Taxi: Simka and The Price Of Tea In China

I'm trying out a new style: Boho Punk!

Simca on Taxi, was a freak.  That is what made her adorable.  She was foreign (from a "European Country" that they never specified), didn't have a lot of money, wasn't always that intelligent, and also wasn't always that nice. Bohemian Punk!

I built everything off of this unusual skirt.  It's a tiered gathered skirt (Boho) held together with zippers that are open in areas, giving it an unkempt, jagged industrial look (Punk).  I also did a treatment that gives some panels a permanently wrinkled look by scrunching the fabric and pressing it on top of iron-on interfacing, so the wrinkles will never release.  The skirt is terribly impractical and would probably scrape your legs up, but I think it looks very cool.

And much like a European story, the rest of the tale is not such a happy one.  I made a gathered crop top to use as an undershirt for a Boho Punk jacket, but the jacket turned out too clean, which is what I am used to making.  I put on exposed zippers for the pockets and made the collar normal-sized on one side and large on the other, and even added a bullet-holder thing on the shoulder, but it still looked too flat!  Maybe a different fabric choice would have been the key, but I knew I liked the blouse underneath, so I removed the jacket and went with a new concept.

I took the top and added long kimono sleeves appropriate for the very sheer fabric.  I like this better.  It's dramatic even though it is soft and flowy, the amount of exposure adds a hard edge that goes along with the hard/softness of the skirt.

Taxi: Rocking Dirty Downtown Urban Glam

I've been wanting to do character ever since I bought this wig for Leonora.  It's her new "signature hair", and in addition, it makes her a dead ringer for Marilu Henner!

There is a lot to be inspired by in the show "Taxi."  The cab drivers (all but one) have dreams and aspirations that just seem within reach, and they consider working at Sunshine Cab a temporary job that they can leave behind after they succeed in their real careers.  Sound familiar?  Elaine Nardo (this character) wants to be in the field of fine art.

I had the shape of this garment in mind before finding the fabric.  I originally wanted to do a yellow/b-w checker combination thing to give her "taxi-colors", but I ended up using an aqua crepe for the undershirt and this cool patterned jersey material for the jacket instead.  The color brings out her eyes much better than yellow. compare/contrast.  (By the way, I found the picture of Elaine in that shade of blue AFTER I made the garment.  The fact that they are the same is just a wonderful coincidence that affirms I made the right color choice).

Since Elaine wants to be an Artist, and also Sunshine Cab is based in Lower Manhattan, I wanted to combine the two looks.  I wanted the whole thing to look a little dirty and wrinkled.  The under vest has permanent wrinkles ironed-in.  The grey trim on the jacket is made out of one of my old tank tops with paint stains.  I rubbed sidewalk chalk on the jeans to make them look dusty and worn.  But I also wanted her to look artistic and glamourous.  The vest is shiny.  The jacket is meant to resemble one of those oversized dramatic ponchos that a stereotypical New York female artist wore in the 70's.  The pants are super fitted and not sloppy.  I think I did a good job at mixing the two looks.

Gilligan's Island - Skipper Sexy

So let us return to Gilligan's Island. Last season, I did the girls. (Ha, who ever thought they'd hear me say THAT?!) But who says that my ladies can't emulate the males of the island?

Maybe it's the current hot days, maybe it's that I have a lot of stretch material and just found a new website that teaches stretch pattern making, but I decided to do a small collection of swimwear, just for the fun and experience of it!

I have had this blue striped material for a while now (I've used it as the "underwear" in my mens' faire pants because it's hidden, but comfy and sturdy enough to be a good base under the pumpkin puffiness). Anyway, I think the stripes just scream, "Nautical!" So I made a bandeau variation bikini top and the female Skipper was born.

For the rest, I wanted an airy, sea-cruise type of feel, so I used some light lacy stretch white cotton to make a tiered cave-front peasant skirt, perfect for walking up the steps and short ladders on a yacht without tripping while still catching the sea breeze beautifully.

The top, of course inspired by The Skipper's blue polo shirt, is (gasp!) ultra drapy! I wanted to make her have a more "round" shape on the top to echo Skipper's chubbiness without making her actually look fat. I think I did a good job at that concept!

Oh, by the way, I did look for a Skipper hat to go with this outfit, but it ended up making Raine look so Jennifer Lopez-as-Selena. It just didnt' look right, so I didn't use it.  AS for the rest of the ensemble, I am quite happy with it!  It's cool and comfy and ready for more than a three hour tour!

Gilligan's Island: Profess This!

I was excited to make something for The Professor.  Along with the Skipper, he was always one of my favorites.  I used his white shirt and khaki pants combination as inspiration for this combo.

As I mentioned last post, I am doing an exercise in swimwear since finding a great site on how to draft patterns for stretch fabrics.  I'm quickly becoming a fan!

