Bangs! I have them. I went to get a simple trim on Friday, and walked out all Bettie Page-ified. The stylist suggested it and I was ready for a change, I guess. I feel pretty sassy and Jeff says I look 24 again. (Ha!)
Hey, I also finished a dress that I've been working on bit by bit for a couple months now. I drafted this pattern myself (by draping the bodice and making a simple rectangle for the skirt pieces), and am really happy with the fit. The fabric is a striped cotton faille from B&J. I bought it last year after seeing Sweeney Todd. (By the Sea, anyone? I loved those Victorian Nautical stripes!)
I got the stripes to form a sort of double chevron in the front bodice by pivoting the darts to the center front seam, under the bust. The hem has a little extra poof, thanks to some 1" horsehair braid.
I just kind of let the stripes on the back waist darts do what they wanted to do.
The belt is one of my favorite accessories: a simple fabric sash with a rosette and d-ring closure from Anthropologie. Pink suede pumps.
This get-up is pretty spring-y. I didn't really do much fall/winter sewing this year, I've realized. And lately I'm definitely into spring dresses. They're easy enough to wear now with black tights and a colorful cardi.
My new hairdo has given me a new relationship with the humble ponytail. It's such a blah look on me without bangs. I love it now!
A couple Henry shots. Doesn't he look like a little grey teddy bear in this one?
Happy Monday!
Bangs and dress look fab! You have reminded me that I bought Sweeny Tood on DVD AGES(!) ago, having only seen it at the flicks. Must.Watch. Again!
ReplyDeleteYou look gorgeous. Last year I tried to cut my fringe this short and ended up looking Ben Stiller's Simple Jack in Tropic Thunder. Not fair!!!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, Gertie, your fringe looks fabulous! I'll second Popbabe, I tried for the Bettie Page Bangs and failed miserably! It's lovely to see they do work on other people.
ReplyDeleteThe dress looks great too, I was admiring the bust detail before I got to the part where you said you designed it yourself so now I'm doubly impressed!
You look great with the bangs! They do make a ponytail so easy. Even though I've grown my longer to style differently for the first time in eons, I still feel I have to have them somewhat around my face in order to not look completely blah with a ponytail, too.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the dress, especially the double chevron detail.
Great work on the stripes.
ReplyDeleteThe bangs look so cute and the dress, wow... Can you give us a tutorial or slightly more detailed description of what you did in front? I absolutely love it! I tried making a chevrony dress but the stripes were too big and I hated the result. This however is fabulous and the front detail is so pretty.
ReplyDeleteSweeney Todd is one of my all-time favourite films. I still listen to the soundtrack regularly and get the goosebumps every time.
Love the bangs and your dress is pretty fantastic as well!
ReplyDeleteLove your new 'do, Gertie! :) (And am more than a little jealous that you can pull off bangs! ;) SO, so cute--you're totally rocking this look!
ReplyDeleteThe dress is stunning too; the bodice front treatment is really well done and perfectly executed. You constantly inspire me with these sorts of sewing details!
♥ Casey
Love the new do, particularly the pony tail. That dress is fabulous with its capped sleeves and big stripes. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI love the hairdo. It really suits you!
ReplyDeleteWell done with the stripey dress. I do like the way you organised those darts -it really adds something special to the front.
Dress is fab, I may atempt a stripy umber this spring too, although i do dread lining up the stripes.
ReplyDeletelove the bangs or fringe as we call it in blighty!
http://booboo-kitty-couture.blogspot.com/
Love the new hairstyle - I wish I had the option of a fringe / bangs but with curly hair, no can do!
ReplyDeleteThe dress is gorgeous - I love what the stripes do. It will be great for summer!
The bangs are great! Bette Page with your hair down, bobby-sockser with a pony tail.
ReplyDeleteFAB-YOU-LUS!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute dress! And I love the bangs too! I hope you love them too and keep them for a long time.
