Current Seeds of Inspiration

Gloria Guinness, Head Scarves and Disco Vibes

Two posts in and I must say thank you to all of the wonderful readers and subscribers who have been so kind with praise, encouragement and support.  I really wasn’t expecting that so a heartfelt thank you. 

I have a lot to say regarding style, the fashion industry and the interesting times we find ourselves in. I would say we’re at an inflection point, where the old rules of the business from design and manufacturing to retail and marketing have been thrown up in the air,  landed on the ground and now some sort of new order can begin to be made out of the mess.  

Writing about this new landscape helps me to tune out the noise and take a more contemplative approach to style and shopping. The aim of What Looks Good is first to inspire; what I sadly find lacking now from magazines. First inspiration then suggestions, but without the seeds of inspiration it’s all just disparate pieces to me. 

Right now I’m shopping for clients and myself. Before I begin to make sense of the retail jungle I plant the seeds of inspiration, shop like hell and see what takes root. This approach is not unlike how you start to design a collection, first you have to get in tune with what you’re feeling, the ideas that have been floating around your imagination. You begin to take note of outside sources that confirm your inner dialog. This could be a time or place, a particular person or work of art, nature, anything. Then, like a reduction sauce you boil it down to get the essence of all the flavors. Here are the ingredients I’m playing with now.

I’ve been thinking about Gloria Guinness lately, the Mexican born socialite with a penchant for marrying well.  A frenemy of Babe Paley and one of the most elegant women of her time.

Balenciaga was her favorite couturier, drawn to his purity of form and simple elegance. Whether in couture or sportswear, clean and simple was her style. For spring summer I’m inspired by her pressed, slim white pants as seen here and here.  Worn with a black sweater or blouse and  topped with her trademark  straw hat, seen here, here and here. After all the oversized layers we’ve been seeing I find a neater silhouette appealing. Just add a bright red throw to loosen it up.

When the humidity rises the head scarves come out, My life long battle with my hair only intensifies as the humidity rises. Head scarves to the rescue, a chic solution and an outfit enhancer in its own right.

The key is to have the right size scarf. If it’s too large, like the normal size Hermes scarf, it seems too extra.  I prefer a square between 20 to 24 inches  folded in half on the diagonal. Fabric counts, 100% cotton, great for the beach, or 100% silk. I like to tie it in the back at the nape of the neck and have a bit of the hairline showing.

The scarf at top is 100% silk from a UK company on Etsy, the two at the bottom left, also found on Etsy, are from a small company in Maine that takes inspiration from the illustrations of old books. This is what I love about the new landscape I spoke of earlier, the prevalence of niche brands bringing unique products to market.  My obsessive digging online does not go unrewarded.

I’ve been searching for gold heeled sandals with a 70’s disco vibe. Something to throw on for summer evenings out that is not a total uncomfortable commitment meaning the heel must be 3.5 inches or lower. I also don’t want to spend four figures on a fun going out shoe. 

The shoe at the bottom left I found for a client in Bergdorf Goodman on the 5th floor. The other two I found online from Anonymous, a Copenhagen based certified B corporation dedicated to ethical business practices and environmental stewardship. I love the vintage vibe of both and the sturdy throwback heel of the bottom right is something I could possibly even knock around in. 

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Until next time, 

Jolain