Fairy tales are a wonderful source of inspiration for fashion. When us lolita’s get inspiration from fairy tales for our looks, we often immediately go straight to our beloved well known princesses like Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Afterall, they fit the aesthetic perfectly. But I thought it would be fun to dig a little deeper. There are so many beautiful stories that many are not familiar with. So I wanted to pick some choices that were less mainstream. And I also wanted to shift a bit away from the straight-up princess characters and look at another reoccurring character in fairy tales – birds. Fairy tales are full of bird imagery and characters, and can make a lovely inspiration for your coordinates.
For all these coordinates, the key is to focus on details. Head wear with feathers such as clips, headbands, and berets are ideal. Additionally look for jewelry with bird, feather, cage, nest or egg motifs. You may also wish to find a feathered bolero. A fan might be a good touch if you are going somewhere more formal. If you really want to go wild, instead of an actual purse, you may want to consider carrying a birdcage with you!
The Bluebird of Happiness
The bluebird has been a symbol of hope and joy throughout history. One story tells of a little boy and girl who went searching for a bluebird so they could find happiness for themselves.
The major colors of this coordinate are obviously blue, with some white and silver accents. This inspiration set can be a bright, bold blue or a softer, pastel blue as shown above.
The Swan Princess
Probably the most recognizable character from the example, the Swan Princess coordinate is inspired from stories of swan maidens in fairy tales, such as Swan Lake. Although swans are another popular symbol in myths and fairy tales.
The major colors of this set are white, though you can easily achieve a Black Swan look by switching all the white featured for black. Gold is used for an accent color, but silver would work just as well. Don’t forget your crown!
The Firebird
Firebirds and phoenixes are symbols of passion and rebirth. The Russian fairy tale tells a story of a prince who falls in love with a princess. He goes to capture the Firebird in order to win the heart of his love.
Red and gold are the primary colors used in this coordinate, to evoke a feel of fire. Since the story is based from a Russian fairy tale, faberge egg jewelry works as a perfect accent.
The Nightingale
The gentle nightingale was the source of Hans Christian Andersen’s story about a Chinese emperor who becomes fascinated by the birds song. The nightingale sings at the court until it is replaced by a jeweled mechanical one, and is soon forgotten.
Given the tale, one could make a colorful jewel coordinate based off the mechanical nightingale, or a softer, more muted tone version of the real nightingale as shown above. For a muted version, browns and dusty roses work well as a primary color with gold as an accent.
The Raven
Stories of black birds have always populated myth and stories as symbols of the macabre. There are plenty of black birds to choose from, Odile of Swan Lake, the blackbirds being baked into pies, or for this specific inspiration Poe’s famous poem, The Raven.
Black is clearly our main color, with touches of white and silver to complete this gothic palette. In addition to bird motifs, books would also work to reference the poem.
February 14th, 2010 at 2:59 pm
I think it would also be very lovely to do a bird themed coordinate with a cage skirt over some soft, slightly fluffy pettis and lots of feather accents and bird- themed accessories. Ideally,if one could manage it, a cage skirt over a gauzy petti embroidered/ printed with birds would make a wonderful outfit.
February 15th, 2010 at 12:55 am
I actually love the nightingale option. The browns, cremes and soft pinks sound interesting and versatile. Good post!
February 15th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Beautiful coordinates! My favorite is the first one, but I’m a sucker for blue anyway
February 16th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Oh that sounds lovley, Samantha!
I adore cage skirts, but they are so hard to find.
One day I would love to make myself one.
February 16th, 2010 at 8:25 am
I was pleasantly surprised with the way the Nightingale one came out. It has a nice muted palette and more sophisticated look. I don’t think I’d ever be able to walk on those heels though – I’d likely twist both my ankles XD
Happy you liked the post ^_^
February 16th, 2010 at 8:27 am
I am fond of the Blurbird one too. You do look lovely in blue. I even thought how pretty you’d look in that coordinate after I was done and looking it over ^_^
February 17th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
The Nightingale and the Firebird are two of my all time favorite fairytales! Your post reminded me of one of my favorite illustrations: http://corygodbey.carbonmade.com/projects/2358220#8 (I think you’d really like his work. I was able to see it in person – absolutely stunning!)
February 17th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Oh wow, the artwork is lovely! Thanks for sharing this with me ^__^