68 animals and  many of the horses tails still sport real horse hair (cool or gross, depending). The nostalgic sentiments are reflected in the teenage carousel operators' uniform of a blue newsboy cap and shorts with red suspenders over a white, short-sleeved dress shirt (you know that a little piece of them dies every time they get dressed for work but it's a nice touch). To top it all off, it's still only 5 cents a ride. Imagine! You can take the family down to Port Dalhousie with a twoonie and ride all day!

I was surprised to see that in addition to young children and their parents, there were many young, 20-something couples partaking in the 360 degree fun (and not in that annoying ironic way). The boyfriends were only too happy to straddle a horse to merry-go-round music alongside their sweeties, and I just found this so fascinating. I couldn't imagine Other Half doing the same, without some kind of substantial bribe and a promise to leave the camera in the car and never a word about it again. I mentioned my observation to my brother Greg who was with us and his response was "If you're really into the girl, you'll do it." Hmmm...really? Is this true? Or are you simply a Carousel Guy or Not A Carousel Guy?

Enter Other Half as I'm writing this so I ask him. He says "It depends how much I'm trying to impress you." I can't believe he would even consider it under any circumstances, other than with our daughter. So I push and remind him we're married, so would he do it now? He smiles and shakes his head "Uhhh...no. I'd have nothing at stake." Ha! It's just as well, I didn't think I was marrying a Carousel Guy, I need the balance. Imagining myself with someone so much like me is far too frightening. And anyway, more nickels for me and Elle.

Bring Back the Pretty, Pretty Parasol

I'm very serious! I've only seen one person ever on the street using one, it was in Toronto and I believe she was Japanese and therefore she could totally get away with it (not Lolita, just wearing regular clothes and walking underneath it on a blistering summer day). It was several years ago and I thought You are awesome. I want one but I would look like an idiot. That was when I cared what people think. Since then I have pushed a baby out of my nether region in front of an audience and it changes you. From that moment on you do what you please and you don't think twice about it.

The day of reckoning has come, and I reckon I will find myself a stunning parasol and I will use it proudly. I won't just carry it, or simply walk beneath its glorious shade of delicate fabric; I will twirl it 'round, skipping happily down the street. If I encounter a puddle, I may attempt a mighty leap over it, smiling gleefully while clicking my heels to one side. 

So, there are choices - true vintage or antique, or vintage-inspired/reproduction. If you can afford it, there are some antique options (100 years or older) that are so excitingly drool-inducing that I made weird shreiky noises when I saw these particular parasols, all circa 1900 - 1910, UNUSED, from Karen Augusta Antique Lace and Fashion:

  

    

 

  

Her website is well worth taking the time to browse, she has everything from corsetry to regional costume, many of the items dating back to the early 1800s.

Another fantastic website I found is Bella Umbrella. Jodell Egbert not only sells vintage and reproduction parasols and umbrellas in a variety of styles, she rents her private collection of 100 vintage styles (how generous is that?).

Here are some of my favourite parasols from her selection (more shrieks!):

 

1940s, light pink silk embroidered, bamboo handle

 

Reproduction, ivory lace, wood hook handle

 

Rental, vintage double layered umbrella, pink resin handle

Note: Yes, Dita von Teese did use a vintage parasol at Coachella to keep her milky white skin from being scorched. However, I kept her and those pictures out of this post so as not to mislead about the source of inspiration, which is really rooted in my long-held desire to indulge in the genteel lady persona in an over-the-top and delightfully fun kind of way. A lovely stroll with a pretty parasol would take care of it, non?

First photo courtesy of Noa Noa, from their Spring 2008 catalogue

Bring Back the Swim Cap!

 After reading a previous post on Noa Noa's fabulous spring and high summer collection, Swelle Life reader (and very Swelle girl) Tammy commented on how much she loves the swim cap/turban look and may be daring to try it. Let's give her a big round of applause!!!! I'll bet with that encouragement she'll not only do it but also send pictures (maybe, possibly??)

To get her on her way, I've looked for online shops that sell the sweet vintage-style caps (I'd go with 'in the style of' rather than true vintage here, we're talking about other people's heads).

The lovely, SPF 250-wearing Karen Elson models a pink petal cap for a Vogue editorial (above) from Headcovers. They also sell a fabric swim turban with a waterproof lining if you're looking for practicality as well as style.

And, well, that's it really! Retro swim caps are very hard to find, my research into it shows this is the one place to find the petal style (unless you want Speedo's multi-colour version which has their brand logo inserted amongst the flowers - yes, really), plus one ebay shop that offers similar petal caps for auction with a starting bid significantly higher than the selling price at Headcovers (with no discernable difference in the cap itself).

