Painted in Pantone's Fall 2010 Color Palette

A strong theme throughout my blog can be found in posts inspired by the sky. I find myself so drawn to the transformative beauty of the horizon. The arresting vision of light bursting into day and slowly dipping into night makes one grateful to be alive. The harmonious dance between the horizon, air, clouds, sun, and landscape makes each sunset/rise a piece of artwork.

A few evenings ago my uncle, three cousins, and I ventured to Menemsha to enjoy some pizza and watch the setting sun. The clouds had parted ways for the first time since a storm hit the island, and though the winds were still strong, the sky evoked a peaceful calm. Brush strokes of gray colors produced a beautiful picture in the early evening.

As the hour progressed the sky’s color splashed against the water and into spectators’ eyes.

The colors of the sunset are personally inspiring. They also artistically relate to Pantone’s Fall 2010 fashion color palette.

Professionals note that “vivid colors are juxtaposed in inventive ways, creating arresting and extraordinary color combinations.” The palette is described as having “transporting qualities” with “lively colors that conjure images of travel and adventure.”

3 of my favorite colors in Pantone’s Fall 2010 palette include:

Lagoon, this season’s turquoise – "Pantone’s 2010 color of the year – is guaranteed to add a tropical splash. A great color for fall and winter escapes, Lagoon is a popular hue, especially in accessories, pairing dynamically with all shades of red." (Please refer to F-F’s Hawaiin post featuring this color)

"Reminiscent of a radiant sunset on a brisk autumn evening, Golden Glow, an earthy, deepened shade of yellow, creates a retro look with Purple Orchid or Woodbine."

"Oyster Gray, a classic neutral that grounds the Palette."

See these colors in action in the NYT’s T Magazine (Women’s Fall Fashion 2010) Going Places spread

Artistic Ensembles reflect the trend of layering, layering, layering (also refer to F-F’s Uncover a Love for Layering post).

This T Magazine fashion spread features an eye-full of inspiration. Just as Pantone’s color palette creates “arresting and extraordinary combinations” so too do these styles piled high with eclectic trends.

Shine like the sun this fall, as you paint your fall wardrobe with this featured color palette; and make a new statement each day with an artistic affinity for layering.

Scraps of Lacy Foam

It’s an island of natural beauty. Man-made buildings are silently set against a backdrop of strong trees, green pastures, blue skies, and rolling waters. Flashing stop lights and neon signs are not to be found on Martha’s Vineyard, as tradition and laws bar them from entering.

Though the surroundings are neutral and relaxed, a certain sparkle is present. Raw nature gleams with a freshness that cannot be found in a bustling city. Nature becomes the focus, rather than becoming overwhelmed by billboards or flashing florescent lights. The sky is brilliantly clear in the evening, displaying an expanse of twinkling stars; water sparkles in the heat of the sun; and the sand shimmers with miniature crystals and broken sea glass.

An Inspiration

Artist's Kevin Shea's Perspective

On a smaller scale, my own life has become more neutral. I feel as though I am comfortably set among the rawness of nature and simplicity of lifestyle. Where I usually lead a life of harried pace and never-ending to-do lists, I have begun to understand the importance of silence. Silence allows a person to reflect and uncover truth within—encouraging a journey in finding what author Sue Monk Kidd calls the “True Self”. Kidd’s book When the Heart Waits is a spiritual book filled with unique insight and poetic diction. She states that “through our journey of waiting (in sitting in silence), we come home to live a new, more expansive, more authentic vision of who we are”.

In another lovely passage she writes:

I walked down to the water and stood ankle-deep in the ocean. A wave rolled by, folding across the surface. It spread into a thin veil decorated with scraps of lacy foam. As the wave whisked back into the sea, the suction pulled the sand out from under my feet. I had the feeling that I was going to topple over, that everything was being tugged away. Nothing stays the same, those moments said to me...

"A thin veil decorated with scraps of lacy foam"

This silence has allowed me to find direction in where I want to go. The East Coast is surely to become my new home. Where the darkness of confusion once stood in my path, a little glimmer of knowing light flickers ON. Martha’s Vineyard has been a perfect after-college experience. One stage of life has ended and growth has ensued--all as a new opportunity awaits to become uncovered. Now the job search begins!

...Before this post ends, it has to be tied together with a little fashionable formula. I haven’t done much shopping while here on the island, but the little that I have done, fits perfectly in this post. Pandora’s Box at Menemsha Beach (where the above photos were taken) outfitted me in this little number…

A tiered skirt layered with the feel of rolling waves.

It is accessorized with my own belt for added appeal.

