"From Childhood's Hour": Fashion inspiration from my favourite characters

Marilyn Monroe, Bettie Page, Audrey Hepburn: icons to anyone who loves retro style. I've realized, however, that my own style is inspired less by these glamorous women than by a few memorable characters from my childhood. Is it weird that my tastes were apparently set in stone as a small child? Decide for yourself:

#1. Harriet the Spy.

I effing love this book. I could go on about how groundbreaking it was in the world of children's literature for acknowledging the complexity of child psychology, but I've already written that essay. I will share an anecdote from that class though: We were studying Harriet the Spy and I said to a friend in my class how much I always wanted to be Harriet when I was a kid. She looked at me, from my vintage-y glasses and chin-length bob, to my hoodie, cuffed jeans, and converse sneakers, and said "Dude, you are Harriet". I may not wear a tool belt filled with spying devices, but apparently my day-to-day look never matured beyond a character I first read in primary school.

#2. The Secret Garden.

Another one of my favourite books, this movie adaptation came out when I was five. I've always loved Mary's little Edwardian dresses and big floppy Tam o'Shanters. Possibly inspired me to go and knit several of them, like this Yorkshire Tweed Beret, and Basic Aran Tam from One-Skein Wonders.

#3. Mara Wilson in Miracle on 34th Street.

I've been horribly jealous of this little girl for practically my entire life. Look at that coat and hat! All those peter pan collars! Pretty much the only difference between watching this as a six-year-old and watching it as a twenty-something is that now I can appreciate just how hot Dylan McDermott was in that movie. Seriously. Rawr.

#4. Jean and Johnny.

I love Beverly Cleary novels. This edition from the early sixties has all the original illustrations, with the cat-eye glasses, pin-curled hair, and saddle shoes I love so much. Probably explains why I bought these vintage frames:

If you find any saddle shoes in a 7.5, let this girl know.

I'm planning on making a dress out of cheesy Christmas-print fabric for my friend Siobhan's "Ludachristmas" party, and I'm beginning to see how the designs I look at can all be traced back to these memories from my childhood. Eerie.