UPDATE:  Hot tip just in from Tammy - an editorial feature in the recent issue of Fashion magazine featured some vintage swim caps from Courage My Love, a vintage shop loaded with accessories located in Kensington in downtown Toronto (no website, sorry).

If you're handy with styling you can create some interesting looks with scarves or make your own turbans with some pretty fabrics. Please pass on pics if you do! 

My only experience with the swim cap was school swimming lessons in grade 2. Whereas one of my classmates had luxurious blonde hair so thick it took two teachers grunting and straining to fit it all under the cap while avoiding rubber snapping back in their faces, my hair was so fine I think there was actually room for another head under mine. Then after swimming that day I tried to emulate my hair dresser by putting my cheap, super-hot travel dryer right against my hair while drying it (not realising he didn't really touch it, it was just very close) and it got all tangled in the grate and caught on fire. The two teachers came and smacked me on the head until it went out, luckily it was quick. I enjoyed the smell of burnt hair on the bus ride back to school.

Some inspirations to get you going on your DIY beach head gear:

 And an old advert for those who like the idea of a pineapple with a face:

Lastly, a photo of myself and my Other Half at the cottage last summer:

The Young Ladies and The Sea

Ernest Hemingway's lush Key West home where he lived in the 1920s and 30s sets the mood for the irresistably feminine and romantic clothes from Danish brand Noa Noa. This inspiration translates to a delicately feminine collection of dresses, jackets, accessories and swimsuits for spring and high summer.

It's late in the spring season yes, but I've just discovered Noa Noa and I'm thrilled to bits for it. While flipping through their spring catalogue in a local shop at the weekend, I was transported to the beach scenes from the film Summer of '42 (at least that was the feeling. We live by the sea as well but when our groceries are delivered it's far less eventful).

It's that desire to live moments from a distant past that makes Noa Noa so utterly enticing. Exquisitely capturing the spirit of the early 20th century aesthetic, they also consider today and what's to come, resulting in a wonderful, modern look for women and girls (yes, Noa Noa Mini is for the little girl at her most lovely and adorable, prancing and pretending in easy comfort).

What I love most about the range is the versatility of the individual pieces. You can put together a head-to-toe polished 1920s ensemble of muted blues, pinks and greens, or mix with contrasting items from your wardrobe to create a truly original look that is totally You.

OH! I almost forgot to mention the incredibly reasonable prices. When trying on a few jackets (see below for the one I bought, and adore), I expected at least two times the cost of what I saw on the tag. The range is very well constructed with high quality fabrics that feel as soft as they look.

OH! #2 - Noa Noa's Code of Conduct is used to instruct their suppliers about their firm stand against the use of child labour, concerns for the environment and its protection, and demands for professional health and safety regulations. (We really should be looking into these things when supporting a company, should we not??)

Noa Noa has retail shops across the UK and Europe (check their website above for details) and there are plans to expand into Canada (great news, friends!)

If you can spare a moment for a bit of time travel:

    

   

  

  I have this cropped ruffle-collar jacket, it feels great on (very light and comfy) and looks fantastic over tea dresses or with a T-shirt, jeans and one of their lovely, lovely chiffon rosette hairbands.

Francoise Hardy: Looks and Style as Inspiring as Her Music

Let's go back about 40 years or so to the heyday of Francoise Hardy - 'The Yeh-Yeh Girl from Paris' - French singer, actress and muse. A strong yet beautiful voice (still) with looks and style to match (still), making her one of the most influential Francophone style icons to date. Her sideswept, eye-grazing fringe, well-defined features and Courreges wardrobe (Andre Courreges was apprentice to Balenciaga in 1950, while Hardy is muse to Nicolas Ghesquiere, current creative director of the Balenciaga brand) created the look that designers and fashionistas are continuing to emulate today.

Ah, isn't that true style? How many of us can look back to when we were younger and not cringe? And let's see how many of today's Hollywood 'icons' will be identified as such in even five years' time. So few are able to endure to become legendary icons, it's that extraordinary combination of innate coolness, raw talent, unique beauty and that certain 'je ne sais quoi' that makes others follow so faithfully. And that's why we love them.

Francoise Hardy most certainly possesses that irresistable spirit, it comes through in her music and her images and bang, you're hooked. Yet another reason I adore French culture, Paris is the mother of the enigmatic woman.

