first look: lily ashwell

From John Steinbeck to photographer Dorothea Lange, the 1930s Dust Bowl served as inspiration for many artists and writer alike. And apparently--80-something years later--the series of damaging dust storms still serves as creative stimulus. Case in point: Los Angeles-based designer Lily Ashwell's spring '13 collection, which features everything from pinstriped dungarees boasting turn of the century buttons, to a mid-rise cotton skirt with a simple eyelet trim. "I used colors of the desert in muted florals and dusty solids, mixed with woven plaids and natural fibers--silk, cotton, and linen, as well as printed rayon--in keeping with the dustbowl era my collection is inspired by," says Ashwell. Shot in the California mountains, the look book features singer/musician Jesse Jo Stark (see her ghoul-y music video here). Check out our favorite looks from the collection below, and click here to purchase whichever pea-picker's dress you fancy most.