Florals? For Spring? Trust us: this is actually groundbreaking. After a long drawn out winter, we’ve recently found ourselves entranced by the dreamy color combos and symbolism of the flowers growing around us. Flowers are not only an emblem of femininity and grace, but they also have healing powers (literally). Why not then take inspiration from these powerful plants and harness their strong feminine energy into our daily lives: starting with our wardrobes. Mother Nature is the ultimate beauty queen, after all.
At the Fashion Cookbook, we believe dressing is so much more than wearing the latest trends, but rather it’s an opportunity to evoke personality and self-expression and feel empowered. Many times when working with a client we draw on inspiration such as your style icons or other women you look up to, but lately, we have taken it a step further and looked to nature to feel a sense of rootedness and pull inner beauty from. We praise living a naturally fashionable life but what could be more natural than fresh spring blooms to feel inspired by?
It’s no wonder that floral dresses are top of mind when it comes to our go-to spring looks. We love the current selection at the local boutique, Eastcraeft, for not only are the dresses super affordable, but they offer so many options for women of all body sizes. Local greenhouse Broadway Gardens made for the perfect runway and editorial set and joining us today on the blog are some of our dearest friends to help model these looks.
Not only did we pull inspiration from floral print, but we took our makeup cues directly from flower petals. This season, skip traditional black liner and reach for something surprisingly bold. For a long flouncy floral print dress like this, we paired it with an unexpected purple wing. Not only does it add a level of fierceness to Julia’s look, but we loved that the color painted next to her blueish-green eyes tied in perfectly to the color scheme of her dress.
Taking time to stop and smell the roses may do more than serve as a reminder to live in the moment. These blooming botanicals can enrich our wellness, too. Flower remedies are classified as “vibrational medicine,” like reiki and acupuncture. These systems recognize that we all have a life force energy present in our bodies, minds, and spirits. When this life force is balanced and humming, the body has an innate self-healing capacity. For instance, using wild rose essence has been known to help people to become self-motivated and regain curiosity about life.
It couldn’t be more appropriate that we had our friend (and trusted photographer) Chelsea showcase this wild rose inspired makeup look and outfit for she is the epitome of a wild rose. The color pink is associated with the heart chakra, the center of healing and encouraging self-love. Having gone through a major personal transformation this past year, she yields the same power of the flower best known for love and passion.
Pro tip: wild roses have anti-inflammatory properties that can help maintain a clear complexion.
This next look is one to invoke sensuality. Gardenias are symbols of dreams and dreaming. This gorgeous flower also symbolizes renewal and the start of something new. How beautiful then is this blue open-back maxi dress with huge gardenia print for spring? We had Ashley wear a risky pastel statement lid to match since not only is the blue-on-blue playful, but it drew attention to her dreamy eyes.
We couldn’t help but play with baby’s breath when snapping her makeup looks since the flower is associated most with innocence. What better contrast than something so pure in innocence when paired with symbols of inner strength and boldness. A reminder that you can be strong and soft at the same time.
Tropical floral print is exotic and takes us to places we’ve only ever dreamed of going. By wearing the print proudly you take a step forward to accomplishing those dreams albeit even if it’s just manifesting them while wearing a beautiful dress. The point here is you only get to where you want to go if you are open to it.
It was great to see our friend and photographer Bri be open to modeling and go in front of the camera for this shoot. Her beauty runs deep and her wild spirit knows no bounds. With the nickname of Fern, she embodies the magic and humility of the plant she shares a name with. What better than to pull in earthly tones of eyeshadow to bring this look and feel together.
Our makeup artist and model, Olivia reminds us that spring calls for color, and subtlety is overrated. Why pick one color when you can wear many and still make the look come across as cohesive and cool? The final result looks more complicated than the process actually is. Simply place the shades of your choosing in concentrated areas on your eye, then use aquamarine eyeliner to line the tear ducts and waterline.
White floral lace is perhaps the softest of the floral prints for spring. I chose this dress because to me it represented the idea of staying gentle even after how much you’ve endured. Following the coldest of winters flowers undoubtedly come back each spring and their brilliance even more profound than the last.
To convince you, even more, to become buds with bright colors this spring, here I show you how a simple look and a neon lip and matching eye is the way to go. Bright coral, fiery red, and hot pink hues are unapologetically fierce and breathe so much life into your makeup, as well as elevate even the simplest of looks.
Maintaining a makeup theme is a thing now. Go for peachy pastels that feel like spring, and work that color into your eyes, cheeks, and lips. Instead of pairing this makeup look with a traditional floral print dress, we styled Abby in a striped mini dress.
When the sun comes out in the spring, you get to taste your favorite seasonal fruits and vegetables and fill your space with fresh flowers. You also may feel liberated to have more fun with your makeup and outfits, because the next few months are the perfect time to press restart and try new things.
Looking to infuse more of your radiant personality and life into your wardrobe this spring? Our Wardrobe Refresh package can help! We’ll provide a trained eye to assess your entire collection, identify missing pieces, purge, reorganize, and discover new looks for this season. Contact Hannah@thefashioncookbook.com to get started.
Photography by Bri Leuck and Chelsea Briggs
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