Here's a live version of Voila from 1967 (she was 23). Hardy looks incredible as she finishes the song, stands there for a few seconds then skips coyly off the stage (and her look is over 40 years old yet hasn't dated whatsoever, I'm in awe):

 

 

Happy Accessorising

I have this pair of earrings that I bought about seven years ago which became known as 'My Happy Earrings'. They're a vertical style consisting of pairs of transparent and opaque cellophane circles tinted in orange and hot and pale pink. They prompted spontaneous reactions whenever I wore them. All kinds of people - restaurant servers, salespeople, friends, and once even a stranger on the street - would light up when they saw them, and say with a great big smile what 'wonderful' earrings they were. That's how they became known as My Happy Earrings. I mentioned this to one of the gushing servers and she exclaimed 'They make ME happy, too!!'

Okay, so you're probably thinking that the place I'm from (I was living in Toronto at the time) had a unique, localised, atmospheric composition of nitrogen, oxygen and THC fumes. There are pockets of the city where this may be the case but it would not be the explanation for my inadvertent spreading of joy through earlobe ornaments. Rather, it's just the simple fact that certain colours and shapes, and more significantly the combination of the two, can affect happy feelings in people.

Which brings us to the work of Fred Butler, a London prop stylist and bespoke accessories designer of enormous talent (her website is utterly joyful, you would have to have a heart of stone or lost childhood memories not to smile upon loading the entry page). Style Bubble featured her new accessories collection, a striking spectrum of bright and bold colour mixed with black and white (a favourite treatment of hers), and at first glance the photos of the pieces created an overload of the Happy Earrings effect. There is even a shoulder/arm adornment that uses the same cellophane circles:

 

Maybe you're unable to envision yourself walking down the street in such a contraption but upon seeing it coming your way, wouldn't you at least grin? Surely you would. (I'm not speaking generally, there are enough sourpusses out there who would stare through their beady little eyes until they walked into a telephone pole. It's you, the fabulously amenable, that count here).

These wonderfully crafted pieces of joy are in brilliant harmony with my desire to see more colour in the world. Thank you, Fred Butler. You are one marvellous tomato.

   

Photos from Style Bubble

Steampunk: Mr. Technology Meet Ms. Romance

Love your iPOD and flat-screen TV but have fantasies of gearing up in Victorian corsets and crinolines, maybe throwing on some old aviator goggles? If that mix of antiquity and cutting edge feels incongruent, don't shy away just yet - you don't have to make a choice for fear of appearing hypocritically ingenuous. You may in fact be an ideal recruit for the Steampunk movement.

Steampunk is, most simply defined by one enthusiast, as 'the intersection of technology and romance.' A more encompassing description according to Ruth LaFurla of The New York Times, states it is "a subculture that is the aesthetic expression of a time-traveling fantasy world, one that embraces music, film, design and now fashion, all inspired by the extravagantly inventive age of dirigibles and steam locomotives, brass diving bells and jar-shaped protosubmarines." Wow. I love my tea dresses but now realise they are sadly devoid of protean context.

Hmmm, one of these groups seems a bit cooler than the other...

Steampunk arrived on the scene in the late 1980s and now thanks to the internet is seeing its popularity increase exponentially. Using the web as a show-and-tell venue, steampunk inventors are taking the technology of today and by adding elements of the past, creating new/old hybrids that are taking design aesthetics to an exciting new level. One especially impressive specimen is a computer with a brass-frame monitor and vintage typewriter keys, built by Jake von Slatt (shows sleek and minimalist isn't the only way to move forward):

Giovanni James steampunked his LCD television by wrapping it in burlap:

While steampunk fashion draws on the styling and detail of the Edwardian and Victorian eras as well as pre-20th century military uniform, some of today's most exciting and respected designers are supplying inspiration for the steampunkers' DIY approach to dressing. Nicolas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen and even Ralph Lauren (falling into the 'respected', rather than 'exciting' category) make for worthy idols with their interpretations of period-costume elements such as bustles, crinoline and puff sleeves, figuring prominently in their designs.

These references are clearly be visible in Alexander McQueen's breathtakingly exquisite, British colonial-inspired collection for Fall 2008 RTW (said to be the greatest collection he's done in his 14 years of shows):

If you're interested in hearing what one involved steampunk figure, Jake von Slatt has to say about the movement, you can read this interview at Bostodelphia (try not to be hynotised by his intense portrait - look quickly, then look away).

Altogether I find steampunk quite endearing: its love for treasured items from a distant past, the celebration of craftsmanship and detail not universally cheriched in our time, and its inclusiveness - the capacity to not only avoid shunning modern advances but find room to embrace what our technology provides us.   

von Slatt sums it all up beautifully when asked to compare the cultures of steampunk and cyberpunk: "In many ways I think Steampunk is a reaction to Cyberpunk, its a desire to inject an element of humanity and passion into something cold and virtual." We too, welcome that.   

Photos of Steampunkers: Robert Wright for The New York Times