Mod Lace Dress and Brown Sable Bolero

Photography by Victor Ciccarelli for Erynz.com

The Retro Traveler's Cloak

Photography by Victor Ciccarelli for Erynz.com

 

CTW, Ready to Romp: Not-So-Juvenille Hipster

I hesitate to say, "Romper Room," because in the service industry, that is the term used when there are too many families with children in the restaurant.  So I'm just going to bundle any juvenile educational programming inspirations into "Children's Television Workshop."


I wanted to make a dress quick quick quick.  I have a record of making a lot of separate pieces.  Even the gown that I did most recently was a two-piece, and wanted to challenge myself to do something speedy and easily constructed without being too simple-looking or boring.

So sleeves and pants were out, and a halter neckline and a skirt was in.   I can't say that this romper dress is Simple.  I can't just put out a potato sack with a belt!  But the whole thing, including designing, drafting, and mocking, took less than 12 hours, which is really fast even considering I also re-drafted and mocked the skirt after a first failed attempt.

I have learned in the past that adding too many extras, like pockets and buttons, to a garment made with fabric that has a busy print on it, the details disappear, so I found a way to make this busy print work for me rather than against me.  See how the pleating has made the stripes look like they are changing direction?  That's because I used my new fascination with drafted pleating to give the printed pattern a new dynamic without having to cut and sew on a new piece of fabric.

Cover Girl: Green Acres of Floral Fabulousness

So the challenge this week was to create a look for a magazine cover to be modelled by Heidi.  The scary Editor in Chief (well, she was very intimidating, but for some reason, I wanted to be her friend...) of Maire Claire magazine gave some VERY useful advice for creating a cover look.  No black because you want a bright color to stand out.  Remember that there are going to be words printed over the image, so busy prints and too many details would make it hard to read the copy.  Since the image will most likely be from the thigh up or closer, the interesting detail work should be on the upper part of the body.  And most of all, you want the outfit to really catch the eye of someone walking by a newsstand and make them want to buy the magazine within 2 seconds.

So with this outfit, I was inspired by a Springtime basket of flowers and "Green Acres."  Eva Gabor's character was a city girl forced to live on a farm.  On the show, she tried to dress like she was still in the city, but I think that it would be a cool concept to see how she would try to still dress "upper class" while trying to fit in with the rest of the "country" townsfolk (all the while knowing inside that she was still better than them).













I know that orange is a "different" choice for Spring, with it being usually more of a Autumn color, but it's so bright and when paired with the floral print of the "flowers" on top, I think it's very Spring.  I put into practice my new theory of, "make a simple, well-made garment with one dramatic point of interest and one minor one" into play here with a no-frills pencil skirt and short-sleeved jacket.  Of course, the focal point it the collar with the fabric flowers spilling out, and the minor detail being the asymetrical button closure and it's ready for our cover girl!

I could have made the peplum a little more angled to reflect the shape of the collar, but all in all, I'm quite happy with this outfit.  Although it's tough to make things..."simple" after convincing myself that simple=potentially boring, I was very happy to find that taking the simpler route really saved a huge amount of time and makes the focal point detail stand out that much more!  Who woulda thunk it!?

Buy the magazine already!

The Patty Duke Show: The Challenges Begin Again, The Kitty Returns

The theme of this premiere episode was to make a garment that shows "who you are as a designer."  Once again, I understood the directions better than most (haha, I'm so very humble, I know!) and designed a dress that actually means something to me.

The Patty Duke Show is one of my all time favorite vintage TV shows.  Not only was it cutting edge for it's time (the split screen effect they used to show Patty playing two different characters on screen at the same time was nothing short of magical), but the storyline and characters and all-over fun kept the show interesting.

I remember one episode in particular that has stayed with me.  Short story is: Cathy made a cute little jumper dress with a kitty on the front.  All the girls at school wanted one after they saw it, and Cathy, wanting to please people, started making dresses for everybody and soon realized that not only was she overwhelmed and underpaid, but no one understood how much work went into making the dresses.