ReplyDeleteAhh, Henry!! Love him!
ReplyDeleteThe awning striped dress is like a breath of spring. Bettie Page bangs are perfect for you!
WOW! I love your bangs and the dress is absolutely stunning!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, that is a pattern that would definitely have widespread appeal! I'm so far from being able to work with stripes/patterns that effectively, but this is awesome inspiration.
Love the bangs! They look great on you.
ReplyDeleteI love your fringe (and dress) and your husband is right - you look ridiculously young. Must go and try it ....
ReplyDeleteI've always been a fan of setting stripes on the bias to make a chevron and your work proves that my bias (so to speak) is well founded. You look great. And you're right, the fit is spot on! Good work!
ReplyDeleteI felt the exact same way about ponytails until I cut my bangs. Very cute!
ReplyDeleteTres parisienne! Very chic and cheeky. I'm smitten.
ReplyDeleteAnd Henry is adorable.
Stunning! the dress, the hair and you! I'm speechless.
ReplyDeleteThis is so lovely! It honestly looks like something right out of the Anthropologie spring line, and I mean that in a really good way! And your hair looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love the bangs and the dress! You look great!
ReplyDeleteI would love more info on the dress! Did you stay the seams on the bias cut bodice? I wanted to make a full chevron-y striped dress and am really curious about working on the bias. Any tips would be great!
In a total non creepy way, those bangs are sooooo freakin hot on you, and i love the dress, reminds me i have one in the closet that is 95% finished, i will go grab it right now :)
ReplyDeleteLove the dress...and the bangs! I've been contemplating bangs lately, but it's a look I haven't worn since grade school. I'm a bit nervous about it.
ReplyDeleteCute fringe and dress! Do you have to curl your fringe under to get that look? Your dress fits you perfectly, I always find it hard to pick out fabric as there is so much to choose from!
ReplyDeleteI love your bangs! Awesome hair!
ReplyDeleteWoo hoo! Love the bangs, beautiful lady! And it goes without saying that I love the dress, too. Except I just said it. Oops.
ReplyDeleteDarling haircut! Love the bangs!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful dress, too. What a flattering neckline!
I foresee myself trying to cut my own bangs late tonight and then regretting it tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI love the new haircut - it looks so cute in a ponytail!
ReplyDeleteLove the stripes and the Colleen Atwood inspiration. I can't tell you how many times I've used pics of her work for inspiration. I had to look her up again last night whilst watching the Oscars and found a neat interview with her, in which she says not to be afraid of teaching yourself how to sew, because the process of screwing up can be invaluable: http://www.threadbanger.com/threadheads/episode/THR_20071221/sweeney-todd-interview-with-colleen-atwood-victorian-clothing-how-to-thread-heads
ReplyDeleteStunning dress and your hair makes you look so pretty! Really impressed with the draping and stipe matching.
ReplyDeleteLove the new hair! And you're seriously rocking that dress. Good job with the draping!
ReplyDeleteI'm getting a draping book at the end of March, so I'm excited to drape, too!
Love the dress! The stripes are fantastic! And the bangs are adorable. I finally went with bangs and everyone's been saying I look 12 lol Now that I'm 30, I'm not complaining!
ReplyDeleteYour new hair looks great! Bangs + ponytail = win.
ReplyDeleteLove your bangs, Love your dress, Love your cat! What a great post. So much to smile about!
ReplyDeleteGreat frock! Also, my favourite scene from Sweeney Todd.
ReplyDeleteLove Love Love,
ReplyDeleteBut where did you get that rug?
cat
Love the bangs! They totally suit you. I agree, bangs make a ponytail look intentional, not lazy :)
ReplyDeleteGreat dress, too! Love how you worked the stripes on the bodice.
That dress is amazing - a good reason to drape a bodice.
ReplyDeleteNow, I have a little problem. I got a haircut on Friday and I wound up with the same bangs, only mine were not intentional! I think my hairdresser & I got too involved in our conversation to pay attention to the hair-do... oops.
