I Really WANT to Love These, But... (part 1)

I was so excited about H&M's Marimekko tribute line. Although they're not exactly a household name, Marimekko was a wildly popular designer during the sixties due to their wonderful prints- and exposure from Jackie Kennedy, who owned several dresses by them. The only reason I know about them is because my grandmother had a beautiful Marimekko dress when I was a kid. I used to put it and her heels on and walk around her house, pointing to all the art and pretending I was a glamorous gallery owner.

When I walked into H&M and actually saw the line, though, I was sorely disappointed. Although some of the pieces were interesting, the shapes weren't evocative of the traditional Marimekko easiness. Moreover, some of the colour combinations were downright fugly. It was also kind of expensive.



Let's go from left to right:

1. Not gonna lie, I bought this one. This shirt, I think, embodies the original line best: it's easy and frivolous with a kooky print, and can be worn everywhere- easy to dress up and dress down. Plus, hot pink and orange look amazing together.

2. Ew, what? It looks like a decorative tissue box cover. To be honest, I hate that pumpkin-orange and baby-shit-green colour combination so much, I have a little trouble looking at the actual shape of any of the garments. This shape is pretty much in keeping with traditional Marimekko, but I'm slightly biased because this style looks awful on me. I retain the right to unabashedly and unapologetically hate the colour combo.

3. Cute. Wicked cute. Wish H&M made bikinis and bras for big boobs...

4. Doesn't that just look like a summer outfit meant for a baby? The floofy dress with no boobspace and the floppy hat? Don't get me wrong, it's cute, but seeing it in miniature like that is kind of funny.

5. What's with that strip of white? Ick.

6. Although it's hard to see, this is your average micro-empire halter dress. Except for the vile print, nothing special.

7. Okay, I kind of love that.

8. I COVET this dress. I'm dead broke and won't be shopping again until August, but I keep going into H&M just to moon over this dress. I love the little details and the classic shape. Sigh. I just don't think I can justify owning two pieces with this pattern from the same collection.

9. Yeah, there's nothing I want more than pants that look like they're magnifying a colony of fecal bacteria.

I swiped the image above from New York Magazine.