Style Imitating Art: “Ladies Having Tea” by Frederick Judd Waugh

About Style Imitating Art…

Style Imitating Art comes from Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee. Please make sure you visit each blog to see their SIA looks. You can think of it as fashion meets art museum! Style Imitating Art challenges people to find inspiration in different art works, create looks based upon that art work, and share them with the curator for that piece. Every other Monday one of the three selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. They then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, they share their outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. Terri chose this week’s art work. If you’d like, you can read why she chose it here. You can see a few of my looks here, here, here, and here!

Inspiration Art Work…

About the Artist…

Born in Bordentown, New Jersey, on September 13, 1861, Frederick Judd Waugh seemed destined to be a painter. His father, Samuel Waugh, painted portraits in Philadelphia. His mother was a miniaturist. Waugh (the younger) studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (1880-1883). He also studied at the Academie Julian in Paris where his works were exhibited at the Paris Salon. In 1885, Frederick Waugh returned to Philadelphia and stayed for seven years, painting portraits and landscapes.

A little more…

After marrying Clara Eugenie Bunn in 1892, Waugh returned to Europe and remained there for fifteen years. Known primarily as a marine painter, Waugh honed his craft while living on the island of Sark in the English Channel. Waugh said, “The island was a model for most of the conditions a marine painter needed to study.” He is well known for the way he painted the surf hitting against the rocks, white and roiling.

Even more…

In addition to painting marinescapes, Waugh also authored children’s books, designed bookplates as well as silver and copper objects. Waugh was a bit of a Renaissance man (a bit late for that, though) and was also an architect. He was the architect for the Episcopal church of St. Mary’s of the Harbor at Provincetown, Massachusetts. Interestingly, he designed camouflage for ships in the United States Navy during World War I. Only one ship upon which his designs appeared was lost during the war. Frederick Judd Waugh died on September 10, 1940 in Provincetown.

About the art work…

I tried and tried to find information about this piece of art. I googled everything I could think and searched through images to no avail. The only thing I could find is that it’s oil on canvas. I have no idea how big it is or even where it is. Oh, wait! I do know where it is…somewhere near Terri’s daughter! She saw it at an art museum! But, that’s the sum of what I know!

My interpretation…

I went searching through my closet trying to find something that would work. At first, I was going to go the rebel route! I have a plaid flannel shirt which matches that of the skirt of the woman on the left. I was going to wear it tied around my waist. But, Monday’s post featured a plaid flannel shirt so I delved deeper. I decided this dress might could be construed as richly patterned as the screens and tapestries in the painting. It doesn’t look like it, but the background of my dress is actually sage green similar to the dress of the woman on the right! This dress is one of the first April Cornell dresses Nigel ever bought me. It is the Cameo dress. We bought it at the AC store when there was one in the Fashion Mall in Indianapolis. With dress on hanger, I then built the rest of the outfit around what I would wear to tea. I wore this hat to a tea party and posted about it here. I added the lacy shawl as I thought a lady might need one for modesty as well as warmth. As you can see from the photos, it was a tad windy the day we took photos!

The Lewk!

I thought about wearing a pair of plain black boots, but I thought the silhouette of these Siren boots seemed to fit the vibe of the painting. I wore this crystal necklace and earrings (very old from J Jill) because they also appeared to be more like what a lady would wear to tea!

Wrap it up, Marsha!

I was determined to take my photos at the park this day! But, I had resigned myself to the front porch. Nigel came into the bathroom to let me know it was sunny. I quickly put on one outfit (you’ll see it later this week) and grabbed my things for this post. By the time we’d gotten to the park, we’d driven through rain sweeping across the streets. But, for a brief moment, the rain stopped. The wind, however, did not! I hope you get a chuckle out of some of these photos! On our first trip to London, Nigel and I had high tea at the Sheraton Grand Park Lane. I didn’t wear a hat and wore a rather boring dress. So, can we talk? Have you ever had high tea? What would you enjoy most about a high tea? Please leave a comment or two, and we can talk! I promise to respond as soon as possible.

10 on the 10th reminder…

I’m not quite as early as last month, but I’m a little early! Here are this month’s 10 on the 10th prompts. Remember, I said it would be related to telephones! The very first telephone call took place on March 10, 1876. I hope you’ll expand a bit on your answers. That makes this so much more fun! There will also be a link party on the 10th so start working on your answers, my friends!

Affiliate links and such:

Just a reminder that Marsha in the Middle may use an affiliate link. Those links are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link I provide, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. As of right now, I also have an affiliate code for Kantha Bae! Use MarshaintheMiddle in the promo code box for $5 off any order (excluding Bestie restocks)! I have also become a Halftee Partner. Use the code, MARSHA2098, for 20% off any purchase. In case you didn’t know, bloggers must disclose the use of affiliate links. That’s why I include this in each post.

Thank you!

I am so appreciative of each of you. I thank you for your comments, emails, and subscribing. If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.

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, and I do deClaire and Mummabstylish. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties! Just a note…Traffic Jam will be back in March in a little different format!

First Name

Last Name

List choice Marsha’s Blog

Email address:

Leave this field empty if you’re human: