Redesigning Stereotype
A woman who has embraced her independence and spun herself a life. She is a jet-setting trendsetter with a closet that is the envy of all.
Redesigning Stereotype
A woman who has embraced her independence and spun herself a life. She is a jet-setting trendsetter with a closet that is the envy of all.
As I was choosing silhouettes for my Smoke House Dresses line, I always knew there would be a one-shouldered dress. This one by Urban Renewal caught my eye as I was scanning the internet for inspiration. During a last minute editing session I opted to skip the ruffle around the neckline.
How did I do it?
Two mu’umu’us, some elastic, and a bit of chain. I used a basic mini skirt pattern for the bottom and altered it so it would have pockets. The top came from a juniors pattern. I went ahead and lined it so I wouldn’t have to finish the neck and armhole. I gathered the skirt to attach it to the top, then I added a casing at the waist for elastic. In an effort to avoid a wardrobe malfunction, the chain was added the day of the show. It used to be a belt.
The dress ended up as the opener in my collection, “Smoke House Dresses”, to hit the runway at the Treasure City Thrift Fashion Show. After the show my Yenta decided to switch dresses with Brandy and wear it home.
Total $ spent= just my time. Notions were found in house.
It started with collectiveselection’s post on Boyant Spring Prints. I clicked on the link to Browns Fashion and found a dress made for M. It was the dress with the open back that would frame her tatoo. The Opening Ceremony Silk Dress.
Then there was a mu’umu’u. Most people think that I started with an over-sized scarf, but they were wrong. The mu’umu’u was named “Chairman Mau” by a co-worker. The construction was surprisingly easy. I started with the back. I had measured the placement of M’s tattoo and set about making a frame for it. I cut out a rectangle and used twill tape to finish the edges. A broken necklace chain was used to fasten the back. I added casings in the shoulder seams to ruche away the the excess fabric. I also added casings around the waistline which would later be filled with elastic. The pockets were a last minute add a week before the show. I took the side seams apart and managed to figure out a way to keep the seams outward and get the pockets to go inward.
The dress ended up as the final piece in my collection, “Smoke House Dresses”, to hit the runway at the Treasure City Thrift Fashion Show. It currently resides in M’s closet.
Total $ spent= just my time. Notions were found in house.
I decided to take the plunge and sign up for the Treasure City Fashion Show again. I acquired a sack of old house dresses from my co-worker (her chain smoking mother-in-law had recently passed away. I will explain about the cleaning process some other time.
I sent out a message on FB to all of my friends looking for ladies of equal height to walk for me and ended up with some awesome mini-models (5′2″ to 5′4″). What did I dress them in? Super short dresses and high heeled wedges.
Here I go, redesigning stereotype again. This year I converted the house dresses of a chain-smoking old lady into some hot shifts for summer.
Here’s a sneak peak on what I’ve been up to for the last two months. I will fill you in on all the upcycling details later.
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spinster n.
The word spinster came into common use during the early 19th century when the task of spinning cloth had been pushed onto unmarried women as a way to earn their keep in the home.
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Spinsta Spinster
Contemporary use of the word conjures up a mental image of an independent a childless,stylish frumpy, middle-aged woman who is a jet-setting, trendsetter somewhat depressed, and is an inspiration to other women longing to be like other "normal" women.
