Orange & Neutrals for Patty Carroll’s Booky

About Style Imitating Art

Style Imitating Art is hosted by Salazar of 14 Shades of Grey, Daenel of Living Outside the Stacks and me. Style Imitating Art challenges us to draw style inspiration from pieces of art. Every other Monday one of us selects an inspiration image and we each post the image on our blogs. The following Monday we share our art-inspired outfits. The following Wednesday, the curator shares all of the submissions on her blog.

This Weeks Curator

That would be me.

This Week’s Inspirational Art

My pick for this challenge is “Booky-Summer reading led her into fall darkness” by Patty Carroll, which is part of her Anonymous Women series.

This is my own photograph. My oldest daughter owns this work. Patty Carroll’s website HERE. It will take you to her Anonymous Women–Demise series. Bookie is about #35 in a series of about 90 prints. I am hoping that since this is my own photograph of a work that we own gets us around the copyright issue.

How I Interpreted This Work With My Style

The one thing that has hit me living with this work of art is all the layering that is going on within it. From a distance it can all blend together to look like one large neutral brown/tan painting. But upon closer inspection, it is actually bursting with color and pattern surfaces.

If you have been around me for very long, you know that I really don’t have that many patterns in my closet library. It has always been a challenge for me to find a pattern that I love and also want to wear. There’s quite a few of mid-century vintage prints I love but only if they were on a piece of furniture.

There is also quite a bit of orange in this photograph and orange I have.

I took a deep orange silk top that I thrifted a few years ago and paired it with a linen vest and wide legged silk noil pants. The vest is also thrifted and I made the pants a while back and discuss that process HERE. I have no idea when and where I acquired the necklace. It could have been Target or even Walmart; I just can’t remember.

Behind me, on the shelf, is the bag I would carry. It is a small vintage Rodo bag in oranges and greens-just perfect for what I styled.

My sandals are one thing that I bought new. They are by Tamaris and I got them back in ’16. I was drawn to the cork heels and the russet orange suede. I feel that Tamaris makes high quality shoes and they should last a good long while.

Adding a Silk Headscarf

When it came to adding a scarf, I was influenced by Suzy of The Grey Brunette. There just needed to be some kind of pattern in this vision of mine.

I printed this silk scarf years ago with thickened natural dyes. I used dye made from Goldenrod, Logwood, Madder, Brazil Wood and onion skins.

I did this while taking a summer class back in 2011 at the Kansas City Art Institute in dying with natural fibers. We experimented with all kinds of natural dyes, mordants and techniques. It was a happy place! I hate to admit it, but outside of dying a few pieces with walnuts and tea, I’ve haven’t really done too much during the past years.

So Many Books; So Little Time

In my favorite chair under one of my favorite lights, trying to catch up on some reading. I’ve been actually reading physical books lately. I have Audible and listen to that when I’m doing things like sewing and cleaning. Audible is how I’m getting through the whole Poldark series (I’m on the fifth book, which is Dark Moon). But, I find I prefer to hear the voices in my head and not be influenced by the actor who is reading the book.

I’ve had The Time Traveler’s Wife on my shelf for years and am finally reading it and just finished Girl in Reverse, a young adult historical fiction that take place in Kansas City during the Korean War. It was written by Barbara Stuber.

On the side, I’ve started a very short book, Wild Dress-Clothing & the natural World by Kate Fletcher.

It’s now your turn.

How have you interpreted this work of art? If you have not already sent me your design, (along with a small blurb on how the work influenced you choices) please do so at meadowtreestyle@gmail.com by tomorrow.

Also, what are you reading now? This seems to be a good post to combine art and literature!

I will do a roundup this Wednesday featuring all your designs. There are no wrong answers and I’m looking forward to your style ideas.

Take care everyone and stay creative!