So here's my psychology lesson, but bear with me, it has a promising ending.  Cathy's Kitty dress dilemma somewhat parallels my ongoing journey as a designer/stitcher (which is what you call a male seamstress).  I know the most people don't understand that clothing isn't something that you effortlessly "whip up."  And listen, I still am not above paying my dues.  I've hemmed pants, sewn pillow cases, altered curtains, upholstered cushions, etc.  So, to me, this kitty dress represents my ongoing desire for people to regard me as a good designer and clothing maker, and not just someone who simply knows how to use a sewing machine.

But you know something that I realized?  People are starting to respect me as a designer more and more, which makes me SO happy!  For example, this year I made some garments for friends and family as gifts, and for one, I offered to go with his idea for a canvas bag to hold a floormat, and he told me that he would rather like me to make him a pair of pants.  I don't think he has any idea how much that meant to me!  To know that people have confidence that I will produce good clothing makes me gain twice as much confidence in my own work!  So, thank you, Easter Bunny!

So, what can I say about this particular dress as it comes to the particular challenge for which it was intended?  Backstory aside, this dress says that as a designer, I am a little retro, a little urban, a little punk, a little whimsical.  And most importantly, I want to say that my style is super-cute and well-made and super well-fitted!

Would this design win me the challenge?  Maybe, maybe not.  They would probably say that it is a little "costumey side," although I can totally see a girl going to a underground European dance club wearing this.  If I made this dress again, I would not add the buttons on the collar and I wouldn't angle of the bodice/skirt connection like that.  Straight across would probably be less "interesting" but more flattering, after all.  The dress ain't bad, though.  It would keep me in and that is what is important in the first rounds!

In closing, this dress's theme may look familiar to my long time fans as I have made a slightly less-edgy version of the kitty jumper (OMG, two years ago!) for the Kidney.  Compare and contrast.

Bewitched: Serena Wants to Blow You A Kiss In The Wiiiiiiiiiiiind.

I got a few comments from my last outfit that Samantha's shirt dress (or at least the print) looked Serena-appropriate.  While I agree that Serena would like the wild print from that dress, she would never wear something that subdued.  Serena thought of herself as a rock star, so I made this slightly-off-kilter combination for Serena (something Samantha would never wear) as inspired by her living room rock number, "I'll Blow You A Kiss In The Wind."

I'm not sure WHY this scene still stands out in my mind after all these years.  Maybe it was the awkwardness of the camera movements trying to do the 60's psychedelic rock video thing.  Maybe it's that the song is memorable thanks to the "wi-i-iiiind" hook, but not necessarily that good.  Maybe it's because I didn't fully appreciate Serena until I became an adult and realized she was fabulous (I used think she had an annoying voice and always wondered how someone wearing such an ugly wig and bad makeup was so mean).

So here is Raine's Serena Rock Star outfit, complete with altered eye makeup and "beauty mark." (I know it's on the wrong side, but her hair is covering her face where the original would be.  Did you know Serena drew different symbols as her beauty mark with each episode?  I didn't.)    Many of visible seams are a little bit off and have a funhouse mirror quallity, just like Serena.  You can obviously see the collar is sideways, a feat that was not easily accomplished while still making it fold and stand up in the right places.  The button closure in front is also off center. (but it's fake. The garment actually zips up the back.) And the yoke of the skirt is on a severe diagonal at the front, and a severe curve in the back.

In the end, I really like the skirt.  I think it's adorable.  And as for the top, I like the way the collar turned out.  I would definitely consider doing something like that again in an even bigger proportion on top of a dark cocktail dress. with a really full skirt.

Bewitched: Samantha Stevens' Pebble Magic

Look! It's a one-piece! I've been doing a lot of separates lately, so I wanted to make something less complicated (and less time consuming!) while still hopefully keeping it interesting and beautiful.

You know, Samantha Stevens may not be as dear to my heart as a character as, say, Jeannie, but I sure liked the way she dressed and she had good hair.

I remember Samantha often wore shirt dresses on Bewitched. And, it being the 60's, there was usually some kind of loud and/or psychadelic print on it. A well-made shirt dress can not only be beautiful, but also very functional as well, as it is very convenient by fastening in the front, and also looks masculine/feminine, dressy/casual all at the same time. Every woman should have one.

Granted, this print is quite busy, but I like it. I found this fabric (and the shoes!) at a hospital garage sale. It's super retro plus plus, don't you think? From what I realized about working with busy prints from my last outfit, adding a lot of details is pretty much a waste of energy because you won't be able to see them. So, because of this, I refrained from adding any pockets and employed only the simplest of darting techniques to nip the shirt in at the waist.

