Fashionable

Ok.  I am not much of a fashion follower.  Fashion Week is not, in fact, the core of my existence.  Yes, I know.  Shocker.  "Why in the world would a five-foot-tall woman who weighs roughly four times as much as the average fashion model (roughly) not be interested in runway fashion?"   Right.

However, I do like to meander through the runway slideshows now and again.  This year seems, as many others have noted, to be fraught with a dismalness that fairly takes the breath away.  Not only are the colors, or complete lack thereof, numbing but the shapes are... well, one can only say "Blah.  Unflattering.  Somewhat tedious."  Hmm.  I should be a fashion writer. I can so bring the world-weary seen-it-all-and-yours-sucks attitude.

In any case, although several of my favorite designers have yet to show and so I can't comment fully on the spectacle that is Spring Fashion, I will say that I have so far found only one item that I, the short fat non-fashion person as mentioned above, would be remotely interested in actually trying to wear.  And here it is. 

 

Some sort of drapey shrug/wrap thing from Loin Cloth and Ashes as seen at the ARISE MAGAZINE AFRICAN COLLECTIVE - PART III. 

Is intriguing, no?  Now, the fact that I see this as an item that I would consider putting on my body (as opposed to possibly framing on my wall) probably means that it's not really so interesting and perhaps even Bad Fashion.  I like it anyway.

Here's my interpretation of what it might look like based on the two images I've seen so far. 

I think this is totally possible to make.  Don't you?  Of course you do, you're drafting the pattern right now, right?

Please send it to me when you've finished.

(edit: yes I know, it’s FALL fashion.  I was looking at Easter dresses while I was typing this post.  Too confusing.)

Have You Seen This Dress? Call 1-800-LOSTDRESS

I am still working on the muslin of my so-called pencil skirt.  I'm pretty super-excited about it actually, so I'm going to post it up as soon as I get it sewn into a more completed stage.  I may actually have created that rare and elusive creature, The Wearable Muslin.  I know, I know.  "It's just a myth!" you mock.  "A hazy fantasy dreamt up by an exhausted woman who just can't quite admit that she has wasted ten hours of her precious time."  But I say, "NO!  It's real, I tell you.  Real!"  Well.  Maybe.

In the meantime, I have become obsessed with something else.  "No, really?  Not you," some of you say sarcastically.  "Really," I reply, completely ignoring your snarky tone (you know who you are).  

If you would turn to your right, Gentle Readers, you will see the never-ending slideshow that is my Wardrobe Inspiration.  In it is this dress.   (I have no idea who made this dress because I picked it out from MyShape.com four months ago and they don’t seem to have it anymore.  And I can’t be bothered to investigate further.)

I love this dress.  Yes, I do.  Love it. I have no idea why I love it so much, but I'm telling you now: it will be mine.

And can I find a pattern to make it?  No.  I can not.

Now, I know perfectly well that I can make this dress (or rather the top I intend to turn it into) from any number of other patterns.  I certainly own several that would work.  This one, for instance. 

 

And this one. 

 

Or even this one, remember this? 

But they're not EXACTLY the same, are they?  No.  They are not.  If it's got a pleated front, it has no neckline piece.  If it's got a gathered front that I could convert into pleats, the sleeves are also gathered which I don't want.  If I use my coat pattern, I have to alter the yoke and remove the placket.  Plus, I've then made a shirt out of... my coat.

Yes, I can alter and redraft all of these things.  But I don't want to.

So, anyone have any knowledge of a pattern that looks like this?  Exactly this?

Huh?  Huh?  Do ya?

 

I am so totally going to have to draft something myself, right?  Hmmph.

Vanda, My Dahlink

Ah, Vanda.  How I love you.  Actually, that's V and A.  As in Victoria and Albert.  Not the monarchs.  The museum. 

Saying that, I have never actually been to London (unless you count a truly soul-destroying layover I had at Heathrow once) so I haven't been in the museum in person.  But I know that it is heaven on earth.

The Victoria and Albert Museum has an online image library and then they also have an online print shop, where you can order prints.  This source has some really nice images.  The online library does too, but it's a bit more of a slog to find something.  Sort of just depends on if you’re cruisn' for eye-candy or looking for something more in-depth.

And not only do they provide this embarrassment of riches, they also participate in DailyLit.com by providing the lovely "Shoes, Bags and Tiaras" for free.  Awesomeness.

Speaking of which, some random samplings:

silk  shoes, 18th C.

 Mary Quant boots, 1967miniature with dress-up overlay

 Liberty Dress, c. 1930

 Liberty dress, c. 1885

 silk dress, c.1870

And last but not least, something I actually personally owned (until my miserable children caused my feet to swell like sponges at the beach):

Docs, 1982

And from the fabulous Print Shop:

 Barbier illustration

 

Bernier illustration

Heideloff and Ackermann illustration

 

And that’s just from the fashion illustration section. 

Vanda.  You hav to luv it, dahlink.