Style Imitating Art…
Welcome to Style Imitating Art which comes from Salazar, Shelbee, and me. You can think of this series as fashion meets art museum! SIA 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. Salazar is the curator for this week’s art. This is just such a fun piece of art even though it was a poster. I hope you enjoy this post, the information, and my interpretation.
How it works…
Every other Monday one of us selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. We then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, we share our outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. Salazar chose this week’s art work for this round of Style Imitating Art. If you’d like, you can read why she chose it here. Please send your photo to Salazar by Tuesday, June 4th by 10 pm EST. Style Imitating Art is an interesting way to inspire your outfits. You can see a few of my looks here, here, here, and here.
About the artist…
Try as I might, I could only find a little bit about Mary Koop. Then, I decided to consult Ancestry! I’m not sure if this is the same Mary Koop, but her maiden name was Bredall. Her occupation is listed as artist. It looks like she was born June 20, 1884 and was married in 1915. If I have the right person, she passed when she was 83. Koop studied at the Croydon School of Art and the London School of Art under JM Swan and Frank Brangwyn. Her work was exhibited at the Royal Academy three times (source).
About the art work…
The Underground Electric Railway Company commissioned posters to promote many things. This particular poster was to promote the summer sales of 1925. We actually did another poster from the Tube here.
“Mary Koop’s vibrant design depicts a sea of brightly coloured umbrellas moving towards the entrance of a shop. The tall shop doorway mimics the form of a tunnel or bridge. As the assorted umbrellas pass underneath, they are closed until the journey home. The umbrella was used in numerous London Underground posters, particularly in the 1920s. Its pleasing symmetry lent itself perfectly to the bold geometric style of the time. It also presented an apt metaphor for the Underground as a refuge from the English climate. Koop’s flamboyant umbrellas provide an injection of colour and a humorous slant on the unpredictability of the British summer.“
My interpretation…
I was hoping to find something that would convey both the shapes and the colors of this poster because I love it! And the Öst dress from Gudrun Sjödén is perfect! I wasn’t sure about the peach background, but the other colors work together to offset that (or is that just wishful thinking in my head). I added a slip in some burgundy color from Gudrun Sjödén. Honestly, I love these slips. They add just that little bit of extra oomph to an outfit. This is from last fall. There are different colors each season.
The Lewk!
When I noticed the checked umbrella on the poster, I knew these Astarr chunky heel sandals from L’Artiste would be perfect! I decided to bookend my look with turquoise jewelry, too. The earrings and the turquoise bracelet which rolled over on its side were gifts from Nigel. He’d been to some military place in the Southwest years ago when he was still working. The chip necklace is really old and from Pier 1. The multi-strand turquoise necklace is from J Jill. The two bracelets (here, here) are from Lagos and were also gifts from Nigel. I’m sure glad we bought them years ago!
Wrap it up, Marsha!
One of the things I always loved about our trips to London and the surrounding area was riding the Tube! Although we were there during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and the cars (is that what they’re called) were packed, I still loved riding and watching people. I don’t recall any posters, but if I make it there next year, you can be sure I’ll be looking! So, can we talk? How does this piece of art make you feel? Do you find it interesting the company running the tubes would advertise the sales of the summer? What do you think of the many different colors? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.
Don’t forget…
If you want to be included in the Style Imitating Art round up, send Salazar your photo by 10:00 EST Tuesday, June 4th. Photos of everyone participating will appear on Salazar’s blog on Wednesday, June 5th! This colorful poster has so many different prints, shapes, and maybe even textures you could use as a starting point! Come on, give it a try! I think you’ll love it!
Thank you!
I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for reading, commenting, subscribing or emailing! It truly means so much to me! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.
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Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, Suzy Turner, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World and A Fresh Cup of Coffee. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop (Esme’s Salon) and Slices of Life. 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 co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, and Sue. 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!
HI Marsha, you nailed the brief on this Style Imitating Art. The colours of your dress are exactly the same as the painting. My post will publish tomorrow and I’m hoping to join in again in the future. BTW when will you do the prompts for 10 on the 10th #imkeen 🙂
Thanks, Sue! I am so glad you are joining us! I was very happy when I saw how perfectly this dress worked. The 10 on the 10th is coming out 6/4.
