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Lately, I’ve been indulging a new love of comfortable, rustic-looking clothing that emulate something that someone living on a farm in the early 1900s might have worn. It’s so simple and no fuss, as well as being pretty dang cute- especially when in comes in provincial patterns like plaid and gingham! Because of this strange, newfound love of prairie, farm girl style, discovering the brand Ace & Jig was a surprising treat!

Designed by Cary Vaughan and Jenna Wilson, the mission of the Ace & Jig brand is simple: Create effortless clothing from interesting, eye-popping textiles that can be worn in several ways and for several years. Instead of designing to appeal to the latest trend that will die in a single season, Ace & Jig designs pieces for the long game, in timeless silhouettes that you can layer with other pieces to create new looks day after day, which makes building a wardrobe with a low environmental impact a lot easier!

Not only does Vaughan and Wilson’s brand help to cultivate sustainable fashion, it also empowers women in genuine ways, like employing a group of women in India and paying them fairly to weave their custom textiles. It seems that the essence of the Ace & Jig brand is wholesomeness and an honest desire to improve the world, which is something I have no problem getting behind!

And the clothes are pretty alright, too. I was instantly delighted by the vibrant plaid prints, as well as the surprising ways the outfits were layered, like having an apron-esque, pinafore layered over another dress, or a pair of overalls over a pair of pants made from the same print. All of the layering in the outfits creates depth through interesting silhouettes and refreshing color combinations, that I can’t imagine being unhappy while wearing one of them, and it makes me want to romp through a field of rolling, golden grass with a milk pail in hand.

I think we could all take some notes from Ace & Jig on how to refresh our wardrobes by layering our clothes in innovative ways. We can also probably all agree that the age-old rule that says you can’t mix prints may be a bit outdated.

Check out my favorite looks from their last two collections below:

Fall 2019

Spring 2019

While May leers at us from around the corner, we Texans and other citizens of the American south are beginning to get the first hints of summer, with temperatures already reaching into the high 80s. And while I loath to admit that our mild days are, for the most part, on the outs, I’ve already begun shaping my vision of the perfect summer in my mind.

Others may consider free time spent on exotic vacations, lounging on bright beaches in their perfect bikini body to be their dream summer, but my fantasies don’t extend the confines of my own skull. I’m talking about attitude, perspective, peace of mind. I’m talking about learning how to float on top of the waves and just not care so much. I’m talking about just having fun for once gosh darn it. And the refreshing, lighthearted Chanel Spring 2019 collection helped to solidify my goals of just chilling the heck out this summer.

yellow tweed skirt suit from chanel spring summer 2019 fashion runway show
Some of my favorite looks from the Chanel Spring 2019 collection emulated the warmth and joy of soft sunshine with their bright, yellow shades. (Photo: Vogue.com)

One of Karl Lagerfeld’s last collections, the Chanel Spring 2019 show perfectly exemplified the youthful energy that Lagerfeld sought to imbue into all of his collections with its pastel palette and playful, oversized silhouettes. The fact that models walked barefoot across a fabricated beach (complete with waves) speaks to the amount of commitment Lagerfeld had for creating fun collections that served no higher purpose other than to delight, and the oversized ’80s-esque silhouettes further demonstrated this sense of carefree wonder by emulating the spontaneous joy of a young girl (or boy!) playing dress up in their mother’s most glamorous attire.

The whole collection spoke to some deep and underutilized part of my heart that yearns for the days of languid, childhood summers where the only thing you had to worry about was how many days there were left until school started again. Just a small dose of that effortless, carefree state of mind would do me wonders- which is why I’m making it my goal this summer to fabricate my own vacation of the mind, to escape the stresses and anxiety of my adult life.

Anyways- some of the best aspects of this beachy Chanel collection are the ones where Lagerfeld plays with your expectations by adding childlike elements to proper pieces, like pairing slick bike shorts with a prim sweater, or splitting the legs of a tweed jumpsuit to give it summery flow. Some of my favorite looks from the collection were rendered in a punchy yellow that immediately drew the eye and, again, transported me back to happy summers that I wished would never end.

