Summers last hurrah comes in the form of sunflowers. I view them as a peace offering for all of the hot days when I walked around looking like Pierrot each time I got off my half hour commute into the city on a non air conditioned train. I don’t think it’s possible not to love sunflowers, much as I don’t love summer. They just look so funny and cheerful, I love how striking they look! The fact that they are always gigantic just adds to their appeal, walking around them I feel like I have been shrunk to miniature proportions just as Alice was. To give you an idea of how tall these are, I’m a fairly average 5’5″ and these towered over even my husband who is 6’6″ which is really saying something. Buzzing around these sunflowers were extra large bumble bees that were almost the length of my thumb, much bigger than the ones I managed to capture in the photos. But that’s Russia for you, everything here is larger than life!
When we booked our trip to Russia one of my first priorities was to go about filling the gaps in my rather inadequate autumn wardrobe. As it turned out I owned nothing made of wool. Ironic because I was living in Australia, a major exporter of wool…even though we don’t have much use for it ourselves, or at least where I live anyway. I’ve always wanted a chunky 1940s cardigan, ever since I saw the ones worn by Sienna Miller and Kiera Knightley with floral dresses in The Edge of Love. The whole aesthetic in that film is just fantastic and I’ve wanted to recreate some of the looks. This look is the closest I’ve come so far, as its taken me a long time to find the right cardigan which I decided to have custom made since I find knitting impossible. I know that it’s something a lot of people find really relaxing and enjoyable even, but I have tried to learn a few times and could never quite get the hang of it. So I decided to leave it to the professionals!
Since most cardigans worn in the 40s were home made, I really wanted something that had that look rather than getting one from a department store. This is where I got extremely lucky and found out about Lindy Lou’s who specialise in beautiful hand knitted 40s & 50s cardigans and jumpers. My friend Gabby got me onto them after I admired the beautiful jumper she had custom made and so I sent them a message asking if they could make me one of their 40s cardigans in a gorgeous shade of mustard.
Not only was the price extremely reasonable for a handmade piece that took many hours of work to create, it arrived just in time from the UK for me to take it on my trip. I was so happy with how my cardigan turned out, it was everything I ever wanted and the quality of the wool was beautiful, so warm and soft. The customer service was also fantastic and very accommodating of my time frame, keeping in mind that their knits are very much in demand and I needed mine to be ready by a specific date.
So if you’re thinking about your A/W17 wardrobe and are on the hunt for authentic repro 40s cardigans and jumpers, I would recommend checking out Lindy Lou’s when their shop re-opens on September 5th. It took around four weeks for my cardigan to be knitted so I advise getting in early so that you can be glamorous and warm all through the cooler months. To give you an idea of some of their other wonderful creations, here is a photo of Gabby wearing her fabulous puffed sleeved fair isle jumper…I am now thinking I need one of my own! And tell me, am I the only one that still hangs onto the 2008 film for outfit inspiration year after year?
Wearing:
1940s reproduction cardigan custom made by Lindy Lou’s
Countryside Cutie dress courtesy of Emmy Design (currently on sale!)
H&M wool socks
Kmart boots
What an extraordinary color palette – pumpkin, sunflower, amber, honey and other wonderful autumnal colors.
I love the giant sunflowers with their giant bumblebees as well! You must have felt rather Lilliputian and it sounds like even your husband may have felt small in comparison.
I love homemade knits as they are all individual pieces of art. My mother was a very talented knitter and watching someone create something so beautiful out of balls of yarn is amazing.
By the way, I totally love that the Countryside Cutie dress has such convenient pockets to keep your hands warm on cooler days.
Thank you once again for sharing your lovely holiday.
Wow those sunflowers are beautiful! I love how your photos with them. Also that cardigan looks lovely and warm to wear! xo
What a dreamy late summer look! The sunflowers are so beautiful, and I know what you mean about feeling like you’ve been shrunk standing next to them.
Love the outfit – the floral dress with the nubby, mustard cardigan is such a pretty, expected combination. I haven’t seen The Edge of Love, but I’ll have to look it up!
I love sunflowers so much! I tried to plant some in my garden this year, but sadly none really grew. The color of your sweater is quite perfect, I love this outfit!
I often think of that film when I’m thinking of 40s style – I loved that whole pretty dresses with chunky knitwear look too. Also Sienna Miller wears a particularly fab pair of slingbacks at one point that I really wouldn’t say no to! I love the location here, which as usual, you’ve nailed. What a fantastic spot. Really cute photos with a really cute outfit <3
You can get someone to hand knit for you! How did I not know that was a thing??? Probably better I didn’t, or I wouldn’t have bothered to learn how to do it myself! I find knittting really difficult actually, thank god for youtube, I don’t know how people learn practical stuff from books! This look is exactly like those from the edge of love. As soon as I saw it, I had flash backs from that film! Feminine, practical and vintage! Fabulous!!!
Gosh, fairy land again! Those sunflowers are simply divine, I do love how huge they get though I’ve never seen any that giant before! And all the pockets all the time ~ how can you ever go wrong with a darling navy and floral print either? ❤
xox,
bonita of Lavender & Twill
While I was scrolling through these delightful photos I was transfixed by your gorgeous cardigan, so I was happy when I got down to the text that you had indeed written all about it! Even with the much loved Emmy Design cardigans available now, there is a serious lack of good 1940s knitwear available in the repro market, so going made to order is almost the only way to get ones hands on such an item. You chose a beautiful color for sure!