WIW 6/27: My signature pattern cubed (hypermatchy)

I love this black and white Kate Spade Florence Broadhurst Japanese Floral pattern so much that I went crazy for it! I have the Austin sheath dress, the Melinda satchel, and a laptop carrier pouch. I know this is over the top hypermatchy, but I wore them all together today! DH told me three matching items was too much (so does that mean two is OK?). I wasn't carrying around the laptop or purse most of the time at work, but I did get a few comments of "Wow cool, your purse matches your dress!" at the cafeteria and at the bank. So is this too matchy matchy matchy, or is it OK to overindulge in my favorite pattern? I think it's becoming my signature pattern. I could even have worn my beige trench with the same lining, or my Japanese floral Tretorn sneakers, hee hee! (I guess I should also confess that I bought matching iPad and iPhone covers even though I don't have an iPad yet and my iPhone 3 won't fit in the iPhone 4 case--I may end up returning them if I don't use them). My excuse for accumulating so many matching pieces is that they make me happy, and plus they were all on sale!

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11 years ago

Kiwichik

Veteran

I love Florence Broadhursts print and seeing them in tripkicate can only be a good thing.

CocoLion

(website)

Trying to remember who said "too much of a good thing, is never enough."

However, this time I think I agree with DH about his rule of 2. As much as I love that print, and the fit of the dress on you is superb.

Deborah

Natalie I adore this pattern and one day I hope to purchase something in it:). I find this quite appealing and I have no problem with the matchy matchyness of it. Of course it's quite a statement pattern so one piece alone would be quite dramatic. Did you know Florence Boradhurst was an Australian?

harmonica

Fun to read your hypermatchy post! I agree with CocoLion, though

ManidipaM

I'd personally stop at a total of two (not counting secret linings); but for some reason the overload reads as fashion-forward whimsy so that I don't mind seeing it on your lovely self at all --- quite the contrary!

Suz

I think you rock it, Natalie! And it gives you joy.

Vildy

I liked the three examples together and was led to look up Florence Broadhurst.

Sharon

I'm a lover of match-matchy, and I love this! What really makes it perfect is that the bag pattern is a negative of the dress (the flowers are black instead of white), so it's matched and unmatched at the same time! *swoon*

Anonymous

I will never tire of seeing that dress on you Natalie! Like Sharon, I don't count the bag as matching exactly, since the print is reversed.

Transcona Shannon

This is matchy-matchy gorgeousness! Love this dress and handbag on you Natalie - LOVE IT!

rae

I think the riot of print is *great* but might benefit from a couple non-matching items to break it up. Red belt and shoes? Colored jacket or cardi? Right now it might look to some people like you bought out a display case and didn't put your own touch into the outfit - WE all know that isn't the case and that you purposefully matched these, but the interjections of color would break up the wall of patten a little.

Lovely outfit. What a gorgeous dress! As I love colour I'm inclined to agree with Rae though... a little interjection might be good but that doesnt stop me from loving how great you look though!

Angie

Fashion Stylist

KILLER to the power of KILLER. That means one of the very best on YLF

This look is *such* an acquired taste! But it's SOOOOO catwalk right now. I am impressed! It's such a daring and bold statement - and takes quite a bit of confidence to pull off!

*applause*'

I love it and it makes me smile!

Sheila

I had to think about this and really form my own opinion. What I think is that this is a sophisticated look and most of the time we don't go around in Main Street America wearing sophisticated looks. So it's not the norm. However, I really appreciated knowing that this was intentional, deliberate, well-considered, and so I am smiling because now I know how much you love this print. And of course each piece is so lovely that I say, why not wear them together? It's triple the fun!

Meredith1953

The dress and the bag look gorgeous together! I think an accent of red, teal, yellow or cream would be lovely too.

catgirl

I love this on you. LOVE. It may be my favorite outfit of yours ever.

I think it's because it all reads like one piece to my eye somehow. If it were a less statement-y print, like a conservative check, it would look boring or over-matchy - here it's so OTT it becomes a whole new dimension.

ETA: I posted without reading other comments. I see others are suggesting adding a piece with color, and I agree that would look good too.

But this way is just sublime.

Diana

OK, so I'm not usually a fan of super matchy-matchy, but I really like this and think it's really cool. (I think maybe because it is matchy print and not matchy color). LOVE how the purse reverses the colors on the dress!

Lyrebirdgully

Active Member

Well, shut the front and back doors everyone, Goldengpig in da house! This triple strength Florence Broadhurst look is beyond awesome. GP, you look so sophisticated, classy and elegant, with a touch of Royal Ascot - especially with your hair up! Black-and-white is definitely one of your signature colour(s).
Thought you might like to see some other designers on the same wavelength, who also are not afraid to repeat a pattern: JC de Castelbajac , Dolce and Gabbana, Dries van Noten, Anne Klein, and Giles. Team Matchy-Matchy forever!
http://www.fashiontrend.me/wp-.....ac2011.jpg
http://www.swide.com/luxury-ma...../2012/6/18
http://farm7.static.flickr.com.....920a_o.jpg
http://designersense.org/wp-co.....e-bags.jpg
http://www.hji.co.uk/blogs/201.....-print.jpg
and, from 1942, the stylish Gene Tierney
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WG7-.....bird8.jpeg

Aida

I'm with Una and Angie on this. Normally I am not quite into so much matching, but because of the bolder print it reads as quite intentional and has just the right amount of whimsy! I also really like your hair up with this outfit, and the fact that it is fully neutral. Really fab outfit, Natalie!

goldenpig

Thank you so much everyone! Wow, a K2K from Angie! I'm so thrilled! And glad that you all are indulging me in my hypermatchiness phase! It reminds me of the 50's when everything was matchy matchy (wasn't there a post about that sometime ago?).

Rae, I had to giggle at the thought of walking into a store, pointing at the display case and announcing, "I'll take the lot!" and wearing all of them out of the store. I wish I could have done that and seen the SA's reaction!
Sharon, Diana and Claire, I do like the juxtaposition of the reverse colors in the purse & dress. Kind of like X-rays or photo negatives.
Meredith, Diana and Rae, I will try it again sometime if I can with some color (I did do it with a kelly green bag and sweater a few months ago).
Lyrebirdgully, thanks for the matchy matchy links! They really make me smile.

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