Chinoiserie-Inspired Gal Meets Glam Jumpsuit for the Summer

As the end of Summer is drawing near, the weight of the hot and sun-kissed air calls for slightly more intricate patterns and more saturated colors. I love using prints and patterns in my wardrobe all year long, and always encourage my clients to do so as well – and in the Summer in particular, I try to choose ones with a delicate combo of depth and lightness. I’m particularly fond of ones with one color added to white – weaving a web of dimension while keeping a cleaner overall look.

One of my all-time favorites is the Chinoiserie motif — and in this look, I’ve chosen a Gal Meets Glam Darla Jumper in the white-and-blue Chinoiserie-inspired print.

If you’re not familiar with the term chinoiserie (which comes from the French word chinois, or “Chinese,”), it’s a decorative style that originated in the 17th century, when Europe’s trade with China and other countries in the East Asia flourished. It’s essentially a European interpretation of Asian culture and decorative arts, their take on the “exotic” and “undiscovered” from that part of the world, which was intriguing to Europeans as not many of them had traveled to those areas yet, and little was known of the region.

A lot of the Chinoiserie style is a bit of a misinterpretation of the Asian culture, drawn from the artists’ own imagination, and a European take on East Asian artifacts, trying to imitate Asian Style, pairing it with rococo designs which were lavishly embellished and popular at the time.

Chinoiserie was particularly popular with monarchs and aristocracy, present in the palaces of Louis XV of France and King George IV of England, which always makes it feel more regal, celebratory and exclusive. 

The design of this jumpsuit features a blue and white floral print, which bears resemblance to gorgeous porcelain vases from those times, making it interesting and unique and perfect for Summer-time.

The full ingredients of this look are:

1. The GMG Darla Jumpsuit. In addition to the beautiful pattern, the jumpsuit is also super comfortable and very flattering, with a defined waist and wider leg. The pant length works well with flats/sandals or heels/espadrilles. It’s also dressy enough for a special occasion, like a Summer Wedding, but works just as well for an afternoon Brunch/errand run.
2. A Pair of Ochre-colored shoes. To me “ochre” yellow is the epitome of Summers-end. It’s saturated yet classy, and works perfectly with blue and white. These slides are by Coclico and are sold out in this color, but still available in a grayish-green here, and I’ve included some similar styles below.
3. A Pair of Rose-Colored Sunglasses. Because “La Vie En Rose” is how the end of Summer feels. These Banana Republic specs are clean and classy with a touch of glamour. I love their slightly more rectangular shape, which reads polished and fresh.
4. A Gold-Hardware Bag. I chose this Balenciaga Edge City Small Bag in a soft neutral tone to compliment the outfit, without being too distracting. The golden hardware goes nicely with the yellow shoes and warm-colored sunglasses.

I hope this inspires you to add some fun patterns (maybe even Chinoiserie-inspired) to your end of Summer looks! Please feel free to share the outfits you create via Instagram, using hashtag #ModnitsaOutfit in your posts, and I’ll be sure repost them on my stories!

Photography by Leslie Moncada