Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Style Wednesday - Inspiration LOVE - Linda Rodin and why I am the last person on earth to discover her!

Sometimes I feel like I am living under a rock, style-wise.

The rest of you seem so knowledgeable about what you love or don't love, what works well for your body or doesn't work well for your body, what your style is or isn't.

But I guess I am a late bloomer, a slow learner.

I am still learning about me and what works and doesn't work.  How to dress this 50 year old body.

I guess I am just starting to really pay attention to this aspect of my life and to how to make fashion feel more authentically me.

Most of the time, when I am pinning pictures to my pinterest board, I see very little that I love clothing-wise (despite evidence to the contrary!).  I may "like" things, but I rarely see someone or something that stops me up and makes me say:

EUREKA!!!!  I LOVE IT!  I WOULD RAID HER CLOSET AND MAKE HER COME OVER TO MINE AND HELP ME OUT!

So the other day, when I went to the wonderful blog, That's Not My Age, I was gobsmacked to discover that I am officially the last person to discover Linda Rodin.

You can read the post here.

As soon as read the post, I knew that in fact she had entered my psyche before, in a J Crew catalogue either earlier this year or last fall:



At the time, she had struck me as a quirky, funky chick.  I was drawn to her sense of style and fun and her good looks. 

Linda is a 63 year old stylist who lives in NYC.  She and her style (and her amazing RODIN beauty products, including the much bally-hooed facial oil called olio lusso are accessible here) have quite a cult following.

She (and her apartment) just epitomize funky cool for me:




I know - it's not for everyone.  It just seems to epitomize who she is

 
 

 It also struck a cord with me as it has a mixture of high brow and low brow, and it all pays homage to her past and the thing she loves, something I try to do with my own place. 

I am currently thinking about what I would love to add to my wardrobe this fall.  Next week we are going to have a whole post on WHAT I did not wear this summer and what I did and what lesson I have gleaned from that...

In the meantime, I have found a real fashion muse for me, for right now where I am in my life.

How about you - anybody acting as your muse these days?  And please don't tell me you are your own muse - you will make me weep and gnash my teeth!

Have a fabulous Wednesday and stay safe out there!

36 comments:

  1. You are so funny Wendy!! There are more and more fashion muses our age, which is a good thing. I use several for myself. If I just used one, I'd feel like I didn't have enough material :-)) ...bad pun.
    Linda seems a perfect muse for you. A combo of creative, casual, chic. Have a great day!

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    1. HI Jennifer - it is a good thing, isn't it - so many fabulous chicks of so much fabulous style!!

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  2. Oh Wendy, you aren't a late bloomer - just someone who has spent her life thinking about things that are more important than personal style. Now you have the time and space to reflect, and it's the right time for you!

    Linda Rodin is a very cool woman, and I find her style very inspirational too.

    Don't hate me, but I really don't have a style muse.
    There are many people whose style I admire, but ultimately, I'm arrogant enough to think that I know best what suits me.

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    1. Oh Ruth - I could never hate you! I definitely have my own taste now, but I do like having someone to give me quirky ideas!

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  3. No style muse he either.... I just know I like colour a lot. :) Have a good one!

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    1. That was suppose to say "no style muse HERE..."

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    2. Rose - when I see the pictures of you I always know it is you (besides them being on your blog! YOu have a definite style and I love that you love and wear colour so much!)

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  4. She's very cool but I don't like her style at all it's all too bright and quirky for me. I love Ruth's last line, I second that!

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    1. Ouch - me and my muse are going to sit in the corner....I think I wear a lot of the same style - colours, quirky combos! :-)

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  5. So that's where nerd glasses came from.

    Sorry, no muses here.

    It just occurred to me, I have had a few anti-muses - sometimes I see a woman in an outfit that I know would look as awful on me as it does on her. And although I don't look at all like a certain friend, we used to go shopping together and were each other's most outspoken critics -- " put that back, all it looks is expensive," she'd say. "You need a longer neck to wear that," I'd say.

    Standing and moving with confidence, that's where it is.

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    1. OH I think an anti-muse is a good idea - I have a few of those and they are awfully helpful. You and your friend sound like a hoot!

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  6. Une femme d'un certain age just did a post with this chicks picture yesterday. First time I had ever heard of her. Can't say I have a particular muse just a look I'm going for. My changing age and body are making me reevaluate some styles. I just wish more mags, catalogs, blogs, pins would show more flats and just not high heels or knee boots. I actually dreamed about finding a great pair of pumps last night...I need to get a life soon!

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    1. BB - you must be my psychic twin right now - I am searching for pictures of women wearing flat shows that are not in either capris or jeans. I need some inspiration as this could be the "Flat Wendy Fall" (which doesn't mean I will never wear heels, just that when I do it will be a bit of a "happening, baby!"

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    2. Oh and ps- I do have a pair of navy pumps from 9 west from several years ago that I still quite like - they were a 2.5" heel and pointy toe and pretty comfortable. At work all I ever wore was heels...

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    3. Nine West is a brand Knoxville will have. I am size nine and pointy toes make me look like I have gun boats for feet. I do know I want leather or suede, NOT patent leather which is everywhere, a round toe, and 3" or less. So...instead I ordered a pair of lead color wedges which will be here this week. That's a woman for ya.

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    4. A woman after my own heart! gun boats!

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  7. My style muses are all those 1940's and 50's fashion models for the couture houses which isnt very useful at all! I like her style but I like her oil better. She was a true innovator when she came out with that about a decade ago...

