Zen Style

Do you ever wonder where our sense of aesthetics comes from? Sometimes it can be obvious – a favorite art teacher in school who favored cool watercolors, or the whimsical illustrations in a beloved childhood book. And sometimes it’s not so easy to pinpoint where a love for a particular style or look came from. I’d love to hear where your style inspiration comes from.

One of my favorite styles is Asian, specifically Japanese. I love the simple emphasis on nature – flowers, branches, birds…always with a sense of harmony and balance. I know exactly where this came from. While my father was in the Navy, he was stationed for two years in Japan. He, my mother and my sister all lived there before I was born. My mother fell in love with Japanese design and returned home to the states with many mid-century Japanese decorative items. As long as I can remember, our home had a Japanese flair to it. Low, sleek furniture, simple floral arrangements, paper scroll drawings hanging on the wall depicting ancient Japanese scenes. I had little interest in it when I still loved at home, but after my mother passed away and I was decorating my own first home, I found myself drawn to many elements that she would have loved. Interestingly, my sister is not drawn to this look at all, but her daughter is.

So when I saw this delicate kimono on Gwynnie Bee, I closeted it right away and was so excited when it arrived at my door. It’s extremely light-weight, almost silk-like, with typical Japanese-style decorations of delicate branches and flowers. It was perfect for a warm but breezy spring day.

What I Wore:

• Citron Duster in Blooming Floral, size 22, via Gwynnie Bee
• Dark wash Torrid jeggings, size 24 short
• Tunic top with sharkbite hem from Rainbow, one size fits all
• Red patent flats, Target, old