Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Inspiration: Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special

I was going through some boxes recently and discovered a completely new, shrink-wrapped copy of Pee-Wee's Playouse Christmas Special. How did such a treasure get packed away?! Because, readers, it is indeed a treasure. This 1988 gem is everything we love about the playhouse, plus a stellar list of guest stars. It has Cher! Little Richard! Oprah Winfrey!

Costumes will be of upmost important to readers of this blog, I suspect. Let's take a look at the best of the best.

Annette Funicello appears wearing a '50s themed outfit, complete with felt circle skirt appliqued with a Christmas tree.


This special also introduced me to the wonders of the Del Rubio Triplets, whose "dulcet tones" are accompanied by mini-skirted (emphasis on the mini) ensembles.


Charo sparkles in a sequined beret and leotard-thing. She does "Feliz Navidad" ("Hit it, Konky!") while Pee-Wee stumbles about trying to hit the piñata.


In my eyes, no one can outshine Miss Yvonne, the Most Beautiful Woman in Puppetland (and I've written about my love for her style before). And boy, does she outdo herself in the costume department.


In fact, my own holiday dress was inspired by her this year: strapless, red velvet, with greenery accessories!

There are a few misses, costume-wise, in the Pee-Wee special. Grace Jones wears . . . this.


K.D. Lang is an all-around disaster, in a self-consciously extra wacky version of Jingle Bell Rock. I would normally approve of a snowflake applique western shirtdress, but hers is so unflattering. Fast forward, readers!


All in all, however, this Christmas special is a treat! It's now taken up permanent residence next to my DVD player to be enjoyed any time of year. Watch it now to start planning your ensemble for next year, or just to squeeze in some last minute holiday cheer before New Year's.



Monday, November 9, 2015

Inspiration: That Touch of Mink



I had a mostly lazy weekend, and Doris Day films featured prominently in my activities. Have you seen That Touch of Mink? It's such a fashion treat! The clothes are done by the great Norman Norell, and there's a fantastic personal shopping scene. This is one of my favorite conceits of movies of this time: the personal fashion show! (There's a great one in How to Marry a Millionaire, which I also happened to watch this weekend. No wonder I didn't get any sewing done.)

The best thing about this particular scene is the coat at the end. It has a fur lining and interchangeable shells in satin and wool. How fascinating is that? (I also love the pink satin and lace pant ensemble toward the middle.)


It seems like the two layers connect somehow at the center front but otherwise the fur lining just sits inside the outer shell. It would be fun to do something similar with the wonderful faux furs they're making these days. 


I highly recommend the movie for that scene alone, but also the stunning strappy dress that feels both modern and perfectly vintage.


It's also well worth a watch for the scenes with Doris Day and her best friend (played by Audrey Meadows) communicating through the windows of the automat.


Apparently automat workers had the cutest uniforms ever. Who knew?

I hope you got more sewing done than I did this weekend!

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Dirndl Mania

Lena Hoschek dirndl
Readers, I've just returned from the most wonderful trip! My mom and I took a 17 day vacation in Europe. We started in Prague for three days and then took a river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. I'd never been to Europe before, and many people told me how inspirational I would find it. It certainly was, though I couldn't anticipate in what way. I didn't plan on any fabric or trim shops visits, or even anything vaguely fashion-related. My goal was just to experience the trip and see what came of it.

The most significant thing that came of it, fashion-wise, was a deep and sudden love affair with the dirndl: the traditional costume of Austria and Germany. You probably already know this, but just in case: the dirndl is an ensemble which consists of a low-cut full-skirted dress with a snugly fitted bodice, an apron, and an underblouse that ends just below the bustline. Adorable jackets, flowered headbands, and hats may be added!
Julia Trentini dirndl
Julia Trentini dirndl
Lena Hoschek dirndls and jackets
I first spotted a dirndl in Passau, Germany, when our tour guide was wearing one. I'd seen this type of costume in person before, but never on a day that wasn't October 31st, and not in such pretty fabrics. I was intrigued, but not yet smitten. I loved the corseted waistline and the little blouse she wore, but was somewhat turned off by the dowdy above-ankle length of her skirt and the overall costume-y effect of a tour guide wearing a folk costume. But then a curious thing happened. As I walked through Passau, I saw dirndls everywhere: on girls walking in the street, in shop windows, on mannequins on the sidewalks. They came in a lovely array of colors, patterns, and lengths (I immediately gravitated toward the "midi" dirndl, a very '50s just-below-knee length.)

Mannequin outside a Pollinger dirndl shop
I walked into a shop, determined to leave with a dirndl in hand, having developed a sudden and overwhelming need to possess one. I wanted one to study and admire and learn from. However, I was also deeply embarrassed by being an American tourist buying a traditional folk costume on a vacation, as well as being stymied by a language barrier. Could I pretend I was buying it as a gift? Not if I wanted it to fit, unfortunately. I conducted the whole shopping trip as if I were doing something illegal and didn't want to get caught. I quickly chose one I liked, a adorable deep blue and pink gingham design, and tried it on without bothering to take off my capri pants or sneakers. The first one didn't fit right (too big in the bust and waist), so I was forced to communicate with the salesgirl. She was equally dismayed by the roominess in the bodice, and brought me a smaller size. I zipped it up and it was like magic. The snug bodice did supernatural things to my décolletage, the little white blouse looked adorable peeking out of the neckline (much like a classic '50s shelf bust dress, I might add), and the gingham apron was perfect. It would be mine, readers. And then, almost as quickly as I had come in, I left, dirndl in hand!

Once back on board the ship, I started some real research on the current state of the dirndl. I discovered an entire world of amazing dresses by a slew of talented designers. I fell in love with the likes of Julia Trentini, Gossl, Lena Hoschek (whose more mainstream retro designs I already knew and loved), and Sportalm

Gossl Dirndl
I learned about the incredible beauty of a well-designed dirndl, the traditions and techniques that go into making one, and that a designer one can run you up to 1,500 Euros (and that's not even including the blouse!). I started pinning madly.

               Follow Gretchen "Gertie"'s board Dirndls on Pinterest.  

I'm not sure what's come over me, but I have fallen head over heels for dirndls: the dresses, the aprons, the fabrics, the jaunty feathered hats, the fitted little jackets, the fact that there are special dirndl bras to enhance that magical décolletage. Perhaps it is my German heritage coming out. Or the fact that there is a retro femininity to the whole look. Or maybe the whole world of dirndls is just something special and anyone who loves pretty handmade things would appreciate them in some way.

What is certain is that I will have a lot more to say on this subject, readers. I can't wait to share more dirndl love with you!

Julia Trentini Dirndl


Monday, August 3, 2015

The Daily Dress: '50s Nautical Rope Detail

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Vintage dresses can be the best inspiration for unusual trims. Designers of the '50s in particular seemed to have a special knack for using basic trims in completely innovative ways. Take this cherry red dress for instance--how sweet is that that rope trim on the skirt? This design is by Mam'selle by Betty Carol, one of the "better Seventh Avenue junior labels."

And I think my favorite thing about it is how accessible it would be to reproduce. A basic red frock, scalloped lace trim, thick cord, and grommets: done! Large grommets are set vertically down the skirt. The cord is laced through with a chinese ball knot on one end and a bow on the other. That's it!


I love the idea of reproducing this dress with my pattern B6094 as the basis.


The back could even use more knot balls or bows on the flaps.
I haven't gotten to make this design for myself yet, and now I'm a little obsessed with the idea. Cherry red corduroy would be perfect!

Friday, May 30, 2014

Inspiration: Removable Halter Collar Dress

I have a bad habit of stalking the new arrivals on Modcloth. It can be an expensive addiction (damn all those cute shoes!), but it also yields lots of retro dress inspiration. When this yellow check number popped up yesterday, I had to take a closer look.

The cool thing about it is the removable halter. Lots of retro dresses have removable halters, sure, but I've never seen one that buttons on at the waist. (Usually, they have hidden buttons inside the neckline.)

(Hmm, what's with the hoodie-esque drawstring ties? Do not want.)

Upon closer inspection, there seems to be vertical rows of buttons up the bodice, along where the princess lines would be.

So if you chose to remove the halter, you'd have cute decorative buttons on your now-strapless dress. (Though you'd have to be careful with that button placement to avoid unfortunate nipple-button syndrome.) There's shirring at the waistline and back. I wish I knew if there were boning--there should be, but sometimes ready-to-wear dresses rely on shirring and that gross sticky rubberized elastic to hold up a strapless dress.

The other cool thing about the design is the rockabilly-inspired halter collar. I like the dramatic proportions of the lapels.

This is giving me great ideas for ways to spice up a sundress. I'd love to try my hand at draping a removable halter collar like this one!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Inspiration: Wanda Jackson, Queen of Rockabilly



I'm currently taking a music class called "Origins of Rock" at Beacon Music Factory. We're focusing on early rock n' roll, with the likes of Elvis, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Carl Perkins, stuff like that. Rock is such a male-dominated genre in many ways, so I was curious to find out about early female rockers--if such a thing existed.

