Fashionable Fairytale Friday: Into the Forest with Van Cleef & Arpels

Fashionable Fairytale Friday: Into the Forest with Van Cleef & Arpels

30.1.15

{Into the Forest in Aqua and Bijoux : ink pen and watercolour fashion illustration © Shell-Sherree}

Today's illustration is inspired by the Van Cleef & Arpels collection inspired by a French fairtytale named Peau d'Âne {Donkey Skin}.  As fairytales go, this one peaks on the Weird-o-Meter !

But as for the jewellery, the Van Cleef & Arpels bijoux tell a spectacularly pretty story.  Our damsel is luxuriating on upholstered seating most graciously provided by the forest.  {Such a thoughtful forest!} And she's not wearing a donkey skin, for which I'm sure you're as grateful as I am.  This particular scene, to be specific, was inspired by a Financial Times spread including the Robe Couleur du Temps necklace, so we have them to thank for her choice of attire. Phew!  And on that note ...

Happy Fashionable Friday Fairytale to you !

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Fashionable Friday: Vintage Red Road Trip

Fashionable Friday: Vintage Red Road Trip

25.1.15

{Vintage Red Road Trip : ink pen and watercolour vintage fashion illustration © Shell-Sherree}

It's Sunday here but play along and pretend it's Friday.  Actually, it's a long weekend so it feels like Saturday again, just to further discombobulate matters.  We're celebrating Australia Day on Monday and while I started off thinking today's fashion illustration would be dedicated to that, I lost myself for a while on a breadcrumb trail of links that started with Australian inventions. 

I knew some of the basics ~ like the Hills Hoist for drying clothes in the backyard, Australian Rules Football {designed to develop exceptional physiques in the males of the species ~ with an entertaining sport as a handy by-product} and the wine cask {trust us to invent something to simplify pouring wine and keep it drinkable for longer}. But I confess, I wasn't fully aware of just how many awesome and significant things we've invented.  Such a resourceful bunch we are !  The black box flight recorder, wi-fi and solar power.  Spray-on artificial skin, ultrasound, bionic ears and the pacemaker. And thank heavens ~ notepads and the clapperboard for movies ! Imagine the chaos and disarrangement of shopping and motion pictures without them?  No, it doesn't bear imagining. And we invented our Hugh.  What can I say.

But on to today's illustration !  On the long list of achievements, you'll find the ute, a iconic Aussie vehicle with the comfortable cabin of a sedan and the rear of a small truck, invented in response to a request for something that could travel to church on Sundays and take the pigs to market as well.  Nowadays, it's the vehicle of choice for builders and tradies, aka tradesmen. But while looking for a suitable vintage ute to inspire me, this image captivated me instead. So we're leaving the sweet pigs snuffling happily around the pastures and going for a road trip in a convertible.  And on that note ...

Happy Fashionable Australia Day Weekend Friday to you !

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Paris Daydreams : Giddy Up, Buren

Paris Daydreams : Giddy Up, Buren

17.1.15

{Giddy Up, Buren : ink pen and watercolour Paris illustration by © Shell-Sherree}

Today, there is potential controversy here in our fairytale kingdom where boxes of macarons replenish eternally, and our favourite music is regularly punctuated by the gentle sigh of champagne corks popping while conversation and laughter bubble over long into the starry night. {And being a fairytale kingdom, there is no such thing as enduring sadness, trouble and strife.  We shall leave those behind for a respite while we're here.}

Today, for the first time, I have turned my illustrative fancy to Les Deux Plateaux, aka les Colonnes de Buren, aka the Buren Columns in the Cour d'Honneur in the Palais-Royal, Paris.

Actually, there's no particular reason why it hasn't happened to date ~ I bear them no grudge, although I'm aware they don't float everyone's boat.  They remind me of cylindrical peppermint humbugs, which could explain my partiality towards them.  I'm not sure why I was drawn to a wintery equestrian-inspired wardrobe choice on this very warm summer day here in Brisbane, but she does bear bare legs and strappy stilettos to counter the riding jacket, felt cloche and snowy-soft faux-fur muff.  Perhaps subconsciously I was hedging my bets to welcome differences of opinion on Les Multitudes de Humbug-Like-Doodads.  {Let's not stop at three aliases ~ so last year.}  And on that note ...

Happy Paris Daydreams to you !

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Fashionable Friday : Ruffled Over the Thrill of the Chaise

Fashionable Friday : Ruffled Over the Thrill of the Chaise

9.1.15

{Ruffled Over the Thrill of the Chaise : ink pen and watercolour illustration by © Shell-Sherree}

Today, I'm allowing my cares to float away on a sea of ruffles tumbling from tangerine waves into pale pink fairy floss ~ and feeling grateful and blessed for so many things.  Expressing love, beauty and gratitude are the ways to my happy place.

Would you like to join me?  We might need another one of those chaises.  What's a gathering of more than one chaise? A charisma of chaises?  Come to think of it, maybe we're talking love seats, anyway ... or fainting couches.  Who can tell under this delectable proliferation of fluffy goodness?  How about I pour some tea while we make up our minds ~ and on that note ...

Happy Fashionable Friday to you !

Inspiration: Giambattista Valli couture Fall 2014

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Fashionable Friday: Falling for Wenda and the Silver Ghost

Fashionable Friday: Falling for Wenda and the Silver Ghost

2.1.15

{Falling for Wenda and the Silver Ghost : ink pen and watercolour illustration by © Shell-Sherree}

We've needed smelling salts in the past here Chez Shell {this time springs to mind}, and in all the post-New Year's excitement, we need to break them out again.

Today's illustration inspiration source is Norman Parkinson, English portrait and fashion photographer {and successor to Cecil Beaton as photographer to the royals}.  For me, though, this one's dedicated to his gorgeously glamorous muse Wenda {who makes me want to take copper hair for a twirl again! Join me?}  Wenda over the Rolls {1951} features Wenda in a divine Molyneux satin evening gown and a 1907 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce.

Ours is in perfect working order.  Where are we off to tonight?  The theatre?  A picnic under the stars? A stroll along the boulevard?  One thing's for sure ~ we have champagne and salted caramel macarons on board.  And on that note ...

Happy Fashionable Friday to you !

Ink pen and watercolour illustration by © Shell Sherree : Falling for Wenda and the Silver Ghost
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