Sunday, May 20, 2012

Vanitas Love Affair

H&M Skull Bracelets


Perhaps it is due to my study of and love for Dutch still-life painting, or perhaps it is because I am a dark and depressed soul but I have recently become obsessed with skulls and everything related to Vanitas paintings. The term Vanitas refers to a genre of art that emerged in Northern Europe during the 17th Century. These paintings differed from regular still-lifes in that they contained symbols of death, the most common being the skull. The skull is a little dark, a little macabre but I absolutely love it.

Still Life with Bouquet and Skull (1642) by Adrian van Utrecht


Nowadays it is super easy to incorporate the skull motif into your everyday look. First pioneered by the late Alexander McQueen, the skull is now a common fixture in fashion. One of my favorite ways to rock the skull is in a bracelet form. You can find skull bracelets almost anywhere from fast-fashion retailers like H&M to higher end jewelry companies like the 2011 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalist Finn Jewelry.


Carras Skull Bracelet
$28 available at shopthegallaxy.com





Finn Black Silver Skull on Cord
$150 available at finnjewelry.com


Although I may be a dark and dreary soul I love juxtaposing the skull motif with something more romantic and dreamy such as roses or other bright flowers (must be the fag in me). One of my favorite images is when the skull is completely composed of cutesy little flowers and butterflies such as one this t-shirt from H&M, which is only $5.95 USD.




















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