Introducing... Isobel Oval!
[ 27 May 2009 ]
Who is Isobel Oval? She’s a girl I invented years ago, & usually played side-kick to my favourite character, Diana Risk. I used to write stories about them & their various misadventures. They were best friends, living in Stockholm, Sweden, & were constantly getting into trouble. When I first dreamt them up, Diana & Isobel had a lot of problems, but as they get older, they seem to be slightly better behaved… But only slightly!
Isobel is tall & pale, with white-blonde hair cut into a sharp bob & a very feline face. (She used to have a huge pile of white dreadlocks, & would hide things in them when she went shoplifting.) Her wardrobe is a combination of gifts from wealthy ex-boyfriends, chain store treasures & stolen pieces from all over the place.
Isobel likes ginger wine, spending time with Diana, loud music, breaking hearts, browsing prison penpal websites & getting dressed up. She mostly lives in a one-bedroom apartment in Gamla stan, which is painted entirely white & illuminated by clear fairy lights, but splits her time between Sweden, Los Angeles & New York.
See by Chloé tank worn with Topshop petal-cut skirt. An Emilio Pucci bracelet & feather earrings from Miss Selfridge add more colour. Shoes by Acne, Oasis & Nicole Brundage. (Product information.)
On Monday, Isobel went to therapy & grimaced at her doctor, then called her father & told him she wanted to stop going. That afternoon, she painted her toenails royal blue while watching old episodes of America’s Next Top Model. Later on, she went to the supermarket, spent an hour reading the food packaging labels, & flirted shamelessly with everyone who worked there. (She also couldn’t pick a pair of shoes, so changed them multiple times.)
Betsey Johnson dress with hot pink Dr Marten 14-ups. Headband from Girlprops, gloves from ASOS, Tarina Tarantino necklace, Lolita Lempicka perfume & OPI nail-polish in Sahara Sapphire. (Product information.)
On Tuesday, Isobel went out to dinner with James. He had a wife it would be too much trouble to divorce, & so James & Isobel had a “mutually beneficial” relationship. They had been seeing each other for about five months. “Now, I can’t take you to Cannes this year,” he said, running a finger along her jawline while staring at her over-glossed pout, “but I can make it up to you.” When he dropped her home, he handed her an envelope containing $7000.
Helmut Lang tank worn with jeans by Republic, Alexander McQueen heels, a Thomas Wylde handbag & a chaos signet ring. (Product information.)
On Wednesday, after banking the majority of James’ cash (she was trying responsibility on for size), Isobel ate most of a jar of caviar while walking circles around her apartment & singing along to The Beta Band’s The Three EPs. When she couldn’t sing any more, she pulled her emerald green typewriter out of the closet, sat down with a lollipop in her mouth, & started writing love poems to no one in particular.
Bamford wool jacket worn with Forever 21 skirt, AM sunglasses, slouchy knit beret, & a Ramones belt. Topped off with Alexander McQueen studded booties, fingerless skeleton gloves & OPI’s Kinky In Helsinki nail-polish. (Product information.)
On Thursday, Isobel went to her favourite art store in the city & spent an hour running her fingers along the jars & stacks of pencils. Later in the day, she met Diana at a wine bar & they lamented their lack of exciting love prospects. “I think I’d like a boyfriend who had just undergone jaw surgery,” Diana said, “so that his mouth was wired shut. I’d like to have him around to look at, just not to communicate with.” Isobel laughed, but knew that Diana was speaking the absolute truth.
Marchesa lace dress & Alexander McQueen booties. Ring & necklace by Karen Millen, gloves by ASOS & dachshund clutch bag. Inside the puppy belly? iPhone, Moleskine, condoms, & a Swarovski-encrusted pen. (Product information).
On Friday, after an afternoon filled with watercolour experiments, Isobel got dressed up & went to her friend’s book release party. The crowd was varied — from an award-winning moustache-grower to fashion designers to a family of circus midgets — & a charming Italian girl read her palm & invited her to a nearby rooftop, where they drank beers & met a group of anarchists who were running around setting off fireworks.
Erin Wasson tank & knickers from Forever 21, with turquoise socks, Alexander McQueen booties, French heart necklaces & a copy of People Look Like Flowers At Last by Charles Bukowski. (Product information.)
On Saturday morning, hungover & still wearing yesterday’s gloves, boots & jewellery, Isobel blinked herself awake. She looked across the bed at her companion. She raked her fingers through her hair & prodded the person lying next to her. When they cracked an eye open, Isobel asked, “Do I know you?” “No,” they answered. “Well, then, I think you should leave.” They left, half-dressed. Isobel spent the rest of the day baking chocolate & lavender cupcakes for Diana, lying down reading poems with her feet in the air, & sticking glow-in-the-dark stars all over her apartment.
