Summer Style Inversion

The Grand Mademoiselle absolutely loves the tension sparked by the conflicting patterns, colors, and styles of summer fashion. In truth, the most satisfying way to quiet the swelling cacophony of competing trends is to assuage the situation by throwing out all the rules to make room for a freshly conceived, modern take on the old assumption that to be successful, an ensemble must convey a consistent theme from head to toe.

Two themes continue to captivate the Grand M with each passing summer. First, the ethereal, gauzy romanticism of bright whites, pale taupes, faded golds, and sheer shifts as featherlight and gentle as the breeze that carries dandelion seeds. Against this, the Grand M cannot resist the glorious mysticism of tribal prints, bold oranges and browns, wooden jewelry, and ethnic ensembles that reveal the underlying outlook of a culture. What ties these two themes together is their authentically organic appeal, insofar as both remind the Grand M of the earth's bounteous offerings and rich layers of life, in all its polar manifestations.

To celebrate these two parts of one whole, the Grand M suggests a style inversion of girl scout swap meet proportions. Take a floaty, English country dress and wear oodles of Persian mirrored bangles. Pair a Moroccan scarf with a smocked linen Oxford button-down. Too much of the same is so ... safe, so break free of the restrictive limits encompassing a definitive trend and mix pieces that reflect different outlooks. Start with a romantic dress, such as the Madison by designer Julie Haus, who manages to impart a distinctly vintage feeling to this undeniably feminine, metallic gold confection. The forgiving jersey fabric, short puff sleeves, pin-tucked bust, and easy knife pleats at the waist lend an air of old-fashioned modesty to this unassuming dress. If you prefer something longer, opt for DKNY's Tiered Maxi Dress, effortlessly constructed of stunningly white and airy voile with a gently gathered bodice, ruffly tiered skirt, smocked empire waist, and surprising side pockets. The Maxi Dress absolutely oozes ethereal girlishness, conjuring images of maidens picking flowers in a golden field, their gently waved tresses shimmering in the sunlight.Instead of pairing these gossamer garments with equally angelic shoes, take a different route and channel a bit of hard-edged, ancient Roman bravado, imbued with a touch of sleek Saharan boldness. The Swain sandal by designer Matt Bernson is sure to fit the bill, with its rich tobacco hue, vegetable oil dyed leather upper, zipper details, and wraparound ankle straps. The Swain is minimalistic, tough, and refreshingly grounded, providing the perfect antidote to the saccharin sweetness of floaty frocks. Going against the grain by pairing the Swain with a romantic dress leaves open the question of what would normally complete the ethereal theme; hence, the Grand M thinks that Bernardo's Must sandal solves the puzzle. Available in muted gold or pale pewter, the Must has a softly corded metallic leather upper and is adorned with delightful vintage disk hardware, reminiscent of a peasant girl walking among cornstalks in the foggy glow of a rising sun.The Must seems the natural compliment to the Madison or Maxi dress, but to accomplish a summer style inversion, the Grand M suggests pairing this sandal with a frock more suited to the Swain's composition. Designer Maria Bonita Extra's Comie Print Dress is the perfect piece to pair with the Must. The jaunty Brazilian print is exuberantly earthy, and the subtly tented proportions are pleasantly exaggerated by knife pleats at the neck and shoulders with a tie-belt at the waist to keep the shape under control. The cloud-inspired printed panels, splashed with vibrant yet muted hues, demonstrates the Grand M's earlier contention that these two opposing summer themes are married by their shared foundation in all things organic, leading to a match made in summer style heaven.