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- Addison Horsell
Lookbook: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Alan Bradley's charming mystery novel and its sequels, which center around chemistry prodigy and amateur sleuth Flavia de Luce, have been an inspiration to many. Soon, the writers and editors of The Postmodern Journal will be hosting a book club discussion of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. To celebrate this fun and unique story, I've put together a little lookbook photoshoot with outfits to represent each of the de Luce sisters.
Daphne
Since "Daffy" de Luce is the bookworm of the family, I made sure to include plenty of old books to complement her simple clothes. A thrifted cotton and lace blouse paired with this mid-length neutral skirt makes a fitting ensemble for this devoted library dweller.
“'Books are like oxygen to a deep-sea diver,' she had once said. 'Take them away and you might as well begin counting the bubbles.'”
― Alan Bradley, I Am Half-Sick of Shadows
Ophelia
"Feely" is the most feminine and grown-up of the three de Luce daughters, so I paired this lovely cream knit top, which has 1940s/50s vibes, with a long wool skirt and my great-grandmother's broach. I thought the dainty tea-cup and curled hair really fit Ophelia's personality.
“Once, when I remarked that she looked like a disoriented bandicoot, she leapt up from the piano bench and beat me within an inch of my life with a rolled-up piano sonata by Schubert. Ophelia has no sense of humor.”
― Alan Bradley, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Flavia
Our precocious, always-two-steps-ahead protagonist is very young for her smarts and abilities, so I tried to create a more youthful look with a knee-length gingham dress and a little hand-me-down sweater. I added an old pair of binoculars in their leather case, along with a small photograph of a woman sporting a "Gibson Girl" hairstyle and Edwardian clothing. I brought the photo because I thought it could resemble Flavia's deceased mother, Harriet.
“I wanted to cry.
I also wanted to go to my laboratory and prepare an enormous batch of nitrogen triiodide with which to blow up, in a spectacular mushroom cloud of purple vapor, the world and everyone in it.”
― Alan Bradley, Speaking from Among the Bones
Have you read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie or Alan Bradley's other books? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.