FRANKIE: OUT OF AFRICA

SO WHEN ALEXANDRA HOOKED HERSELF UP WITH ONE OF THE LAST PAIRS OF ALIX OF BOHEMIA FRANKIE SHORTS, WE BEGGED HER TO LET US KNOW THE PLACES THEY WOULD GO. 

FOR THIS LADYBIRD SPENDS MOST OF HER TIME IN KENYA ON A WILDLIFE RESERVE, AND WE ARE ALL OVER THAT LIKE GREEN ON GRASS. 

THANKFULLY SHE INDULGED US (WE HAVE THE COOLEST CLIENTS EVER)

FRANKIE AND ALEXANDRA TOGETHER:

FRANKIE SAYS RELAX GIRAFFE

APPARENTLY, ONE OF THE MASAI GUIDES TEASES ALEXANDRA FOR WEARING THE SHORTS EVERYDAY. 

YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW WE LOVED EVERY INCH OF THAT ANECDOTE. FOR OUR FANTASISES ARE EDGED IN TRADITIONAL MASAI BEADING. MAYBE MONSIEUR MASAI WILL INDULGE US IN A TRADE FOR SOME SHORTS?

ONE CAN DREAM.

HOSEN IN THE HAUS

IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE BOHEMIAN-BAVARIAN RELATIONS, WE HOSTED A LITTLE DINNER IN THE HIPPIE HAUS IN HONOUR OF DARLING NILS, WHO WAS MUNICH BOUND.

WE LOVE AN EXCUSE FOR A CROWD AROUND THE TABLE, AND ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO ROAST THINGS STUFFED WITH CHEESE.

AND IT WAS SO, CROSTINI, STUFFED LEMONS AND BOUILLABAISSE FOR GATHERING OF HUNGRY MEN AND THE BEAUTIFUL SARANNA.

THE GIRLS WERE OUTNUMBERED, SURE. BUT WE GENERALLY LIKE TO STACK THE ODDS IN OUR FAVOUR. 

AND FOR THE BAVARIANS, WE WORE THE BRIGITTE. BECAUSE WE ARE STILL ON OUR DOT TANGENT, AND WE DO LIKE A BIT OF ALLITERATION, AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN. WE WANTED TO WEAR OUR HIPPIE HOSEN BUT REALLY, WHO KNOWS WHERE THOSE THINGS ARE. AND ITS VERY HARD TO COOK IN A DIRNDL. YOU CAN SEE WE WERE GETTING PRETTY WORKED UP OVER THE WHOLE THING. 

WE HAD AMBITIONS OF MAKING AN APPLE TART TATIN, WHICH WE TOTALLY DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR 

(WE LOST THE WILL WHEN THE WINE WAS POURED)

SO FOR DESSERT, WE HAD AMARETTI BISCUITS AND HATS ALL AROUND. 

BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME TO OUR HOUSE, YOU GENERALLY HAVE TO WEAR A HAT AT SOME POINT IN THE EVENING. 

'TIS ONLY POLITE, AND OUR MAMAN RAISED US RIGHT.

AND WE TOTALLY CONVERTED THEM IN THE END- WE GOT ALL HIPPY-DRIPPY AND TALKED ABOUT OUR FEELINGS AFTER OVERDOSING ON MARCONA ALMONDS.

MAYBE IT WAS THE LOVE DRUGS WE SLIPPED IN THE SEAFOOD SOUP?

TO BUY YOUR OWN BRIGITTE, DIT BONJOUR MON AMOUR, ICI

SEEING RED

MONSIEUR BILL BLASS TAUGHT US, IF EVER IN DOUBT, WEAR RED.
WE LIKE A LICK OF RED. BUT ITS NOT USUALLY OUR JAM. ONE CANNOT LIVE ON SCRAPS OF SWISS DOT ALONE HOWEVER, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA TAKE THE BONE THEY THROW YOU AND DO SOME WORK FOR THE MAN.
SO MONACO CALLED.
AND THEY SAID, HEY ALIX OF BOHEMIA, WE'RE HAVING THIS BIG SUPER YACHT SHOW. WE NEED SOME RED DRESSES, LIKE, YESTERDAY, CAN YOU DELIVER US SOMETHING FOR A TROUP OF FRENCH MODELS?

AND WE SAID, SURE MONACO, RED LIKE BAYWATCH BEACH BABES ON A BOAT?
AND THEY SAID, YES.

WE LOVE THEY TOOK A PAGE FROM OUR BOOK AND WENT SANS SANDALS-
BAREFOOT ON THE BIG BOATS IN ALIX OF BOHEMIA CUSTOM CHIFFON.

PRE RAPHAELITE BABESHOW

SO YESTERDAY WAS TUESDAY, AND USUALLY ON TUESDAYS WE NEED TO BE INSPIRED BECAUSE ITS SUCH A NOTHING KIND OF DAY.
WE WERE SAVED BY THE BELL; ANTOINETTE CALLED.
DUDE, SHE SAID.
YOU GOTTA GET OVER TO THE TATE. I'M TOTALLY GROOVING WITH THIS PRERAPHAELITE THING. THIS WAS US IN OUR PAST LIFE, COME AND GET DOWN WITH ROSSETTI AND COMPANY, SHE SAID. 

