(Towels hanging on the clothes line, a sure sign that summer is coming.)
This week started off quite hot, and then the weather changed dramatically yesterday, bringing much needed rain and cooler weather. It was a quiet week at home, but our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Boston, and also with our neighbors up the road in West.
Here are a few things that caught my eye this week.
Portraits of the artists, re-envisioned.
Oscar-worthy prom dresses. A girl should be so lucky!
Properly preserving your wedding dress. Mine is preserved, but I’ve never taken it out of the box. Maybe I should.
A new documentary by Sebastian Junger (I’ve had a crush on him since I started reading Vanity Fair Magazine in high school), that chronicles the life of his friend and collaborator, war photographer Tim Hetherington, who was killed during Libya’s civil war. (Warning: some of the photographs, including the first one, are graphic.)
We’ve got some get-togethers planned with friends and family, and I really need to catch up on this season’s “Mad Men,” too. Have a wonderful weekend!
In Monday’s The View From Here, I mentioned that I pull pages from magazines and hang them on the wall in front of me for inspiration. It’s my own version of a Pinterest board, I guess. After I wrote that post over the weekend, I realized that my current board was actually a little dated, and could use an update for spring. So I spent some time collecting new inspiration, and used some washi tape left over from Alt swag (because you know I’m not using that tape for anything else, and I don’t care that it’s not symmetrical or whatever). I just like looking at the pictures.
(My inspiration board for spring.)
It’s funny, because even though I’m not a fashion blogger, I am constantly inspired by fashion. Something about the gorgeous cuts and fabrics, combined with interesting photography layouts, really lights a creative fire within me and makes me want to write better posts and take better pictures. I can watch “Say Yes to the Dress” and fall in love with a gown, which will lead to a well-written blog post about something entirely unrelated to weddings or fashion. That’s just how my mind works. And since I’ve been watching the series on Netflix (I just finished the last of the Atlanta show), I’ve had weddings on my mind. That explains all the wedding gowns and lace you see.
(A closeup of my board.)
The more I blog, the more I understand the connection between different types of media and real life, too. I’ve always loved fashion, but now that I’m an avid reader of fashion blogs, I appreciate it so much more. I can see an advertisement for a designer’s new line, then see a blogger wearing a piece soon after. That makes things more accessible, I think, and less out-of-reach than they were when I was a teenager reading Seventeen, unable to locate the items featured each month.
I like that the world is getting smaller in some ways, and yes, I have more available income than I did when I was seventeen. I certainly can’t afford to run out and buy the items featured in my board, but removing them from magazines, taping them near my workspace, and using them to jump start my creative process most definitely makes them mine, in a way that is very real to me.
How do you find inspiration? I would love to hear.
(Patterned Fabric from Anthropologie’s Daytrip Buttondown Blouse.)
I’ve been on a quest for some flattering, warm-weather clothes lately, and I stumbled across these lovely Daytrip Buttondown Blouses at Anthropologie. They’re made in India, are 100% cotton, and come in a wide assortment of colors, all with different animal patterns on them. The fabric is quite sheer, so I purchased two of the darker tops, but I’ve worn them without a camisole underneath, and felt cool and comfortable without revealing too much. I’m not a fan of tank tops or layering in warmer weather, especially once the temperature reaches triple digits, and these blouses are light and airy for spring and summer.
So far, I’ve paired them with skinny ankle jeans, but I’ll probably also try them with lighter capris or skirts as the weather warms up. I love their casual elegance and the intricate patterns of the fabric, which remind me of woodblock prints. The blouses are easy to care for, too, and I just wash them on a gentle cycle, hang them to dry, and they’re ready to go. I’m not worrying about wrinkles or ironing, because the fabric lends itself to a sort of rumpled look, I think. With more structured pants, simple flats, and a few bracelets, it’s an easy, relaxed look that is perfect for the coming seasons.
