Confronting the T Legs

6a00e5508e95a988330133ec4777e4970b-300wi.jpg

Cooperative-designs-spring-summer-2010-look16>> I'm a loser who backtracks on her words.  I've expressed misgivings about words such as 'tribal' and 'ethnic', words thrown around quite loosely in fashion because more specific terminology is not at hand to give definition.

What do I find myself buying?  Some crochet leg warmers from the Cooperative Designs S/S 10 collection that can only really be described as 'tribal'.  Though strictly speaking, the collection itself is a tribue to all things Bauhaus which confuses the issue further.  Nonetheless, there's no getting away from that t word and no, I cannot tell you what bloody tribe it is other than the aesthetic is from that big, gigantic, continent called Africa (do you despair when you hear kids on buses declaring Africa is a country…?)

T word aside, these legwarmers (hmm… might need to rethink the name here as clearly they're not going to be err… keeping the pins warm..) form quite possibly the trickiest item in my wardrobe.  Once you get the knots and ties all sorted, the panels all in the right place, the loops all hoisted up and plus the fact I needed a suspender belt to keep the whole structure up and running, it does take a good five minutes to ensure everything is a-ok.  Still, it's five minutes well-spent and since their first outing in Paris a couple of weeks ago (complete with flailing hair et goofy expression…), these have been itching to be experimented with more…

Paris1 Paris2
(Photograph by Mr Newton for Refinery 29 // Photograph by Phil Oh of Streetpeeper – wearing Krystof Strozyna blazer over vintage polka dot rainmac, gradiated tights, TUK creepers, White Triumpet dot cut-out tee over Whistles jumper, Jennifer Loiselle headband and Full Circle clutch)

For now though, let's just simply count the knots (14 in both legs), loops (four straight forward straps for the ankles) and toe straps (two…for the big toes)… yes, I now own an item of clothing with TOE straps…let's try and top that, yah?

Oh, and thank you sun for deigning to pop out so that I don't feel bad that these aren't actually warming the legs…

DSC_1243 DSC_1249

DSC_1251

DSC_1242

49 comments

  2. this is so awesome!! this maybe is my fave outfit of yours!!
    btw, i read your interview on Apple Daily today, the 1:1 display of you is very nice!! hearing you speak in Cantonese is the funniest, ha!

  3. So unbelievably cool, I love how versatile they are, with sandals or even brogues.

  9. Don’t stay out in the sun too long in them though, Suze- you’d end up with some VERY strange tan lines.

  12. these are something that i would never consider looking at in a shop or the like, but look lovely, especially with those sandals-they way they look is worth the amount of time it takes to put them on

  13. these are amazing, especially with those sandals. good call with the whole ethnic and tribal terminology. I made a post not long ago and I wanted to describe how exotic the looks were, and how they transport me to some far away place, and I felt like I had to describe it as tribal chic.

  20. I’ve never seen these anywhere before, and they are so completely impractical, and complicated, but they look so fabulous, especially with the sandals! I could see wearing those in the summer with shorts just like you’ve styled them here, or with skirts. Once again, another great Susie inspiration!

  21. I am way too fidgety…I would be messing with those leggings all day! Everyone would be telling me “stop touching them!”
    Love the blazer/raincoat layered look.

  25. those are insane. not sure if I can imagine anyone else pulling them off besides you. You could describe them as geometric, which incorporates both elements of “tribal” and Bauhaus. melina bee

  27. I’m too impatient to ever give these a go but…I love how they look on. I like how they look almost skeletal!

  28. quite impresive ¬øleg warmers? nah leg enhancers maybe…they draw the eye to the legs which is always nice

  38. not only do they look great, particularly with the sandals; but they would be actually flattering to thick legs (such as mine) because of the centre panels. Another time, could you show us the back and the side view?
    I can imagine these in a knee-hi version, which I think would be even more popular.

  41. Susie, these are amazing! I love how you’re wearing them here, and I’m looking forward to seeing them worked with different outfits in the future.
    PS: People saying ‘He’s from Africa’ is completely rubbish. Some people need to be educated.
    xx-LJ from SOS!

  42. Noted about the tan lines EJ!
    Re buying them… These are not available online but please do contact Cooperative Designs directly through their website to see about buying from them directly…!

Comments are closed.