Tuesday 11 January 2011

Wardrobe Wishes and Dressing Dreams

Welcome back to my crazy scheme to make all my clothes this year, are you enjoying yourselves so far? I do hope so!

Let's get started shall we? Today I decided to introduce some structure into the proceedings - something that I'm usually a little bit lacking. I find that without structure my projects don't seem to turn out the way I'd like them to, or not at all. I work much better when I give myself a bit of discipline, so I've made some lists of items that I'd like - in an ideal world - to make for myself this year. I have divided these items into two different lists, basics and luxuries, as the whole point of this exercise is to produce both an interesting and unique but also a working wardrobe, and although I'd love to spend all my time making beautiful, frivolous, lacy bits of nothing, I must make sure I divide my time equally and fairly. 

So, drum roll please, here they are:

Basics:
  • A black pencil skirt - I've searched for one for so long, but I've never been able to find one that fits both my waist and my hips, so I'm going to have a go at making one myself
  • A circular skirt - These are so flattering and feminine, I'd love to make a couple, both with and without petticoats. Casey of Casey's Elegant Musings posted a tutorial using some 1950s instructions, so maybe I'll give it a go.
Pretty old circular skirt
  • Tops - Within this section I'd like to make several different shirts and blouses, pussy bow, silk and chiffon blouses, a fitted shirt and some simple basic tops. I'm taking part in Tasia's Pendrall Blouse Sew-Along over at Sewaholic to get myself started.
Ah, to have a shirt like Miss Von Teese...
  • Some wide legged trousers - these seem to be everywhere at the moment, and I'm particularly drawn to the beautiful vintage style of this pattern from Wearing History.
  • Vintage style day dresses - a very broad title to cover all manner of different styles and ideas. I just want lots of functional dresses - I wear dresses almost everyday - but I also want to explore vintage styles from different eras, hopefully developing a diverse and interesting wardrobe. I'm thinking about taking part in Casey's swing dress sew-along to get myself started!

Luxuries:
  • A Corset - I was recently introduced to the joys of the corset as one was made to measure for me on a job, but I have always found them fascinating and beyond beautiful, both in the way they look and the way they make you feel when you're wearing them. It has been a long time ambition of mine to make my own, so I figured I'd give it a go, perhaps starting with a more simple under-bust corset and then working up, so to speak. 
The way to a girl's heart is through her corset
  • Lingerie - I'm going to have to devote a second post to what I want to do with lingerie, it is one of my great loves and it needs time all to itself! But rest assured it's going to be fun!
  • A leopard print dress - a strange addition to the list I know, but since I saw the picture below I have been a little bit obsessed with the idea of recreating this look. We'll see what happens...

Purrrrrfection
  • An evening coat - I adore getting ready to go on an evening out, but I feel the whole process is marred when I have a wear a regular jacket over the top of my fancy outfit. My dream is of 1940s glamour, navy fabric with a chocolate brown fur collar and diamante buttons.
  • An event dress - or maybe two. Something to stand out in and turn heads. Perhaps something in the style of the new Louis Vuitton 1940s inspired line or just something sparkly and dazzling, like the amazing beading work on Dita Von Teese's dress below.


Just beautiful
And there you have it! I know what I want and I'm going to go out there and get it. I really have no idea how much of this I will achieve this year, but I'm going to give it a go and I'm just excited for the challenge.

Anyway, I really do have a lot to be getting on with so I'd better get started. Check back for more updates soon, but bye for now!


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