A Tiny Tiny Tale of Tiny Tiny Earrings

Onyx, sterling silver and malachite stud earringsUsually I adore anything that can be described variously as enormous, mad, outré, outrageous, wild, bizarre, eccentric, quirky, whimsical and so on. Often friends, seeing some strange and indescribable item in a vintage store, will say to me, “You could get away with that Princess Tatiana.” (Sometimes they say, ‘your Royal Highness’.) I try to take that as a compliment – as I am quite certain it is meant.

But occasionally I like tiny little things too. Like these tiny, tiny stud earrings. I have collected a few pairs that suit me when I am in a rare wallflower mood. One day, many years ago now, a dish of these tiny little earrings fell into my bottomless laundry basket. I was aghast, for I was unable to find them all again.

It was not until years later, when I finally reached the bottom of the abyss that is the laundry basket (it was a veritable laundering miracle, one of those halcyon days when you have no housework to do) that I found the missing tiny tiny earrings. Joy!

Now I’m just waiting for a minimalist wallflower mood to unaccountably wash over me so I can wear a pair of them again …

Fine and Dandy

Dandies, also known as beaus or gallants, have been around for a long time. A dandy’s raison d’être is Style – through ‘physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self.’ [Wikipedia]

George Bryan ‘Beau’ Brummell, caricature in watercolour by Richard Dighton, 1805Though not the founder of the movement, Beau Brummell (1778–1840) epitomises the notion of the dandy in English society, and was the arbiter of fashion in Regency days (think Jane Austen for you non-history-nerds). He was elegant, immaculately dressed and groomed, and despised the extremities of fashion as worn by the outlandish ‘Macaronis’ of earlier decades.

Fond of plain, dark suits worn with perfectly starched linen and accessorised with an elaborately tied cravat, Beau Brummell instituted a style of men’s dress that has reigned for the past two centuries. He was one of the first celebrities, famous chiefly for being famous, as a ‘laconically witty clotheshorse’. A socialite of olden days in fact. 

This fashion shoot elegantly photographed by Jurgen Teller for Arena Homme in the 1990s is inspired by the dandies of Evelyn Waugh’s era. There is an elegance in these pictures, with a dash of subversive wit to leaven them. The (mostly) black and white photography with faint echoes of René Margritte and the minimal set are immaculate, and the styling and art direction clever.

Enjoy this wonderful homage to the dandy of the twentieth century.

Click on the images for larger versions.

Saving Brown

Dramatic full fat shape and sheen make this chocolate brown jacket exciting

Brown is dull

It’s no coincidence that shades of brown are often named after yummy things: chocolate, caramel, cinnamon, latte, coffee, walnut, chestnut, etc. It’s the fashion industry’s sneaky way of trying to make us buy into this boring hue.

Texas desert

Brown is everywhere

Possibly the commonest colour in nature apart from green, brown is seen in wood, soil, peat, animal fur, human hair, skin pigmentation and other plant life such as nuts, seeds and withered leaves. The earthy tone can be associated with autumn, humility (think of a monk’s dun-coloured habit), and, let’s face it … um, how shall I phrase it politely? I know you know what I’m talking about … yes, poo. One person’s caramel is another’s baby-poo brown. (Sorry, that’s gross. But memorable. Just don’t Google that term. And don’t say I didn’t warn you if you do!)

Brown is old

The word comes from Old English brún, named for any dusky or dark shade of colour. The first recorded use of the spelling change to ‘brown’ was in 1000, and the current meaning derived from Middle English in the fourteenth century.

Brown is practical

Some brown shades seem particularly suited to practical boots, shoes, and warm winter outerwear, possibly because historically people used animal skins to fashion these: the wool of sheep and goats, camelhair, cowhide and other leather, and furs. The camel coat for instance – whether camel by fibre or merely in colour – remains a true classic today.

