Wearing History Trousers

 I am so glad Wearing History has a graded 1930s style trouser pattern! I whipped this pattern up quite quickly with some black cotton twill I had because sometimes in the summer I have to be on stage...which means all black. Well, of course, if I'm gonna be in all black I'm gonna do it in style! I cut for a size 26" waist and then graded out for my hips. I think the next time I do this pattern I'm going to do some adjusting in the rise and on the tucks in front...I'm always having trouble with the crotch length since my torso is a little longer then average. I'm hoping to pick up some nice wool in downtown LA this summer so I can make some more of these pants for the fall and winter. 

The blouse I am wearing is a thrifted 1980s (polyester!) does vintage...isn't the pleated piece in front fun?! And such a great color, I get so many compliments on it.

Flock Together

Remember this fabric:

Well I finished the dress:

I used Butterick 5032

It went together really easily. I even piped the neckline and armhole edges.

I loved the pleats for the front of the skirt...such a different way to dart a skirt. Plus its actually very attractive to wear and gives extra room in the hip area, which is needed for someone like me who is a bit on the hippy side. I also picked up a covered belt kid from A Fashionable Stitch. This was my first attempt at making my own belt. I followed the Belt 101 tutorial from Casey's Elegant Musings. It was pretty simple, I only really struggled with covering the belt and that was mostly due to the fact that I need a little more strength to push the pieces together.

I also decided to attempt a hand picked zipper. I love it! I don't think I'll ever machine stitch a zipper in again. So much easier and looks beautiful every time.

Then I picked out the accessories I had to go with this dress. The purse was a gift that I'd never had the right outfit for. The shoes are 1950s pumps that I purchased at Viva Las Vegas a couple of years ago. My lily pad flower hair piece seemed just right for my flamingos. And of course some fun earrings...although I am now on the hunt for some fun hot pink earrings and bracelet to go with this dress.

And here it is altogether:

Well there you have it. I'm hoping to make a little bolero in the same color as the piping. I'm also about to make a dress for my mother in the same fabric...she is obsessed with flamingos. So how could I not?
Guess we'll need to do a mother-daughter photo shoot.

Cherished Collections

When Casey at Elegant Musings posted that she wanted to do a blog tour of fellow collectors, I jumped on the chance. I have so many little collections that I love to add to, but I knew right away that I wanted to dedicate this post to my two favorite accessories: Hats and gloves. As a milliner it's hard not to have a love for hats and want to add as many as you can to your collection. I love to pick hats up and study their construction, but most of all I love to wear them! It reminds me of a time when hat shops took pride in construction and detail; when ladies at home revamped or built their own hats; and a time when from head to toe people cared about what they were wearing.
So here it goes...(Oh and I'm sure I have so many more tucked away in corners)

The following group of hats are a few of the ones I have built myself:

I also love gloves. And although I find them difficult to wear at times...how did a lady go out of the house with this accessory everyday and function? I just love the subtle details, the different types of gloves based on their use and the remembrance of a time long gone. Most of my glove collection, and a lot of my hats for that matter, came from my lovely co-worker who has had many of these cherished items stored away.

And to end this post I'd like to prove that I actually do wear these items out and about with some photos of me at different events:

I need to Redo

I love this color combination...and this turned into a very cute matching of blouse and skirt I haven't done before. I've been so brave lately in my pairing! However, my pictures were crap...and my husband wasn't home to snap some good ones. So sorry...but I thought I'd share until I do this outfit again.

Where's Your Dart At?

Just finished a dress that I saw Gertie make a couple of months ago from McCall's 5845.

The fabric is actually upholstery fabric that was given to me by one of my co-workers a couple of years ago. It  was pieces and I was able to make it work, although I wish I had had a little extra length so I could have added an extra couple inches to the hem. I ended up using hem facing tape so that I wouldn't lose too much length, but I'd have preferred it ended below my knees.

However, I love the back and the interesting detail of having the darts on the outside!

Overall, this pattern was super easy to work with. I cut the size 12 and went out to the 14 for the skirt,  but ended up taking it back in to the 12  for my hips...which is kind of unusual for me to have to do on fitted dresses. I'd like to do this again...possibly in an eyelet like Gertie's.

I also got to wear this with a pair of my favorite earrings...which you can kind of see in this picture.

Summertime Bloom

Don't you love when you've had pieces in your closet for awhile and then you pair them together and they become your new favorite outfit? I've had both this skirt and blouse for  awhile and it wasn't until yesterday that it finally dawned on me how well they match up...plus yellow and red have been my new favorite color combo lately.

At work...bringing the summertime inside.

I love the way my hair came out...a curly chignon.

The tropical pattern of my full circle skirt.

The great floral detail on the collar edge.

Birds of a Feather

Found this fun novelty Rayon fabric at Joann's today. I don't know why it is that I go in there just to get some little something to finish up a project and then walk out with a bag full of fabric! Drives me crazy.

I also picked up a package of goldenrod piping to go with it because I've been inspired by posts over at Colette Patterns.
So now what to do with it?
I've got the following patterns that I'm deciding between:

I've been dying to do this Butterick 5032 fitted dress pattern. I could do a matching belt and maybe a bolero.

Evie at La Couturiere Dimanche just used the keyhole pattern for a bodice which I thought was so cute. I'd do the complete dress...I'm just not sure if such a large print is right for the straps.

I also have this pattern. I like the clean simple lines of the princess seams and how the bolero mimics the same seams.

So I guess the big decision is whether I wanted a fitted skirt or a full one. Things to ponder.

Well I'm finishing up another dress now...just have to get the hem stitched and a section of the lining where it meets the zipper. I should have a post up about that soon.

Also I've been posting pictures and quick little things over at my Facebook so please like me there so you can follow along and add your thoughts!