Velma Kelly End Dress...

I whipped up this Velma Kelly End Dress in about four hours minus time for lunch.

Hers:

Mine:

Pattern:

I don't know why the dress photographs blue. It's more purpely IRL. It's just waiting to be hemmed. What do we think?

Last update...

Hey everyone!

I've been kinda lagging on the posts lately. I haven't really made anything major and I've been trying to get my sewing machine up and running so I can give my mom's back to her.

Anyway, I bought this pattern:
It's my first of this kind, a double layered dress. I'm quite excited about it.

This will be my last post for some two weeks because I'm going to Japan! I visited a vintage shoppe while there once but I doubt I'll stumble across anything 20s.

Sayonara! I'll catch up with you when I return!

Lookee what we have here...

That's right, Pink, before you start something NEW finish what you've been working on. Duh.


Okay so I am aware that whilst playing dress up I did forget the long beads. Damn. When I actually wear this out and about, I won't forget them.

So I think this turned out not bad. Since the material was sheer and would look crappy faced, I finished the neckline, armholes and hem with bias tape. I don't know if this is period correct so if you see the 1920s police holla. Oh shit, the chesttoo isn't period correct either!

Actually, I think the bias tape brings out the definition in the handkerchief hem.

What do you think?

I dig it!

New & old patterns...

Well I bought fabric for this one. I can't wait to make it!
I also won two patterns recently on eBay, both under $15!

I'm totally makin' that short sleeve sucker!
This is an historic occasion for me. The above is officially my first 1920s top pattern. Yay!

Too bad, so sad...

This went outside my price range. *SOB*

WTF?!?!?!?

I just saw two 1920s patterns on eBay listed for $49.88 EACH as a BIN. Are you kidding me? PATTERNS?!?!? I could buy an authentic dress for less than that because I have paid less than that for an authentic 20s dress. Good luck selling those patterns lady! Oh, they come with a free bar of GOLD. Carry on then.

Update...

So I'm on vacation and still I have 20 days until I leave for Japan. I figured in that time I would do a little sewing. I bought this fabric a while ago and I'm currently in the process of cutting it out. The contrast isn't as light as the picture makes it out to be. It's more peachy.

Yay!

Looka this lovely paper from the scrapbooking store!

I have this area above the closet in my office/sewing room that could use some decorating. I'll post pics when it's complete!

The bug...

I'm pretty sure I was bitten by the sewing bug today!

Started this one which has been back logged forever!

It's a bit big on top. I don't know if I'll leave it that way or dart it. It's also waaaaaaaaaaaaay too long. It hits my ankles! (A fashion mistake for short me!) I need to trim the bottom and bind the sleeves and neck since the fabric is uber sheer. I also already had a great dark red belt to match. I'm sure this one will be neat when done!

Hey, at least I'm sewing again!

Dress repair...

If you go back to the March entry "It was a good day..." you'll see the original dress. This dress was one cause of my recent tiny armhole complaint. Today, feeling annoyed with that dress leering at me in the corner while I selfishly watched "Battlestar Galactica" I decided to work a bit on it. After all it's currently not wearable.

First I took off the sleeves (don't know my my arm looks so weird):

I hemmed the bottom of the dress because it was poorly mended with some yellow (on black fabric WTF) thread.

The final two pictures don't really show progress but progress to come. The red insets are badly damaged. There are spots and holes. I figured I would just (seam) rip the red out and replace with fresh new fabric. The black is in damn good condition for being over 80 years old!


Also, on the final picture you can see the close up of the fabric. The reason for this is I need your input. My first thought it that it's too fancy for sleeveless (which will be very easy to do). I still have the sleeves and they are long but I can't fit my giant modern arms in to them. I thought maybe I could take them apart and try some short sleeves but I don't know if that will work. Does anyone have any ideas? Help!

Dear 1920s Additction...

I have neglected you, 'tis true.

I haven't felt much like sewing these days. I found for me my interest in sewing goes in spurts.

I am currently working on getting myself in shape which is a long road but I'm committed!

Anyway, I have an issue with some garments and I was wondering if anyone knows what the deal is with this. I have purchased a number of authentic 1920s dresses since I started this blog. Two of those dresses have ridiculously small arms holes. Like I can't even get my arm into them! I don't get this. I don't have walrus like arms and the rest of the dress fits my measurements. So I honestly wonder...did women (even those with curves) have stick arms?

I made a drawing to further illustrate my question:

Drawing is copyright ME so don't try to steal this priceless treasure and call it your own!

Anyway, this isn't meant to be a joke entirely because this is really baffling! I mean the above is really what I picture in my head!

Anyone have any insight on this?

The summer of the 1920s...

Imagine my utter joy whist reading the SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW edition of Entertainment Weekly in finding not one but two 1920s films opening this summer!

First is Easy Virtue (which I believe opened in the UK already):

My first thought on this is "GAH Jessica Biel!" She my least favorite actor in the world. It also appears that from the photos she is dressed more 30s than 20s while the other actresses appear to be 20s accurate (similar to Leatherheads). Despite my misgivings I will probably see this.

Next is Cheri. Boy, Google that and see what kind of porn you get.

In all honesty I don't know much about any place outside of America in the 20s. I would assume that the fashions look similar to ours with the dropped waists. The dress above looks earlier, however. As I mentioned earlier Google was less than helpful in producing any other costume photos. Regardless I am completely in love with this:

Hair!

Over it...

Both I and another colleague decided today we are over it. What are we over? Dressing up for work. Morale has sunk so low into the toilet that it's affecting damn near everyone. Even the one of the higher ups was wearing jeans. Jesus it sucks right now.

Regardless of all this my lovely readers shouldn't suffer. And 19 is such a Ka worthy number too.

So here's some of my favorite pics:








Yes, I would like every one of these dresses please.

And to give credit where credit is due I'm pretty sure I stole most if not all of these from Amy Jeanne's glam spam days on LJ.

I have a blog here?!?!?

Sorry for the lack of postings lately. Morale at work has tanked lately and I've felt it. Sad to say it has made me not wanna get all dolled up. I can't remember when I wore this, Tuesday?
Face and many chins cut off on purpose. Blah.

These shoes really do go with everything...

And they look as bit nicer after cleaning since everyone and their mother decided to step on me at The Big Band Dance. This is the not vintage vintage dress from eBay that I posted a couple back. I received many a compliment on this one too.Back button detail:

Dress love!

Finished the bustle dress! You can find the close up fabric and the pattern a few posts back. I love this dress so much! Especially the big obnoxious "bustle" bow in the back! I got a lot of compliments today on both the shoes and the dress!

It was a good day...

Here's today's dress:
After work I managed to fall and hurt my ankle but would you believe NOT in these shoes...in my freaking driving sandals! It hurts still.

In other news I made out like a bandit today on the bay. $15.49 for the actual 1920s dress. I'll probably have to replace the red. The $30 repro dress (the seller said 70s or 80s) I just HAD to have. (You'll understand when you get to the pic.) Usually 80s 1920s repros are HIDEOUS but I fell in love with this one.

Accessories make the outfit so much better...

Told you so.

They don't call me Pink for nothin'...

Well I just put in an offer on this dress and the seller accepted. 26% off! I can't wait to get it!