Book Style: The Wind In The Willows

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame is one of those classics that you know even if you've never read the book. Disney's animated retelling, which is honestly one of their truest-to-the-original-source-material retellings ever, is largely responsible that. But this classic children's tale, created by Grahame originally for his own children's bedtime stories (very similar to A. A. Milne and the residents of Hundred Acre Wood), is a rollicking look at British upper society and life on the idyllic Thames all told through the lives of several anthropomorphized animals. 

For this Book Style, I wanted to draw in as many of the main characters as possible, while still creating a wearable outfit appropriate for an afternoon on the Thames. I started with a "Willow Willow" faux wrap dress and a blazer reminiscent of the boating stripe blazers worn by old school rowing teams. A pair of "Thames" booties keep the outfit from being too casual, but the chunky heels won't prove problematic on a river bank or country road. The accessories and jewelry mostly all reference a main character in the story:

Toad: Toad brooch made from a real page of the book and handcuff earrings for his inevitable imprisonment.

Ratty: That adorable rat/mouse ring. (Incidentally, the character of Ratty is actually a water vole... "The More You Know!") 

Mole: The little, wooden mole brooch.

Badger: The Badger tote bag.

Weasels: The weasel skull necklace.

The only item that isn't character specific is the bracelet set which is made of rolled pages of the actual book. And I topped everything off with Butter London's "British Racing Green" nail lacquer because Toad and motorcars cause a lot of problems.

 

 

 

Book Style: Too Bad To Die

I've been a massive James Bond fan ever since a lazy Saturday afternoon during my college years when I had a sprained ankle and Spike TV had a Bond marathon running. I know, it's basically a crime that it took that long for me to be formally introduced to any Bond other than Pierce Brosnan. Alas, we cannot change the past. My Bond love is what originally intrigued me about Francine Mathews newest novel, Too Bad To Die. She has taken on such daunting historical figures as Alan Turning, FDR, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and, of course, Ian Fleming. And she juggles the massive character roster, countless red herrings, and page turning action with a skilled pen. If you love spy novels, historical thrillers, or James Bond you really can't not read this one. 

That being said, my stubborn insistence that I include thematic elements into my Book Styles and a simple tri-color scheme for the cover art did make this one of the more difficult outfits I've put together recently. This book is heavy on plot but there's not a ton of obvious symbolism going on. I knew we needed a trench coat though. I mean, what spy outfit doesn't include a trench coat? I don't even care that I can't remember a single one being mentioned in Too Bad To Die. Need TRENCH COAT! This eye-catching trench is the perfect top layer for a very simple outfit. We have a 'Double Agent' tank, "Guns Out" leggings and "Spy" ankle boots. I have no excuse for these Agent Provocateur panties except that they're gorgeous and exactly what any bond girl should wear (at least in my imagination). The scarf is the only direct element taken from the novel, and is a nod to Ian's very own femme fatale. Oh, and it features a stylized martini glass print, of course. The jewelry includes an "Enigma" ring for the Nazi's famous encryption device, a "CODE" ring for the exact same reason, and black pistol earrings because every spy and secret agent needs a trusty weapon. Finishing the outfit off is a "Heroine" bag, because ultimately it's a lady's intuition that saves the day. The makeup is "Femme Fatale" lipstick and "The Man with the Golden Gun" nail lacquer (OPI's limited edition 18 karat gold topcoat).