A Dress Made in an Evening

Saturday was a busy day for me.  I altered four pairs of pants for a lady during the day, then the evening was spent making a dress for my daughter to wear to a wedding on Sunday.  The couple is married already and they wanted to renew their vows... that's so nice!!!  I suspect there will be more people I know getting married this year or next year.

Well, my daughter and I spent some time deciding what fabrics to recycle, what new fabrics to add, and the actual design of the dress.  I'm getting good at making clothing from draping and without a pattern, it's kind of liberating.  I enjoy making clothing patterns though, so I won't abandon it, it's just temporarily on hold (until I buy fabric to complete my daughter's 5-piece spring/summer line for this year and I hope it's soon).   Her dress is made of 3 different variations of polyester fabrics in 3 different shades of blue (my favorite color!).

I'm pleased with the dress.  I was so tired from the humidity in my area Saturday evening that I almost gave up on completing the dress and was resigned to letting her find something else to wear, but since she was pleased with how the dress was going to look while I was draping, I pushed on.  What we mothers' do for our children!!! Lol...  I've had a bit of a taste of what it's like to design and sew in limited time like the Project Runway contestants.

Also, here is the picture of the blouse I made from a scarf my friend gave me.  Yes, she knew I was going to turn it into something else...

What do you think of the sleeves?  Their quite interesting...  The blouse was for myself, but I needed more fabric to lengthen the blouse.  I'll have to make about two of these for myself with the proper amount of fabric.  


Till next blog!

Sarah and Soccer (No Connection)

The fashion world is flooded with designers.  I've been thinking off and on about all the movie stars, t.v. stars and singers designing and selling clothing to the public.  They have an added advantage; people know their names already and they most likely have a following of fans, and so they have customers just waiting to buy their goods.  

One of these designers I admire is Sarah Jessica Parker.  She is a woman who believes that everyone should be able to buy stylish clothing at affordable prices.  Sarah worked with Steve & Barry's (a sportswear retailer) to design and make clothing, under the label Bitten, for under $40 retail (Wow! I read that the starting retail price was $20 and under!).  Steve & Barry's is now out of business and so is Bitten.  I'm sorry about this.  The clothing were stylish and current.

                    Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker                  Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker
                        www.fashion.elle.com                                    www.familycircle.com      
 
Now, how many of you are watching Fifa World Cup soccer games?  I'm enjoying this time where most of the world is united watching a favorite sport and rooting for their country.  Unfortunately, Canada doesn't seem to have a national soccer team so we are left out, but I'm hoping on the United States, English, or Jamaican soccer teams to make it.  I have a few more favorite soccer teams as well.  I guess you know that I'm posting pictures of the soccer jerseys.  I couldn't let this opportunity slip by.  I'm loving the colors.  

It will be a bit sad when Fifa is over.  Life has to go on though...lol...

Till next blog!

Jamaican soccer jersey - www.aworldofsoccer.com
 US soccer jersey - www.soccerpro.com
English soccer jersey - www.shop2wear.com 


                              

Past and Future Face Off!

I love the intricacy of women's clothing from the past, the amount of work that must have been put into many gowns and suits, and the impression of a romantic era.  I love the unusual silouettes of future clothing with avante garde touches that gives visions of cars flying in the air like airplanes and super tall buildings (trying to reach Mars I guess).  Guess what?  The past and future have a face off this week!

The clothing from the past are from around the year 1909.  The clothing that won't be worn for some time (two of them anyway) were designed in 2009.  Clothing with 100 years seperation.  Ready, set, go!

     http://abagond.files.wordpress.com             by Roberto Cavalli           
                                                            fashionshops.files.wordpress.com 

                                                                          by Haider Ackermann 
               www.antiquedress.com                http://iwantigot.geekgirl.com

 Donna Karan
www.sensiblility.com  

http://wardromtherapyll.com

                                                                                       
                                                    

                 http://e.vint.com                          by Barbara Bui
                                                                  www.zeblog.com


Who won?  Or is it a tie?  You're free to let me know.  Till next blog!

                                                                                               

Stylish Clothes for the Junior Miss

We see the same "uniform" on certain groups of people.  For instance, new mothers' live in sweats and t-shirts.  Business people wear dark suits.  The blue collar set wear jeans and shirts.  So when I see someone on the street  wearing something unusual and stylish, I silently give them kudos for experimenting and making my day.

I tried to get my daughter to wear designs I made especially for her.  She'd wear them a couple times, but, as is the teens' habit, she wants to wear what her friends are wearing.  The fitted t-shirt, denim jeans and the hoodie.  The next day is: another fitted t-shirt, another denim jean, and, another hoodie.  Guess what she's wearing the third day?  Mmmmmhmmm.... (well, my son wears the same things, but why is it that we women focus more on girls getting dressed up than on boys?)

I guess the opportunity to get the junior miss to wear something different is to church, to a birthday party for a relative (an older relative), to a wedding, you get the picture.  Some of the styles I'd like to see on some young ladies once in a while are:

 

The teens have their "uniform", but there are the few who love to dress to stand out.  Teens have to be teens after all.  But I will continue to look for the junior miss whose fashion sense stands out in the crowd and silently give thumbs up...

Till next blog!

grey ruffle blouse - www.1015store.com
grey long skirt by Xhilaration - www.amazon.com
blue flip flops by Propet Coral - www.onlineshoes.com
blue ruffle shirt - www.bidudo.com
taupe tiered skirt by Byer - www.amazon.com
beige sandles by Privo Ranford - www onlineshoes.com