I like the poster a lot and your dress reflects it perfectly! And the turquoise jewellery is very pretty. Have a great start of the week.
Thanks, Nancy! I couldn’t figure out what jewelry to wear, and then I looked at my feet! So, we can blame it on my shoes! I hope your week is fantastic!
That outfit is PERFECT for this challenge!!
Thanks so much, Joanne! I was really pleased with how it went so well with the challenge!
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Nicely done, Marsha! That burgundy slip really makes the colors of the dress pop and your shoes could not be more perfect. All of these fun colors come together so well. I love seeing your creativity!
xo,
Kellyann
Thanks, Kellyann! I knew, as soon as I saw this dress, that it was perfect for this challenge! And, then I thought of the shoes and realized they were perfect, too, to bring in another print!
Pretty as the picture! Wonderful memories of watching “Singin’ in the Rain” with my mom!🧡🌧️🌂
Aww, thanks, Becky! I remember watching it with my mom, too!
The print on your dress is so perfect for this artwork! I love all of the umbrellas in this! It’s so cute with all the bright colors!
Thank you so much, Laura! It was a perfectly happy accident! I wish I’d remembered to get out an umbrella!
Gosh, I love how this turned out. The slip under the dress is brilliant. Love that kind of interesting layering.
XOXO
Jodie
Thanks so much, Jodie! I was thrilled when the dress came and worked so beautifully for the art! I have to tell you I gave up wearing slips decades ago as protection against seeing my legs! But, this dress is really thin, and I think I would have made an exception for it! Luckily, I have these beautiful fun slips now!
That is one lovely dress and the slip is a beautiful touch. And interesting you like the tube – I detest it and far prefer a bus. Just yesterday I took two long bus rides in London and it was like taking a tour of London for free ( I have a bus pass). I just love doing that!
The entire outfit is very you, is beautifully accessorised and suits you to a T!!!
Thanks, Penny! I’m sure I would detest the tube if I had to take it very often. But, it’s such an exotic thing to me. But, I do love riding the buses in London as well. You see so much life when you’re riding them.
Thank you for that huge compliment! I truly appreciate it!
Hi Marsha, so lovely that you linked up with us at #wwwhimsy and again you nailed the SIA brief. x
Thanks, Sue! I am so glad you liked my outfit, and thanks for the link up!
Hi Marsha! Oh my goodness, I read your post on Monday and then forgot to comment! This dress is absolute perfection for the artwork! The print really represents the umbrellas so well. And you know I love the long slip under the long dress, too. What a wonderful outfit! So whimsical and happy and summery. I love it!
Shelbee
Thanks, Shelbee! I was so happy this dress worked for the challenge because I didn’t have a Plan B! I’m getting quite the collection of these slips. I just love how they add so much with so little actually showing!
Your interpretation is spot on! I adore the print of this dress. The colors are so pretty too.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you so much, Kathrine! I was afraid the peach background wouldn’t work, but it’s got enough red in it to work for my coloring. I really loved this outfit!
You’ve done well with this Marsha and that dress is lovely! I didn’t realise the burgundy slip wasn’t a part of the dress. Thanks for joining su for #wwwhimsy, this dress is very whimsical in my opinion 🙂
Thanks, Debbie! I really enjoy these style challenges because they force me to look closely at the art and at my clothing! Thank you, again, for the link up!
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You could not have picked a better look to represent this lovely poster. You have hit the nail on the head with color, shape, movement. And those shoes…just grand. I fell in immediate love with them on IG. Or FB. And how very clever that they have the black and white checked fabric that mimics the similar umbrella in the art. Well done, well done!!
Thank you so much, Leslie! I thought this was probably one of my most successful SIA looks. I really loved everything about it! I know the checks are exactly what caught my eye when I saw them on the website. Luckily, they were on sale!
What a fabulous dress! I love the way you’ve layered it — so fab. It’s perfect for the art piece.
Thanks, Daenel! It came just in the nick of time! I was hoping it would show up so I could use it!
Such a beautiful dress! The slip underneath it works so well, I thought it was part of the dress. The pattern mimics the umbrellas perfectly!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Thank you, Emma! I now have six of these slips, but I want a couple more colors. They just add that extra special something to a regular old dress!