Gucci dress, blazer by Preen, Frye harness boots worn with silver feather necklace & Jessica Kagan Cushman “lust” ring. (Product information.)
On Sunday, Isobel went to the theatre with an art collector she used to date. One of his favourite activities used to be pouring champagne all over her body while playing Tears For Fears at an excessive volume. Towards the end of their relationship, he had tried to suffocate her with a pillow, but they had since forgiven & forgotten. Halfway through the play they got bored, gate-crashed a friend’s party & jumped in the swimming pool with all their clothes on. Isobel walked home hours later, totally soaked with her mascara running down her face, smiling at everyone who gave her a worried look.
Love letters & feather headdresses,
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“I think I’d like a boyfriend who had just undergone jaw surgery,” Diana said, “so that his mouth was wired shut. I’d like to have him around to look at, just not to communicate with.” — HAHA!!! classic, classic.
gala, you are adorable. i love when you do these — you have such a knack for storytelling, and the outfits to go with it are just wonderful to look at!
XO!
Your outfits are always so inventive, Gala, I don’t know how you do it! I especially love Wednesday’s outfit. I can totally see myself rocking that. I am also, coincidentally, a walking-in-circles sort of eater. I can’t sit still with my food!
And did I miss it, or have you posted the winner to the shoe contest last week yet? (I’m not hassling you, I promise! xo)
I do love this post.
now i need to know why isobel loves diana so much?????????
not that i dont think diana is cool….but i need details :)
This Isobel chick sounds a lot like me (and I’m not exactly sure if that’s good or bad..). Rad post.
amazing and delightful
I hope you write more stories of Isobel soon
they’re positively brilliant and I absolutely adore the Betsy Johnson dress.
Love this story! And all the amazing outfits. What I wouldn’t give to have all that in my closet :)
this inspired your readers to become more rebellious and unleash their inner isobel. thank you.
sincerely, M
Oh Gala, you know we (the loving readers) adore these imaginative and creative characters you create.
How you spoil us! ;)
Fucking Love It. Can’t wait until your genius feels like doing more fiction!
I love the story snippets. It reminds me so much of Francesca Lia Block’s characters and writing style. Maybe there could be a fullblown Isobel and Diana novel(lette?) someday.
This is where it is at. Nice work!
Jaka Merriman — I wrote one actually, years ago. I called it a novella but it isn’t, it’s just a long short story with several chapters. I read through it again the other day which is what reminded me of the girls… A lot of it is mega-cringe material but there are some hilarious parts.
This was a totally fun read! I love those pink boots, a may have to save up for them…or maybe just use some student loan money to purchase them…we’ll see.
I would sleep in those pink boots if I owned them.
Brilliant. I think I agree with some folks that you just inspired an inner Isobel to come out into the world. Also, the outfits are genius. I am positively dying to be able to afford all that stuff…and figure out how to put it all together on my own, haha. I’m so inept sometimes.
I would sooo wear Thursdays outfit! That’s amazing! Maybe I will try incorporating the preppy blazer into my wardrobe.
One Question: Why don’t we do weekly resolutions anymore? I really liked them and think we whould go back to doing them!
This was fun to read! I think my favorite was Friday.
I always love your fictional character posts and these outfits are to diiiieeeeee for. Monday and Wednesday especially, but I love Sunday too (especially the blazer).
Makes me wanna go out and find a rich older boyfriend so I can get my material accumulation on. ;)
Is anyone else besides me wondering why they’re Swedish? Tee hee.
I liked the story. It seems like something out of an editiorial in Vogue…except far better! I’d like to see more of this.
Thank you for being so sweet about this piece! I’ve been really busy moving/packing/travelling & haven’t done any writing in forever, so it is a relief to get back into it, though it was much harder than usual!
DH — They live in Sweden because when I invented them I was totally obsessed with the place! Though Diana is actually British, & moved there when she was about 15… Maybe I will get into the more of the back-story some time soon!
That was hilarious & lovely & made my day!
Adorable!
I love these little snippets!
I’m at a crossroads of what/who I can be right now and these are just perfect thank you.
I really hope you bring out a book sometime, so I can carry the magic around with me.
Oh boy, I really enjoyed reading this! You always pick out the craziest, most amazing SHOES and accessories! Im very lustful for some kinky studded heels!
On the other hand, a while ago I bought some patent pink docs (SO WORTH IT) and I have no idea how to take care of them! They scuff and flake easily, I dont know what to do to keep them nice! But I get comments every time I wear them, they are MAGNIFICANT :)
YES! I love this. Please Diana’s story, next.
I adore when you’re creating characters for your Polyvore sets (and vice versa). These snippets are always so creative and inspirational.