I knew I wanted to try to make a one-piece suit that looked like she was also wearing a very professorial vest.  The small problem was, how would I do that without making the waist look bulky with the extra layer of horizontal-laying fabric on it?  The answer was to do a twisty, high placed ditty withangular lines running through it.  I love the way it turned out!  

In addition to making the otherwise simple-ish suit look more interesting, notice how the placement of the bands on the side sections also add cleavage-creating bra-like support.

And of course, I couldn't simply make a one-piece and let it stand alone, so I made a flowy (yes, a flowy, unstructured top!  Can you believe my boldness to explore the unfamiliar?!) blouse as a cover-up.  While it doesn't really cover anything, it sure would look great billowing in the sea breeze.  I was not only taking from the Professor's white shirt, but also was inspired by coconut "fuzz" and the the palm frond thatched huts, which is why I added the detail of the frayed edge ribbon I created from the shirt fabric.

Gilligan's Island: Howell Madness!

Okay, maybe not "Madness!" but it is a little bit unusual, don't you think?

For my final swimwear exercise, I tried a "standard" string bikini with a stringy twist.  You know, I kind of felt strange using such a little amount of fabric to cover up Trina's girly bits.  I mean, if a regular piece of paper represented the amount of material I usually use to make a garment, this outfit would be represented by a postage stamp.

The hat was essential, and I chose the plaid print to echo a Mr. Howell sports jacket, of course.  It usually would be used for trousers or something, but it is actually stretchy, so I thought it would be a good choice for this character.

Always not wanting to keep things simple, I wanted to also add something extra and unusual, so inspired by the idea of a scuba-diving outfit, I made a string-embellished raglan sleeve shrug that is almost off the shoulder and buttons off center.  I think it adds a nice fashion touch, even if it would make for a strange tan pattern after a day at the beach.

Just to point out as well, check out the awesome backside to this bikini bottom!  I used an inward curved center back seam to "lift and separate" which also prevents the fabric from riding up and in while the girl is walking.  I will use this technique again!

Square Pegs: Around the Corner

It would probably be overdramatic to tell you how I agonized and agonized over this outfit.  I made three different tops before settling on this one.  The others were either too old lady, too unflattering, to just too wrong.  This cardigan-like sweater is a little on the simple side, but I actually can see a high school/college age girl wearing it.

The reason why I had such a hard time was that I started with the fabric with no TV inspiration!  I was totally lost before I noticed the squares in the pattern and the pegged pants.  Square Pegs!  That's it!  There's no particular character this would fit.  It's not dorky enough for the nerdy girls and not uppity enough for Muffy.  So let's just say that Trina would be playing an extra on the show.

Speaking of Trina.  Raine is quite upset right now because Trina is using her body.  Well, namely her torso.  I needed a pose that was a little less upright to make the look work.

The Addams Family - Fester's Fabulous!

Completing my Darkness collection is a very unexpected Uncle Fester! (Actually, it's Fester with a little Pugsley combo, just like the Morticia/Gomez mixture of my last post.)  Yes, I know that Fester is bald.  But I can't do a whole standalone picture series with a bald headed model!

On the show, Fester wore a dirty looking monk's robe with a fleece or fur muffler. I recall the robe being burlap, but maybe it wasn't.  Either way, it didn't look too comfortable or flattering to the body.

For this outfit, I wanted to make something just as figure-hiding while still being fabulous.  Baggy and bulky are usually not my style, so I of course had to pair it with something fitted and skimpy, hence the hotpants and tight sweater just to make me feel more at home.  The result is a ensemble that is part Addams, part Dr. Zhivago, part Streetwalker.  Love it!

If you look at the non-fur part, yes, that's burlap, or a version of it, that I got a huge bolt of years ago for a dollar a yard sitting on a street corner.  I've used it to upholster some of my furniture peices and make window coverings, and now, it's a bog coat.  I'm telling you, after working with all that burlap and fur for this project, my nasal passages are hating me!  I'm dreading vacuuming my sewing room and looking forward to it at the same time.

FUN FACT! Wondering what make me think of making those funky curved cut-out layers with the brown tabs hanging out?  When I make mock-ups of symmetrical pieces, especially ones that require a lot of fabric, I often only make one side. After all, why waste the material if both sides are the same? Well, with this coat's mock-up, I made one side properly, and the other out of scrap material that was left over after I cut out the mock sleeve.  So the curve at the bottom that you see is actually the shape of the stop of the coat's sleeve pattern laid flat.  I liked the way it looked, so I used it as an overlayer!

I'm not going to lie and say that this coat has nothing to do with my experience in making Henry VIII costumes, but I think that I've updated it competently and Nora thinks it's hot!  Literally!

The Addams Family: "Morticia, have I made you very Unhappy?" "Oh, yes, My Darling, Completely."

