Rachel Ruysch, a famous still life painter from the Netherlands circa the Dutch Golden Age, is known for her still life of flowers. With the use of oil painting, she basically interpreted her own style using the delicate flowers by enhancing it with realism. Not only did we see flowers in paintings, but floral motifs are seen in textiles as well. Throughout the ages floral details and patterns have been present in gowns, jewels and even home décor. Since human make association as a normal stream of consciousness, we immediately think of flowers for spring. I love to challenge the obvious and mainstream by making subtle changes. Nothing too groundbreaking, but why not try floral for summer? Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada infamously yet sarcastically said, “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” My friends know me as the girl with floral patterns everywhere no matter the season (a.k.a. my backpack, platform pumps, skirts and even my penny board). However, this Fashionista exemplifies flowers in her own way just like Rachel Ruysch did in the 17th century.
First off, a tube top with flowers on it is the epitome of balance for me. Flowers exude a delicate quality hinting with a pure essence. A tube top is a lot more edgy and even quite sexy. So, naturally the combination works as a nice tug-of-war. She paired it with light wash jeans cuffed at the bottom. Her little touches with the metallic in her flash tattoos and necklace counteract the earth tones of the shoes. My rendition of her outfit deals with more a structured top such as a peplum top with the floral pattern. Paired with boyfriend jeans to battle with the harsh lines of the top. Taking the metallic and earth combination and putting them together in the details of the shoes. As much as I adored this Fashionista’s interpretation, I used it as inspiration for a similar look with a different flair.
What is your STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK? “I always envision an outfit or the essence of an outfit first. After, I seek the pieces out. So, my advice is to have a general concept of what you want and be open to pairing it with staple items.”