But… am I the only one who thinks that James giving Isobel 7000$ looks A LOT like prostitution? To me, there’s a huge difference between giving someone a gift or taking them along for an experience and giving them cold hard cash.
This reminded me a lot of Francesca Lia Block! Not necessarily the writing style, but the characters and their personalities! I would love to read more of these, and it was an interesting touch to add Isobel’s outfit of the day! I especially loved the first outfit, and how she couldn’t decide on a pair of shoes! I can relate! ;)
love love love that story. and the outfits. and everything. it’s actually my favourite piece you have ever posted. it’s amazing. love!
i love the post!!! i can’t wait to read more about isobel and diana!!
Gala – it’s starting to look like you’ll need to add a captcha to the comments. :/
The outfits are lovely, and a real inspiration! Though like Theremina, the $7000 does make Isobel sound like a lady working in the escort trade to me, even if she doesn’t think of herself like that.
Love & hugs,
that marchesa dress….sigh, i am in love!
You make me happy.
My imaginary life [yes, for myself] is magical.
p.s.
I want glow in the dark stars all over my walls now.
Very cute. I miss the made up characters and their clothes.
more more more! i love your fictional characters and the outfits that go with them; they are so much fun to read and extremely inspiring aussi. i’d like to hear all about Diana. xx
Aaaaah Gala! Your story telling abilities are amazing to me :)
Write a fiction novel! :D
Also the outfits are fabulous, as always.
xx
I love how Isobel was handed $ 7000.00, I have come to the conclusion, that James secretly wants to divorce his wife and marry her… and the vibes from her scream I’m a women of the world!, not let me be your lawfully wedded wife, I will wash your socks and stroke your ego every day of the week!... this is why he loves her, and since he can’t marry her, he shows his love in cold, hard cash. But really I would imagine that the cash would have been warm, because James would have taken it out of his secret account (so said wife doesn’t suspect anything…) and counted it all day. (He would have written a list of all the things he loved about her… it amounted to 7000 things, hence the 7000 dollars.) The wife is a something of a wined and dined middle aged women, who makes James sleep in a separate room, “Because I don’t want you to be uncomfortable” she told him. James loves seeing Isobel, yet after every visit is slightly depressed because he had no idea how mediocre his live was until he met her… :)
This is onwe of the best posts I’ve read in a while! I was so completely entertained by the words, the clothes, the curious book I’ve never heard of… Words, clothes, books…those really are my favorite things. I ADORE this and I hope to read many, many more posts like this in the future. I love the adventures of Ms. Isobel. She is living a fabulous life. :) ... Also adore the “lust” ring. SO fab!
www.positivelypresent.com
I want to be best friends with these girls!
Loving the deliciously blue&pink ‘Monday’ outfit, I want to raid their wardrobes.
Gala,
These outfits are wonderful … but remember your original Dachshund Purse from “Love on a Leash” – well, cute as it is, this one is a copy of the original idea !!
I hope you still have the original and the best !
Donna xx
I absolutely loved this post.
Everything about it was so amazing.
Your creativity is infectious Gala.
I believe you’ve inspired me to write again.
i might just be in love :)
Gala, this is absolutely fabulous and adorable and it was wonderful to wake up to!! :) I hope you’ll be letting us in on Diana’s week? xx
This is one of my favourite posts of yours ever! What a sweet, quirky and fun idea. I’m SO writing my own little week for an imaginary girl complete with utterly fabulous outfits and mischief! =D
xx
wheeeee!!
Next week I think I’m going to have a different adventure everyday…
(I actually went to buy those gorgeous pink Dr Marten’s, but they were out of my size. sobs shamelessly I didn’t just want them. I needed them.)
That was so charming. Honestly, I’ve been boournsing about not getting my gala-fix, but this more than made up for it <3
p.s. I wish your website had a twitter-esque function, where you could ‘favourite’ your favourite posts… if that makes sense. In the mean time, I suppose I’ll have to settle for printing your articles & wallpapering my room in them.
I love it when you get all creative! (HELL i love it when anyone does anything creative- spunky). I do it a lot with differing pictures and paintings and its so much fun.
Wondeful! This story is pure genius! Love it :D
Btw Gala, for some bizarro reason this Isobel character reminds me of a poem I had to recite about an Isabel when i was 13. It’s still etched in my memory!
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/adventures-of-isabel/
How timely, I’ve been traveling solo around Sweden and have spent the last four days in Stockholm. I leave tomorrow morning. But I’ve walked through Gamla Stan quite a lot.
It’s so wonderful to get a glimpse into your creative writing! I wasn’t even sure if you did have characters and such that you played with outside of iCING, I would love to read a whole story you have written.
Gala – I adore this! Super-creative and lovely!
