//// Pattern thoughts
Posted on | May 1, 2010 | 4 Comments
This spring I have become aware how pattern poor my wardrobe really is. That is not because I don’t like patterns, on the contrary. I love them. I would love to have more elaborate style, mixing together all sorts of patterns: prints, lace, embellishments, woven patterns. I have been thinking why don’t I express fully this side of me in my outfits and came to the following explanation.
Patterns are expensive to make — excluding simple prints. So embroideries, embellishments, woven patterned fabrics and elaborate prints are relatively rare in cheap and middle priced wear that actually form the majority of my wardrobe.
Good print is hard to come by — often the prints look like a sorry excuse to bring together the season colors to one garment. I don’t know how tightly the fabric illustrators work with designers on mass produced clothes, but judging from the results the co-operation could be improved.
So I’m developing here a strategy on adding that pattern to my wardrobe. I like the idea of mixing different kind of patterns, two or even more prints with some embellished details, perhaps toned down a bit with more calm, repetitive woven pattern. I like the idea of combining patterns of different scale to one outfit. I like both restricted palettes with wild patterns — and just wild palettes with wild pattern. A good trick is to mix black and white (or any other two tone) pattern to more elaborate design.
The images are from few of my all time favorite pattern themed shows Dries Van Noten spring 2008 Wunderkind spring 2008 & autumn 2009 (all from Style.com).
So, currently I’m looking for:
1) An embellished or printed full skirt with bright colors (the linked one is fab, but not my colors…)
2) A black and white floral print skirt, preferably with large scale print
3) (Ethnic style) embellished vest, maybe even jacket
4) Sheer and lightweight dresses and blouses with prints, preferably with buttons on front and easy, loose shapes
5) A fitted tapestry coat with fancy floral motifs. I would prefer a white or cream base for the pattern.
I will keep my eyes open in charity shops for these and definitely stalking Yoox sales for some bargain finds. I might pop in to those ethnic bazaar shops when encountering them on my travels (a trip to Stockholm and Warsaw on sight). With the tapestry coat the best option would be sewing it by myself. There is one interior fabric shop in Helsinki that at least used to have an awesome collection of jacquards and brocades.
Oh, and I still don’t have any neat digital prints for my sci-fi moods…
Discussion
What do you think?
About
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Contact: kamicha (a) gmail dot com
I'm especially interested in young designers creations, non-established labels and indie fashion. So if you have something interesting to show, feel free to contact!
You can find Finnish design from both specific and some outfit posts - but both are tagged.
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May 2nd, 2010 @ 12:43 pm
Inspiroivaa. Olin itseasiassa joskus aika hyvä printtien yhdistelyssä, taisi sitten ikä ja arkuus tulla esteeksi. Nykyään päässäni nakuttaa sääntö yhdestä printistä per asu, joka on ihan älytöntä…
May 2nd, 2010 @ 1:42 pm
Mahtaako olla niin, että tyylioppaiden varovaiset säännöt tukahduttavat ihmisten luovuutta pukeutumisessa?
Eikös tuota visuaalista silmää voi verrata pyörällä ajoon — kun kerran oppii niin aina taitaa
May 2nd, 2010 @ 4:14 pm
Kyllä kyllä, säpä sen sanoit. Tyylioppaat todellakin tukahduttaa, ja sen ne voi tehdä vaikka itsekään ei aina “uskois” niihin. Minä esimerkiksi olen aivan neuroottinen pohkeideni kanssa, mietin onko hame liian pitkä jne, etten vain näyttäis tukevammalta. Hölmöä ja niin rajoittavaa. Oikeassa elämässähän me kaikki liikutaan ja ollaan kolmiuloitteisia, kukapa niitä toisten pohkeita tuijottelis.
May 18th, 2010 @ 8:38 am
[…] I don’t post editorial images often, but my mouth was literally left open when I saw gorgeous Alek Wek in The Financial Times‘ monthly luxury magazine, How To Spend It pattern and texture rich editorial, found via Fashion Gone Rogue this morning, see rest of the images here. I love Alek — and the styling here is impeccable, of course executed with upscale garments I can’t never afford, from Lanvin to Givenchy. But I’m loving to seeing them like this. Definitely fueling my pattern cravings. […]