On Style

I've accomplished something shallow and lame today that I am nonetheless proud of. I've had this picture in my "ooh pretty" folder for a few months now:

 

Unfortunately I don't remember where it's from or who took it, but I'm pretty sure it was from some fashion editorial this past winter. I really like the contrast of the crisp, dry white figure and sky against the very cool, moist looking green and the height of the hedgerows in contrast to the lightless lantern. I'd love to use this as a writing prompt sometime soon. Anyway, I've been intending to put together an outfit reminiscent of this picture, and today I feel pretty succesful: 

dress- Rip Curl, cardigan- Target, sandals- Target

Crisp white cotton dress with (can you see them?) little horizontal line detailing, my big green cardigan again, and (hooray!) my new strappy sandals. I haven't had a pair of non-flip-flop sandals in... ever? And I'd usually have really ratty flip-flops at that, as I'm sure some of my readers are familiar with :). But I'm growing up and I dress too nicely on the usual, I think, for scummy foam flippies. I latched onto the idea of gladiator sandals late last summer, but was too chicken to get any. I was really adamant that the sandals be flat, have minimal banding, and have that crucial vertical strip up the center, and finally I found a nice pair... from Target, and for $8. (Hmm, on looking at the picture again, I never noticed how nice the wood floors look in here. They're really beautiful.)



And now a little essay. If I were forced to define my fashion sense, I would start by saying that I am influenced by many different people, from the whimsical vintage lovers whose blogs I've linked on the right column, to more established "genres". The main subculture that influences me is the mori garu style of Japan. Literally translated as "forest girl", a mori garu is a young woman who looks as if she were lost in the woods. While that link describes all the prerequisites of the perfect mori stylist, here's the shortlist of how they apply to me:

• I wear only dresses, usually A-line and fairly loose.
• I strongly prefer natural materials such as cotton and wool.
• My outfits are almost always layered and I keep warm with knit sweaters and the like.
• My color palate is mostly neutrals and "off" colors; think faded looks or natural dyes and earth tones.
• I never wear heels. Partially because I'm super clumsy, but also because I feel strange not being able to feel the ground when I walk.
• I almost always have a "story" for anything I'm wearing. Either an explanation of my intended look ("like a modern Alice in Wonderland", "like a cold beach"), or I've dressed around a particular item with meaning to me. Emphasis on "meaning" in outfits.
• My general attitude is romantic and dreamy but in action I am very practical when it comes down to it. 

Unfortunately for me, I don't quite have the figure of a willowy Japanese teen, so most of the slouchy formlessness that looks great on them looks terrible on me. And, of course, a lot of tweeness appreciated on women's clothing in Asia is not so much accepted here. For example, if I were to wear this, I would not look like a romantic woodsy sylph, I would look like a homeless Pac Man ghost holding a stick and even then that's a lot less socially acceptable here in the US than in Japan. Because of my figure, then, I try to steer towards more structured, but still unfussy, pieces and fewer bulky layers. I feel that my greatest nods to the style are in my intended image of "tamed rusticity", both in my color palate and little details such as old lace peeking out or a hemp necklace band with a natural-looking pendant or, as in this outfit, subtle horizontal banding on an otherwise simple slightly fitted dress, a slouchy natural colored sweater, and moony silver circles against cool, dark "leather" sandals. I own very few patterned pieces, though I'd like to expand more in that direction with some subtle classy prints. I'm also seriously looking for a simple faux fur (or thrifted real fur) capelet and perfect vintage leather cross-body bag.

Where I diverge most from traditional mori girl style is in the fact that I do not attempt to look childish. Whimsical, sure, romantic sometimes, yes, but I don't want to look like a kid. I feel like my more structured ensembles help me looking more like an eccentric adult. In this vein, I also have very short hair, which I think helps balance my look a little further away from the super feminine.I'm not afraid of getting old and I don't want to look like some helpless little flower.

In short, while looking comfy, rustic, and age appropriate is my style now, I feel like it's a simple and maleable enough style to continue to evolve. Plus, if I start practicing now, I'll be able to live like my ultimate (life)style icon by the time I've crusted into a cabin and my nose and chin have grown together:

I can be beautiful, lovely and fair
Silvery voice, long purple hair
la la la la la, la la la la la
la la la la la
but it's only skin deep
for zim zaberim zim!--
I'm an ugly old creep!!!

You gotta appreciate a lady who appreciates the "marvelous marvelous marvelous marvelous" (mad) rustic dumpling look even when she can physically transform! Try not to laugh. I bet you can't :).