It’s all gone slightly ‘gothic’, jazz hands here, this week at Silver Vixen Towers! Following on from week 23’s outfit of soft, unstructured, Easy Sunday Chic, I’ve put my foot on the gas and revved up the motor!
I thought it was about time we had some green in the Winter Seasonal Skinny Challenge, so we’ve
a green plaid shirt – hurrah!
a gothic skull scarf – double hurrahs!
polka dot gloves – triple hurrahs!
I’m back in a beret – quadruple hurrahs!
PLUS
a matching fringe bag and boots – hence fringe benefits – geddit??? Multiple hurrahs!
Last year in my Date Night post, I admitted that I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about fringing, which considering I’m a details gal, you’d think is somewhat contradictory. Maybe I’ve just seen too much of it. You know, the posts where someone is absolutely dripping in la fringe from head to toe, that it looks like they’ve been attacked by a pair of scissors! It can just look all too faffy. And faffy ain’t what I am!
Styling is all about making a trend work for your personality and lifestyle. You see, boho looks great on others but on me… well… no… I’ve yet to find a floppy hat that doesn’t completely cover my head down to my neck, rather than sit on top of my crown! Instead, I’ve taken the fringe element of boho and made it work for me with some teeny gothic elements; gothic style leather jacket and the skull scarf.
Looking terribly serious and gothic-ky.
The fringe bag I bought at the beginning of last Autumn and has been a huge hit, not least because it’s a 3:1 bag! My kinda bag! You can wear it as a crossbody but it also converts to a clutch – with or without a wristlet. I’ve worn it alot on the blog (including here, here and here).
When all the fringed ankle boots started appearing I looked for a pair but either I found a style I liked, but darn it if all the size 3’s hadn’t sold out by the time I found them, or I found size 3’s in styles I didn’t care for. Typical, huh? I even bought a pair way back in October, but when I got them home and showed Tall Brown Fox, we both agreed that the boots miraculously transformed my diddy feet into the hooves of shire horses! So back they went.
It wasn’t until we were in France at Christmas that I found THE pair. We visited Nice for the day and as I always seem to do well buying things there, working on the theory of once victorious, always victorious, I made a beeline for a shoe shop I’ve been victorious in before, and lo and behold – ANOTHER VICTORY!
I’m rather amused that my ankles look as if they’ve been decorated with tiny grass skirts that gently swish and sway as I walk!
I swear my bag actually squealed in delight when it was introduced to the boots. A fairy tale of fringe. A marriage of boots and bag. Ah, a happy ending.
I’ve looked at the accessories book, thrown it out the window and gone pattern mixing mad because accessories don’t come with an age tag. There’s no rule which says you can’t pair a skull scarf with polka dot gloves and a plaid shirt! Besides, I didn’t want to go the whole goth mile with black gloves because
a) I like accessories to be quirky, whimsical and preferably colourful.
b) they don’t all have to be ‘matchy-matchy’. So what it the red of the necklace isn’t quite the same shade as the red of the gloves or the maroon of the jeans?
and
c) Ssssssh, don’t tell anyone, but I’m not a goth.
And just to bring in the plaid a little more, a neat visual trick I often do with jackets and blazers, is to turn the cuffs of the shirt over and wear them on the outside of the jacket.
Dorothy Perkins Seasonal Skinny
New Look Check Shirt (old) Green Checked Shirt
Wallis Petite Gothic Style Leather Jacket. Petite Biker Front Zip Leather Jacket or Regular Embroided Leather Look Jacket
Joy the store Fringe Bag
Fringe Suede Boots from France. Not leather but suedette Matte Fringed Boots or Leather Upper Fringe Boots
White on Black Skull Scarf from a French Market stall. Black on White Skull Scarf
Red Fabric Multirow Necklace currently in the sale
Polka dot gloves from French brand Camaieu
Accessorize Beret (old0
Moral of the story is, you don’t have to dress head to toe in one style if it’s not your cuppa tea. Whether you take one or more elements you like – as here with the fringing – and play around with them, doesn’t matter. What does matter, is putting your own style stamp on it.
