It’s SIA time again, and this week’s inspiration was chosen by Marsha from Marsha In the Middle. She went with The Turning Road, L’Estaque by André Derain — a brilliant pick, especially because Derain was one of the key artists in the Fauvism movement. I honestly love when these challenges give me a reason to learn a bit more about the art behind the outfits. It makes the whole thing feel a bit like being back at school, but in a fun, fashion-nerdy way.
As always, Style Imitating Art is hosted by three fabulous bloggers: Marsha from Marsha In the Middle, Shelbee from Shelbee on the Edge, and Salazar from 14 Shades of Grey. They each bring their own flair to the challenge, and it’s such a fun way to connect fashion with art in a really approachable, creative way. You can check them out here:
Marsha: https://marshainthemiddle.com
Shelbee: https://shelbeeontheedge.com
Salazar: https://14shadesofgrey.wordpress.com
My previous SIA outfit was several weeks ago, when I styled Arcimboldo’s Rainaissance artwork, Autumn.
If you’re new to Fauvism (I basically was!), it was an early 20th-century French art movement known for its wild colour, strong lines, and a bit of rebellious energy. The name literally comes from les fauves — “the wild beasts” — which is what critics called the painters because of how bold and unruly their colours were. I love that. Imagine being so colourful that people genuinely think you’ve lost the plot. Goals, honestly.
Now, Derain’s painting is full of gorgeous, deep jewel-like tones…. which I wish I had more of in my wardrobe. My autumn/winter palette isn’t quite as Fauvist as I’d like, so I took a more casual, everyday approach to this challenge — something a bit more “me popping out to do errands” rather than “walking billboard for early modern art”.
My Fauvist Inspired Outfit
I started with the most obvious match: denim blue, which runs through the painting beautifully. So out came my skinny jeans. Then I grabbed an oversized orange shirt to echo those flashes of deep, warm orange in the artwork. After that it was all about bringing in bits of the other colours without overthinking it.
Enter: my Frida Kahlo tee, one of my latest Vinted treasures (I swear Vinted is a lifestyle at this point). It’s fun, it’s colourful, and it ties in little pops of the painting’s palette without me having to dig through my wardrobe like a frantic stylist. I threw on a green cotton scarf to finish everything off, because there’s a lovely green running through the artwork as well.
It’s a comfy, down-to-earth, Fauvist inspired outfit — the sort of thing I’d happily wear for a day at home, a wander round the shops, or a coffee date — but it still nods nicely to Derain’s art without me needing to reinvent my entire colour scheme.
