Nina Garcia #2

People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs.   ~ Alexei Sayle

I just finished item #2 of my Nina Garcia project. I’m sewing all 100 of the things every woman should have in her closet, as outlined in her book The One Hundred. Her first item was the A-line skirt. Item #2 is the Animal Print which Nina describes as “an element of danger in an otherwise safe outfit.” The key phrase is “an element”.


Recall high school chemistry class. You take several elements and string them together to make the whole compound. (Like H20) – two hydrogens added to one oxygen (the elements) gives you water (the whole compound). It’s the same with fashion. One nice top, one nice headband, one nice necklace and ONE animal printed skirt gives you the finished look. If you add more than one animal print anywhere in your outfit, you run the risk of being mistaken for a cheetah that’s escaped from the local zoo.  Although this wedding dress from intimateweddings dot com is just breathtaking:

An example of the right way to do animal prints is like this outfit I've had in my clipping binder for years. 
 

This would normally be “an otherwise safe outfit” - a flirty skirt with a casual top. But the fact that the skirt has an animal print really gives the whole ensemble just enough pop to be borderline dangerous. Here’s my version:

  I used my new favorite skirt pattern, New Look 6463 (which I lined) and a great knit shirt pattern, Vogue 7967.  (I know my eyes are closed but trying to take pictures of yourself is a drag). 

To achieve the neckline that my inspiration picture has I used a black belt buckle I had on hand:

The only downside to completing ths outfit is that I like to wear colors and prints seasonally.  Both brown and animal prints just say "fall" to me, so I'll have to wait a few months to wear this outfit.  Here's one last shot of the animal print number up close: