Pure Frosting, Straight Up

I wouldn't be surprised if i come across as very interested in, but not passionate about clothes. What with all the checklists, planning, charts, discipline (restrict all your purchases to only two colors for a year for utmost re-mixability), rules (NEVER EVER buy a piece unless it goes with every other item in your closet)........well, a person could definitely get the impression that, pour moi, clothing remains a strictly intellectual exercise in planning, being reasonable and staying practical.

Ha! I may not have them often, but i do have my moments. One occurred a couple of months ago, when Marcy Tilton posted this Orlando French Viscose Knit fabric to her web store. Be still my heart!! Mesmerizing curlicues emneshed in a romantic-moderne pattern, aquas and roses melting into a whole range of yummy neutrals in taupe and burnt umber, on fabric with a subtle sheen and so so soft on the skin. It is very rare for me to find anything quite this luxurious (which could be why i focus on the analytical so much - to compensate ;)

Now, one often has to pay for this much yummy. The Orlando fabric is no exception. Happily, gift money appears during the holidays, which money is only truly honored when spent on those pricey, splendid items one normally avoids. I had made up Katherine Tilton's 8817 tee once already and found it to be the most flattering and flexible pattern of it's kind. I laid out the pieces to see how much i'd need to order, and did so.

As often happens in fairy tales, the yardage was even more wonderful in person, and ridiculously easy to work with. I had a lot of fun laying out the pieces in such a way as to emphasize the curlicue knots in the design and the glowing bands of rose.  In the end, i think i would have preferred the back to be the front if that makes sense - the lighter shades and colors flatter my complexion more than the darker tones of the front. But that is nit-picking in the extreme!

In these two views you can see the delightful asymmetry in the way the print fell on this top

While waiting for my package to arrive, i'd schemed about different fabrics and trims i'd combine with the Orlando in order to create an 'arty tee' as the Tilton sisters call them. Oh, i had fun daydreaming! (scroll down and click through).  But when i got the fabric and draped it on myself while looking in the mirror the way to go was obvious. There was so much going on in the fabric itself that adding anything more would be gilding the lily.

I did want to bring more of the rose tones up towards my face. To do so i added a strip of the Orlando in rose between the two center front pieces, barely under the bust. And i used some dusty rose/taupe silk organza (scavenged from an ill-fitting RTW blouse) to bind the neckline.  I feel these subtle touches can make or break a garment. They're well worth the time, trouble, and thought.

 I wanted to include these pics as a little warning on taking photos too literally. They were taken with the same camera at the same height at the same distance from the camera one minute apart. The only real change is in my pose. To my eye, the picture on the right really over-emphasizes my bust, and if that was the only image i had to judge this top i'd have serious misgivings about wearing it out of the house. Now, i have mirrors and people around me who give me honest feedback, plus training in life drawing and photography, all of which gives me the experience and feedback to know that the image on the right is an inaccurate representation of how i look. Which is just to say - give photography it's proper due in outfit evaluation, but be aware of it's limitations.

I didn't style an outfit for this post, my hair is looking a little skeevy, the lighting's a bit winter-drab, but i couldn't wait to show you this piece that i love love love!!! I hope revealing my drooling-lust-consumed-clothing-floozy side isn't too shocking for long-term readers. If it is, brace yourself, because i bought another length of fabric at the same time based on sheer lust as well!

Have any of you fallen head over heels in love with any gorgeous things recently? Were you able to bring the object of your affections home to live with you? I hope so! As much as i harp on the importance of planning and discipline for making a functional closet, no one can be truly stylish without true passion and living without any indulgence ever drains the joy out of life.

Festive Duds

By Christmas Day i'd finished my bubbly twinset. What a treat to be thinking, as i usually do in the holiday season, 'what to wear, what to wear......' and, instead of biting my nails in frustration, think, "Oh! yeah, right!", go to the closet and pick up this little twinset. Done!

Bit by bit i move closer to my dream closet, one by one i tick off the items i've so painstakingly identified as worthy of a spot in my wardrobe. At times it feels so slow!  But more and more often i'm able to realize the fruits of my labor.

