Nautical With a Twist

I love nautical inspired clothing and accessories, but I find that there is a very fine line between looking put-together and looking like you're trying way too hard like you belong on a sailboat. In order to stay away from the latter, I think it's best to stick to only one (maybe two if they're minimal) nautical inspired items per outfit. I think it also ups the chic ante to throw a bone into the mix with an unexpected item, like studded sneakers. 

Here are three outfits I'm digging all based on the striped dress:

Outfit 1:

Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban

Dress :: J. Crew

Bag :: Doublju

Shoes :: Topshop

Outfit 2:

Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban

Dress :: Alberta Ferretti

Bag :: Salvatore Ferragamo

Shoes :: Rupert Sanderson

Outfit 3:

Sunglasses :: Ray-Ban

Dress :: Chinti and Parker

Bag :: J. Crew

Shoes :: Converse

set created by me

Tory Burch

Every so often I stumble upon a brand whereby I want everything. Sometimes this only occurs with certain seasonal collections, but with Tory Burch it's constant. Season after season, year after year, she creates a well-rounded wardrobe of ready-to-wear tailored to everyday women.

Tory Burch (CEO) opened her first flagship store in New York in 2004. After appearing on Oprah in 2005 as "the next big thing in fashion" (an episode I recall watching), her site received 8 million hits the following day and recognition of her brand skyrocketed. Over the next few years she  was accepted into and honoured by the prestigious CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America). In 2009 Tory founded the Tory Burch Foundation which assists women in achieving their entrepreneurial dreams. She continues to spend her time expanding her brand, focusing on her philanthropic endeavours and traveling with her family.

:: Tory Burch ::

Tory's style is a combination of Hamptons meets boat party with hints of bohemian influences. The pieces are bold enough to make a statement on their own yet versatile to be layered for a complete look.

Here is a look at my brief wish list:

 

 

:: as seen in this post ::

all images via Tory Burch

Picturesque Peggy's

Photos taken during an impromptu road trip to Peggy's Cove provide nautical inspiration.

all photos by me

Vibe Boards

Last year when I was designing my Spring/Summer collection, I created these four inspirational 'Vibe Boards' to reflect the  overall aesthetics that I wanted the collection to portray: garden brights, nautical, classics and bohemian. I came across the boards again while I was setting up my studio and fell in love with them all over again. I have since mounted them on either side of the window right in front of my desk and continue to find daily sources of inspiration in them.

:: Garden brights ::

:: Nautical ::

:: Classics ::

:: Bohemian ::

collages & photos by me