When Fashion And Nature Collide – The Things That Give Us Wings

Published by 3C Style

Scientific journalist, author and fashion blogger from Montreal - Journaliste scientifique, auteure et blogueuse mode de Montréal View all posts by 3C Style

For many of us (including me), finding the perfect outfit is like finding new wings. My entire attitude gets a lift. My brain starts coming up with ideas. I can walk into any room with a new type of confidence. I can imagine myself floating about in it sprinkling magic happy pixie dust on all I encounter for the next week or so even if I didn’t actually buy the outfit!

I have wondered where this association – fashion being a form of wings – comes from. The seeds planted from our childhood activities and memories grow roots that we can’t see. They are strong, though, and they bear fruit.

When the Orville brothers created their wings, their roots are what made them look to the sky in the first place! How many before them had seen birds and dismissed those birds as simply a beautiful aside, and not a design inspiration?

I try to find my fashion wings from the other things in my life that give me wings. When Fashion and Nature Collide kind of gives away what those inspirations are, so without further ado, this month’s fashion!

Note: In case you’ve not seen these capsules before, the When Fashion and Nature Collide project is a monthly collaboration with two of my WP friends: Lisa from Lismore Paper and Darren from The Arty Plantsman. Our team also create designs for our shop at Fashionedbynature.threadless.com Artwork Copyright ©Fashioned by Nature.

The third Wednesday of each month you can see outfits styled by me, and art from Lisa and Darren, that were inspired by Darren’s flower and critter pictures, and sometimes Lisa, myself or other photographers who collaborate with the team. With the spirit of protecting nature I pull together my outfits with clothing already available in my wardrobe. When purchases are to be made, these come from vintage boutiques and thrift stores or from socio-eco-friendly brands.

Enjoy the issue!The inspiration from the butterfly is endless. And the Owl butterfly is no exception if you  appreciate its subtle beauty. Beige is not plain and dull. This color is nearly infinite in its subtlety —from tan to pale cream. It can have warm yellow undertones, pink or even gray (Greige) undertones. Layering beige tones create an elegant and soft look. For this particular piece, I went with an arrangement of browns in a lovely Joseph Ribkoff overcoat and skirt set. A wooden bag (from ERA Vintage Wear) complete the look.

The peaceful, deep tones of this graceful bird and plush flower work well with earth tones. I grounded the blue blouse centerpiece with brown and white with a blue belt for a bit of flair. A keen eye will notice that Prada kitten heels are in the birdcage… Yes, I am wired for shoe lust! More about that HERE. And don’t forget to visit Lisa’s blog for a very special shoe treat.

Black and white offset light green and pink, centered around a Marc Jacobs skirt and a waist ornament. The Longchamp purse has a classic design that never goes out of style. Is it not a funny looking orchid? I took this picture at the Botanical Garden during Darren’s last visit to Montreal. We knew right away that we would eventually use this flower for our collaborative project.

    Another Lady Slipper Orchid…

Rust into pink into greens, all distinct, yet all melded together into a single look. Pairing a dark rust leather skirt with a pinkish blouse that is draping loosely and gracefully gives me the same feeling of unification with just a little bit of fun with the green accent purse. 

Thank you for letting me share my wings with you! We can never have too much inspiration in our lives, especially when we focus our minds on the things that give us real wings. Take the dive into your happier, more exciting muses and see where they take you. You will probably love the results, and even if you don’t, you will still love the outfit!

Credit: Photography of 3C Style by Annie Gaudreau (except the photos for the Blue Bird outfit, which are by Hamza Boudjelal) –– Flowers & Butterfly photography by Darren Sleep, The Arty Plantsman –– First Lady Slipper Orchid photography by Dominique Nancy, 3C Style –– Blue Bird photography and Artwork (Time to fly and Spread your wings lettering & Blue feather) by Lisa Lawrence, Lismore Paper –– Stylist & Photo collages by Dominique Nancy, 3C Style –– A special thanks to my fellow journalist friend Robert M. (the man with the hat) for kindly posing for this issue (Merci Robert!)

Don’t forget to visit LismorePaper and The Arty Plantsman to get an overall view of our monthly collaboration.

Next edition of When Fashion and Nature Collide: October 18th 

Let’s stay connected: Bloglovin – Instagram @3cstyle_fashion

If you liked this post, you’ll love these

When Fashion And Nature Collide – Making Waves

 Our Tree Love Collection on Threadless

When Fashion And Nature Collide – The Illusion Edition