Part two of my mini-collection of darkness is Morticia Addams.  This suit is one of the main reinforcements of why I don't like to design in black.  This is the most complicated jacket that I have ever drafted.  It has three collars going all different directions, one and a half peplums, tiny pinstripes angled every which way, and hard-to-make sharp-cornered seams.  And you can barely see any of the work!  The unfortunate outcome is that Tish looks like a dominatrix 50's airline stewardess.

In the end, I kind of knew that I wasn't going to like this one.  After all, it's not really my style, but I really wanted to do a black collection so I could get over it and "come out of the darkness and back into the light."  Corny, yes?  But whatever!  You don't know me!

But for those of you who want to know, "What was he thinking?!" I can point a few cool things out.  First of all, I do know that the original Morticia costumes, both the Carolyn and Angelica versions, put the actresses in dresses so tight at the knees they could barely walk.  Making a fishtail gown, though, would be too obvious, so I started by making very tight pants with huge flares at the bottom with a corset at the top.  Then I realized that flared pants are SO not in style anymore, so I scrapped it and started over by making an uncomfortably tight jacket with padded shoulders and a strange, spider-like collar treatment with an attached choker that makes her decollete' look like a heart.

I even made a pair of impossibly tight ankle pants as an option to try and make it look less stewardessy.  I like the pants, but I think I'll leave the jacket/tight pants combo to another designer who likes to use black and make similar combo outfits.

So this was a good excercise, but soon will be put into the phail file!  I should have taken a picture of what a mess my sewing room was after all this.  Black fabric trimmings all over the place makes it look really creepy!

The Freak Show Castaways

Pre Shooting Post!

    Below are a few test shots of some new outfits for an upcoming shoot I would like to do, with my thoughts and ideas for the styling.  These concepts are not set in stone, however!  They are just what I used to inspire me during the design process and I know that the model will make these look extra-special.

 

The Faded Flamingo- A magician's assistant, she was left at the side of the road when "Mr. Magic" decided that he was better off on his own and didn't need a pretty sidekick.

She's supposed to look like a half Flamingo-half Showgirl and I see her sitting on a suitcase in really dirty surroundings in this super-frilly outfit looking all dejected and pissed off.

I envision this look to go with curly unruly blonde hair, like this.  I still have that wig should we want to use it.  I also know a headdress designer that will lend us a white headdress if we would like to use one.

 

Petra Vitanseski, the Flying Feline- A member of a Romanian family of trapeeze artists and tightrope walkers called, "The Flying Vitaneskis." Petra declared, as she was the most talented and beautiful, she deserved an act all of her own.  The family disowned her.  She reinvented herself as the "half leopard/half lady."

 This outfit is actually a swimsuit, and then I made a stretch jacket with shoulder pads to go over it.  The skirt is really full, so I can see you having some fun with that, but truthfully, I think you will like the look with just the swimsuit because it's a really hot swimsuit by itself.  I want to put you this dark wig wearing lots of makeup for this look to add to the "Romanian Beauty" vibe.

"Sarafina The Reptile Woman" - A briefly popular attraction at the sideshow, the lady who looks very beautiful from the front turns around and has a back full of reptile spines.

I had this one finished, but broke the zipper when I took it off the mannequin, so that is why it looks a little boxy.  There is also not a good shot of the reptile spines because they are made to stand out when you are hunched over.  The makeup should be insane for this one and obviously hair should be up or short in order to keep the spines in back from being covered.  I high bun or even a huge braid hanging down the side could also be nice.

The Addams Family - Monday, Tuesday... Wednesday!

Wednesday Addams.  I've always loved her.  She's dark and mysterious and a huge psychotic in a little tiny body.  Just like me!  Just like Raine, too, which is why she was so happy to be able to play Wednesday.  It's her new favorite character.

So with my newest outfit for my second season of FBTV fashion, I decided to begin with a new attitude.  I'm going to make things that are perhaps a little less expected.  Sometimes they will be strange, but hopefully they will be things that are fashion forward that you haven't seen before.  That is the only way I'm really going to stand out.

One of the things that is really in right now in high fashion is "architecture," making the fabric stand out from the body on it's own in a way that looks hard and gravity-defying.  This is something that I've liked to play in my collars before and in a few peplums.  I'm trying to pair that with the idea of "forced perspective" to start a new trend in clothing.

By Forced Perspective, I mean making the clothes fit in a way that makes the wearer look like they are posing even when they are standing up straight and normal.  See how Raine looks like she's holding her hips at an angle and her shoulders, too?  The skirt part of this dress looks like it's symmetrical, but actually, the waist on the left side of the picture is four inches higher and is constructed to stick out at a much more severe angle than the right.  The buttons on the front are also at an ever so delicate curve.  I guess you can call clothes like this a celebration of scoliosis.

By the way, those flowers that are making this outfit look cheery rather than dark and black weren't store-bought that way.  I made them out of burgundy bridal ribbon.  A big shout out to Gladys from Kristina's Craft and Trim for showing me how to make them.