Went to a dance this weekend, that had a steampunk costume theme.
Made this skirt for my costume, based on the tutorial here.
The fun part is that I made it out of a bed sheet and some curtains, and got to use the corner of the fitted sheet for the bustle portion. I was pretty chuffed about that.
I also was pretty happy with the zipper job I did. The waist didn't get over my hips too well, so I had to cut into the skirt without accounting for the seam allowance needs. So I finished the edges with bias tape and then added the zipper. The fact that my seams are actually at the edge consistently is more impressive than you may think for me.
The waistband is another matter. I didn't realize just how frustrating it must have been to make those big complicated skirts... the layers made it almost impossible to pass the waistband through the sewing machine! I think it was five gathered layers at the same time. Yikes! (So, you can just ignore that wonky seam on the waist in the pic.)
All in all, it was a fun experiment, though I have to admit I felt more like a fancy French maid than very steampunk. I was even asked at the party if I were a steampunk French maid, so I guess I wasn't the only one. I did manage to win some costume recognition with my lovely companions, so I couldn't have done all that bad.
I know that Halloween is well over by now, but I did promise you a review of my dressing up and related adventures.
I had a wedding to attend in Philly the weekend before Halloween, and if you remember, I had been very excited to get dressed up for the reception. If you couldn't deduce this from my recent posts about fascinators and flappers, I decided to go with a 20's inspired outfit.
I found this dress at an Antiques Mall in Baltimore, and though it's obviously not drop waist, it's slinkiness and bugle beads really reminded me of the 20s. It's crochet, so it makes for a slightly sloppy presentation, what with my slip slipping out everywhere. But I think it looks slick just the same.
I got pretty into it, looking up tutorials on 20s makeup and hairstyles. I ended up referring to this post for makeup. Not being a makeup kinda girl, I had to stock up on red lip liner and something to make my eyes all smokey. I hate mascara, so I went with buying myself some fake lashes. Did you know how much of a pain they are to put on when you're as clueless as I am?!?!? I had to get Buddy to put those things on my lids for them to actually stay. The jury is now out as to which I dislike more: fake lashes or mascara.
I used this video for the hairstyling, because I've been growing out my bob for a while (I had started to miss braids).
It was relatively easy, though time consuming. My day was work, getting made up, and then driving. Oh yeah, and the wedding reception. Did I mention I got to do the driving on the day that the East Coast got that freaky October snow? Granted, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but the winds were a bit stressful.
Here's my hair-play results:
The fascinator I had bought from Design by Night was a nice mix of big and bold with the slinkiness of the feathers. And I was less likely to damage it with my fumbly self. Those peacock feathers do not look nearly so good as the day I bought the piece. Poor things.
I'm including this second shot of the fascinator, to give you another view. I took it the day after, so you get to see my lovely bedhead too.
I wish I could explain how crazed I felt for the rest of the weekend and manage to do it justice. It was a mix of great fun hanging out with great folks I barely see, while being physically exhausted and not feeling so hot, not packing properly, and then dealing with my car breaking down on Monday morning as I tried to drive home. I had to take a bus back to Baltimore and wait for word on the car. I was fortunate in that the car was easily fixed and didn't cost too much. I was able to head back up on Wednesday, hang out with more quality folks, and come back in my much happier little car a much happier little Seeks.
So I didn't get to dress up for Halloween proper. But I'm sure I'll post on the outfit I had in mind in the near future. Dress up is so worth sharing.
In the meantime, you can see (if you look closely) a very specially numbered SEPTA train below, that I saw as I learned to use the SEPTA system to pick up my car. I suppose it was a good thing I wasn't on that train. My luck was crazy enough as it was, I wouldn't have wanted to involve occult numerology.
Even if I couldn't find my charcoal and pencils and sketchbook before getting there, and had to use an old handmade scrappy sketchbook and the pens in my purse.
Even if I didn't win any prizes because the artists at the event were amazing.
And because I didn't do a good job with incorporating "voodoo" as a theme anyway. (I was disappointed to find I'd already done Nona's hair and couldn't make her Marie Laveau. Instead, it looks like she's trying to feel her up. Oh boy.)
I have to say, Shabby Apple really knows how to get me to agree to almost anything that they say. They say, "jump!" I'll likely jump. A lot.
So, when they say, "Choose your favorite Shabby Apple dress and drool over it on the internetz' public space so you can get a $10 gift certificate for our shop", well then. I'm sold. I mean, bought. Or something.
