Peggy Olson

My apologies in advance for the picture overload, but I'm more than a little in love with my new Peggy Olson dress from River Island!


What does it say about me as a person that I'm a million times more inspired by "dowdy" Peggy than by bombshell Joan or pretty princess Betty? It's not like I don't like their clothes, I really do. But they are TOO perfect, almost like Barbiedolls. Peggy is a real girl with a practical wardrobe that wavers between business appropriate and girly, with a bit of prissy thrown in for good measure. I just adore how she mixes practicality and girlish innocence in such a wearable and, dare I say, MODERN way. She looks very 60s, but the way she puts it all together in a real day to day look feels very modern to me. 

I never get it how girls get inspired by runway collections or, let's say, ballgowns. Seriously, runway collections or ballgowns have NOTHING to do with my life. I can find them aesthetically pleasing, but they don't inspire me in a way that I go "OOOH I want to look like that tomorrow". OK, sometimes they do, but most of the time it just feels way too foreign to me. My theory is that Alexa Chung is actually such a popular IT GIRL because she usually wears outfits that are quite casual and wearable to the events she's invited to. Not another bandage dress, but a cool T-shirt, vintage style accessories, a jacket, cute shorts and fierce shoes. THIS is something the every day girl can relate too. I don't know about you, but I don't wear bandage dresses or frilly concoctions to class.

this makes me go "I WANT EVERY SINGLE PIECE and I need to try socks with heels"

while this just makes me go "yeah, she looks beautiful"

Am I making any sense or am I just blabbing on? Another thing Alexa does so well is the fact that she actually STYLES her outfits. Not just dress+shoes, but dress, cardigan, coat, socks, shoes, bag. Much more interesting, and much more realistic.

Peggy and Alexa have a lot in common. LIKE COLLARS


I've said it once and I'll say it again: collars are my kryptonite.


My new dress has a collar too! IT WAS MEANT TO B GURLS
dress: River Island
coat, tights: Pimkie
cardigan: H&M
shoes: vintage (T2)
belt: boyfriend's


PS: my FAVORITE vintage shop (T2, just off the Meir) is having their monthly sales YOU GUYS! Everyone in Belgium should come to Antwerp tomorrow to buy lovely goodies for 1 euro a pop. I scored: two adorable sixties mod style dresses (with COLLARS), one pretty beige polkadotted dress (with COLLAR), a navy blue top (with a SAILOR COLLAR), a white crochet top (with a COLLAR) and a turtle neck (obviously with a collar). All that for 6 euro. Srsly. Is this heaven? Also: maybe I'm taking this collar thing too far.

PPS: I did my space nails again. For a tutorial, see here.

44 comments

  1. *Tear* I looooove that dress!!! it's absolutely beautiful!!! I waaant!

    Lauren
    Sparrow & Urchin

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  2. beautiful dress! it seems very similar to something that january jones would have worn on mad men.

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  3. Gorgeous outfit, I love everything about it! :)

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  4. I totally get your point although that is probably just because I feel quite similarly. I adore some of the Betty outfits and would happily wear a few of them but Peggy's style is just my kind of quirky.

    Your dress is just beautiful. Love the plaid/colours/swish and of course the collar. :D Serious collar love :)

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  5. LOVE that dress! And so true, I like more casual looks because I can actually see myself wearing them :D
    http://www.closet-fashionista.com/

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  6. I fucking love it!!! GREAT post! Peggy Olson is my favorite lady on Mad Men and I love her sort of nerdy-girl vibe. I relate to Peggy and I relate to you! The dress is amazing! And i can't wait to see how you style your new goodies! I thrifted a pair of kickass bellbottom jeans today and an awesome sweater i can't even really describe. I need more collars in my wardrobe though... xoxo

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  7. You are making total sense! I feel this way with bloggers right now... if they are too over the top and wear things that I could never afford or would wear then I stop reading! I am loving your orange sweater, such a pretty colour on you!

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  8. ahh I am such a fan of alexa chung

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  9. I totally know what you mean about casual style vs. runway style - I get more inspired by casual styles and see runway stuff more as like installation art pieces (pretty but not functional). And I love the plaid dress!

    xoxo ~ Courtney
    http://sartorialsidelines.blogspot.com

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  10. This dress looks beautiful on you!! I LOVE how you paired it with the orange jacket... so so pretty!

    www.thejoyoffashion.blogspot.com

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  11. Wow! That dress was cute in the picture, but it looks way better on you! I agree about Alexa's style-- when you flip through a magazine like "In Style" or "People," all you see are those frilly designer frocks and shoes, but can feel overdone and fake. That's why we do what we do :)
    La Petite Marmoset

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  12. I definitely agree with your thought on why Alexa is such an IT girl. Her clothes do look so wearable. I think my dream would be to have a closet full of amazing clothes I could wear everywhere, rather than a closet of amazing ball gowns.

    Great cozy sweater too :)

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  13. That dress looks so lovely on you!!!!! It is indeed a great buy/great find. I am also in love with your loafers. I completely agree with what you said about styling/beauty. That first photo made me go "military jacket DAMN" and the second was like "yeah... she's really good looking and that dress is really fancy." It's beautiful, but it's not inspiring.

    Also also, collars 4ever.

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  14. I 100% get it, gurl. I want wearable, with a twist of fantasy, but more wearable. I like to get weird with shoes maybe, or with color, but if I can't wear it a bunch of different ways, why bother? I'm too broke for that shiz and I also don't have any invites to anywhere fancy enough to require a super duper frilly frou frou dress. Although, you in that H&M Lanvin dress...pretty fab.

