London Underground Posters: Austin Cooper, 1924
Style Imitating Art is a group collaboration between Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee. Please make sure you visit each blog to see their SIA looks. For this collaboration, each of the contributors takes turns selecting an inspiration image. They then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. You can read more about the process on each blog. Salazar chose these art works this week. You can read more about why Salazar chose this particular inspiration here. Please be sure to check Salazar’s blog on Wednesday to see all of the other submissions for this challenge!
Inspiration Art Work
About the artist
Although he was born in Souris, Manitoba, Canada, Austin Cooper’s family moved to Cardiff, Wales in 1896 when he was six years old. At the age of thirteen, he studied at the Cardiff School of Art and then won a scholarship to the Allan-Frazer College of Art in Abroah (1906-1910). Before returning to Canada, Cooper also studied at the City and Guilds School in London. Upon his return to Canada, Cooper began his career as a commercial artist. He and Adam Sherriff opened Scott Shapgat Studios. Cooper served with the Canadian Black Watch during World War I. He was discharged in 1919 and moved to London in 1922.
A little more…
Austin Cooper became well known as a poster designer for the London and North Eastern Railway, Underground Electric Railway Company, Royal Mail Line, Indian State Railways, and London Transport. In 1922, Cooper created the first of 54 commissions for the London Transport. In 1924, Cooper designed “It is Cooler Down Below” to “promote the comfort of travelling by Tube when the weather is hot.” while “It is Warmer Down Below” was produced to “promote the warmth and comfort of the Tube in winter” (source).
For four years, 1936-1940, Cooper was the principal of the London branch of the German Reimann School of Commercial and Industrial Art, the first commercial art school in the UK (source). In 1943, Cooper turned from commercial art to abstract art. In 1948, Cooper had his first solo exhibition of abstract painting at the London Gallery. Many of these abstract works are housed at the Tate Gallery Austin Cooper died in 1964.
My interpretation
I bet you’re thinking my look has absolutely nothing to do with either of the posters. And, as far as the colors, you’d be absolutely right in your thinking! But, remember this is an inspiration challenge. My inspiration comes from the subject of the posters…the Tube! As soon as I saw the posters and read about them, I knew exactly what I was going to wear…well, two of the things I was going to wear!
In 2012, Nigel surprised me with a retirement/anniversary trip to London. I almost always spoil his big surprises, and this was no exception! I needed to renew my passport but was postponing it until the summer. When he insisted I do it sooner, he had to spill the beans! This scarf and cardigan were along for the celebrations. I am a compulsive over-packer, but I’ve learned to make my wardrobe work harder and smarter! Both the scarf and the cardigan were worn with several other things to make lots of different outfits. What neither of us knew was the Queen would be celebrating her Diamond Jubilee whilst we were there! My hot pink and navy cardigan almost worked for the red and blue in the Union Jack!
The Tube was crazy busy and stuffed most days and times. But, I love the Tube. I know; I’m weird. There’s just something about the winding, rolling movement of a train that lulls my spirit. The Tube, along with the Metro in Washington, DC, are two of my favorite modes of transportation! They are also fabulous for people watching! And, if we ever make it back to London, I intend to scope out the artworks down below! I think I’ll take this cardigan and scarf along for a return engagement!
The Lewk!
With the exception of the shoes and tee, everything here is years old! Obviously, the cardigan and scarf (both from Talbots) are from at least 2012. I know I wore these jeans in 2016, but they were too big for many years. Unfortunately, they now fit again! I’m trying to decide if I should unroll the hem to see how long they are and then whack them off for a more modern raw hem. The tee is from Old Navy. I bought these sneakers last summer for our trip to Hilton Head because my oldest granddaughter had snitched her mom’s. I thought they looked cute so I got a pair. Let me tell you…they are not comfortable without inserts!!! And, they are way too white! I even mentioned that in this post! My earrings are old Stella & Dot, and the ring is a London topaz!!! But, look at all of the pattern mixing I’m doing here! Stripes, paisley, and floral! I know both the stripes and the background of the cardigan look black, but they are actually navy. The scarf is pink and charcoal. It all sort of works in my mind anyway!
Not quite there yet, but…
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And, a reminder…
The April edition of 10 on the 10th is less than a week away! Please join Leslie and me for some sparkling prose!
Wrap it up, Marsha!
One of the things I really love about these inspiration challenges is the difference in the styles and outfits of the contributors. It’s amazing how much creativity is expressed. And, yet, you can see a relationship between them…that inspiration art work, song, or theme! That’s the joy of clothing, my friends! What do you think? Did I do justice to Austin Cooper? Have you ever accidentally been somewhere a big (ginormous in my case) celebration was occurring? Let’s have a conversation! I promise to answer as soon as I can! And, thank you to my subscribers! I love talking with you on the blog, through email, and even person to person!
