Introducing Side Order!
A deep dive into Bode ft. ÀLC's unofficial fashion correspondent Maddie Sensibile
I’m *very* excited to introduce you to À La Carte’s new monthly column: Side Order! Each month I’ll take a suggestion from the audience to inspire a grand search for items all over the internet, from the high peaks of one-of-a-kind Etsy treasures to the low valleys of the shopping mall. I’ll ask an expert for their input here and there, too. À La Carte is driven by the idea that the best recommendations come by way of the people you know, and I’ve always loved sharing my vintage finds and things I love with the internet, so this is going to be a fun time.
Our first Side Order topic was submitted by Ana on Instagram: items inspired by Bode’s Fall 2023 presentation, The Crane Estate. I loved this collection, and I was drawn to this idea because while I can’t afford a closet full of Bode right now, the brand encourages a collector’s mindset that doesn’t require a high credit limit. A Bode store feels like a closet filled with special, handmade items that have been accumulated over a lifetime.
I asked my friend Maddie Sensibile, who has encyclopedic knowledge of fashion history and also great style, to weigh in on what makes the brand so special. “I love Bode because it bridges a certain style gap for me that I often find is hard to achieve,” says Maddie. “It gives a sense of, dare I say it, *quiet luxury* through gorgeous tailoring and sumptuous sheer, golden knit dresses while also providing us with much-needed elements of kookiness. I felt the label’s FW23 collection did an exceptionally good job with the concept.”
The Crane Estate’s story centers on founder Emily Bode’s mother, who worked for a period of time in Massachusetts for an eccentric older woman with a lavish antique gown collection, and draws inspiration from old family photographs from the 1960s and 1970s. This season introduced techniques like sequins and beading into their usual repertoire of quilting and embroidery, leaning the collection away from the classic “grandpa’s lake house” vibe the brand is known for. “It’s this vibe of eccentricity from the era of Cecil Beaton and Dali’s parties that just doesn’t exist anymore, combined with more of a countryside feeling and heritage wear,” Maddie describes.
“What sets [Emily Bode] apart from the lot is her ability to bring it all together with a certain level of elegance,” she says. “She’s taken it beyond just repurposed materials and has created a vision and the basis for a fashion house that’s here for the long run.”
As I was pulling items (as promised, high, low, new, and vintage!) for this newsletter, I was thinking a lot about what one would need to look for to achieve the vibe. A lot of what makes Bode so unique is that their pieces truly feel like bespoke items you’d find in the back of a closet at an estate sale, and it’s a look that you can’t easily achieve in a Shopbop haul.
“In regards to finding pieces that speak to Bode’s aesthetic for your closet or home, the key for me is to search for something that feels one-of-a-kind, or literally is,” Maddie says. “It’s also not being afraid of embracing that quirkiness that Bode offers when you’re shopping. My philosophy has always been to wear what I want when I want, no matter someone else’s opinion.”
With that in mind, let’s get into it: below, an assortment of items across a bunch of categories (home, accessories, and obviously clothing) that reflect the themes of The Crane Estate.
Skirt: Jess Meany, $268 — Vintage mules: Etsy, $88 — Necklace: Après Ski, €155
Jacket: Après Ski, €230 — Vintage tapestry: Etsy, $22 — Vest: Lykke Wullf, $175
Flats: Vibi Venezia, $110 — Vintage dress: Etsy, $50 — Bow: RoomShop, $34
Trousers: KasMaria, $415 — Knit polo: J. Crew, $98 — Tote: Nickey Kehoe, $44
Vintage runner: Etsy, $294 — Pants: Tombolo, $128 — Shirt: Jess Meany, $280
Vintage cardigan: Etsy, $92 — Vintage bag: Etsy, $17 — Dress: Zara, $119
I’d love to hear what you want to see for next month’s Side Order! It could be as specific as “things to wear on a sailboat” to something as broad as “kitchen stuff”. Side Orders will be for paid subscribers only moving forward, so if you liked what you saw you can upgrade below!
An enormous thank you to Maddie for being my first Side Order correspondent — I can’t wait to do more of these!
x
Ali
How serendipitous! I just mentioned Bode (their home tour on Milk Decoration) in today's post. I love this side order and what you've put together inspired by Bode. Bravo!