Costume College: Thoughts and Plans

Costume College is just a few months away! Aaaah! With the Historical Sew Fortnightly going on, I have made some good progress as far as having something done (especially since I want to wear much more historical and much less vintage this year). Last year, I just went with the theme of use whatever I already have and make everything else super cheap. See last year's gala dress where the only bits I paid for were the zip and pattern (which I got for under $20).

Since I've been there and done that, I feel like I'm much better prepared to plan out more exciting outfits! Plus I've been budgeting costumes into my regular sewing spending money all year.

Thursday:

• Travel: ??? probably something vintage
• Pool Party: fabric-check pattern-picked out but not purchased, will be vintage

Friday:

• Classes: done, will be vintage
• Ice Cream Social- currently a WIP, mostly done but waiting for the HSF challenge to come up, will be historical

Saturday:

• Classes: secret project, fabric- check, pattern-check, just need to get started
• Gala: WIP, will hopefully make loads of progress on it this weekend! will be historical

Sunday:

• Classes: done, will be historical

Monday:

• Garment district shopping: ??? probably something vintage

Tuesday:

• Travel: ??? probably something vintage

So, that leaves me with 4 projects that I really want to get done and three outfits that I'll probably just fill in with something already in my closet. Plus I still never made a chemise for my Edwardian undergarments. :/ And I may need a petticoat for my gala dress.

Now that I'm working on my Gala dress, I want to know what parts you'd like to see. I'm going to reveal it before Costume College because I'm using it for a HSF challenge and I want to keep certain details secret until the reveal but I'd like your input on what else about it you'd like to see.

Poll time!! You may pick more than one answer and feel free to elaborate in the comments!

Gala Dress Posts
	I want to see construction posts as you go along.
	I want to see construction posts after the reveal.
	I want to wait and be surprised by the finished dress.
	I want to see an inspiration post with fabric, pattern, etc.
pollcode.com free polls

Pink + Nautical

I just adore all things nautical! And I really needed another nautical dress. ;)

Fabric: pink cotton twill ($5/yd)
Pattern: Simplicity 2801
Year: 1949
Notions: zipper, nautical braid
First worn: May 2012
Total cost: ~$25

I've been trying to make some more simple pieces but this dress just needed a bit more than all pink.

At first I wanted to do embroidery. But I did a little test embroidery and I wasn't feeling it.

Then I remembered this cute nautical trim and voila! Pink nautical dress!

I was going to make a self-fabric belt but it was still too much pink so my handy white thrifted belt came to the rescue!

Add a hair flower for pop of color and that's it!

Youtube: Spring Beauty Hits and Misses

I've been trying some new beauty products over the past few months, so I thought I'd share my thoughts on them. Enjoy!


I'm also on the hunt for a new foundation, so please leave me your recommendations!

Pinspiration: Crazy Edwardian Ruffles

There was a really crazy trend for some crazy ruffles in the 19-teens. It was popular in 1914 and returned again in 1919.

Even more scallops! :D

Ruffles! I also love the jacket with bows!

More scallop ruffles. Also note the ruffles on the sleeve cuff.

These dainty ruffles don't go across the front but there are still loads of them.

So what do you think of this 19-teens ruffle craze? Crazy awesome or just crazy?

A Rainy Bolero for Spring

I've been knitting again! This is the Lavenda Drop Bolero from A Stitch in Time Vol. 2.

It's got this super cute drop pattern that looks just like rain drops.

I paired it with my favorite vintage spring dress. I finally got around to letting out the hem so now my petticoat doesn't peak out anymore.

The weather was so nice! Yay for no rain!

Happy Spring!

Birthday and Anniversary Swag

It just so happens that my birthday and wedding anniversary are just two days apart (and usually right up near mother's day for when we get to that stage). Which means May is everybody loves Stephanie month. :) And this year I got gobs of vintage and sewing related things from people who love me.

Patterns! These I picked out myself with birthday money. I love birthday money especially since the stuff I really like other people would have a hard time picking out for me. But I never ask for it because it's just awkward.

This little beauty I had spied a few months ago at a used bookstore. It's a huge 1951 catalog.  It was still there when we went back last weekend and my hubby sneakishly bought it for me. :D

And look at all of the pretties! I really want to make some scans to share but we'll have to see how the scanner behaves.

I also spied these vintage confetti earrings at a near by vintage store the same day I spied the catalog. They too were still there so they just had to come home with me! I like to do that sometimes. Wait and see if something is still there. If they are, great. If not, it's not meant to be. If I completely forget about it, then I must not have really wanted it that much in the first place.

A local sewing store called Sew Dayton was having a vintage fabric destash sale so I picked up these two beauties. The left one is a suiting and someone had bought almost the whole bolt because there's 7 3/4 yds here! The right fabric is possibly cashmere and it feels divine. Only 5/8 yd here but I couldn't pass it up! My dad also got me a Jo Ann's gift card. Yay for sewing!

And last, but certainly not least, Wearing History's 1940s overall pattern. The hubby and I weren't planning on doing anything big for our anniversary this year. (We did go to Disney for last year's though.) So this is what I asked for.

What kind of birthday gifts do you like? Do your friends and family buy you vintage or sewing related things?

Spring.....or not

It seems like for the past several months, the gorgeous weather has been all on the weekdays when I have to work and it's either rainy or cold on the weekends and this weekend was no exception.

So I pulled out one of my favorite winter dresses to wear! Just goes to show you that you can never really rotate your closet if you live in the midwest.

I've been loving the cute 50s do's my hair has been cooperating with lately!

I also wore a new (to me) pair of vintage confetti earrings. I've never felt any desire to have bakelite jewelry because it's sooooo expensive for plastic costume jewelry but I'm in love with these confetti earrings.

 

Accessories can really make or break an outfit so I'm excited to add to my vintage jewelry collection.

Hopefully, this is winter's last attempt and spring will be here for good!