Where you can find me!
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, My Bijou LIfe, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, Being a Wordsmith, and Mummabstylish. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I’m also a co-host on the Weekend Traffic Jam (here).
What I love most about these challenges is indeed the different outfits bloggers come up with. Lovely story about London, I love the UK!
I’m hoping we make it back to the UK before Nigel feels he’s too old for that long transAtlantic flight! I really want to ride the trains all around the UK! And, yes, these challenges bring out such creativity, don’t they?
OH how fun! I was wondering how your outfit was going to tie in. I felt the same way about Paris’ metro & Boston’s T system. A fun and easy way to get around that makes me feel so metropolitan when I used them.
Oh, now I am seriously jealous! I want so badly to go to Paris! We were actually going to go in 2020…but, we know how that turned out! You make me chuckle about wondering how my outfit would tie in! I admit it isn’t a very literal interpretation, is it?
Marsha, I love how you were inspired by these posters to create this amazing and sentimental outfit! The pattern mixing is soooo good! And these colors are fabulous on you. Although I would be afraid to wear white pants on any form of public transportation! Haha. I think the colors do actually match the warmer down below poster. The white on the bottom and there are those magenta squares at the top! It’s perfect in more ways than one! Well done!
Shelbee
Thanks, Shelbee! I just knew what I was going to use when Salazar put out those posters! And, imagine! I was print mixing before it was a thing!! I didn’t wear white jeans to London that time, but I did have a white denim jacket I wore on the days I needed more warmth. This was another fun round of SIA!
I really love the mix of prints of the cardigan and scarf contrasted again the white pants. Beautiful interpretation of these posters!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thanks so much, Kathrine! I was a little worried because the white on the cardigan is not as sparkly white as the jeans!
You having laughs this morning made me laugh too. I love this outfit, so spring, snd no snow in the background. Yea!!!
Would you believe we have snow in the forecast for Friday? Now, chances are that will not happen, and, if it does, it will be gone the next day! That’s weather in Indiana! I’m glad you had some laughs early in your day!
A+++ on the print mixing my friend, and I think those sneakers are the bomb. As long as you can make them comfy, then I think you should wear them a ton!!
XOOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
I just have weird feet, I guess. I’ve never found Chuck Taylors to be that comfortable either! See, I’ve been print mixing for years!! I’ve always had such fun with scarves adding that extra punch of color or pattern.
Thanks, Jodie!
This such a cool story and interpretation of the art work, Marsha! When I saw your outfit on Instagram, I thought you had chosen to use the pinks instead of red, which I thought was really neat. Such a great look! But knowing these pieces have actually been to London? Awesome! What a great memory! I’ve not been on the Tube nor the DC Metro, but for the brief time Dan and I lived in Miami, we would take the train from our apartment to the airport. (Before Dan retired he was an American Airlines pilot.) I really enjoyed that mode of transportation. You’re right about it being a great place to people watch.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Wow! I did not know Dan was a pilot! I’ll bet he has lots of stories! I know my outfit probably created lots of confusion as it’s not really much of an imitation of the artwork but more inspired by it! We have been to London several times but never to Scotland. I’m hoping we can someday take the train all over the UK. I love train travel!
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Look at you in this pretty print! Excellent interpretation. And the sneakers! So casual but polished. You look lovely!
-Ashley
Thanks, Ashley! I’m going to take that compliment and live on it for days since it came from you!!!
This is one cool interpretation and one with such a great story behind it. That is really some gorgeous pattern and color mixing. What a wonderful way to celebrate your retirement. I was in London back in the ’70s but don’t think I rode the Tube.
Thanks, Terri! We had lots of fun that trip even though it was so crowded! And, thank you for the compliment on the pattern mixing. I was just beginning to experiment with it back then.
I love people watching on public transit but have yet to ride a really famous system. I have taken the LA subway, lol. Enjoyed the story and how the outfit was inspired and the gorgeous pattern mixing.
I didn’t even know LA had a subway! But, the one time I was there it was less than 24 hours…we were there for part of a long train trip! People watching is just so much fun, isn’t it?
Thanks so much for the compliments on the pattern mixing. I was trying to look stylish yet take only a limited amount of clothing!
The white pants and sneakers work for the warmer poster in my opinion, but I love how you took a different approach by concentrating on the subject matter rather than just the visual itself!
Thanks, Sally! I wasn’t really even going to try to match the posters, but I might have ticked a couple of boxes! I just went for the inspiration part of the challenge!
Thanks for coming by!