The great thing about Shabby Apple is not just that the dresses are really stylin' but that they continue to expand on their collections and selections and colors and themes and wonders. In trying to choose my top pick, I realized just how many of their collections I missed out on. I think I could spend almost as much time perusing Shabby Apple as I manage to spend perusing Sock Dreams. (That's way too much, for those unfamiliar.) So, it's hard to really choose a favorite dress and feel settled on it. My initial knee jerk favorite is this lovely:
So, I'm a huge fan of the polka dot and the pencil skirt, but I have to admit that it was really the name that got me. Not realizing that it's a reference to a huge dance festival in the Berkshires, I was intrigued by the name. Because I just got myself a Jacob's pillow of my own.
Almost a year ago, my younger brother Jacob passed away unexpectedly. A friend of the family offered to take shirts of his and make us all pillows with them (that's a lot of pillows, folks). It was just this past month that she was able to bring them by my parents' home for each of us to choose our favorite.
Here's mine:
(And as a side note: what a great refashion idea in general!!)
Funnily enough, when I chose it, I didn't think it would match my home decor, having forgotten that I apparently only have grey pillows. In truth, I had chosen this pillow almost strictly on the grounds of the awesome pockets. It seemed so cozy to me. Begging to be hugged, just like my brother--everyone wanted to hug him. Trust me, he was good at the hugging.
I would have such a lovely nap here, if only I had a cozy shirt-pillow.
In reading the description of the dress (and let's get another shot of this sweet thing), I felt like the inspiration for this dress was very much in the spirit of my brother too. The designer had gone off for a weekend of relaxation in the Berkshires, and after a classical concert came across the following:
It was a group of young musicians gathered around a camp fire--three of them with their violins out sawing away at an Irish reel, the rest making novice attempts at contra dancing, much to their own amusement. I watched from a short distance, their joy and abandon intoxicating, before someone in the line noticed me. A girl of about 20 came skipping out of the line over in my direction, and, without a word, grabbed my hand, pulling me into the dance.Abandoning all the city girl in me, I joined them, sashaying and curtsying and do-si-do-ing until I couldn't stop laughing and had to take a rest...
My brother loved the fiddle, and he and I often liked to try playing together. Neither of us were very good, but we learned quickly and fell in love with the idea of learning to play. It was supposed to have been him who would have played the processional (Pachelbel's Canon) at my other brother's wedding in May. Instead, my cousins and I performed in his place.
After his funeral, we all gathered at my aunt and uncle's and had a similar gathering as the designer describes: bonfire, fiddle music, banjo, dancing, singing, whooping, and laughing. Because that was Jacob.
All in all, it seems to add up. In time for the Day of the Dead, when I get to honor those who have gone before me, I have an opportunity to connect with my brother in the most unexpected of places. So, as morbid as it may be, how could this dress not be my favorite??
I have been contemplating my Halloween costume only as though it were a whiff of candy corn on an autumn breeze on a blustery day. Briefly, half-mindedly, and without much hope of coming to a productive conclusion.
But I have been contemplating getting dressed up for some friends' wedding reception Halloween weekend like I think about food: frequently, ardently, and excitedly. Almost obsessed. Because food is damn good. And so is dressing up for a worthwhile occasion.
There are plans in the works, but in the process I got to return to something I have found myself intrigued by over the past couple years: fascinators. Not the boxy odd ones at the royal wedding, but the feathery, whimsical, romantic ones that remind me of the Roaring Twenties, exotic Frazetta princesses (though I don't think any of them would wear even that much), and First Peoples.
Here are some of my favorites from my trawling of Etsy:
Ummmm, I could totally just post her whole site on here and still feel like I should show you more. But I realize that some of that is just my own obsession. Her work is neat, detailed, and tastefully constructed. The felt backings are heart shaped, the feathers hand curled. I'm pretty sure she makes her flowers by hand too, but I didn't ask. She evens knows to get headbands that don't hurt. I always get headaches with headbands, but hers are quite comfortable!
I was able to meet up with Kolleen, the artist of Design by Night, tonight and peruse her wares. First, I'd like to let you ladies know that the Etsy shop doesn't even begin to cover the work she does. Second, it's all good. And third, I've gotten my fascinator for my reception outfit. I won't ruin the surprise, as part of the fun of dress up is the reveal. But I expect pictures to be forthcoming. :)
In the meantime, you should check out Kolleen's blog with her upcoming shows, tutorials, and products! Ugh. I am so going to be spending way too much money.
And no, Kolleen doesn't know I'm writing this. I'm just giddy. Thanks, Kolleen!(I'll probably be calling you soon for another fascinator when I get paid again. Obsessed, I'm telling you!)