There ARE, however, details that you may be able to see when you click on the pictures for larger views. I could not just present a completely plainly-made garment, otherwise, it would not be "designer." You can see on the front and back, there is an assymetical diagonal seam across the shoulder with a change of pattern direction from vertical to horizontal on the upper panel. It makes a little bit of a "sunburst" effect at the shoulder at the front.

Also, the skirt section is finely pleated in four different sections and completely flat in others. This took a lot of mathematics skillz, thank you very much.

Lesson at the end of the day? With black material, you can get away with murder/mistakes all day long. The same goes with busy patterns as long as you keep it simple. And far those of you who think that prints make you look fat, no. Only big prints make you look fat. There, I said it!

Gilligan's Island Collection: Mrs. Howell Loves Her Accessories

Mrs. Howell is ready for the cold island weather in her new green plaid coat over a simple belted lime green shift dress.  Doesn't the fresh infusion of color make her look years and years younger?                            On the shawl collar, she has placed a priceless diamond brooch and has topped off the outfit with a white fur Q-Tip hat with pink tips made from stray imitation rabbits that were found roaming about the island.

This coat was cut wide all around the bottom for a little extra drama and fullness.  I also added some extra interest by putting in welt pockets on the side fronts and next to the lapel.  Welt pockets are easiest to do on plaid because the outline of the pocket is built in to the fabric, and as I have said before, when it comes to using plaid, it is best to let the pattern on the fabric work for you and not against you.

You may remember I have used this material before.  I bought the whole bolt when I got it because it it's SO very hideousgorgorgeous 60's, I couldn't resist.  It was also very cheap, so that didn't hurt, either.

This coat can also be worn belted, as you can see here, for a more fitted look.  (You have no idea how difficult it was for me mentally to make something without a well-defined waistline!)

The News Is In: More Colour and More Cuteness Brings The Sunshine In

Trina is ready to travel back in time and steal Barbara Walter's job. Or at least steal her husband...

After last week's misguided attempt as a business suit, I was reminded that Trina's strength lies in vintagewear, and I hate anything that ends up looking colorless. I've been wanting to use this great fabric for a long time, but was just waiting for the right outfit to make from it to pop into my head.








I decided to go with a modified 50's/60's jacket with a large notched collar and crossover closure in the front, just to make it different.







If I could start over and make it all again, I would make the collar even larger to go even more over the shoulders, and make the crossover even more pronounced.

Learned experience from this project: If you go with a bold color/pattern with a bold statement in construction, it would probably not be such a bad idea to go bold all the way!

Gidget Goes Comfy: A Functional Beach Girl Outfit That Fits a Purpose

This week's challenge was a double-whammy. Two outfits were to be made and I got behind because I had an actual paid sewing job to do! So, therefore, I am pushing myself to do these outfits as one-day creations, so let's begin!

The first task was to create beachwear for a surfer girl. Unlike some designers, I actually listened to what the surfer girls were saying in their interviews, and picked up that they like function over fashion, and at least one had an affinity for hooded sweatshirts.

So I took to the idea that I wanted to make something with hidden functions that a surfer girl would find useful.

Besides the obvious comfort of the stretchy fabric and the warmth of the hood, I made an extra extra long back panel, so the girl could throw this on right out of the water, sit down on the sand, and not get her shorts wet.

The sleeves have pockets on the side for a cell phone, car keys, or a little pen and paper.

There are two long panels on each side for the surfer girl to fiddle with, as well as use as hand warmers, or to wrap around a cold beer bottle so her fingers don't get numb. These also function as an addition option for a closure.

The elastic waistband was made tight enough so that if she wants to have to front completely open, she just doesn't zip the zipper. The elastic automatically pulls all the fabric to the back.

As for the inside, it's just a standard halter bikini top and a pair of hotpants, but I think they are cute by themselves!

If I sent a girl down the runway with this on, I would definitely instruct her to take off the sweatshirt halfway through and drag it behind her as she exits.

So I know this outfit would probably not win any pretty awards, but it serves the function well, I think! And Nora found it quite interesting to see what she looks like with a tan.