Outfit: Simplicity 1554, styled

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Janice

Front view #1.

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Front view #2.

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Closeup of bracelets: lucite root beer colored bracelet with glitter, black faux bakelite.

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Closeup of brooch. I take all my pictures myself so sometimes there are erratic angles.

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Blouse: Simplicity 1554, homemade
Cardigan: H&M
Pants: Hand me down from my mom
Bracelets: Faux lucite and faux bakelite
Shoes: Penny loafers, Hush Puppies
Brooch: Brown thermoset flower brooch, ebay

I’ve been making more of an effort to wear my projects this year and the ones that get the most wear are the blouses. I’ve also wanted to document more of what I wear from a day to day basis to keep track of the projects that I do wear.

It might be the erratic, freezing cold days we’ve been having but lately I’ve been really drawn to casual wear from the 50s (straight cut plain slacks) combined with 40s elements (brooches, lucite bracelets). I walk to and from work so whatever I have to be wearing has to be practical. I’m also allergic to nickel and can’t wear most jewelry that isn’t real. We’re also not allowed to wear jewelry on the mat so I’m constantly taking off my jewelry before going to class (jiu jitsu), and I’d like something I wouldn’t have to worry about losing if I put it in my wallet: hence large lucite bracelets and brooches.

That reminds me: I need to sew more pants.

Outfit: Colette Patterns Jasmine, styled

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Janice

Pants: hand me down from my mom
Blouse: Jasmine, homemade
Cardigan: H&M ?
Shoes: ?

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I’m supposed to be sewing for Spring but most times I can’t help but wear my projects right away during the winter. This is how I usually style my Jasmine blouse.

Halloween 2011: The Black Dahlia

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Janice

Sweater: H&M, many years ago
Top: ?
Skirt: Burda 8155, homemade
Shoes: thrifted

Esteemed Sewing Assistant also dressed up this year, as Count Beanicus.

I ran out of time sewing my Halloween costume this year so I decided to go as the Black Dahlia. “The Black Dahlia” was a nickname given to Elizabeth Short, a woman who was found mutilated and gruesomely murdered in the mid 1940s. Her face was slashed from the corners of her mouth toward her ears, called the Glasgow smile.

I’ve always been a purist in Halloween, thinking that dressing up should be saved for ghouls, goblins, monsters and anything generally scary. I broke that rule the past year or so dressing as a princess and a mermaid (what was I thinking?), but my commitment to Halloween gore is back full-swing.

I might recycle this costume this year (with an actual attempt to sew a 1940s dress), since it looks gory enough to revisit in future years.

What My Sewing Projects Look Like in Real Life: The Mermaid Parade

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Janice

Gayle and I, standing in front of the Coney Island stop. Wearing one of my sewing projects from last year, the Shaheen-inspired, self-drafted turquoise linen sarong dress.

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This sums up the essence of the Mermaid Parade for me. Beauty queen smile, set hair, flashy clothes.

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View from our spot in front of Nathan’s hot dogs.
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The Coney Island ambulance that parked in front of us for the latter part of the parade.

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Waiting on the Q train, on my way home. (As of this point I haven’t yet figured out how to style my hair in a vintage fashion, but I finally did the next day.)

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I wore my self-drafted Shaheen inspired sundress to The Mermaid Parade in Coney Island over the weekend. Great weather, great costumes. Saw lots of scantily-clad sequined, glittery mermen, mermaids, and sea creatures. We got there later than we expected but somehow managed to find a good spot behind the police barricade in front of Nathan’s hot dogs. This was just fine until the Coney Island ambulance stopped right in front of us and blocked most of the parade, sending us home.