Fantasia

When I was younger I as obsessed the centaurettes from Fantasia (the one who gets a lily pad for a hat was my favourite). They were part animal and spent a lot of time swimming and putting flowers in their hair so in my book they were absolute winners. My parents were always keen not to raise me in a gender stereotypical fashion and I remember my mum trying to get me enthuse over the dancing mushrooms, but I wasn't having any of it.

I really like the colour palette- a background of deep rich shades with their pastel equivalents peppered throughout. Pastels have been coming back for a while now, and whilst I do love that Versace ad and the pastel on pastel metallic action, I wanted to have some other ways to blend pastels in with what already exists in my wardrobe.

Images via Disney Wikia

I have dark hair, but if I were fair I would make like the girl with the rose crown and dye my hair pastel in a heartbeat (though it might have to be with those wash out hair chalks because I'm not sure what my workplace's policy is on pastel hair). As my hair is too dark to go pastel without me having to bleach the hell out of it, I have been looking for ways to mimic the centaurette girls in an outfit. I was trying to capture some of the girly floral details and the pastels mixed with dark colours. I bet my mum will be pleased. 

Zara stone necklace / Topshop Boutique silk camisole / Topshop Boutique patent leather skirt / Tophsop print sandals

Topshop leather floral necklace / COS fine knit jumper / Topshop Boutique floral camisole / Zara harem trousers / Vintage Prada ostrich leather sandals

Handmade jagged rock necklace / Zara pleated vest top / Topshop suede cross body bag / Zara floral pencil skirt / Lanvin pointy toe pumps

Clockwise;

Topshop leather cobalt calf pencil skirt

Asos high neck top

Topshop metal arm cats eye sunglasses

Topshop blur floral print cigarette trousers

Monkee Genes skinny jeans in plum

Topshop Petite navy textured cigarette trousers

Vintage double breasted lilac jacket

 

Lana Del Rey

I really like Lana Del Rey's style. I think that her every day street style can be a bit blah, but her promo shots and video shoots are always really cool.

Images via:  

Only Lana 

F*ck Yeah Lana Del Rey 

Lana Fan 

Lana (or the stylist she works with) references lots of what I think of as the epitomy of 'Americana'; old school Hollywood starlet, classic pin up, wild west frontier ranger, wood stock love child, motor cycle rebel and West coast urbanite. 

Images via:

Real Vintage 

Today 

Stinky Lulu 

Belle Bijoux Australia 

The Queen Josephine 

Metro 

Bad Perm 

GQ 

Lenin Imports 

Time Out 

I am kind of fascinated by America. Despite the fact that I speak the language, and I see US TV programmes and films and hear American music on a near daily basis sometimes I feel like I don't understand the culture at all. I think this 'otherness' is probably what I like so much- it's familiar and different all at the same time. I was really gutted when the BBC stopped broadcasting new episodes of Americana, but I've been listening and re-listening my way through the archives. If you are interested in America and American culture I can't recommend it enough. 

I wanted to take a cue from Lana and try to reference some vintage Americana in a few outfits, but I also wanted to make sure that they were really wearable and didn't look like costume so I've tried to keep some of the references a little on the subtle side.

Topshop applique rose necklace / Whistles leather motorcycle jacket / Zara sleeveless top / Asos beetle cuff / Zara tube skirt / Topshop beetle ring / YSL pony hair heels

Topshop fuzzy bomber jacket / hoop earrings / Topshop check shirt / Vintage Levis jeans / Vintage leather bag / Chloe biker boots

Christopher Kane x Topshop sleeveless tshirt / Vintage leather bag / Asos claw cuff / Topshop tuxedo trousers / Tophsop mock-croc sling backs

Topshop tear drop necklace / COS tshirt, Topshop high wait shorts / Asos leather backpack / Nike high tops

 Zara stud collar shirt / Zara pony hair bag / Topshop leather skirt / Topshop ankle boots