SO.
AS USUAL, ANT SPOKE THE TRUTH: THIS IS TOTALLY WHO WE HOPE WE WERE IN ONE OF OUR LAST LIVES. IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF THE BROTHERHOOD, YOU SHOULD DO SOME LIGHT READING, BUT HERE'S THE DEAL.
1848: A GROUP OF SEVEN ENGLISHMEN, THINKERS, ARTISTS AND POETS, ALL- AROUND BOHEMIAN BOYS, (OUR FAVOURITE KIND OF ENGLISHMEN) REVIVED AN AESTHETIC WHICH WAS ALL INTENSE COLOUR, CLASSICAL POSES AND AND MYTHICAL IMAGERY.
EVEN THOUGH WE'VE FOREVER LOVED A WILLIAM MORRIS MOTIF, WE TOTALLY FORGOT HOW INSANELY BEAUTIFUL THE GIRLS OF THE PAINTINGS WERE. ALL TUMBLING HAIR AND FLOWER CROWNS AND INSANE CHIFFON GOWNS,
THE BABE SHOW IS IN TOWN:

ROSSETTI'S THE BELOVED, (1865-6)

JUST LOOK AT THOSE SLEEVES AND THAT HEADGEAR.

DON'T EVEN GET US STARTED ON THE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE NUBIAN SLAVE AND HER HEARTBREAKING GAZE.

ROSSETTI AGAIN, ASTARTE SYRICA (1877)

HONEY, WE TOTALLY NEED TO BORROW THAT BELT FOR ONE OF OUR MAXI DRESSES, COOL?

JOHN EVERETT MILLAIS' OPHELIA (1851-2)

PERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC IMAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRE RAPHS; AND FOR GOOD REASON. THAT EERIE FLOATING DRESS, THAT OPHELIA, THAT SUGGESTION OF AN ECSTASY IN DYING IN WATER. GOLLY ITS GOOD.

ROSSETTI, LADY LILITH, (1866-68)

THIS ROSSETTI GUY WAS CLEARLY A LADY-KILLER. HIS MUSES ARE SPLENDID. WE WANT TO DROWN IN THIS PALETTE:

LADY LILITH'S ROSE GOLD HAIR, HER CORAL LIPS AND BRACELET, SHELL PINK NIGHTGOWN AND WHITE BLOSSOMS.

WILLIAM MORRIS LA BELLE ISEULT, (1858)

THAT DRESS. 

MORRIS' MOTIFS ARE FLIPPING US OUT HERE. THE LAYERING OF THE RUG, THE HEM OF THE GOWN BOUNCING OFF THE BLANKET ON THE BED AND THE PAINTED CHEST. THE PRINCE OF PRINTS, TOTAL PRE RAPH MIX MASTER AT WORK.

ONE OF MORRIS' TULIP AND WILLOW DESIGNS.

ITS THAT KIND OF SENSORY OVERLOAD BEAUTY; TOTAL EYE ORGASM.

GET YOUR HEINY TO THE TATE TO SEE THE GIRLS, AND GET TOTALLY LOST IN ALL THE FINER DETAILS. WE WANT TO LIVE IN THESE PAINTINGS AND DRESS SO DECADENTLY EVERY DAY. 

THE BAY

WE'VE CHANGED OUR MINDS ABOUT MS. MACGRAW'S CAMEL COAT.

INSTEAD WE'D LIKE A BLANKET PLEASE, OF THE HUDSON BAY VARIETY TO BE SPECIFIC. WE'RE GOING TO WRAP OURSELVES LIKE POCAHONTAS. 

FOR WE JUST REMEMBERED HOW LAME IT WAS TO WEAR A COAT WHEN IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE. 

THAT PHASE OF CHILDHOOD WHERE IT WAS COOL TO BE COLD, AND WE FROZE MANY A MORNING WAITING FOR THE SCHOOL BUS,

 (BUT LOOKED AWESOME, CLEARLY).

COME TO BED DARLING

 WE LIKE THE STRIPES, WE LIKE THE PRIMARY PALETTE, WE LIKE THE 300+ YEAR HISTORY OF THE THING, AN ICON IN THE NATIVE AMERICAN FUR TRADE. HEAVEN KNOWS WE'RE EASILY WON WITH A BIT OF INDIAN BANTER.

SANTA BABY, ARE YOU LISTENING? THE BOHEMIANS WANT BLANKETS.

(AND A REALLY RAD TEPEE TO PUT IT IN, PLEASE.)

ITS PROBABLY SOME UNRESOLVED CHILDHOOD SECURITY ISSUE, BUT WE ARE SO LOOKING FORWARD TO WRAPPING OURSELVES WITH A BLANKET AND VENTURING OUT. 

AND WE LIKED THE PREPPY STRIPES SO MUCH, ON A RECENT RAINY AFTERNOON WE STARTED TO INCORPORATE THE MOTIF ONTO AN ALIX OF BOHEMIA

 CAMELIA BLOUSE, BANDS OF BRACELETS STYLE-Y.

