Up until now I’ve been doing these posts as if I was actually going away to WDW: being mindful of luggage, trying to reuse as many items as possible etc. But I’m not actually going, not for the foreseeable future anyway. Which means that I don’t have to restrict myself like this anymore. It will also give me more options to pick from in the future if/when that trip could actually happen. So in a switch from how the Disneybounding posts have been going on so far, enjoy the next one!
The Character
The Sword in the Stone was one of those Disney films that I really enjoyed watching as a kid and still occasionally quote/sing - but it’s nowhere near their biggest hits or top of my faves list anything. Moreover, as a child, due to the distinct lack of positive female characters, I didn’t necessarily have a character to relate to much. Now, as a grown up, I realise that what was drawing me in then and who I relate to now is Archimedes. That grumpy, snarky, sassy owl is an eternal mood - I too just want to be cosy, comfortable, and left undisturbed for the most part. And if I lived with an overly cheerful, sprightly, slightly ditzy wizard like Merlin, I’d too be extra grumpy for my life constantly being turned upside down for the sake of learning or adventure. Archimedes is the real hero of that film and a true icon to aspire to emulate.
The Outfit
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| Innocent World White Double Braid Tartan skirt | Axes Femme blouse and faux fur collar | Innocent World Lauretta OTKs | Hush Puppies boots | offbrand beret | Imperial Fiddlesticks Emporium headbow | Patisserie Pink Bookshelf and Bottled Stardust brooches | Enchantlic Enchantilly Queen Cat Secret Library ring |
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Given how little brown I actually own, this coord is very cohesive and very Archimedes. Not just in terms of colouring, but in how it’s a more cosy look - perfect for an owl who just wants to have a bit of peace and quiet. The sleeves on this blouse are also so voluminous that they could easily be said to emulate wings to an extent.
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Some of those pleats have faded over the years and washes, but there are still all these pintucks and lace to add visual interest to the blouse.
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That detachable fur collar has probably seen more use on its own than on the cardigan it's supposed to go with.
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Speaking of the blouse, I do love how all those pleats and subtle details give it extra dimension and stop it from being a boring way to keep one’s upper half covered. All that texture could in a way mimic feathers at a very big stretch. And that is also why I decided to include that fur collar. Extra warmth is also nice, but Archimedes deals with a lot of things and people ruffling his feathers (metaphorically and literally). I thought that the fur collar was a fun way to show that, whilst also being a potentially practical element.
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That I haven't yet changed all my socks to lace-up design ones speaks highly of my strong will.
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Even though generally I would avoid OTK socks if I anticipated doing a lot of walking, Innocent World is a bit of an exception to this rule. Their socks very comfortably stretch over my knees and stay there reasonably well even without sock glue or garters (though they obviously improve the durability of that stay). And the lace-up design ones, such as these, are the perfect neutral base, looking very smart and providing some detail in that area without crowding it.
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Hush Puppies boots are also so well made, both pairs I own were bought second hand and they hold up so well.
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In a similar vein, whilst heeled boots don’t seem like a smart choice for a potential theme park visit, Hush Puppies somehow manage to make theirs alright for long walks. Of course, Archimedes doesn’t need to walk being an owl, but since flying around isn’t an option for me, sensible footwear is the next best choice. And if I really needed something even more sensible than those, I could whip out my Oxford shoes.
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I zoomed in to see if that winged creature on the Bookshelf brooch could be an owl, but I don't think so.
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You may have noticed the absence of actual owl motifs in this coord. Whilst I love owls in general, most owl things that I own aren’t wearable - and what was, i.e. earrings, ended up in the
earrings purge (though granted, at the time of writing I still haven’t actually found a way to dispose of what I decided to part with). However, owls are a symbol of wisdom and learning, so instead I decided to accessorise with
another favourite motif of mine: books. The
Bottled Stardust brooch is there as a subtle nod to magic, with Archimedes being a wizard’s familiar, while everything else is to reflect the wisdom that he imparts on the characters and the audience throughout the film in his typical sarcastic way.
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This headbow has a very faint writing print on it, which we could say is more references to owls and wisdom.
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It seems that for the most part my Disneybounding coords are all about them berets, which is not a bad thing. The option is there to either leave the beret out completely, since my natural hair would provide all the colour balance required in an all-brown outfit, or I could bring a spare brown headbow for a bit of variety. Then again, this is for Disneybounding at WDW eventually, so the fewer hair accessories that might escape or get lost the better in the long run.
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Cats: getting on things they shouldn't since time immemorial.
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Lastly: a quick bonus! This is what trying to do flatlay photos looks like with cats. Several attempts were made at moving the boi away, but he just would not be kept away from all this textile goodness. I drew the line at him trying to eat the beret, at which point a punishment of banishment from the room had to be imposed, but not before capturing his disruptive attempts in photographic form.
The Park
With the previous outfits in this series so far I usually had a clear vision of where each look would be worn. Other than Disney Springs for shopping and the Grand Floridian for fancy afternoon tea, which were on my list of things to do and which haven’t had a look dedicated to them yet, I’ve covered all the main parks already - and I don’t think that this is one for either of those two.
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Picture specifically selected to show off how Archimedes' brown colours would work around Magic Kingdom.
Photo by Jeff Krause on Flickr.
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If anything, Archimedes seems best fit to Magic Kingdom. Animal Kingdom, for all the obvious reasons, tends to focus more on the Asian and African ecosystems, where your standard brown owl doesn’t really fit. The Sword in the Stone is also one of the older Disney films, maybe not quite the iconic classic, but still from the era of classic animation - Magic Kingdom, with its focus on classic Disney and all those castle vibes, really is the best fit for this. He would get along hanging out with the Sleeping Beauty’s fairy godmothers or telling Gaston off that he’s not all that.
Summary
For once, there isn’t much to say here. The coord is pretty much ready, no special additions required, all that remains to do is wait and see if I decide to take it with me whenever the WDW trip happens.
