Brand Extension

You all know the hippo effect, don't you? You have one ceramic hippo on your desk, because you thought it was a bit silly and cute, and then in some kind of group delusion (and over your feeble protests) everyone suddenly thinks you collect hippos? And you get hippo-related items at every gift-giving occasion for the rest of your life (or until you put a ceramic owl on your mantel ...)

Anyway, I think that I have now benefited from the hippo effect, since Anna kindly pointed out to me the eBay auction for a Liberty scarf (don't bother clicking, I bid and won already). On the one hand, I don't really wear scarves (although I have a Scrabble-print one I'm understandably fond of). Printed scarves usually need a plain outfit, and you know how many of THOSE I have (not many). But, on the other hand: Liberty! Fountain pens! In bright colors!

So perhaps I have transitioned from someone who merely sews with Liberty fabrics to being someone who collects Liberty-print *things*. (With any luck only flat ones ...)

And did I ever tell y'all that my darling husband got me THESE for Christmas? And that the current state of "Always winter and never Christmas" here in Chicago is pushing back the date when I can start wearing them every day?

Too bad I can't conceive of an outfit (other than a Halloweeny "Homage to Liberty" costume) that could include BOTH these items. Suggestions welcome in the comments.

Comments

[Deirdre]

LOL You're on your own mixing those two prints! Maybe all black? That way your neck will think it's Monday, while your feet can pretend it's Tuesday?Good luck. I have faith that if anyone can pull it off, it's you!

[Michelle]

LOL! Funny you should mention odd collections. My mom's maiden name is Hipple so she, as well as her parents have a HUGE collection of everything hippo. You're post was ironically funny to me : D

[Lydia]

I want a pair of those Converse so bad it hurts me.Hurts. Me.

[chelsea]

Denim skirt and a plain t-shirt or button-down shirt, or a denim shirt dress. With all that neutral in between, the prints would pop.

[Sarah]

In college I ended up with the "Winnie the Pooh" variant of the "hippo effect." I still have one mug, but got rid of everything else long ago.

[Gaile]

That scarf would make a FANTASTIC lining for a new bag - something olive green perhaps, plain on the outside, and inside a bright surprise. Or a felted laptop cover lining.

[PhantomMinuet]

I'm the same way about Schiaparelli silk scarves. I have a couple dozen of them, and I love them madly, but I never wear them. I just open the drawer and admire the colors, from time to time. :-)

[Kristen]

what a guy! my husband always buys me better shoes than i would buy myself. it's great. i think gaile's got it perfect with the bag lining idea! Of course, I just don't wear a lot of scarves, except the bumpy, wooly kind.

[Rebecca]

I want to put in an emphatic bid for printed scarves with printed dresses. I do it all the time. I make sure the colors are on speaking terms and then I'm off and running. My favorite vintage store has baskets of scarves lying around and I just can't tell you how much fun it has added to a wardrobe that is already a lot more fun than is probably strictly sane. I wear the short ones knotted in perky bows, as originally intended, and the longs ones wrapped multiple times, a la Bohemia, or as belts.

[Anonymous]

I call this the "unicorn phenonmenon." When I was twelve my grandmother gave me a ceramic unicorn. Naturally, I thanked her for it. Suddenly, every relative started giving me unicorn statues. My private hell ended when I went off to college and presumably became 'too old' for unicorns. Hurrah!

[Anonymous]

Erin, I'm disappointed in you. Someone who wears the kind of print you do, in public at that, surely can't balk at a little print mixing?? Where's your sense of adventure?

[Anonymous]

Yup wear em together with a big smile!

[Margot]

OT - but I adore Georgette Heyer, just got an old ex-lib from '68 for 99cents. Wish, oh wish, I could have the kind of copies I first read her in, with wonderful end papers and dust jackets. But, alas, they go for hundreds on ebay. Sigh. love the shoes too. Why not removable collar and cuffs too and even the thing you put over your false button placket on the front of the shirtwaist? ALL Matching. tee hee, JUST kidding.

