The Look: Eleanor Spalding | LA2DAY - The Los Angeles Lifestyle Magazine

The Look: Eleanor Spalding
By Katy Smail FOR LA2DAY.COM 22 May 2008

Do you remember when you were little and you would get a new doll for Christmas and it would come complete with its own life story? Sometimes I feel like that's how I found my friend Eleanor. There's something about her doll-like appearance that often lulls me into thinking she was left in a box under a lit-up pine tree, a scribbled description tied with velvet rope around her ankle reading, "My name is Eleanor Spalding and I like making dresses, wearing dresses, attending tea parties and I always, always carry a hanky." Of course, she would immediately be my favourite doll and we would twirl in circles and do each other's hair. The reality, as it turns out, is rather similar.

Miss Eleanor is a gifted little costume designer with a penchant for couture detailing, historical accuracy and, well, hankies (the one she carries today is a childhood relic but hankies shouldn't be too difficult to come by at department stores; perhaps best to avoid second-hand hankies though). She is the type of girl who puts my scruffy hair and scuffed shoes to shame; the Victorian figurine to my rag doll. After years of close observation, I've learned how she does it.

Spending half of her life in a reverie of historical fashion, her research often adorns her person in the guise of ribbons and bows, lace and ladylike blouses. This primrose number is from Topshop. Blouses like this are all over the shops at the moment; try to find a well fitting modern one that looks old. Polished details maketh the doll with painted lips, matching nails, and proper gloves - preferably from a Berlin flea market like these ones, but any old vintage store will do.

But, of course, dolls are made to be played with and there is no sitting on the shelf for this little one. Yes, there is a porcelain complexion and school-girl hair but there's also stomping heels and lace stockings. Eleanor's white tights are a leftover from childhood ballet classes but any hosiery retailer should be able to paint your legs a snowy white. She roughens up the edges with knotted belts, frilly socks (little girls' socks from department stores are best) and buckled party shoes made for twirling way past bedtime. These dancing shoes are from the British shoe store Office, easily available online and still reasonably priced despite the currency exchange.

With this look it would be easy to slip into a dusty cabinet, hidden in the fragile pages of a Dickens book.

Eleanor Spalding

Eleanor manages to evade such a fate by mixing little summer dresses with, say, a scrap of her Mum's antique lace, or a pretty tank top with a tailored skirt she's made. Victorian lace up boots and proper hats are kept for snowy streets, while summer brings light petticoats worn as skirts (Eleanor's cotton one is from a Scottish charity shop but vintage stores are always spotted with these little treasures) and bare legs with little ankle socks and heels. And always, always, a little hanky kept hidden very close to her pretty little hands.

TO DRESS LIKE ELEANOR SPALDING:

Buy the blouse at: Topshop
Available online with US shipping at www.topshop.com

Buy the skirt at: a Scottish charity shop or
Wasteland
7428 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90046
+1.323.653.3028
www.thewasteland.com

Buy the socks at: Target's children's department
www.target.com

Buy the shoes at: Office
Available online with US shipping at www.office.co.uk

Buy the gloves at: a Berlin flea market or
Melrose Trading Post
544 N. Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
+1.323.655.7678
www.greenwayarts.org

Photography by Katy Smail.

ANOTHER LOOK: RACHEL KOLAR