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    1. I am going to have to try it! I did find rosehip oil yesterday as per Jennifer's (A Well Styled Life)post - cannot wait to try it today!

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  8. Hello! I am back in Switzerland and re-finding my bearings.

    I'm happy that you're moving more and more in the direction of your own style. I don't really know if it's something that's ever entirely "found" though. It seems to me like pieces reveal themselves and also change over time.

    I'm drawing a blank on muses at the moment, so I suppose that means I haven't currently got one. I tend to keep certain images in my mind, mostly from in-person encounters. Like the beautifully dressed Spanish woman on my bus one day. That's part of why living in a decidedly un-stylish place has been hard.

    I'm always looking more for a feel than a specific look, does that make sense?

    I am looking forward to hearing about your summer review. I managed to miss two heat waves - there was one in Canada before I went, and one here while I was gone - so my summer wardrobe has been a little under-utilized.

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    1. HI Abby - hope the travel was good!

      It was amazingly hot when we travelled 35C every day and one day, driving through Portland Maine, hit 38!

      I think you are right about the feel. For me I pick and choose and say to myself "is this me" and "why is or isn't it me?" I love it when you see someone whose style you love IRL - it is so great!!!

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  9. I have never heard of Linda Rodin before your post. Look at her gray hair in that last photo with the plaid shirt and poofy skirt, that is some awesome looking gray hair. If mine would look that good, I'd let it be gray :-) I think maybe it works because her face is great. Sigh! I don't have a style muse. I just fumble around, all trial and error. Like fred, I have some anti-muses, it helps.

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    1. Cate - glad I am not the only one. Fumbling is good!

      She does have amazing hair!

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  10. I admire her look which is very individual, not cookie-cutter for her age, but not for me. I don't have a muse but the closest to my taste is probably Sophia Coppola who is the muse of Marc Jacobs. I like her understated style, simple hair and make-up. I rarely see her in heels and have never seen her in a ball gown even for big events. Her Sophia bag for LV is so her, no logos, hardware, chains, just great structure & leather. Going back to Rodin. I would like to try a drop of her oil and perfume which costs $150 and $250 per bottle. Why is it so expensive.

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    1. HI Marie - LOVE Sophia as well - I have a pinterest board devoted to her - she is so cool and such an individual! I don't know why it is expensive! I will let you know what I think of the rosehip oil!

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  11. I'm glad Lauren Hutton is still out there looking sporty and great in her gap-smile way.

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  12. Hi Wendy, I don't have a particular style muse, but I do agree about Sophia Coppola, she is perfect! And Lauren Hutton too.

    By the way, I have been using Rose Hipseed Oil for a while, morning and night just after cleansing. Not sure if it's improving my facial skin, but I can tell you that I used it on a burn from contact with the edge of my iron. The mark had blistered up - I put a drop of rose hipseed oil on it every day for a few weeks and now you can barely see it. The mark is barely visible colourwise, but the skin is smooth. So there's that.

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    1. Thanks Patricia - started putting it on my nasty burn - hoping for the best!

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  13. Hi Wendy, excellent post! I had seen mentions of Linda Rodin in Vogue from a few years ago and I checked out her Olio Lusso line when I was working in a beauty shop last Christmas. She is beautiful and carries herself so well, but I have to admit her style is not for me - although she did appear in a J. Crew catalog, her personal style is very reminiscent of Anthropologie, like upscale boho.

    I don't think I have a style muse - I admire Jackie O and Audrey Hepburn, but at the same time I favour modern and minimal. I don't have a clear idea of my style but I do know what I like and I don't like! I like WFF's idea of an anti-muse... ;-)

    Off-topic, I must get myself a bottle of the rosehip seed oil that everyone is talking about!!

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    1. I started using it today - it SMELLS amazing - very lovely and fresh!

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  14. Wendy great post!

    I know Linda Rodin from magazins and also her oil,but have never tried it.
    For me i really dont have a style muse,but i really love Jenna Lyons(ok dont hate me everybody).

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    1. Ina - love you - I think Jenna has really cool style actually - I just love her - and you carry off your looks with the best aplomb!!!

      BTW - I am stalking you and Gigi - have you seen the mirror metallic oxfords?? As soon as there is a sale, they might be mine!

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    2. Wendy i have not seen those.
      I will look for those the next time:)

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    3. They are terribly over the top...But they are also kind of funky and I could see wearing them with a fabulous dress! I am waiting for Nougat London to put up their fall collection - am hoping for a couple of pieces there as well. Our local shop is gone and now I need a new store to order from!

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  15. I don't have a fashion muse but I find inspiration in Ines de la Fressange and Michelle Obama. I am drawn to their styles, but they are also very tall so the chances of what they wear looking pretty good on me are better than most. I love Lauren Hutton's style but it never quite works on me. I feel like so much of looking good, especially when you get older is getting the proportion right for one's individual shape and adding a one or two accessories to add polish and personality. Linda Rodin has a great figure, shows it off with her unique style and clearly has fun dressing. Nothing wrong with having a style muse who can lay claim to all that!

    P.S You have a great sense of style and always look creatively pulled together! You also seem like a very kind, genuine person which shows through in your style and can never be underestimated.

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    1. Awakening My Style - you have made my night! As for Ines and Michelle - they are absolutely wonderful muses - I love them both!

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Kindness is a virtue...