[Margot]

OT - but I adore Georgette Heyer, just got an old ex-lib from '68 for 99cents. Wish, oh wish, I could have the kind of copies I first read her in, with wonderful end papers and dust jackets. But, alas, they go for hundreds on ebay. Sigh. love the shoes too. Why not removable collar and cuffs too and even the thing you put over your false button placket on the front of the shirtwaist? ALL Matching. tee hee, JUST kidding.

[Alicia]

I had no idea the hippo effect was so affiliated with, well, hippos. I thought it was just my grandmother. Years ago she found a artistic hippo statue, bought it, and let it sit next to the fireplace. A few years after that a little metal hippo joined it. It wasn't that she particularly liked hippos - as an artist she just really liked THESE two hippos and made the mistake of putting them near each other. Now, a couple decades later, she has well over a thousand hippos and, after a recent move to a smaller house, has politely put out a "no more hippos" call. Sadly my grandfather LIKES bald eagle stuff but putting together his three eagle statues and two pictures has yet to garner the response the hippos did. And an attempted but subverted hippo effect in my life - in 5th grade my mother decided I liked carousel horses and started my "collection" of them. Fortunately others who would normally have contributed knew me better and, after a year where anything carousel-related would quietly get stashed away in the recesses of my closet, it stopped.

[Anonymous]

ah yes, chicago....I lived there once upon a time and loved it except for the nearly nonexistent spring. As my landlord always said, "don't pack away the winter clothing until Memorial Day."

[Anonymous]

ah yes, chicago....I lived there once upon a time and loved it except for the nearly nonexistent spring. As my landlord always said, "don't pack away the winter clothing until Memorial Day."

[Anonymous]

Is it bad that I actually collect hippos? Without a convenient name to excuse it?I even have a skirt I made that has cartoon hippos on it.I'd be bland and wear it with solid colours. But since colours are an adventure for me in the first place, my advice probably shouldn't be taken.

[Anonymous]

At my house it's rabbits. Doing a different kind of multiplying, I guess. And I, too, have scarves but haven't worn them. Gifts, every one, and they're of good quality, but no matter how I tie them I look like a boy scout. It's true some people can't wear certain things, but I blame the dress or blouse and continue to search and sew!Dawn

[Anonymous]

Hippos aside, was that an XTC reference? :-)

[Meg]

Lord have mercy, I can always check this blog for something unusual!!!! Love it!

[Hyena In Petticoats]

The Liberty scarf is gorgeous. Plus, you could do a lot worse than a Liberty collection...! I just bought a pattern off Etsy that I'm pretty sure you'll die over.....it has pockets. And removable collar and cuffs. And a crazy bodice seam you could totally do piping on. Check it out: http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=7439701Love your blog, by the way. I'm teaching myself to sew properly, and you've been invaluable so far. Thankyou! Leah xx

[Anonymous]

I was following that scarf too! Nice choice!

[La BellaDonna]

For the scarf-owners but not wearers amongst us, I would point out that what you HAVE is actually ... a piece of fabric. If it has frustrated you in its refusal to tie attractively around your neck, or fit suitably into your life, remember that (depending on its size, and how many of them you have) they can be turned into:a straight skirt (that pashmina wrap for those evening events you don't have? makes a mighty nice straight skirt!)a gathered or gored skirt, if you got two long scarves that matched, on purpose, for that very reasona shell blouse or camisolea vesta bolero-type wrap (two short seams lengthwise on a rectangular scarf, thus: ---- O ----put handles on it, and you have a bag or totea fabric hatseparate collars and cuffs"focus" pieces on another garment: pockets; collars and cuffs; front placketpillows, stuffed and tossed about in bright shiny piles, instead of hiding in drawersstuffed animals pipingYou don't have to leave those scarves in the drawer!

[Helen (Secret Lentil)]

Whatever you do, don't ever buy a clown painting. That's all I'm saying.