Here’s to hoping that my summer will be as nice as the feeling of walking barefoot on a (synthetic) beach.

Check out some of my favorite looks from the collection below:

All photos from Vogue.com

An article about menswear? On this website? No, that can’t be right. If you thought any of those things, then I don’t blame you. Menswear has never interested me in any serious capacity because it has never had the same pull on me as women’s fashion. Because of the strict societal expectations on masculinity and how men should express it, men’s fashion options are limited, and there isn’t as much room for the whimsy and fantastical details that I’m usually drawn to. Because of this, I become particularly fond of any menswear collection that strays from the mold, which Bode manages to do in their latest collection for Fall 2019.

bode fall winter 2019 whimsical fun menswear the young eclectic
This jacket adorned with pennies pays homage to the childhood joy of keeping collections. (Photo: Vogue.com)

Emily Bode projects her unique vision into Bode, a menswear line that started with her creating one-of-a-kind pieces from antique fabrics. Her knack for telling stories through clothing comes through in all of the darling details that make this menswear collection stand out, like the plaid suit with houses printed on it, or the clear, plastic coat showcasing somebody’s penny collection.

There were so many unexpected, little details added to each piece, it creates a sort of magic that makes this collection irresistible by creating that eclectic, thrift-chic look I’m obsessed with. All of those endearing details along with the vibrant and cozy knits paired with vintage-looking suits, and plenty of fun color sealed the deal for me. And while I’m not the intended audience for these clothes, I would gladly dress my boyfriend in them because your dream man should wear clothes that you can borrow every once and a while, and only maybe give back, am I right?

Check out a few of my favorite looks from the collection below:

All photos from Vogue.com.

Sometimes it takes losing something to realize just how much we loved it in the first place, which is what happened to me recently when I realized that Meadham Kirchhoff, a fashion brand known for their playful, whimsical, theatrical looks, no longer exists. I know what you’re thinking- If I was a true fan, then the fact that Meadham Kirchhoff is defunct would be old news (very old news) because they went out of business in 2015, but the fashion industry is so fast-paced and full of so many things happening and bombarding your attention every second of every day, that one or two brands may slip through your fingers and be lost in the swirling miasma of your memory (sorry Meadham Kirchhoff!).

All of this to say that I was very sad when I navigated to the Meadham Kirchhoff page on Vogue Runway, only to be met with the fact that their last show uploaded was from 2015. Ouch, oof, owie, my fashion bones.

meadham kirchhoff cute kawaii dramatic colorful fashion runway style girly the young eclectic spring summer 2012
One of my absolute favorite looks from Meadham Kirchoff from their Spring/Summer 2012 show- so soft in every way! (Photo: Vogue.com)

Way back in the heyday of my fashion Tumblr (remember when everyone had one of those?) Meadham Kirchhoff’s girly, fantastical, wonderfully-vibrant designs were something I never failed to reblog, wanting to immortalize their lovely clothes forever in my internet scrapbook. And it’s pretty obvious why- this brand is everything I love about fashion.

For one, Meadham Kirchhoff makes pieces that are extremely fun, including fur jackets with cherry motifs patchworked together from different colors of fur; black, Victorian-inspired coats fit for a funeral; dainty, frilly dresses that emulate the look of a cake that might have been seen in Sophia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette;” and plenty of pastels to satisfy the whims of my girly-girl heart. Meadham Kirchhoff didn’t care about what sold, or what the fashion industry called for, they went against the grain and created looks that appealed to their own artistic sensibilities- and each of their collections came with a message, too.

Of course, one of my biggest passions is expounding on the idea that fashion is an art, and that more people should appreciate it as such, so, perhaps the thing I’ll miss most about this iconic brand is the way that Meadham Kirchhoff presented their collections. There was almost always some sort of show to drive home the central theme of the collections. One of their most iconic showings saw a clique of Courtney Love lookalikes applying lipstick and dancing across the runway, while models stepped off of a giant cake, as though they were smiling, plastic cake toppers come to life. In another, the lights were brought down low, and models tromped down the runway in their vibrant, jubilant clothes to the sound of disco music accented with swirling, colored spotlights that made you want to party. In another show that riffed off the trope of uniforms and uniformity, an army of models quickly traversed the runway that was decorated with displays that you might see at those haunting spots along roads and highways where somebody suffered a fatal car crash.

