Saturday, April 26, 2014

Dress #13 -- Simplicity 8414 (1969)

And I made another entire dress yesterday:

EASY to make. Took me only a few hours. Of course, I'm a dummy and chopped it too short the first time :( I tried to "repair" it, but the design didn't line up so I just said SCREW IT. The uneven bottom makes it *mine.* I can tell people I effed it up :) When I sew, I do it for fun and if I have to break some rules then so be it. The jumper is amazing, though. So cute and I perfect fit with ZERO alterations.

Friday, April 25, 2014

HAIR!!

I've been changing drastically over the past few months. Everything about me is getting an overhaul. I didn't just wake up and decide I was going to change, a series of events brought everything on. And since this blog really only focuses on the "shallow" stuff, my ever-changing self includes MY HAIR.

I have mastered pincurls and fingerwaves. I have been known to sleep in wave clips to achieve my perfectly sculpted hair. Let's swoon over some fingerwaves, shall we?

*sigh*

From 2001 until 2012 I wore my hair in a dutch bob with "Bettie Page" bangs. My last bob haircut was in September 2012 and I have been growing it out since. Except the short bangs. I kept them because I figured it gave my mundane, straight, long hair a "look." Lately my hair has been long enough to make two braids. With the Bettie Bangs the hairdo was instant 1940s with very little effort! But with my change in style, I'm beginning to grow the bangs out.

I've been practicing my beehive. Yes. I want high, high hair. It still needs more growth and I still need more practice, but I keep at it each day. And I have my 1960s pictures as inspiration:

Female impersonator LaVerne Cummings

Style icon Lisa Reed

I'm currently trying to train my part to go backwards instead of in the middle. With the length of my hair, I can flip it or ponytail it, or just let it hang. I'm hoping to have my "craft" ready for the Queer & Kinky Cabaret next weekend!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Dress #12 -- Simplicity 9803 (1971)

Very, very pleased with this one!

Fits like a CHARM. Zero alterations other than the arm holes/bands, which were quite tight. I just redid them with an inch of fabric and they are perfect. I will make this one again because I love it so much. It's so 70s-does-30s!!! I wore it to the Philly Zombie Crawl on Sunday night:

Bein' Stupid:

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Fashion Shift and Simplicity 1609 -- again! (Dress #11)

I've been undergoing a huge change in my personal fashion lately. For many, many years I was all about the 1930s and the earlier 1940s. I do still love this era for fashion and still wear it, but I've been setting my sewing needles toward late 1960s and early 1970s patterns -- an era I NEVER would have thought I would make/wear/become interested in. As a matter of fact, I used to hold a bit of contempt for the 60s and 70s and my assumed idea that it was a time that "ruined" fashion and the 30s and 40s were spat upon. After reading a few books on the topic of 60s fashion, I've come to realize that is not the case. Especially the later 1960s when there was a 20s/30s revival. I first became a tad interested in fashion from this era in 2012 when I had a subscription to ancestry.com and had access to all the Sears catalogs from 1896 to 1993. I even made a post about the 1930s-influenced fashions of the era.

I also blanketed the 60s into eras -- early 60s was still the 50s, mid 60s was mod, late 60s was hippie. While this is somewhat true, 1960s fashion is far more interesting that just that! With that said, I made Simplicity 1609 once again in a pop-art comic fabric:

I cut the center on the fold. It made the bust area kinda looser and wonkier, but it can be hidden with a cardi. I just love this pattern and all the different "themes" you can make with it, but I think I'm going to put it aside for now and make some adorable vintage goodies. Like these:

1969

1971. Green one!

1972
1974

The green dress on 9083 is very 1939 -- the puff sleeves, the collar and cuffs, the nipped in waist and full skirt! 5466 and 6798 have the delightful early-30s-esque flouce sleeves. I really have no idea which one to make first!

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Butterick 5846 (2012)

I bought this pattern to fill a "5 for $5" sale quotient. I know it's ugly, but I think I see some potential in that middle one. I can make it come alive and make it less basic ;) That long one on the right, though, is hopeless! Lol.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Dress #10 -- Simplicity 6085 (1965)

I did hit a lull with this one:

While making it, I just did not like the way it was turning out. The pattern was MUCH longer than where I hemmed it. I cut off about 6 inches so it was right above the knee like the drawing. Also, when I was making it, because of the longness, it just kind draped flat and didn't have that classic 1960s bell shape. It wasn't until I shortened it that the bell came alive! That made me happy! Otherwise, it just looked completely un-vintagey; like something you could buy in the mall today.

I cut out the pieces for a blouse, but ended up just doing the skirt. That's how unsatisfied I was with this pattern. Good news, though -- I'm making yet another themed Simplicity 1609! I love that freaking dress!

Making 2020 Interesting

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