Your new hair-do, on the other hand is fabulous!!
That dress is adorable! I love it nautical-ness. And your bangs are super cute as well!
ReplyDeleteI love your dress and the different angles of the stripes. Your bangs are HOT.
ReplyDeleteLove the bangs! Wish I had straight hair and could do bangs myself. ;)
ReplyDeleteI am also a brunette girl with bangs and I have to say I think the look really suits you also.
ReplyDeleteAhh Gertie, the dress is amazing! The blue stripes look fantastic, I'm going to have to learn draping now. And the new hair cut is major kinds of cute :)
ReplyDeleteGreat bangs so cute you make me want to have mine cut that way again. the dress is fabulous!!!
ReplyDeleteGertie, those bangs are terrif, and so is that impressive dress! Your kitty is a doll. Y'all are just stylin' all over the place. ;)
ReplyDeleteBTW, I am one of the sad little stragglers on the Sew-Along, BUT a little nosing about the magical interwebs today proved VERY helpful. The bodice back that's been giving me so much trouble ("Why are there slanted horizontal wrinkles? It's decidedly NOT too big...!") is due to my semi-severe scoliosis. I never realized it would make such an obvious appearance in a wrap dress, but then, since it isn't so structured as, say, a shirtdress, yes, it WOULD be annoyingly apparent. A few sites have very helpful information, so off I go (muslin version, um, seven?).
Anyhow. One of these weeks it will be done. Since all of your posts & comments about it have been so helpful, I felt that I had to point out that beautiful green and white lawn is not going to be draped over my chair for all time.
So weird, I always thought of you as having a fringe (bangs) anyway! I suppose that shows how much it suits you. Fabulous, I wish I could try a fringe again but don't have enough hair to spare on it. Haven't seen Sweeny Todd (well, not that version) but I'll have to check it out!
ReplyDelete... and Henry is a very handsome teddy bear! My cat looks like a little bear sometimes too, but a grumpy one...see? http://stylewilderness.blogspot.com/2011/02/and-winner-is.html
Adore that dress immensely, and your hair looks fab :)
ReplyDeleteWow! Va-va-Voom! The striped dress looks terrific on you. I get the Victorian reference, but when I first saw I had a flashback to my old Barbie who wore a chevron striped bathing suit. This is a compliment! At any rate, you are rocking the Betty Page bangs, seriously.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful dress, fantastic hairstyle. You look very lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love it! Suits you very well!
ReplyDeleteAnd I have seen that you progressed with your sleeve tattoo! Really gorgeous :)
I'd love to see a closer look of them - they're so lovely :)
OH! You are just adorable with bangs! I have Bettie Page as my avatar on Etsy {she's wearing long gloves}. I am once again inspired by you, that dress is GORGEOUS! You grace StrangePuppys FB page! Mmmmuah!
ReplyDeleteOh, forgot - the dress is cute! But they're quite bold - they don't remind me of sailors perse, but nevertheless it's cute :)
ReplyDeleteThe fringe really, really suit you! And the way you worked on the front darts on the dress is amazing! Extremely flattering and sharp!
ReplyDeletelike everyone else, I think your new bangs and dress are amaze-balls.
ReplyDeleteCould that cat be any cuter???
ReplyDeleteLoving your hair do...just wondering what salon you go to? I am visiting NY for a few weeks, so might check it out, I am desperately in need of a cut for my grown out bangs.
ReplyDeleteLove the dress! Your sewing and style are fab!
Love the bangs. Your creativity with the stripes is winning.
ReplyDeleteHenry is adorable! And I love love love your bangs!
ReplyDeleteDress and bang - perfection!
ReplyDeleteI concur with other readers' comments - would lurve a tutorial for that dress!
I love grey cats. Henry is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt looks beautiful! thank you so much :)
ReplyDelete