Are you a fringe fan? Do you like it in small doses, like I do, or are you a ‘get those darn faffy, dangly bits away from me’?
Unfamiliar with my 52 week Seasonal Skinny Style Challenge? You can read all about it here.
Linking with / ColorandGrace / #WIWT / Happiness at Midlife / Top of the World Style / Daily Style Finds / Fashion Should Be Fun / Fabulous Friday / Fashion Friday / Sheela Writes / Confident Twosday / Turning Heads Tuesday / Garay Treasures / 40plusstyle / JerseyGirlTexanHeart /
That skull scarf is the best! Totally not what I'd expect from you and I love it!
I do like a bit of fringe : ) and I don't care who knows! Ha ha.
bisous
Suzanne
It's pretty cool, isn't it? Great – I like to keep you on your toes with a little unexpectedness!
Fringe looks so fab on you, Suzanne. You've got the boho look down to a fine art.
Loving the fringe bag and booties! Such a great look!
Thanks Laura. I don't normally match bag and shoes but it had to be done here!
Those gloves are so fun! Love all the print mixing!
~Jessica
Jeans and a Teacup
Thanks Jessica. I have the exact same pair in grey too!
What's not to love about this look.
You are quite possibly wearing everything I love about style in one look!
Skinnies.
Funky scarves.
Mixing patterns.
Leather jackets.
Berets.
Funky gloves.
Fringing.
A great look!
XXX
Samantha
<a href="http://gakefabulous.com>fakefabulous.com</a>
Lots of boxes ticked – yay! Thanks Samantha. I had alot of fun putting this look together.
Apologies for my link-cock-up…butter fingers!
X
fakefabulous.com…..that's better! :oD
Loving the crazy mix up you're offering in this post. I like that you surprised me with the goth scarf – great to do the unexpected, so well done there. And I adore these cute fringed boots. And the fringed bag, I'm sure I commented on it before, but I still covet it now. So much so, that on my next jaunt to the mainland in April I will be on the look out for my own version of the perfect fringed bag. Thanks for inspiring me to make that move!
Anna x
You're welcome! The bag had served me well, that's for sure. Look forward to seeing what bag you hunt down. I just know it will be a cracker.
Hee, hee, another fellow blogging pal, I've surprised with the goth scarf!
Thanks for your lovely words, Anna.
You mix prints and styles so well. I like that fringe bag. Thanks for linking up this week.
Lisa
Daily Style Finds
Thank you, Lisa. I enjoy mixing the prints with the accessories.
What a strong composition of print. Every pattern is laid out beautifully and strategically. Powerful colours yet nothing clashes. All the different pieces meld beautifully together xoxo
Loving the fringe pieces! Your scarf is so fun too. SO many great accessories!
Amy Ann
Straight A Style
Fringe? Goth? Plaid? You know I'm loving it, Lady!
Thanks so much for linking up with Fun Fashion Friday & hope your weekend is divine!
OXOX
Dawn Lucy
http://fashionshouldbefun.blogspot.com
So eclectic and so perfect! Skulls, fringe, leather, plaid…so much awesome in one look and it all plays so well together.
Debbie
http://www.fashionfairydust.com
Looking fabulous and fierce! Love the mix of colors and patterns. Your scarf is so perfect with your moto jacket. I like the little touches of fringe you added to your look. I still haven't found any pieces that have caught my eye yet.
I love the mix of prints and colors! What a fun outfit.
Thank you for being a part of TBT Fashion link up and hope to see you soon!
Alice
http://www.happinessatmidlife.com
Thanks for linking up to Top of the World Style. Tomorrow is the 50th. I hope you can make it. Wow, you are wild! Great look. I'd never thought you would wear a skull scarf!
I am not a fringe girl (or boho) either, but sometimes dabble in it. You made it work. Not too much, not too little. Good outfit.
Greetje