Calf leather jacket and fox fur cap: vintage hides in rich hues are lit up with a 70s sky blue blouseKaviar Gauche camel coat, 2011Everything is brown in Peasantworld. They might be dancing, but are they truly having fun, dressed in brown? Peasants Dancing Outside an Inn, by David Teniers the Younger, (1610–1690)

Brown is staid

Perhaps it is because before the creation of inexpensive commercial dyes, coloured cloth was associated with the wealthy – the common people wore natural earthy shades in their everyday clothing. It is also a practical colour: it is less likely to show dirt or stains. Definitely not romantic.

Brown is not showy

Brown recedes into the background. The popular conception of the aforementioned monk is a rotund and balding little man scuttling about in a rough brown tunic – hardly an alluring figure. And after all, how often does one see a Hollywood starlet wearing a glamorous gown in brown, really? The only person I have ever heard claim a liking for brown is my friend Rapunzel, who has red hair. Supposedly brown suits redheads. Colour theorists clutching at straws, I say. 

Friar Tuck, one of Robin Hood’s band of merry men A vintage 50s mink and apricot satin halo bandeau are matched with a dusky pink blouseA warm golden brown contrasts strongly with soft pink

Brown is rescued!

Offset by other prettier hues however, brown can become more palatable. In particular, light shades of blue, pink, lilac, or mint look wonderful with brown. By this rule it should follow that yellow or orange would harmonise with brown too, yes? Here it becomes a matter of personal taste; such a colour palette is too earthy for me.

… remember SNAP’s little mantra on brown: perk it up, don’t tone it down

A vintage 50s russet feather toque heads into startling territory with the addition of a bold ostrich feather, and the blouse that shimmers between mauve and lilac is slightly and deliciously off a matching tone.

By the same token, brown is inoffensive with white, cream, or some shades of grey, though black works best with lighter shades like camel or beige, but to my mind it is too easy to match brown with other neutrals, and therefore it is uninteresting. It’s all about the contrasts: a strong hot or candy pink is fabulous with fawn or taupe, likewise with vivid turquoise or unshrinking violet. 

Just remember SNAP’s little mantra on brown: perk it up, don’t tone it down – and you won’t go wrong. 

Back to chocolate brown: a 50s wool toque trimmed with mink pompoms is paired with the brightest cobalt and violet 50s frock.

April Fish!

One of the silliest holidays on the calendar celebrated by many countries around the world is April Fool’s Day, with the media of many countries often getting in on the act too for grand scale pranks.

Quite a different custom prevails in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy. Children and adults take part in this tradition of attaching paper fish to one another’s backs and shouting, “April fish!” One Swiss work colleague of mine has fond childhood memories of this innocent pastime. The custom possibly harks back to a French poet of the sixteenth century who referred to a poisson d’avril – an April fool, which literally translates as April fish. 

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries April fish postcards became popular in France, a charming excuse to send quaint greetings to a friend. And it’s a fair excuse to eat fish for dinner tonight too.

Scroll down for more April smiles.

Click on image to see more vintage April fish postcardsClick through to buy a set of 25 antique French postcards, at Etsy store French Country Life

Crimes Against Fashion: Running Shoes Edition

I must apologise for this dowdy picture (above). I know it is not what you are accustomed to seeing here on SNAP, but sometimes shock tactics are required to get an important message across.

Running shoes have been expressly designed for one thing: running. They are not for walking to work in, no matter how practical and comfortable it may seem in the heat of the moment. Why? Mismatched with business attire, especially black opaque stockings, they form one of the ugliest sartorial statements of the modern era. Not only are they in serious breach of good taste, they make legs look ugly to boot. They are inelegant. They make a dangerous three-quarter-length skirt look dowdy and unflattering.

Did I mention they are ugly?

If you must be comfortable, or need to protect your precious suede peeptoes from the elements during your commute, please invest in some attractive walking shoes, and you can save your treads for the running track where they will be of the most benefit.

Thank you for your attention, and SNAP trusts that offenders will cease and desist in this anti-sartorial behaviour.

This has been a community service announcement.