Pinspiration Monday - Vintage Hair

I'm getting my hair cut later this week, so hair is on my mind! I've been so lucky to have my long time friend (we've known each other since middle school!) cut my hair for several years now. It's been great to have someone I know I can trust to deal with my naturally curly hair, to go with me (and has the training for curls!) when I want to go natural, and to go with me when I'm feeling like doing more vintage styles and adapting accordingly. This week is my last cut with her, though, because she's moving across the country! I'm going to miss both her talent and having a regular excuse to catch up.

I'll probably do a more detailed post about my cut after it's done, but basically I am going to be asking for a cut specifically meant for pin curls and vintage styles, so in the meantime here are some of the lovely styles that inspire me. :-)

I have to start, of course, with Marilyn!

 

 

Jayne Mansfield

 

Ava Gardner

Betty Grable and June Haver

Some modern gals with vintage style!

 

 

 

 

 And finally, here's a diagram with different style icons from back in the day, and what cuts and pin curl sets to do to get their look, isn't this cool?

 

 

 

Looking forward to my cut this week, I'm sure there will be a blog with before and after shots coming up. :-)

Instagram Friday

Almost done with my pink pencil skirt! Just needs a hem and a button. :-) I'm kind of in love with the houndstooth lining!

A photo posted by Stephanie Lochet (@slochet) on Feb 6, 2015 at 9:41am PST

Can't wait to share more about this skirt, hoping to wear it to a get together this weekend!

Striped Peplum Blouse - Simplicity 1590

This is another item I started sewing in my frenzy to make a wardrobe for our trip to France last year.

I made several peplum tops and ended up picking my favorite to take with me. This one is Simplicity 1590.

It didn't make the cut for the trip, just because the navy striped shirting I chose was extremely crisp! So it makes the peplum stand out quite a bit, and also I thought it would get really wrinkled during the trip.

 I still like it, though, I just need to finish putting buttons on it (I'm thinking small navy buttons), and I definitely like the pattern, I'm sure I'll use it again.

What I really love about this pattern is the flat front, the sleeves (no trying to fit sleeves in arm holes, yay!!) and the slightly longer back on the peplum, I just think the lines are gorgeous and so flattering!

Pinspiration Monday - Pencil Skirts

I'm in the middle of making my first pencil skirt! I usually stick to big, full, swishy skirts since they are so fun to hide behind, so a pencil skirt is definitely outside my comfort zone! But I think the problem for me has usually just been the difficulty of finding one that fits me well everywhere. With full skirts, I only have to worry about the waist fitting, while a pencil skirt needs to fit the waist and hips and rear, not to mention the question of length.

Speaking of which, I have to admit a little bit of a pet peeve when it comes to modern interpretations of retro fashions. For some reason modern sensibilities appear hardwired to chop off any length below the knee. I want to cry when I see this, lol, because so often it ruins the gorgeous retro lines of the clothes! I mean, chop off a pencil skirt a few inches above the knee and it could be any tubular straight skirt from the 90s. If people want to wear a simple straight skirt, that's cool, but I never understand when they claim to love a certain retro fashion, and then just change it into something unrecognizable as retro. Why, people, why?

Anyway, back to pencil skirts! I especially love a pencil skirt with a high waist that extends below the knee, it just elongates the body beautifully and makes legs look like they go on forever! Love it! So while I'm finishing up my first pencil skirt (which is PINK, yes!) here are some variations I find inspiring. :-)

High waist and perfect length, looooove.

 

Love this high shaped waist, and the buttons.

So tempted to add a bow at the vent in back on mine!

 

 

 This might be a tad more A-line than pencil, but I love the combo of the polka dots and the sweet ruffle, would love to recreate this!

 

 

Gorgeous pleat details!

 

 

 

 

 

Instagram Friday

People were asking about sketches on the WeSewRetro facebook page and sharing their own, so I snapped a few pics of some of the many I have scribbled in my notebook. Love to dream and doodle!

A photo posted by Stephanie Lochet (@slochet) on Jan 30, 2015 at 7:02am PST

The dress on the bottom right is actually my initial idea for the Red Poppy fabric! It morphed as I got a better idea ran out of time and needed something simpler. ;-)

Red Poppy Dress

A couple years ago, while visiting my husband's family in Paris, I made my first visit to the fabric stores at the Marché Saint Pierre in Montmartre! I especially loved the "coupons" stores, with already cut fabric at discount prices. I bought several different fabrics, and then before our next trip to France the following year, I finally got around to using one of them to make this dress.

As usual, before trips I get frantic thinking I have to make an entirely new wardrobe! So I made this pretty quickly, but actually did a decent job finishing it inside and out for once, ha. I was very pleased with the result, I really loved the fabric - a textured cotton (not sure if there's a name for it?) with red poppies on it. I used the bodice from Simplicity 1803, view B.



I really like the princess seams on the bodice, they are flattering and easy to adjust as always.

I also really liked this sleeve! I usually dread putting sleeves in, but the little cap sleeve with a simple inverted pleat went in easily, and I love the tiniest bit of pouf.

As for the skirt portion, I didn't use the pattern because I wanted a pleated skirt with a flat front (and back.) The fabric has a nice body, so the pleats came out nicely. I was also able to hide pockets among them!

I also fully lined the bodice instead of using facings as the pattern suggests, and fully lined the skirt as well. I even covered my shoulder seams with lace tape, which makes it so nice and clean on the inside! I love the lack of stray threads and fraying.

Overall, it went together easily and is very comfortable to wear. If I were to change anything, I'd add just a couple inches to the length, just because I feel most comfortable in dresses a few inches below my knee! But I love the fabric, and even though the pattern isn't a vintage one, I think the end result has a vintage feel.

 Here I am in France enjoying my dress! :-) Of course, I had to go buy more fabric while we were there, so I have much more to use for our next trip!

Pinspiration Monday - Housecoats

Am I alone in wishing housecoats or dressing robes were still a thing? I suppose I love the idea of a pretty dress-like garment to cover up my comfy but ugly sweats, lol, to be able to glide around the house in a lovely full skirt, to grab breakfast looking glamorous without yet being dressed. There are so many great vintage patterns out there, though if I used one it would have to be altered quite a bit to fit me! The great thing, though, is since it's just an outer garment to wear around the house, it doesn't have to be perfect. This is the kind of thing I'd LOVE to make to sell, too. Perhaps I'll get the courage to try one someday! In the meantime, here are some lovely examples of housecoats and dressing gowns to drool over. :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Love the kerchief tie at the front on this one!

 

 

Those sleeves!

 

 

That inverted pleat at the back! Just scrumptious.

 

 

 Finally, some quilted lovelies. It's like wearing a blanket that makes you look fabulous!