Essential Chic

[x-posted at The Cashmere Gallery]

In stolen moments between WorkWork and the colourworks studio, I'm having a fabulous time drinking in a fantastic book: Genevieve Antoine Dariaux's Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions. So few are the opportunities when we can get a kick out of reading a how-to manual. Written originally in 1962, the book still contains a lot of practical advice. One or two things may be slightly outdated, but some things do not erode with time, including this nutshell definition of...

CHIC

The essence of casual refinement, chic is a little less studied than elegance and a little more intellectual. It is an inborn quality of certain individuals, who are sometimes unaware that they possess it. Chic is only perceptible to those who have already acquired a certain degree of civilization and culture and who have in addition both the leisure time to devote to improving their appearance and the desire to be part of a particular kind of elite, which might be called the 'aristocracy of external appearance'. It is a gift of the gods and has no relationship to beauty nor to wealth. One baby in its crib may have chic, while another doesn't.

Dariaux goes on to say that elegance is achieved in part by having the right accessories, which may be simple but of impeccable quality.

And nothing says that like a cozy cashmere scarf around your neck in winter, like this 1x1 ribbed scarf by Helen from Yorkshire, England.



She used 2 skeins of Pippin (100% aran weight cashmere) in colourway Bumblebee to create a simple accessory that is ALL casual luxe.

Thanks for sharing such a lovely photo, Helen!

~*~

In other news, I'll be traveling from today until next Wednesday, again with little or intermittent internet access, so please be patient. I will reply to your emails and orders when I return. Orders: if I have received your payment by Paypal or check, your orders have already begun processing (there is plenty of cashmere drying at the moment) and they should be ready to ship shortly after I get back! Have a lovely week, everyone!