{Sunday is the outfit that is most me! }
Well done miss Gala. There is nothing better than a quick escape to a world of stories that inflict thought and wonder. Bring on the next batch!:)
Ahhh, such fun to dip into a little life/fashion fantasy on a gloomy Thursday. Thanks, Gala!
this was such a fun read! i like isobel a lot, but i’d love to hear more about diana, too! her last name promises adventure & fun. :)
thanks for brightening up my day!!
that is some fancy wardrobe for someone who doesn’t have a job…
this is fabbbbbbb. BACKSTORY BACKSTORY!!!!!
The indian tank paired with the skirt is AWESOME. I thought it was a dress at first! Too bad I can’t afford it ;_;
LOVE IT!!!!
What a lovely thing to wake up to this morning. I would really love to read/see more of both Isobel and Diana! They seem tres fantastique!
Already I am loving Isobel and her sense of rocking style and I want to hear more about her escapades. Also, my sister’s name is IsAbel so I liked her even before I read about her. hehe
You have inspired me to take another look at some of the amazing and quirky characters I once created as a young teenager. Perhaps they are not quite retired from their old rebellious escapades yet…
hehe. Once again, a wonderful post Gala!
more please!
Excellent, loved it. Makes me want to do watercolours ;p
i think i’m in agreement with everyone when i say “i love it when you do these!” you are so creative and silly and inspiring
Oh, my, how lovely. Thank you!
Amazing!
Please write more!
Most excellent! Isobel sounds perfectly delightful ;)
This is one of my favourite posts of yours so far, wonderful. Isobel has wonderful style! :]
:D These are AMAZING! Are you planning on sharing Diana’s story?
I think they should be lovers ;)
xoxo
Sprinkle
PS-Make this a regular installment! Like once a week, a peek into their lives. xoxoxoxo
I LOVE this! Please do tell us more about her, and Diana.
She sounds a lot like the girl I’d like to be. At least she lives in my dream apartement!
I’d love to have a boyfriend just to look at… and not talk to. but then again doesn’t everybody??
Please write more of these!
I got a good laugh out of it and outfit inspiration!
FUN!!
:D
Wonderful! This was super entertaining.
I have a feeling you’re in love with Francesca Lia Block just as much as I am!
It was very entertaining to read about Isobel’s (mis)adventures in this post…as a “sugar baby” in a mutually beneficial relationship myself I found the Tuesday night dinner with James to be especially amusing (also the fact that she’s wearing my perfume!).
Yet I must admit, it is fairly difficult to land a guy quite as “generous” as James unless you’re well-known or have something else extra-special going for you.
But if Isobel can manage it, more power to her! :)
Loved this post!
Such wonderful outfits and cute story to go along.
Wednesday outfit = awesome
I. LOVE.
There are no words.
how fun! I spent most of my Thursday in my favorite art store too, and I was wearing those exact same sunglasses and a beret much like that one. :D
i think it’s funny what a busy busy girl you are, yet you fantasize about languor. :}
i came back to read this AGAIN.
BOOK NAOW NAOW :) diana and isobel should be lovers,furreal.
you are so inspiring.
I love the bit about the anarchists.
Incredible outfits!
uh. amazing. wow.
What a hoot. I havent read any of your stories before, you have such a vivid imagination, I wonder where you get it from?
I can see such great things for you in your future.
Keep it up and keep us all entertained.
Love and kisses,
Janet
I love this, but I am also completely weirded out because 1. I have white blonde hair, a bob and a catface, 2. I do most of these things when I am living alone 3. and I dress a lot like these— several have the same nailpolish/perfume/underwear/etc.
weirding-out aside, i really love reading your polyvore character sketches! are you planning to do more? i recall you making them a lot in the past.
Gala, You are amazing!!
Love the post!
Teegz xx
Oh my! I love her! More sometime, pweez?
haha, this is so cool : D
i love these little stories, especially the details like emerald green typewriters which make them fun to visualize.
Love it!
Do you care if I draw Miss Isobel? Your polyvores & stories are quite inspiring to the artist mind :)
um, AMAZING.
i hope we see isobel more often.
SO STOKED by the positive response to this post! More Isobel (& Diana) are on their way!
Kat — No, of course not, I would LOVE that! Please show me what you come up with! xo
Thanks, Gala — this article was lots of fun to read, & I am definitely inspired by your beautiful, dangerous bohémienne, Isobel. I hope that in future posts you mention her astrological sign as I’m very curious about that! Hmm… Cancer? Pisces?
you should seriously publish some of these stories… I mean if you read Sex and The City the book, this is just what it is.
best wishes
MORE MORE!! Her whole week is cooler than my life lol
I agree with *princess*
You have such an awesome imagination Gala,
Write a book! :D
I always love these posts of yours!