In my latest day trip to Edgertown, I found these bangles. I love them for their neutral color and understated *pop* of sparkle.  They rest atop a sea-foam green flower I made for Wren’s dress (which is still in the works…stay posted for more)

...

“Letting go is like releasing a tight spring at the core of yourself, one you’ve spent your whole life winding and maintaining. When you let go, you grow still and silent. You learn to sit among the cornstalks and wait with God.”—Sue Monk Kidd

The Colors of the Morning

5:30 am. Unable to sleep, I rolled out of bed, yanking my comforter with me and watched as the sky break free from night’s darkness. Lavender, soft pink, and quiet blue streaked the newly-born morning sky. Brighter, brighter did the horizon become until the sky turned into a vivid blue, releasing its grasp on the sun, as its warm rays exploded above the trees brilliantly producing day’s light.

I sat there with the morning rays shining on my face, while a warmth exuded from within. A break in my I-Pod’s playlist and I hear the ocean’s crashing waves against the shore playing its own musical symphony to the unfolding of an extraordinary show. The next song takes its turn through the speakers of my ear buds…

Phil Wickham magnifies my morning by singing “I see Your face in every sunrise. The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes. The world awakens in the light of the day. I look up to the sky and say. You're beautiful.”

Beautiful.

Speaking of beauty…I have been blessed with an eye-full of gorgeous surroundings. This week I have experienced as my camera has captured…

A trip to Edgartown on my day off:

A night with my beautiful cousins—complete with a tea party (quite the character set-up here):

A fun afternoon at the beach with some Chilmark store regulars/new friends:

Uncover a Love for Layering

Eclectic. Boho-chic. Think layers. Combining prints and textures.

Martha’s Vineyard is a setting for hippy fashions. I have been inspired, not only by the island’s apparel, but also by its relaxed lifestyle, unique businesses, and home interiors.

The Yard—“a dance colony of performing arts on Martha’s Vineyard” is a one-of-a-kind business. Comfortably set into the trees, the facility looks like nothing more than a summer camp. Yet, once the layers of The Yard’s true substance unfold, one is offered a depth of color and creativity. Dance, theatre, music, and opera rest at the core of The Yard. They provide workshops for successful performers around the world and classes and performances for the MV community.  Dancer and choreographer Patricia Nanon founded the program with a vision described as “a playground without walls.”

I have personally taken a dance class and a yoga class at the Yard. Professional instructors guide students through fluid movements in a studio whose walls open up to the expanse of trees and sky (a literal example of Nanon's vision). I have also volunteered at a show at the yard featuring a group of British dancers. The Ballet Boyz created quite the performance! Their presentation in itself portrayed an eclectic collaboration of dance, video, and individual personalities.

***Blurb: A great summer memory—after the show and following the cocktail party, the Ballet Boyz and Yard interns (plus me) remained in the outdoor tent celebrating life with the remaining wine and champagne. We then proceeded to re-enter the theatre, turn on the red mood lights, blast the music, and dance the night away. I felt as if I was in a scene from Dirty Dancing—all except for the fact that I was surrounded by beautiful British "boyz" :)...What a night of unforgettable fun!

While volunteering at the event, I aided in escorting guests to the theatre. One couple struck my interest. Their outfit choices were perfect—eclectic and strange, yet melding so perfectly together.  This man mixed stripes and plaids,topping it off with a colorful tie. His date juxtaposes a light, layered base with handfuls of heavy jewelry to create an ensemble of perfect weight. 

After taking their picture, I later found out that this woman is

James Taylor’s sister...

These two locals are in great company. There style resonates with other islanders, including my family! I have been inspired by the lifestyle and personal style of my aunt, uncle, and cousins. The effortless fashion sense of my 5 year old twin cousins include combining stripes and florals, layering pants with full skirts, and piling on beads on their necks and wrists. Every day is an outlet for creativity filled with running freely through the fields and engaging in a new art project.

I also find unique beauty in the interiors of my family’s home. Warm colors, mismatched pattern, and differing textures combine to form an artistic living space.

My great-grandmother's sewing machine

While Martha’s Vineyard is an island of its own world, it is on-target for inspiring or upholding new fashion trends. Designers such as Dries Van Noten, Issey Miyake, and Vivienne Westwood have developed daring designs that demonstrate eclectic, layered and effortless ensembles for the year 2010.

Issey Miyake

(these pants remind me of ones worn by the dancers during their performance...

providing ease of movement and eye-catching form)

Dries Van Noten

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood

(This design reminds me of a childhood dress-up session gone wrong

...yet so totally right!)

***Check out her full Fall 2010 RTW collection at http://www.style.com/

Make a comfortable outfit for yourself as you layer into an artistic ensemble.