Autumn / Winter trend inspiration from Novels

Sashaying down the runway, onto the pages of Vogue and into your local Topshop, the flapper trend is shimmying its way into the trend sphere again, and it's all thanks to the lovely Carey Mulligan, who is playing Daisy Buchanan in Baz Lurhman's The Great Gatsby, which I believe is coming out at Christmas. 

She looks great in the trailer, and in my mind is a great choice to play one of the most fashionable ladies in literature. The buzz around the Flapper trend, and a chapter of my dissertation I'm currently writing about clothes as a way of representing some pretty abstract thinking, got me to wondering: which characters deserves a trend of their own? I would mention Lolita, but I really don't want to go down the Katy Perry path. Who does. 

Morvern Callar, Morvern Caller by Alan Warner

To get Movern's look, you will need an array of skimpy clothes from the nineties, that will take you from your dead end supermarket job on the west coast of Scotland, to the bars in the Costa del Sol. They'll need to withstand quite a bit: the dismemberment and burial of your ex-boyfriend, drug-induced raving, and meetings with literary agents. Must include a walkman with eclectic mix-tapes. Accessorise with minimal talking, and dubious ethical reasoning.  

Henry Winter, The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I would describe this look as.... blackmail-able. Look expensive and wear some fabulous glasses. But the most important element of this look is the blue sheen of the skin that can only be achieved by being a linguistic genius, and pouring over the minutiae of Ancient Greek grammatical nuances in a Liberal Arts collage library. Also, the shadow of guilt written across your features. An elitest trend, sure. Maybe Daphne Guinness should give it a go. 

The Lady of the House of Love, The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Every few months, the Gothic trend comes a-stalking, turning us all into vamps. I suggest we take it that step further. To really get deep into this trend, you'll need to look both child-like and utterly world wearied. This is best achieved by wearing a mouldering wedding dress, carrying flithy tarot cards, and batting your huge eyes at virginal young men on bicycles. Feasting on small mammals for the dedicated (and sick) only.

Maurice Bendrix, The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

I feel like Blitz fashion will make a big splash in the upcoming months. Channel this look with ease with a jaunty trenchcoat. Simple! But what really nails this is an expression that just screams "I hate you more than I hate God." Make this look pop by sneaking into churches, taking on multiple identities to throw off people who care about you, and chain smoking. 

Bertha Mason, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

This look is a Creole-heritage juxtaposed with some nineteenth century hysteria imagery thrown in to lend it some nonchalance. If I had to sum it up in a phrase...I'd call it 'Madwoman in the Attic'. Just stay away from open flames. 

So let's give the street style photographers something to really get excited about this season! Personally, this season I'm going for a Where the Wild Things Are vibe in my jammies. No copies. 

*Or you could ignore this ridiculous article and just go for the Flapper trend. It's pretty. 

Have you ever taken sartorial inspiration from a book?

Carey as Daisy in The Great Gatsby

Writers for Vogue US

Vogue.com have just released photos from 'The Custom of the Country', a fashion spread in which Russian model/actress Natalia Vodianova is photographed as the legendary author Edith Wharton. The photos also feature some of the most prominent writers in the US. You can read interviews with many of the subjects, also from the world of film and art here. All the following images are taken from the article, and were shot by Annie Leibovitz. 

Far left: The Virgin Suicides and The Marriage Plot author Jeffrey Eugenides, as Henry James: 

“I’ve read so many of James’s novels, as well as Colm Tóibín’s The Master [a novel based on the life of James] and Leon Edel’s biography. I don’t feel like I resemble Henry exactly, but I understand the man.” 

Third from left: Pulitzer winning writer of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot  Díaz as lawyer Walter Van Rensselaer Berry.

Second from right: Everything is Illuminated writer Jonathan Safran Foer as architect Ogden Codman, Jr.

Are you a fan of this shoot? Does fashion and literature mix well? Do you also slightly fancy Jonathan Safran Foer? (despite Extremely Loud and Incredibly Boring?)