I started learning about Wanda Jackson, often called the "Queen of Rockabilly" or the "Queen of Rock", depending on who you ask. What I found sucked me into a full-fledged Wanda obsession. This woman is completely badass, an amazing vocalist who performed all the best songs of the era (but seldom gets credit for it): Hard Headed Woman, Brown Eyed Handsome Man, Riot in Cell Block #9, Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On, Slippin' and Slidin', Stupid Cupid, and lots more. She has this raw emotional tone coupled with a soulful twang and a hell of a lot of sassiness. Listen to the album Wanda Jackson: Queen of Rockabilly and you'll see what I mean.

Wanda started off singing country. She was paired with Elvis Presley on a tour, and the two dated for a while. As Jackson recalls, Elvis encouraged her to sing rock rather than country.


In my eyes, Wanda is more than a musical icon, she's also a fashion icon. She favored fringe on her outfits, and lots of it. Rhinestones and corsets, too. Her mother sewed her stage outfits. As Jackson later said, "I was the first one to put some glamour in the country music--fringe dresses, high heels, long earrings."


We often think of the fringed dress as a 20s flapper phenomenon, but it was alive and well in the 50s.

source
source
The one above has rhinestone straps! Wanda would have loved it--if only it were red.

To really appreciate Wanda Jackson, you have to see her perform. Enjoy!

 

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Inspiration: Helen Rose Yellow Ombre Dress

How amazing is this design? When I posted my green ombre chiffon dress, our dear Peter pointed out that it was very reminiscent of Helen Rose styles. Which reminded me of this fabulous yellow ombre dress (sourced here, with lots of interesting info).

It was worn by Debbie Reynolds in the film Give a Girl a Break. (Yeah, I've never heard of it either.)

What's great about the dress is how it uses the deep color of the ombre at the top and fades to ivory, whereas most ombre designs do the opposite. It gives an airy effect at the bottom: perfect for dancing!

Anyway, I became so obsessed with this dress that I made it the lock screen picture on my phone (briefly replacing Henry, can you believe it?). I couldn't stop thinking about making a similar design.

I stopped by B&J last week, and they had a fabric so close to the original dress that it's eerie.

I looked through my vintage pattern collection, and thought this design might be a good starting point.

McCalls 9526
To top it all off, I had the idea to try to reproduce the envelope silhouette as much as possible. In this post, I wrote about the difference between fantasy and reality when it comes to vintage pattern illustrations. Many people pointed out that the right foundation garments are key to getting the correct look. (I agree that it's a starting point, but no underwear is going to make me 9 heads tall!) So what better challenge than to make a similar dress to my green ombre, but using a very 50s foundation: waist cincher corset, crinoline, and longline bra. I'll write more about my undergarments of choice in upcoming posts.

P.S. Happy New Year! I spent last week with family at Rehoboth Beach. I'm home now, working away on the book, which is starting to look like a book!

Monday, November 11, 2013

Trending: Novelty Print Cotton Dresses

Remember this delightfully obnoxious quilting cotton I brought back from ASE? I was browsing Modcloth the other day and found a dress made out of it:

"Good Enough to Eat Dress" from Modcloth
It's kind of great, right? I was originally going to make pajamas out of this fabric, but now I'm sorely tempted to make a frock. (The fabric is called "Midnight Snack" by Alexander Henry, if you're interested. A quick search brought up plenty of online vendors.)

If you're into this kind of thing, retro-silhouette dresses in novelty prints seem to be a trend on Modcloth right now. There's the Roadside Attraction dress.

I haven't been able to identify this amazing fabric--any ideas?

"Martha's Air of Adorable Dress" features hot air balloons and a cool neckline.

And perhaps the coolest novelty print of all? Alexander Henry made a fabric based on the vintage comic book "Home Sewing Is Easy."



Modcloth has not one but TWO dresses made from this fabric.

Sew It Like You Mean It Dress
Sew It Would Seamstress Dress
I've seen a couple bloggers make awesome dresses out of this fabric, and I'll confess to having 5 yards of it in my stash.

Of course, novelty print dresses are hardly a new trend; they enjoyed quite the heyday back in the 40s and 50s--but current design and printing technology has made these prints WAY bolder and louder.

I don't think I would have considered dresses like these until recently, when I made my kitten-print dress. I've worn it way more than I thought I would!


What do you all think? Would you wear these prints? Or do you prefer them to be relegated to quilts, jammies, and the like?

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Leather and Lace Babydoll?

Last week, I wrote about my plan to make a girly leather and lace dress for an upcoming performance (of the rock and roll variety). I was tempted by the combination of an updated 50s silhouette with the lace/leather. But I saw this Saint Laurent dress yesterday and have totally been having second thoughts.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Inspiration: Girly Leather-Accent Dresses

I've been communing with my inner Rock Goddess lately, and she really wants a dress with leather accents. But my inner Girly Girl is demanding a feminine retro shape.
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