THE REVERSE OF THE QUILTING, TINY STITCHES TO MAKE US SWOON.

ITS KIND OF A HIPSTER THING, THAT OLD BLANKET, BUT FOR NOW WE'LL IGNORE THAT TIRED ASSOCIATION AND JUST GO WITH IT.

BUY YOURSELF THE WOOLLEN BANDED BEAUTY HERE.

(THEY EVEN HAVE A FUR LINED ONE, HOW DI-VINE VALENTINE)

TODAY IS THURSDAY, SO WE'LL BE BUSY INVESTIGATING THE POSSIBILITIES OF A TEPEE AND EATING SOME LENTIL SOUP WE MADE YESTERDAY.

SEE YOU SOON BAMBINOS.

IMAGES OF BAY BLANKET VIA GOOGLE.

RUBY

WHEN ONE OF THE TRIBE GETS MARRIED, YOU MAKE THE EFFORT.

YOU TREK ON THE TRAIN TO THE COUNTRY, SMELLING NICE WITH CLEAN NAILS AND YOU SIT QUIETLY IN CHURCH AND TRY NOT TO SPILL ON YOURSELF AT THE RECEPTION.

AND YOU MAKE A NEW DRESS TO CELEBRATE THE DAY.

INSPIRED BY THE BLUSHING BRIDE, THE INIMITABLE MRS. MANN,

WE OPTED FOR A SHADE OF ROUGE:

THIS IS THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA RUBY IN CLARET DOTS

(ONE OF THE MANY BENEFITS OF A MAXI DRESS? SMOOTH LEGS ARE NOT REQUIRED. WHICH IS EXCELLENT, BECAUSE IF YOU WOKE UP LATE AND ALMOST MISSED THE TRAIN TO GLOUCESTER, YOU'RE PROBABLY TOO BUSY RUBBING SLEEP MARKS OFF YOUR FACE, DRINKING COFFEE AND RACING AROUND LOOKING FOR YOUR HOUSE KEYS TO DEAL WITH THE TEDIUM OF HAIR REMOVAL)

THOSE TINY INDIAN SPOTTY DOTS WE LOVE, OFFSET WITH SOME BANDS OF FRENCH LACE TO BREAK IT UP AND REMIND US WHERE WE COME FROM

WHAT A SWEET DAY WITH DEAR FRIENDS

(FLAVIA GOT MARRIED! AMAZING.)

ALIX OF BOHEMIA RUBY DRESS, MADE FROM HAND SPOTTED INDIAN COTTON, WITH BANDS OF FRENCH WOVEN LACE. HAND FINISHED THROUGHOUT WITH RUFFLE FROM THE KNEE SO YOU CAN KICK UP YOUR HEELS AT THE WEDDING.

FANCY A MERMAID MAXI OF YOUR OWN? SAY HEY SISTER! HERE.

THANK YOU TO LOVELY ALICE FOR IMAGES OF RUBY AND DETAILS.

SHE LIVES OVER HERE.

FALL MUSE: CAMEL CLICHE

NO MATTER HOW LONG ITS BEEN SINCE WE'VE LIVED AWAY, WE STILL CAN'T SEEM TO SHED THAT EAST COAST CLASSICISM. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT A LICK OF WOOLEN CAMEL THAT GIVES US THE WARM FUZZIES.

EQUALLY COSY AND CLICHE: THE LOVELY MS. MACGRAW, OUR ANNUAL FALL FANCY, AS JENNY CAVALLERI IN LOVE STORY. SHE'S THE LONGTIME MUSE FOR MANY AND WE'RE NO EXCEPTION.

 

ONE DOESNT LOVE LOVE STORY FOR ITS SCRIPT,

(WHICH LEAVES QUITE A LOT TO BE DESIRED. WE KNOW BY NOW, LOVE DOES MEAN HAVING TO SAY YOU'RE SORRY, DAMMIT) RATHER, WE LIKE TO WATCH IT WITH THE SOUND DOWN, QUIETLY COVETING JENNY'S PERFECT CAMEL COAT, AND THE TOTAL BABE THAT IS RYAN O'NEAL. 

ZHIVAGO HAT?

DARK SWINGING HIPPIE HAIR?

THE ETERNAL PEASANT BLOUSE?

ACID TONGUE?

HEY ALI GIRL, WE LIKE YOUR STYLE.

THE PICTURE OF COLLEGIATE TOMBOY EASE.

AND IN REAL LIFE, SHE MARRIED S MCQUEEN AND WORKED WITH D VREELAND, SO THATS QUITE ENOUGH FOR US. 

OUR SPIN ON MACGRAW STYLE; OUR OWN FULL-BROWED PILLOW-LIPPED PRINCESS PHOEBE. 

THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA CAMELIA BLOUSE IN SILK CHIFFON, PAIRED WITH THE ICON TREWS IN CLASSIC LEOPARD, TOPPED WITH VINTAGE HEADGEAR AND BOTTOMED WITH STUBBS AND WOOTTON. 

IMAGES OF ALI AND FILM STILLS VIA PINTEREST. PHEOBE AND DRAWINGS ARE ALIX OF BOHEMIA.