Travel back in time

Fashion spreads tend to look a lot alike and the styling in them is usually a caricature of the look the stylist was actually trying to convey (see any fashion spread in Vogue). I usually flip through them rather quickly unless the the photography or theme is really genius or thought-provoking (i.e. most of Vanity Fair's photo spreads). Yesterday I stumbled upon this little spread in Chicago Magazine Fashion's fall issue, styled by fashion editor Stacey Jones and photographed by Brian Doben.

The images, scenery and fashion capture what I imagine traveling through Europe would have been like a century ago. These ladies are sporting fabulous ruffles, knee-length coats, leather gloves, pops of color, and fierce red lips. They scream glamour, and I've had so much fun looking at these images over and over again.

timeless feminine frocks

The image below offers inspiration for dressing in the second half of winter as we transition into longer days and warmer temps. i.e. lighten up the colors and lighten up the look of the outfit

Looooving the Houndstooth coat

That yellow dress = perfection.

as is this red number (below right) with draped pearls. and that hat! oh how I love that hat!

the spread below reminds me a tad too much of something I'd see in Vogue, but I adore the photograph on the right - notably the super white skin, red lips, perfect curls, and ruffly lilac scarf

I imagine she's heading back home after a day in the office. Naturally her home is just outside Paris where she'll relax with a cup of hot tea and a great book until her boyfriend gets home. They'll chat and flirt in French for the rest of the night. I want to be her.

*all images by Brian Doben for Chicago Magazine*

Where would you be off to if you were one of them?