What does it all mean? Sometimes, it’s a jubilant show of youth and rebellion, of shirking the expected in the name of theatricality and art- while sometimes, it means nothing at all. That’s the fun of Meadham Kirchhoff – things that seem layered in meaning are intentionally meaningless, where the small, intricate, and unforgettable details create characters and tell stories that you’ll never forget. I only wish their brand could have survived to show us more of their joyous world.

Check out some of my favorite looks from all of their collections below:

If you’ve been keeping up with this website for a while now, then you might have realized that I am a lover of insane amounts of color to the point of almost assaulting the eye. Why? Because it’s fun. But color isn’t always required for a collection to possess a spirit of whimsy and playfulness, things that Cecilie Bahnsen’s Fall 2019 collection has plenty of.

cecilie bahnsen fall 2019 fashion runway monochromatic whimsical style copenhagen week the young eclectic
Three things I love about this look: 1. The daintiness and poofiness of the dress. 2. The wispy, mock neck top layered underneath. 3. The seemingly-out-of-place sneakers. (Photo: Vogue.com)

Unlike most of the other collections I’ve covered on this site, Cecilie Bahnsen Fall 2019 has almost no color at all, settling for a subdued, monochromatic palette of blacks, whites, and the subtlest of yellows. But just because there is a dearth of color doesn’t mean the collection lacks imagination. In fact, it managed to capture mine with its innocent, childlike, oversized silhouettes and also charmed me with all of its girlish details like quilted fabrics, layered knits, and plenty of puffed sleeves to make you feel like a fairy tale. I liked this collection so much, I actually had trouble trying to find looks NOT to include in this article- and it was tough!

Cecilie Bahnsen, a mild-mannered and sweet woman who creates equally mild and sweet designs, wanted to add a bit of darkness to her usually-innocent looks this season and did so in ways most wouldn’t expect. While these floaty designs still retain all of the freshness and femininity Bahnsen delivers with her aesthetic, her babydoll dresses were made edgy with sharp detailing and a harsher combination of textures like crochet and ribbing. The models also marched down the runway in heavy trainers that contrasted well with the floatiness of their dress (which I now have to try in my own outfits- they just looked so freaking cool!)

One of my favorite looks from this collection was a poofy, tiered, white dress with a square neckline and a light-as-air, wispy mock neck top layered underneath. It’s those little details that really brings looks to life, and I take a lot of inspiration from them when I style my own outfits. I can definitely say with confidence that the fashion forecast for this Spring calls for a lot of puff sleeves, voluminous dresses, and innovative layering.

This is the first and only collection I have seen from Cecilie Bahnsen, and if this is her trying to add a bit of roughness to her dainty dresses, then I’m certainly excited to see what else she’s created, since I’m a fan of the girly, oversized look.

Check out some of my favorite looks from the show below:

Photos in featured image from CecilieBahnsen.com, all other photos from Vogue.com.

Marta Rios loves color, so much that she doesn’t even own any (!) black clothes, or anything that could be considered neutral because she insists that wearing color will not only make you happier, but will also improve the moods of everyone around you. In other words, Marta Rios wants us to live our lives boldly and she asserts this point with her ridiculously colorful and playfully-proportioned clothing line Atelier Mimii.

Featuring oversized, quilted dresses that come in all kinds of vibrant colors paired with all manner of ruffles and unique, art-inspired embellishments, Atelier Mimii is not for the faint of heart. In fact, these dresses are so fantastically over-the-top, that I would go as far as to classify them not as clothing, but as wearable art pieces that will transform you into a modern masterpiece to be admired. But the point of Atelier Mimii is that it is clothing and it’s meant to make our day-to-day lives much more fun and whimsical.

In fact, Marta Rios is so dedicated to making clothes that make her happy, that she never makes anything to show or accentuate the shape of the body, preferring to show off the colors and lush details, including Victorian-inspired full sleeves and collars, quilted & pearl-covered corsets that hearken back to what Spanish courtiers wore in the 16th century, and plenty of tulle. And when all is said and done, the dresses cut and sewn, Rios saves the scraps to make one-of-a-kind, handmade quilted bags to match.

