I’m selling some of my all time favorite vintage dresses and they’re  in the shop!  Use coupon code DRESS2012 for 15% off now through Monday night.

As expected my obsession with short and simple dresses has not subsided.  So what am I to do?  Start sewing, naturally!  But I’m feeling a bit lazy, I despise setting in zippers and want relatively easy sewing projects.  So I’ve rounded up some patterns (not vintage!) that seem to fit the bill.   The above pattern is Simplicity 2360.  It has the same feeling as the Sessun dress from my last post, particularly the yellow print on the left.

New Look, it seems, has a plethora of slip-over-your-head, no-zippers-to-install or buttonholes-to-make dresses and tunics.  I think you have to use a bit more imagination here but I see the potential, can’t you?

New Look 6679.

New Look 6887.

New Look 6851.

New Look 6913.

I don’t have much in the way of fall/winter fabrics as I’m mostly a summer dress kind of girl.  But I’m thinking of blacks, grays and navy blues; wool, fine wale cord, linen, super thin and soft denim…even voile or lawn in a dark color.  Have any of you used one of these patterns?  If so, let me know!

I’ll also do a round up of vintage patterns from my stash.  I’ve got a bunch of a-line mini dresses from the ’60s that are really cute although a little more complicated in construction and probably have zippers. (Which is why I’m leaning more towards these new patterns – for now.)

Have a sweet Thursday!

…simple little frocks and smock dresses.  OBSESSED I tell you.  So much so that that is the very reason for this late night post.

Now that I’ve shared this obsession with you, two things could happen: 1) I’ll become bored and forget the whole thing (ha!) or 2) A tiny red and white biplane will fly over my house and drop the above dress (wrapped neatly in brown paper and tied with stripey string) on my front stoop. (Please let it be the latter…please!)

I mean, cotton/wool Liberty print?  Pretty gray color?  Cute half sleeves?  Short, gathered skirt?  Boatneck?  Aack!

Do I hear a propeller?  No?  Shoot.

I love to watch movies for the costumes.  (And if you’re anything like me, you do too!)   I had placed Kit Kittredge: An American Girl in my Netflix queue months ago for this very reason.  I’ve never had much interest in the American Girl doll phenomenon (I have to admit, I’ve been more of a Barbie fan) but when I saw the trailer for this movie I figured it would be a wealth of Depression era fashion inspiration.

“Depression era fashion inspiration” sounds rather contradictory.  But even those families who had to pinch their pennies often managed, with a lot of creativity, to produce unique and pretty clothing for themselves.  Feedsacks, scraps and old clothes were given new life and transformed things like day dresses and quilts.

My favorite part of everyday 1930s fashion (besides the sweetest prints and handmade sweaters) are the little details: plackets, collars, ties, buttons, etc.!

I don’t want to spoil the movie for you so I’ve only posted some of my favorites. There are plenty more highlights in the movie, including lots of inspiring grown-up wear!  (I even spied some Remix shoes.)  It’s a cute family film with a wonderful cast (Stanley Tucci, Abigail Breslin, Joan Cusack and Julie Ormond), albeit a little slow at times.  It would be a good movie to watch on a Sunday afternoon or weekday evening with a pot of tea and some vintage sewing or knitting to work on.

Have you seen this movie?  If so, what are your thoughts?  What costumes movies do you find inspiring?

I knew I was going to check out the Liberty of London stuff at Target this past Sunday.  I also knew I was not going to wake up at 6am (ON A SUNDAY) to get there before the store opened, especially with the time change (side note: Yahoooo!!!).  I wanted to avoid the mad rush and figured if there was nothing left for me when I got there at 11, then it wasn’t meant to be.

When I arrived, I first headed to the women’s section.  Not unexpectedly it was a bit of a mess and I could tell my size was virtually sold out.  There was one dress left and while it fit, I put it back because it was polyester.  I’m not a fabric snob but I was hoping for cotton.

Then I went to the girls’ section: score!  Cute and cotton dresses aplenty and this was one of those times that I was glad to be petite.  The smock dress above is my favorite.  The color is not something I would normally pick out for myself but it goes well with my skin tone and the length is just right.

I also snagged these darling gardening gloves (the ones on the right).  I actually needed a pair:

OK, here’s where the decision-making comes in.  I don’t know if I should keep the following:

I love the sweet pea print of this top, but is it too juvenile for me?

Same question goes for this sundress (called a cover up on the tag; I guess it supposed to go with the swimsuits).  I love the almost psychedelic print.  I don’t normally wear such loose styles and do I really need these?  But wouldn’t these be great for late summer when the weather is really warm?  Could these transition into mommy-to-be wear?  (I’m not a mommy-to-be, by the way!)

I don’t know, any thoughts?  Did you pick up anything Liberty at Target?

Poppytalk is doing Spring Color Week and while I missed the first 2 days I thought it would be fun to jump in (especially since today is Yellow! Yay!) and post this photo of things I’m looking forward to wearing once the weather is more consistently warm.

• Ruffle copped cardigan wit after market vintage mother of pearl buttons: F21
• Vintage 1970s ’30s-style flocked dress: local antique market
• Vintage 1920s dress: Clever Nettle

Is anyone else here participating?

It’s here: Leda the Swan PDF pattern!  I’m really happy about her and I worked hard to get this pattern ready and posted to le shop.

Here’s another version with the capelet and GOLD sparkly crown!

In other shop news…

“Our Tree Dresses” 5×7 print.  This matte paper is gorgeous, the colors come out so vibrant. (Although my lack of picture-taking skills don’t do it much justice in my opinion!)

My new friends are nestled comfortably in the studio.

Thanks for looking!

xoxo

(Oh, and if you prefer Etsy, these items are posted there as well!)