I'm not feeling 'wordy' at all about this outfit, but it was a lot of fun to wear and quite physically comfortable as well. Elastic waist and loose overtop is perfect for your feasting-type holidays ;)  In future i'd like to try this look with some sheer/patterned hose. But we've been experiencing a chilly winter this year, with temps around freezing many nights, so i wore wool blend tights instead.

I really like the cut of the little shell in this pattern. I've been wanting to develop a TNT (Tried N True) pattern for a tank/shell for quite a while. This pattern looked very promising so i'm running it up in the leftover fabric from my latest leopard print jacket. I love the pretty little jewel-type neckline of the original pattern, but alas high and close necklines don't flatter me at all. I ended up tracing out the neckline from one of Katherine Tilton's tees onto the body of this little shell, and i am very excited about the results. I've worn a tank just about every day since mid-November, it's been so cold, and i only have 3 or 4 in my dresser. A wider selection would be welcome for aesthetic and practical reasons!

The only trouble with this twinset is finding your way into it. Which side is out, which end is up, front versus back, and so on - it's all so confusing when the material itself is so transparent and similar on both sides. Thankfully i had a wee brainstorn, and marked the inside back neck of the shell with a little embroidered rose.

These are my favorite type of handmade roses. I've seen them called 'bouillon roses' (from the embroidery stitch used to create them) and also 'rag roses'. They're so three dimensional! I stitched this one onto one of the bubbles in the scrap, then trimmed the bubble out when i was done with the rose. I then stitched the 'rose-ed bubble' onto a similar 'bubble' at the center back neck, using tiny stitches and (most importantly) matching thread.

ah, sigh.....how beautiful are those things which are whimsical, frivolous, and banally practical all at once? I can't wait to wear this twinset over my cadmium red medium tank.....

Happy New Year! Best Wishes to you and yours! May you have extravagant luck in your own wardrobe and outfit pursuits this year!

A Blatant Rip Off

I truly didn't mean to come up with a line for line knockoff of the V8795 envelope picture - specifically view C.

Vogue 8795 view C

 Honest! Look, i even made a mock-up of this cotton French terry fabric in a completely different pattern entirely (V8620 by Marcy Tilton).

auditioning 'all animal' vs. 'half animal - half stripes'

However, when the fabric arrived it had such sumptuous drape (enhanced by the lycra, no doubt) that i nixed it for 8620. Marcy Tilton describes 8620 as an 'updated version of the jean jacket', and we all know jean jackets use a sturdy denim. But, my experience with 8795 showed me that this pattern is perfect married with a very drapey fabric as it softens the shape of the boxier cut. edit: Shams reminded me i should post a link to the fabric on Marcy Tilton's site - here it is!

I'd bee itching to use this hook and eye tape for something since just about ever. Almost a year ago, i spied this outrageously oversized hook and eye tape on offer at Stone Mountain and Daughters. Wow!!! I had no idea what to do with it, but man was i jonesin'.

everything lines up so neatly at center hem - yay!

When 8795 hit the catalog a few months later, i thought Ms. Tilton's use of the self same hook and eyes was perfection.  To sweeten matters, in the interim Stone Mountain had knocked the tape off by 50%. I purchased enough for at least two jackets. I can't tell you how tough this tape looks, i love it on and am very happy to have more! Even better, it's plenty sturdy so when this piece wears out i'll be able to use the hook and eye again. Oh yeah.

Well, in truth my new piece has discernible differences from the 'view C' iteration. "View C" uses a zipper, for one, and i chose to fully line my jacket with black cotton jersey while Ms. Tilton's example is unlined. She even uses the selvedge edges as design features. But I like the feel of a jersey lining, it adds some warmth, and makes the piece look so nice and cleanly finished inside and out. Plus, the back of the animal print terry is stark white, which really clashed with the whole 'vibe' that the piece was developing. So i omitted the little facings and lined the whole thing.

black jersey lining and nicely draping edges

In my twenties, thirties, and on into my forties i held myself to a curious rule when sewing from patterns. The idea of copying any of the views shown on the envelope scandalized me, and i couldn't bring myself to do it.  I even shied away from making a piece up in a similar color to any of the versions in the illustrations, whether or not this color would be the most flattering or useful in my closet. The reasons behind this 'block' of mine? Who knows! I don't even know what changed my views on the matter. Whatever the root of block or release, nowadays, i just want clothes i like.  Creative origins be damned!

And now for a couple of seasonal treats. True to the 'E' in my blog title, i'm not a traditionalist here, either. But i love winding up little kids (and adults), so i enjoy the spirit of the season. Here's a couple of eccentric holiday offerings for you - But Beware! They are not for the faint of heart!

My latest resident ear worm is this Original Aboriginal Christmas song, sung by Shoshoni Elder Oldhands.  Five hundred years on, contact is still a fraught business. Still, Santa stays true to his shamanistic roots and provides bounty for everyone in the family, even in the most difficult - nay, dire - of circumstances.

Lon Stickler's blog Phantoms and Monsters is THE place to go for the weirdest of the weird. Seven foot tall mantis men, First Nations families battling the stray leftover interdimensional pterodactyl, reptilian special forces spotted during training exercises in abandoned mines - Lon has it all and more. Last year he posted a particularly creepy and disturbing story involving a young boy in the snowy, deserted north; the local teller of tall tales; and the possible deceased body of Santa..........i have remembered it ever since and present it here for those who love a dark and spooky tale. Definitely not for everyone.

Whatever you do or don't celebrate this time of year, we all respond to the return of the light. Welcome Sun, giver of all good things - light, warmth, food. If past experience is any guide, i'll stop feeling the strong urge to hibernate pretty soon, too. Happy Holidays! All My Relations, Ho!

The Outer Shell

Mr. E bought me this duster as my birthday present, back in May. It's a lightweight cotton, lined with acetate, and saw very little use in our hothothot summer. Mr. E worried i didn't like his gift, but i assured him when temps (finally) dipped this duster would be in constant use. And it has! It's too light for our recent cold snap (daytime temps in low 40's F), but in our usual warmer climate it's fine layered over a long sleeved top and cashmere or alpaca cardi.

In fall and winter, my style is all about 'the outer shell'. I like to come up with a few sets of outer pieces to create my looks for the season. These sets generally consist of a topper, hat, and scarf.  This trio has been my go-to set this winter so far. I enjoy the pear shape i get by buttoning the duster up high and letting the wool gauze scarf fall. This beret is also wool, very toasty.

I can't recall the last time i had a duster-type jacket in my closet. Wait, it's coming back to me - never! i have no idea why not, since the dramatic shape and style connotations seem right up my alley. It could be that i was waiting for 'the one'. Unfortunately, many dusters seem created solely to hide butt and thighs, rather than to flatter or create a sense of drama and intrigue. I need a bit of my shape to show, either through tailoring or drapey fabric, otherwise i look like i'm carrying around my own group emergency shelter. Whatever the reason i've been 'duster-less' until now, i am thrilled that i've finally found one that works, and works so well. In fact, i've snagged the pattern and fabric to create another duster/dress - in linen and a bit longer, perhaps all the way down to the knee.

Oof, i was tired when i took these pictures and it shows! Nevermind, i loved this variation of this look and wanted to remember it. The same 'outer shell' as above, this time on top of petticoat, skirt, and over the knee socks.

In this pic you can see the duster's shaping around the back of the waist. I get a kick out of the way this ensemble downplays my bust - amazingly so, as long time blog readers will realize there's quite a bit to camouflage! Creating a different shape with clothes is one of my favorite style activities. It's like magic :)

I don't want to ignore the role that these skinny jeans have been playing in my wardrobe these days. They are warm, easy to wear, comfy, up to date and stylin'!  Best of all, they were super duper easy to get my hands on. Remember these boot cut jeans i made long ago?

Goodness gracious, it was over a year ago! Time flies.  Well, i never wore them. "Dark wash bootcut jeans" have got to be the most recommended piece for middle aged ladies looking to up their style game. Theoretically i can see all of their great points and wonderful flexibility.....however when confronted with the actual critter in my closet i'll choose something else every time.  Somewhere around last July or August it occurred to me that i could just peg the darn things. (See what i mean by my 'blog closet' being out of touch with my 'real closet'?).  I did, and since then our relationship status has been 'inseparable'.

Ah, it takes me back to high school in the late 1970's, when the only way i could get the jeans i wanted was to peg my own. These days we have unlimited choice - which leads to the problem of knowing what it is you want. It's so difficult to find that sweet spot for some of us! I'm just pleased as punch that i got a whole new pair of perfect pants with no shopping or (full-garment) sewing involved.

Do any of you think of  'outer shells' during the colder seasons as well? Or do you rely on one warm coat for the practicalities, and concentrate on how you look once you arrive at your destination and the coat comes off? The latter approach served me when i was growing up, and the last couple of years i've been sloooowly developing 'outer shells'. Needless to say, i would be fascinated to hear about any style strategies you have developed for looking great when it's cooler. Two is hardly a vast array of strategies, and my motto in that arena is 'the more the merrier'!

Style Doppelgangers

aaack! My blog closet is so behind my real life closet i've been flummoxed and a bit paralyzed when confronted with the idea of a new post. For the last week or so i have been thinking over how to present my outfits, wardrobe planning, culling, mini-challenge, and new made garments in a coherent and engaging manner. The topic reliably makes me feel muddle headed and tired, so I've faced the fact that there's no suave, organized way to 'catch you up'. The only option is to dive on in, post with abandon and let the chips fall where they may!

This look didn't photograph all that well. But it was fun and practical to wear. My new schedule (dropping hubby off and picking him up at the transit station morning and night) has affected my dressing routine. I'm out in the early morning cold, when i'm creaky and slow on my feet. Evenings at the transit station are also cold and can be windy as well, but i enjoy the opportunity to park the car and walk about a bit, or sit and read at the little square with fountain, watching the commuters whisk by and the locals walking their doggies while waiting for the 70X to deliver Mr. E.

I am much more limber and perky in the evening than in the morning. Thus, i'll 'dress' in the late afternoon for my evening outing and wear the same ensemble the next morning. It's much easier for me to get motivated at that hour, and i enjoy being 'fresh' for the most public part of my day. Of necessity these looks are very warm, so i'll often change again as the day warms up.

My nightly jaunts have brought home to me the value of a warm hat for fighting the chill. This hat is lined with faux fur which makes for a toasty topper!  My scarf is a gauzy wool, and this leather jacket blocks the wind so none of the wooly lining's warmth goes to waste. I received a charming and unexpected compliment the evening i sported this look. As i took a brisk turn around the live/work complex which abuts the BART station, a mysterious stranger ambled into view. A silhouette revealed an Australian drover's duster with capelet over the shoulders, cowboy hat, bootcut jeans over chunky boots, all in midnight black. As the stranger drew closer i took in his scraggly beard and piercing, level gaze. He looked me up and down (much as i was taking in his own sartorial flair), and then.....

.....tipped his hat. He didn't say "Goo-day ma'am", but his respectful message came across all the same. It's rare to find yourself confronted with a sartorial doppleganger, much less one of the opposite gender. We both wore jeans, leather, hats, well-constructed leather footwear, the whole in dark colors and dramatic silhouettes.  The fact i glimpsed my style twin whilst wearing pieces that had been with me for as long as 17 years made the moment even more piquant.

 Well, this is what happens when i take myself in hand and venture out to get a pair of plain, dark hued socks. Nothing that will take center stage of any outfit, that's the plan. Just nice, practical cushioning and coverage.....well, in my defense i didn't run across any socks which fit that description. And yes i did look! I'm sure a suitable pair will show up soon enough.

In the meantime, i've named these two Valerie and Jean. Reveal your favorite style doppelgangers in the comments. Happy Weekend and see you again, soon!

Homage Murakami

Well, even though i have more than my share of gaping holes in my wardrobe basics, i couldn't resist making this little piece just for fun. Obviously, it is a blatant rip off of Nancy Murakami's little bubble lace cardi in black, over which i drooled in my last post. I made my version using the same Marcy Tilton for Vogue pattern, and just used an ivory dot patterned lace instead of black. I had been eyeing this pattern for months, but it's out of print so it can be hard to get ahold of, and the price can get pretty steep. By happy circumstance, Vogue Patterns recently had a fantastic sale on out of print patterns - $2.99 a pop! - now 8559 is mine. (And just in time, too - i went to link back to Vogue Patterns and 8559 is sold out.)

Heesh, i'm such a copy kitten i even wore my new cardi over a black dress in the same silhouette as Nancy's!  In my defense, I didn't have to run out and make the dress, after all, it's been in my closet for a couple of years. As has the white petticoat (stolen from this knockout Murakami ensemble), the shoes and other accessories. Many style gurus will advise one to take inspiration and make it your own. Others opine that mediocre artists take inspiration, great artists steal wholesale. I'll just say, why mess with perfection?

Even though this particular garment is a bit of charming fluff, i did have a serious underlying purpose in purchasing this pattern. A warm, easy layering cardigan is one of the backbone pieces of my closet, especially during the cooler months. For decades i've relied on a succession of little black cashmere cardigans to fill this role, one at a time. I love cashmere for it's warmth, comfort, and feather weight. But a jewel neck cardi with little shell buttons.......eyelids dropping..........wake me when it's over!  Where is the cardi that slips over a top and under a jacket while actually adding a bit of style along with it's practicality?

In my closet, thanks to Ms. Tilton and Ms. Murakami!  This cardigan pattern is very comfortable and perfect for layering. There's back interest without adding bulk, the 3/4 sleeves don't get in the way while washing dishes and such, and the neckline adds plenty of style without interfering clumsily with more ornate collars, scarves, etc.. There's even a variation on this cardi with faux ribbing at the hems and front and back cut as one. The pattern also includes a cute little tank, which like the cardi-jackets makes up in a snap. In fact, i'm making up the tank in this same bubble lace for a  twinset. And i'm scouting a couple of nice knits for more practical (warmer) versions of this cardi. It's so exciting for me to have found a wonderful solution to a very distressing, decades long wardrobe problem!

All right now, if any of you have made any workhorse breakthroughs or found the style icon who's closet you would steal outright, tell us all about it in the comments!  And if you missed the links in my last posts, click here (scroll down) and here to ogle more Nancy Murakami creations.

It Lives!!!!

This blog, that is ;)   Life continues busy in a good way, just not much extra time. I would venture to say it does look like i'm getting towards 'caught up' with enough things to be able to post more regularly - except i'm nervous about jinxing it.  So no public comments.

I may not have been blogging, but i've been a busy wardrobing bee. In the process of researching patterns and fabrics to create some wardrobe workhorses i ran across Marcy Tilton's website and have been obsessing around there ever since. Marcy sells fabric on her website and does an excellent job of talking about how to use the various fabrics successfully with different patterns, which as a notoriously slow fabric shopper i find very helpful.

Marcy Tilton also showcases different ways other women have made up her many designs for Vogue Patterns.  A true love of creativity comes across in the pieces she shows made by other seamstresses. And i love that the more a person has tweaked her original design the more Marcy loves it! While inspecting all these wonderful everyday garments on Marcy's site I've fallen head over heels with the capsule wardrobes and outfits made by Nancy Murakami. Nancy Murakami is a designer/sewist who helps out in the Tilton booth at the Puyallup Sewing Expo. Good grief, does this woman knows how to dress the part! Scroll down a bit here to check out her gorgeous capsule wardrobe based on black and white. Her pieces blow away any and all stereotypes about boring: capsules, repeating, black and white, etc.  In Marcy's March 2012 Newsletter you can drool over four more of Nancy Murakami's outfits. In this grouping Nancy added a bit of a paprika orange to her black, white, & grey palette. Yow!

In mulling over how to use these influences in a way that makes sense for me and my daily life, I have found myself working more with Sewing Plum's type of personal style questions (this is an invaluable post for anyone finding their own style and working towards expressing it in their wardrobe). I have been thinking over my own personal style/clothing/wardrobe priorities and while i don't have them absolutely nailed and written down in a neat little list, i did end up achieving most of these goals in this wee jacket. It's designed by Marcy Tilton for Vogue Patterns, #8795. In these pictures from the Vogue Patterns website you can see some of the details better than in my black version, such as the center front flounce.

these photos  make it easier to see the flounce detail - Vogue 8795

One penny which continues to drop is that i need to feel physically comfortable in my clothing AND this does NOT have to dictate a sloppy, mushy look.  Plenty of 'comfy looking' clothes are actually a pain to wear, whilst clothing with a sharp design edge may well be smooth, soft, a dream to wear. I actually manged to pull off this seeming conundrum in this jacket. The crisp lines, sharp black and white contrast, the stripes, the utilitarian look of oversized metal snaps all contribute to a sharper, edgier look. At the same time, this piece is constructed of two different velvets and lined with fine cotton jersey......aaahhhhh. Like floating in a silky bubble bath!

Jilly & me at our meetup - she's wearing her V8795 jacket + Trippen boots, i'm in my new V8837 skinny pants

Or like my mom said the other day about my Katherine Tilton for Vogue Patterns skinny pants, "They're old lady pants that don't look like old lady pants!" I'm wearing these pants in this picture with Jillian of Jilly Be Joyful (taken during our sewing meetup - more on that below). I made these pants of stretch twill with a pull on elastic waistband - pure comf. At the same time, they look cute cute cute and up to the minute with their 'equestrian' style seaming. Now i am aware that i have been harping on this concept of 'comfort level is not  related to style' for over a year now on this blog. But i keep kind of 'getting it' at deeper levels. It goes to show how deeply various stereotypes and 'wisdom' or 'common sense' get ingrained into our psyches. It takes a long time to dig out the various tentacles!

A few years ago mom bought me a wonderful little jacket - embroidered velvet lined in loose weave rayon jacquard. It adds the structured feel of a jacket to outfits, while wrapping me in the cuddly warmth of a fuzzy sweater and providing just the right amount of warmth during much of our year.  Ever since i realized it's wonderful usefulness i've been interested in copying this idea - velvet jacket lined with a nice natural fiber. Using cotton jersey as the lining instead of a woven was a great idea, as it adds to the warmth while being smooth enough to glide over any tops underneath. I also used this jacket to add some different textures to my wardrobe (the velvets), as well as to showcase a great bit of concentrated detail in the snaps over the stripe bands - two more of my personal style priorities (more variety in texture and some concentrated details).

snaps, stripes made with color, stripes made in three dimensions.

However, i did break one style resolution - to use new fabric instead of continually cannibalizing old garments for fabric. It takes more time and it's a hassle and the resulting garment usually has less 'life' left in it than if i had used new materials.  Almost a decade ago i bought a pair of stretch velvet bootcut pants from Carushka. Stretch velvet, worn right next to the skin with no lining, is cold cold cold in winter! And hot in summer.....i only wore them a handful of times, but kept them as i knew i would find a use for the gorgeous fabric. I cut the front, backs, collar and flounce from these pants. The stripe is a beefy cotton lycra from a Goodwill tee. I did buy new yardage for the sleeves - a velvet with a very fine dimensional stripe. I cut one sleeve with the stripe along the line of the sleeve, the other with the stripes going around. I enjoy the very subtle effect this makes in black - it adds a bit more texture, besides. And the lining material is new. My resolution was half achieved.

no need to carry a scarf - or worry about losing one, either.

This jacket did take me quite a while to finish in calendar-time, what with all the other hoo-ha occupying my days. I also decided to just relax a little, enjoy the process and do it right, instead of worrying about a 'deadline'.  My meetup with Jillian of Jilly Be Joyful to compare notes on this jacket's construction added even more enjoyment. We found out we were both involved in making up this pattern at the same time via the Stitcher's Guild Forum. Her jacket took even more fussing than mine, as she made FIVE MUSLINS in order to perfect the fit. Dang! And how worth it was that - she looks stylish, edgy, the blue-grey makes her incredible eyes even more mesmerizing, and the utilitarian hook-and-eye tape rocks and rolls! (heehee, i managed to snag a couple of yards of that tape meself - on sale. w00t!) I also highly recommend checking out Jillian's amazing Trippen booties - i had to keep remembering not to drool.

After all of the planning, plotting, researching, scheming, dreaming, experimenting i've done towards developing my wardrobe it's so rewarding to see things starting to take shape. I would be perfectly happy wearing this outfit and the parts in it for years on end. They fit my body, they fit my style, they fit my life and make me happy. It's invigorating to be moving from the 'preparation and finding out' stage to the 'okay this is the real deal stage'. I still have plenty of work to do, especially since really the clothes i love the best i make for myself. (Adrienne of Wear The Hat may be coming around to this viewpoint as well. Not that i'm biased!) But it's all very much within reach.  Whodda thunk it?  And where are you in your own journey of dressing yourself?