Happy New Years Eve, chirps the Birdie! I hope you have something festive planned for ringing in the new year, and most importantly, planning a festive look. Feathers have of course been everywhere, likely the new "it's so over" trend to be cast aside into the new year. But this Birdie doesn't care -- I'll keep wearing her plumed accessories whenever the mood strikes. But of course, you don't want to overdo it -- one feather at a time, ladies, or you'll look like a showgirl. Here are some feathered items to inspire a J'adore-worthy outfit! 

Over the holidays, I spread the Word of the Bird through some crafty gifts. I made some wild cuff bracelets decorated with costume jewelry bits collected from the junk table at farmers markets, plus little feathery decor that was originally made to accetuate wreaths. Work with what you have, right? And I also made some feathery, jeweled/flowered headbands for friends, probably one of the easiest crafts to do. I wanted to share the photos, as short of the white feathered cuff which I decided to keep for myself (Merry Christmas to me), everything else was given as gifts and I hope brings the wearer festive good times.

I have to say for this particular trend of feathers and a mish-mash of different materials mixed together, the crafter's best friend is glue. I've found that old fashioned Superglue works wonders, as does the glues you get at hardware stores that can bind glass and metal. These are heavy-duty glues, so work in a well-ventilated area, use gloves if you don't want a layer of glue stuck to your fingers for, like, ever. And when getting materials to make your crafty creations, look around at rummage sales, farmers markets or antique stores for costume jewelry you can take apart and reuse. Craft stores are dandy, but they're often full of mass-market goods that start to look the same, plus it's more expensive. If you have old costume jewelry that you don't wear or is just broken, reworking them into a crafty creation is another way of giving them a new life. 


Jaunty Fine Print:  photos by Denise Sakaki

The Birdie was introduced to a truly divine dress by Chanel recently, while perusing the lovely things at the flagship Nordstrom in downtown Seattle. I didn't have my camera handy, but that couldn't keep the Magpie from taking a mental snapshot and putting pen to paper to capture this dreamy vision of tweedy heaven mixed with delicate fringe and feathers.  

A perfect balance of ladylike and girly, for the stylish Birds who love the combination of textures and materials. Much thanks to the equally lovely Sanda Belaire, Nordstrom's expert stylist whose keen eye for detail brought this dress to my attention to fully "ooh" and "aahhh" it with delight, while inspiring this little scribble!


Jaunty Fine Print: drawing by Denise Sakaki, as inspired by Chanel dress

 

Who wouldn't want to be the belle of the ball? The pretty bird with the brightest plumage? When talking about the weather simply won't do, these are some conversational pieces worth a dinner party or two. Any of these would liven up the simplest outfit, giving the lucky wearer the Jaunty Gold Star for the day. Be honest, wouldn't you want to get to know someone wearing Edgar Allen Poe on a locket, or chat up the bird with the feather in her cap? {1} Havana Sweater Coat by Anthropologie {2} Madame de la Lune cocktail hat by White Apple {3} Edgar Allen Poe Brass Moth and Locket by Secret Jewellz