I’ve been obsessed with oversized, maximalist clothing, so the Atelier Mimii aesthetic really appeals to my current style truth. My favorite look might be the yellow set with the long-sleeved shirt and shorts- so cute!

Check out some of my favorite looks from Atelier Mimii below:

Photos from NowFashion.com and Vogue.com

It seems like women that are both whimsically pretty and powerfully strong are a pervasive theme in the Fall 2019 season. Shrimps, the faux fur brand, contributed with a collection of frilly frocks inspired by Athena and her gang of pretty nymphs, who all came walking out of a huge neoclassical fresco, as though they were being conjured straight out of the mythological world before our very eyes.

The bright, printed, satin dresses with puff sleeves and fitted bodices channeled the over-the-top styles of the ’80s and conjured up visions of Athena and her leading ladies attending prom in gowns that are appropriately fantastic. And while the color palette of the collection started off as subdued neutrals, the color story developed into one that included vibrant yellows, bright orange touches, and even a checkered pattern that they added to jackets, bags, and tights. One of my personal favorite pieces was a black dress interspersed with sheer, orange, lace panels that, for some reason, made me think of a flamenco dancer.

And, of course, the coats were fab- rendered in a feathery texture and made in epic proportions, they will make anyone a fan of the statement coat. I especially adored the one that featured a playful, mythological print that Shrimps designer Hannah Weiland made herself, transforming the grey and white color scheme into something beautifully dreamy. All of this to say, I wish I lived somewhere cold enough to justify adding one of these jackets to my wardrobe, but, alas, not even Athena is powerful enough to defeat the Texas heat.

Check out some of my favorite looks from the collection below:

Cover photo from WWD.com, all other photos from Vogue.com

You already know that I’m here for any collection that even mildly scratches my fantasy itch, so when I stumbled across the Bora Aksu Fall 2019 collection via stylist Leith Clark’s instagram, I was instantly smitten. I imagined these light, dainty gowns with translucent, ruffled layers and iridescent sparkle adrift in the ocean like ethereal jellyfish, or the nightgowns of sleepy mermaids.

Things I adore about this collection: the fluid, flowing silhouettes; the pale, extra-terrestrial pinks and blues; the glittery, essence of girlhood whimsy and dreams made reality; the over-the-knee moon boots; the way it makes me imagine that there are some ultra-cool, alien girls rocking their way through the universe in Aksu’s confectionery clothes. Things I hate about this collection: that more people haven’t seen it. In other words, I’m in love.

The best thing about this collection is that, although it is playful and whimsical, with its dreamy, out-of-this world vibes (I’m so here for those silver sunglasses that resemble alien eyes), it’s also superbly wearable if you strip away the fantastical styling. A sequined blazer can be worn as a statement piece with jeans and a tee, while an aqua blue, ruffled cocktail dress would be adorable as a fun, daytime look paired with some shimmery sandals and a tiny, cross-body bag (a girl can dream!). I loved every look in this collection so much, I can’t even choose a favorite.

I can only hope that the world (and American Vogue) will pay closer attention next time Bora Aksu releases another collection to make our bleak, human days a little more alien.

Check out my favorite looks from the collection below:

All images are from BoraAksu.com

If you follow fashion, and you haven’t heard of Tomo Koizumi at this point, then you’re a unicorn. The Japanese designer debuted his boisterously joyous, vibrant, ruffled organza gowns on the fashion industry’s biggest faces in his first runway show that took place in the Marc Jacobs store in New York during fashion week.

