Sponsor Spotlight: Cleo Chryanthemum

Today's Sponsor Spotlight goes to a sweet little etsy shop called Cleo Chrysanthemum! Allie has the best selection of vintage dresses in her shop; I'm almost to tears about that white Edwardian inspired dress being too small for me! It's one of things I've had on my thrift list for the longest time, but I think I'd be willing to make an etsy splurge for that beauty. Her shop is actually where I bought my navy duffle coat and my navy gingham dress last fall, and I've loved both ever since. Definitely check out Cleo Chrysanthemum when you get the chance!

Nygards Anna

Since we're coming fresh off the Teddy Girl topic, I figured, what better time to share more menswear/Edwardian-ish inspiration? I know I'm a broken record about this show, but I sincerely blame Deadwood for all of my style choices right now. It's really not all Deadwood's fault – my heart has always been drawn to western/boyish things – but the show has definitely been a major influence on a lot of the menswear looks I've been paying attention to lately.

This set of photos is as old as the show itself – from sometime in 2007 – but the lookbook was just too irresistible to pass up. It's from Swedish label, Nygards Anna, and upon visiting their site, I fell in love with not only their latest lookbook but all of the clothes in it, too. You can find it on their website. Good stuff all around!

Make me a Teddy Girl

Quite sometime ago I found a set of vintage photographs online that inspired me more than anything else had seen in quite sometime. I immediately dragged them from the screen and safely into an inspiration folder on my desktop where they sat. and sat. and sat. and sat. And now, finally, today is the day that I get to set them free!

They were of Teddy Girls in the mid 1950's (see the two smaller photos below), and I remember being so captivated with their effortless Edwardian-era styling and their tough, tomboy attitudes. In the time since, I've done a wee bit of research on Teddy Girls, enough to know that I would have been A-okay with being one if I had been around in the 50s.  They spent their spare time away from factories buying or making their trademark clothes which included – get this – drape jackets, pencil skirts, long plaits (aka braids!), rolled-up jeans, flat shoes, tailored jackets with velvet collars, straw boater hats, cameo brooches, espadrilles, coolie hats and long, elegant clutch bags (taken from wikipedia!). I mean, other than the coolie hat, which of those things would you not want to wear right now?

It was only recently that I rekindled my love and appreciation for Teddy Girls, and I owe it all to Liz Ham's 2010 interpretation for Oyster Magazine. More than anything they make me ready for spring and maybe a little anxious for a pair of shiny black oxfords!

1955 photos shot by Ken Russel!