The Gospel According to Coco.......

Just finished this fun read which I definitely recommend for anyone looking for something light and yet informative. It's written in a conversational style and was full of lots of little gems.

She was good friends with Jean Cocteau (he's the guy in the middle in the top pic), and designed the costumes for several of his films.

She never carried any money with her aside form a roll of ten franc notes. She believed tipping any less was an insult. (Check out the drape on that pant leg!)


By far my favorite Chanelian innovation, the mariner shirt (stolen from the boys of course!).




She insisted on pinning every garment herself even though she had an atelier full off assistants.

I was lucky enough to come across a vintage Chanel for the store recently. Though this one is from the reign of Lagerfeld, it's nonetheless a product of Coco's influence: clean lines, neutral color and the finest fit on the planet.

Here's some other pieces from around the Etsy-verse that I think Coco would approve of:

Quilted leather purse found at Fancy Fig Leaf.

Two piece wool suit found at White Fluffly Clouds.

Elegant silk camelia flower found at 4ClassyDesigns.

"One shouldn't spend all one's time dressing. All one needs are two or three suits, as long as they and everything go with them, are perfect." -- Coco Chanel

O.k. so her forte wasn't English grammar, but we get the picture. Elegance = simplicty, simplicity= elegance, and that's all you need to know!