My fall fashion inspiration can be summed up in two words, berets and boots. For me, the two go beautifully together. Both are timeless and weather appropriate. I also can’t help but conjure up images of waltzing down the street looking like Faye Dunaway from Bonnie and Clyde.
The traditional beret is made on a knitting loom, then felted mechanically. Once felted they are dried on moulds which determine the size. Since I don’t knit, but wanted to make some berets for my Fall/Winter collection, I created mine out of felt by blocking them on a wooden hat form. This gives them a more structured look than the soft knitted variety. In millinery, we refer to berets not by the material, but instead by their particular shape.
When I say the beret is timeless, it indeed is. Berets have been around since the 17th century, but similar styles date back to the Bronze age and were worn throughout Europe. Beret making became industrialized in the 19th century and was popular amongst the working class in France and Spain. By the 1920’s berets started to become a fashion statement and still are to this day.
To complete my desired look, I treated myself to a pair of ankle boots from Heart and Sole Shoes, a store in Victoria, BC. www.heartandsoleshoes.ca. They are from Earth Footwear and caught my attention because they have a 1960’s look, and of course the colour is unique. It being a stone blue. The ankle boot has always been my weakness. Partially because they pair well with dresses, skirts, and flood pants, which I mainly wear, but also because my skinny calves and ankles seem to suit this style best.
I don’t know that enough can be said on the versatility of boots. Whether you sport a short, mid-calf, or tall style, they offer options for mixing and matching with your entire wardrobe. Never be afraid to experiment. Different hemlines of pants, skirts or dresses, a flared look or something sleek, it all can work with a favourite pair of boots.
Although boots were regularly worn throughout the 19th century, weren’t considered high fashion until the 1960’s. By the 1970’s they became a staple in women’s wardrobes. Boots were once worn for more practical attire and only gained height when hemlines started to shorten. Taller styles became an acceptable alternative to showing one’s ankles and calves. In 1913, Denise Poiret, wife of couturier Paul Poiret, wore a pair of knee high boots that caused a sensation in both Paris and New York. Designed by her husband, she gave rise to the ‘Russian boot’ that by the 1920’s was being made in a variety of styles. Although this style lost ground in the mid-1930’s, appreciation for a stylish boot was only gaining ground and continues to this day.
Russian Style boot
Living in a big city allows me the opportunity to study street styles and I can’t deny that with fall and winter season approaching I see boots, boots, and more boots each and every day! To add to my secret delight, there has also been a sea of berets as well.
Stay warm and have fun with fashion.