The dreamy, absolutely bogusly-huge dresses were a refreshing change to the normally consumer-focused, fairly serious nature of New York Fashion Week. I was instantly taken by the sheer youth and femininity of the collection, which oozed all of the charm and fantasies of the Kawaii aesthetic of his native country. Koizumi even cites the internationally beloved anime Sailor Moon as being an inspiration for his dresses, which are supposed to act as a sort of armor, or proof of the idea that a woman can be cute AND strong. It makes me wonder why we view powerful women like men, in bland suits and plain makeup. Why can’t a powerful woman wear a rainbow-hued, ruffled dress? These are questions that are yet to be answered.

tomo koizumi fall winter 2019 nyfw new york marc jacobs style runway ruffles pastel kawaii cute dresses the young eclectic
One of my favorite looks from the collection, this adorable, ruffled gown looks like a traditional Japanese kimono from an alternate reality where everything is whimsical and kawaii. (Photo: Vogue)

But the real topic this show truly brought to mind for me, is the pressure of the debut. While Koizumi had already found some success with his ruffled creations in the kawaii-centric Japan dressing celebrities and pop stars in his signature sugary, architectural designs, he was by no means well-known worldwide- until he caught the attention of famous stylist Katie Grand, who had all of the connections in the fashion world needed to put on such an incredible show. His first show was a tremendous success, launching him to fashion stardom instantly. This vision of the debut just strikes me as unfair, and definitely outside of reality.

I’m not trying to disparage Koizumi or his work- I think it’s all gorgeous and deserves recognition for how unique and playful it is (my favorite piece was one that resembled a ruffle-fied traditional kimono) and I’m glad he was given this stage, so that I could be inspired by his work. I just think that it more cements the idea that the debut, whether it be a fashion show, an acting role, a novel, an academic paper, or any other kind of work, has to be some kind of earth-shaking event that causes the world to see you. And if your debut isn’t like that, then maybe you’re not as good at something as you thought. The fear of the debut flop might even cause some people to not try in the first place.

To put this in a more personal light, I am someone who grew up being told they were “gifted” (ugh) all the time, so I thought that I could be naturally good at anything I set my mind to, and that just simply isn’t true. This ingrained belief causes me to give up on things immediately if I’m not automatically good at them, making it so I never really step outside of my comfort zone and try new things. To put it simply, I am limited by a fear of failure and ridicule, one that continually causes me not to put my work out there. The reality is, most people will not have a spectacular debut, because it is your debut. Firsts are never perfect, and should only serve as a jumping off point to improve your craft and keep trying. If you keep at it, someday the world will take notice. I just wish I could practice what I preach!

Check out some of my favorite looks from the show below:

Cover photo from WWD.com, all other photos from Vogue.com

Love is in the air for Fall 2019, so much so that Valentino even created a book of love poems to give to the guests of their show, which aligned with the light, airy, dramatic, lovey-dovey atmosphere of their latest collection. Sarah Burton’s Fall 2019 collection for Alexander McQueen still brought us love, but in a much different way, by incorporating more intense elements, like hard metals, stark blacks and whites, and even a furious, passionate red that pulsed through the collection, creating a darkly-romantic vibe.

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The iconic dress embellished with heddles, or pieces from looms, which mimic the sound of a fabric factory floor when they move and clink together. (Image: Vogue.com)

And while the fluffy silhouettes of some of the more flouncy dresses, as well as the repetition of rose imagery throughout prints and couture-esque, sculpted gowns where volumes of fabric gather to create the visage of a rose in bloom (one of my favorite pieces being the impeccably-tailored suit with silk sleeves that culminate in a gorgeous floral whirl at the shoulders) create the notion of a romantic love, this whole collection was really Sarah Burton’s love letter to the textile industry of the northern UK. While the audience sat atop bolts of fabric, they watched extremely English, exquisitely-tailored suits traipse down the runway, as well as other dresses inspired by everything from suffragettes and their prim, white attire, to the Victorian frills of the Bronte sisters. Everything in the collection served to lift up the culture of her home.

In true McQueen fashion, there was one dress that really served as an art piece more than a garment- a dazzling silver dress embellished with heddles, which are pieces from looms used to weave fabrics. As the dress moves and the heddles glimmer and clink together, the sound is meant to mimic the sound of the factory floor where the fabrics of England are manufactured. And if that isn’t the coolest fashion-related thing you’ve heard all day, then I don’t know how to help you.

To say the very least and most, Lee Alexander McQueen would be proud.

Check out my favorite looks from the collection below:

All photos from Vogue.com