OLD LACE FEAT. NASTY GAL

This look is giving me major Arsenic + Old Lace vibes and I have to say — I’m not mad about it. The 1944 movie feat. Cary Grant recently came up on my Amazon Watchlist (of course they know that I’m a sucker for black and whites), and I think I was subconsciously thinking about it when I bought this sweater. The dark comedy tells a story of two spinsters who poison and murder a bunch of men they invite into their home with arsenic. It’s of course meant to be more lighthearted, but it got me looking into the history of the character arc of women poisoning men. I stumbled onto a few online pages about Giulia Tofana, a medieval Italian woman who poisoned men as a professional with her famous Aqua Tofana. She’d sell her poison to women in unhealthy and dangerous marriages to basically knock their husbands off. While illegal, I think that’s pretty badass.

Taking a cue from these feminine anti-heroes, I put together this little ensemble last week when we went up to see our parents for Easter. I started with this Nasty Gal Knitted Pom Pom Dimante Button Down Sweater. It seems like something I’d never actually buy and wear because of how pastel it is, but I actually love it. My filters make it look more yellow than it is — it’s a bit more creamy-yellow-beige in person, and the diamond buttons are just the perfect addition to the ruffles and pom poms. It screams vintage and expensive but I literally got it for $27 and I’m so obsessed. I wanted to edge up this girly cardigan with some leather, so I opted for this Faux Leather Buckle Black skirt from Missguided. To tie the look together, I added black sheer tights from Les Belles Co — a tights subscription service that frankly, is pretty genius and I’d highly rec if you love wearing tights and are sick of ripping up drugstore stockings 😂(use my code AL60 for $10 for your first box + free shipping!). I wrapped it up with suede wedges from Jeffrey Campbell and a diamond headband.

And now a quote from a favorite female character who could’ve used some of that Aqua Tofana —

“Oh, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!

The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s eye, tongue, sword,

Th’ expectation and rose of the fair state,

The glass of fashion and the mold of form, Th’ observed of all observers, quite, quite down!”

[Hamlet 3.1]

xx - A. Martine

shop the look