Not that it will be of any particular importance, but I am currenly 120 pages into one of many fabulous volumes on canine psychology, with the boys sleeping nearby and Hendel filling the room with very summery musical hues. A moment like this could not be more perfect for talking about an outfit idea inspired by romance, poetry and English cocker spaniels.

This was my other mood board idea for the editor of a mag I was in touch with a while ago. I adore this particular one because it feels like a journey into the past that connects the beauty, the dogs, the history and culture with the present embodied into a few items of clothing and accessories.

So… “Pure Grace” that looks so simple yet comes with a vivid story, almost like a dream that flows. I started with Virginia Woolf and her book Flush, about an English cocker who belonged to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the Victorian poetess. Not only she had the spaniel, but her works were a perfect accompaniment to many collections and looks seen on the Spring/Summer catwalk.

The line for the subtitle, “The Gifts of Paradise” is taken from her poem, “The Lost Bower”, inspired by The Hope End, Browning’s childhood home. It talks about summer, country walks and nature, all the things you get to experience when sharing moments of your life with an adventurous dog like a cocker.

Curiously, this poem also talks about Chaucer, the “first finder of English language” and author of The Canterbury Tales, who included spaniels in the Wif of Bathe’s Prologue. Even though it was merely for comparison, this was the fist ever mention of the spaniels in English literature.

Phew! That’s all the facts for today. I hope you made it this far without falling asleep on your keyboard.

Style-wise, I was inspired by the spring/summer trend focused on nature, florals, raffia and airy volumes and the mix of alluring romance of the Victorian era and the Caribbean (where a part of the Barrett’s family were born).

The bottle of Bvlgari perfume I added to the mix is a part of Le Gemme Collezione Murano and made in Florence, the place where Browning, her husband and Flush lived for many years.

The colour scheme of the mood board and the outfit were chosen to compliment, so selfishly of me, the cover of my book Perfect cocker spaniel and my favourite portrait of Cooper by Sandra Chiocchetti.

And with this in mind, here is a look to try when taking your cocker out for a walk.

Shop: Blouse | Skirt | Boots | Earrings | Bracelets | Bag | Hat | Perfume | Bottle | Toy

In my head I pictured a long walk that didn’t necessarily involved muddy paws, just for once. I added a few extras to make it more comfortable and pleasant for both you and the pup, too. A beautiful water bottle to share a drink, a gorgeous little tennis ball for the pooch to chase and a little bottle of perfume oil that smells like rain, just to make you dream.

 

Photo source: main image by Karen Arnold , field of flowers by Settik27, via Pixabay