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  15. I LOVEEE the color of your cardigan- it's gorgeous! And the print on your dress! You're like a doll!

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  16. pretty pretty! Love the bold pattern & colors. The orange does the perfect trick to offset the whole look!

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  17. I looove this dress the pattern on it is amazing!!! Its such a great fit too, I want one like this. And I really love it with that cardigan & trench. You totally remind me of Alexa Chung.
    xJennaD

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  18. I luuuurve that dress, it is gorgeous on you. Peggy has such great clothes but I HATE her horrid fringe x

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  19. aagghh I was at T2 Antwerp a couple of weeks ago!!! cant go no as in middle of moving out!
    I understand what you mean about Peggy, I adore her, and Alexa and your styling preferences, as they are mine too!!! :P although I'm not that obsessed by collars, seriously girl, you have a pathology there :):)
    Love this look and that cardie is your best investment ever!! xxx

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  20. Beautiful dress and very Peggy Olson indeed! I agree with you about Alexa Chung, I love her style and it's the fact that although her clothes are mostly designer and usually very expensive, her style can be "copied" using affordable pieces from our closets. And in your previous post the outfit was very much Alexa style! xxx

    http://stripesandscarlets.blogspot.com

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  21. Staat je heel leuk! Superleuke schoentjes ook :)
    Ik snap wat je bedoelt met de "prom dress"/alexa chung look, ik denk dat ik beide ook wel kan appreciëren. Maar idd, Alexa's outfits zijn veel geschikter voor het dagelijkse leven, en zien er ook veel cooler uit! (Ik heb dat gestreepte cardigan ding zelfs dat ze daar aanheeft, zij combineert het duidelijk cooler dan ik, ik draag het ook bijna nooit :D mss moet ik even naar de foto staren voor inspiratie :))

    brunetteblogging.com

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  22. I want want want a dress like this! I love it! I've fallen in love with collars as well. But it's a really strange thing, don't you agree? Like a couple of years ago I would have never ever worn a collar because I would think I looked as my grandma. But now? Gee, I'm swept off my feet! :) And yesterday I got in my post a really pretty floral collar from one lovely girl from Germany, going to make a post about it this evening or tomorrow, stay tuned! I think you'll like it :)

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  23. Why can't River Island come to the States? We have the shittiest stores (Gap, Oldnavy, Pacsun...) I mean some states have H&M, which is cool, but they don't carry half the stuff that they do in Europe. (Sorry for my little vent, I just LOVE that dress, and all the dresses you get from River Island..hehe)

    And I agree, Peggy is the best dressed lady in Mad Men. She doesn't have to sex it up for a man's respect, which I love!

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  24. okay. yes. I love this. it's going to be modest fashion inspiration of the day. you're going to end up featured quite often, you know? hahahaha. http://rubyeyedokapi.tumblr.com/

    I totally would also wear this outfit. It's gorgeous. You make it look great though anyway.

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  25. Hey meid, thanks for your comment, it was a lovely one. (eigenlijk zijn het curry kousen, maar in de zon blijken ze geel te zijn). Wat een geweldige blog heb je. Het kleed is echt fantastisch, er zit zoveel leven en beweging in. De cardigan vind ik echt super, die kleur en textuur, gewoon fantastisch. En dan die smile, please never stop smiling. Geweldig dat ik op deze manier je blog heb ontdekt.

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  26. Love the dress! Looks like it came out from a different era, you look so feminine and pretty!

    http://blog.cessoviedo.com

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  27. I loove your dresses and your blog is lovely. I like your vintage style too. Take a look at my blog: http://ciocolataneagra.blogspot.com

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  28. Peggy is awesome, and so are you! This looks fantastic!
    Anyway, don't worry about loving collars so much, you're not the only one :)
    PS: I am SO jealous of all your one euro vintage finds!

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  29. You look fantastic in your new dress. I am so glad that makes you so very happy.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  30. beautiful dress!! you look soo pretty! :)

    katslovefashion.blogspot.com

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  31. You look great on that dress!*_*
    Anyway, I love Peggy, she always looks great!

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  32. I agree so much with your comments about celebrity style. I've been watching the award show season styles rather ambivalently thing year, because honestly most of the dresses actresses wear are so boring to me. Other bloggers or entertainment reporters will be like "OMG Olivia Wilde's black sparkly dress blah blah blah" and I look at it and think....hmmmm it's pretty. But honestly it just looks like a million other dresses. It seems like everyone walking the red carpet is so careful about everything, and use stylists and aren't innovative. It's such a shame, since they have access to designers and clothes none of us humble bloggers will ever be able to touch, much less wear.

    Stephanie
    http://stephthebird.blogspot.com/

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  33. I too love your dress. Fab checks :)

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  34. I loooove this dress! It looks great with the orange cardigan and belt, and those shoes are amazing :D
    Totally agree about real outfits vs. unrealistic, untouchable concoctions!!
    M xo

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  35. ahh I am such a fan of alexa chung

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  36. You are making total sense! I feel this way with bloggers right now... if they are too over the top and wear things that I could never afford or would wear then I stop reading! I am loving your orange sweater, such a pretty colour on you!

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  37. LOVE that dress! And so true, I like more casual looks because I can actually see myself wearing them :D
    http://www.closet-fashionista.com/

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  38. Gorgeous outfit, I love everything about it! :)

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  39. beautiful dress! it seems very similar to something that january jones would have worn on mad men.

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