There is a certain look that’s prevalent among the urban-centered, young(ish), freewheeling females of coastal America and Western Europe, especially on the weekends. You could probably call it boho-lite: There’s usually an army jacket involved, a vintage-looking blouse or sundress, maybe a boy fit jean or something tighter and cooler that alludes to great legs and a past propensity for nightlife. It’s the elder sister of the “model off-duty,” who doesn’t look out of place picking up the kids from school or going on a brunch date. It is a comfortable look, one that ensures you will never look like you are trying too hard. In fact, the only real risk involved is running into someone else wearing the same thing. Sound familiar? It should. This is a Joie girl, they are everywhere, and thanks to VP of design Rachel Wilder-Hill, they should be very happy come spring.
“We always have one foot in California, one foot in Paris,” said Wilder-Hill, by which, of course, she meant they stand astride the very idea of “cool girl.” Wilder-Hill sourced vintage prints from flea markets, her own personal photographs, and wallpaper samples for filmy blouses and tiered sundresses. The prettiest of these was a pale watercolor floral that “came to me in a vision,” she said. Other items (patchworked Indian block prints, vyshyvanka-style embroidery) were more traditionally the stuff of travels abroad and inherited hauls; though as Wilder-Hill pointed out, the Joie girls do “not want to look like they’ve just escaped from their grandmother’s attic.” Reliable best-sellers for the brand like eyelet, crochet, and lace turned up in easy shifts and trapeze tops (all the better to pair with those high-waisted jeans), and the only real challenge, said Wilder-Hill, is finding something new to do with them. Have faith, though: The Joie girl will figure it out.
