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November 6, 2020
This article came out in the Washington Post Magazine section. Robin Givhan is someone that I enjoy reading in the fashion business. She's clear, concise and knows what she's talking about.
We ALL need a little beauty now, and especially during the upcoming holidays. Even though we can see an end to the lockdown with several new vaccines out, that may not fully take place before the holidays, and it's important to still keep our wits about us.
This is vital for remaining in a working state of mind, and although clothing sounds so trivial at this juncture, it's really not. Like the movie "The Dressmaker" I have seen with my very own eyes how the minds and attitudes of my clients have so improved when they are fitted, flattered, fashionable and comfortable in their clothing. Their whole mood becomes confident, joyous and completely postiive, even in the most dire of physical conditions. I have seen
them go from a "whatever you can do is fine" mood to "OMG, I had no idea I could look this good!" It's one of the joys of what I do.
This is a composite of the Fall 2020 Valentino show that is in the article, and although this is on a rather outlandish presentation, the basic styles are absolutely outstanding. If you want to see more or closer view of each style, click here. The collection, at least in my mind, is more about refraining from giving into the "sweat pants" culture of Zoom videos, and
getting dressed up even if it's for a live video with the family. It even includes a marvelous dressed-up hoodie that is on the edge of high fashion!
But I love the title of this article: "The creative powerhouse behind Valentino believes we all need beauty now -- even if we can't afford it!" Well, the beauty of being a sewist, we can~1
The very simple act of "dressing up" makes you feel special and excited about your interaction with whomever is on the other end of the live video. It makes the time spent on the video special and memorable.
This is a time, albeit very briefly, when we can set our minds to doing something beautiful for ourselves. We can make a beautiful top (and bottoms if you're really carried away) to bring a bit of festivity to our holiday that might otherwise seem otherwise.
Here are some suggestions to dress up your holiday gathering, whether on video or simply around your immediate family.
I love mixing styles and in particular complete opposites - like a very casual style with a very formal fabric.
Color, particularly bright, cheerful colors are always an upper and again with a little bling can bring a lot of cheer to your holidays.
Since you don't necessarily need to worry about bottoms, you can concentrate on your top, and besides, that's what's close to your face, so keeping all the attention around your face is always a great solution.
A blingy, glitzy fabric in a hoodie pattern is really fun. Now I would alter the pattern just a little to adjust for the stretch percentage of the fabric. Stretch is probably the better than woven and probably in the 35% to 65% range, a jersey range, will allow you the most choices.
You can easily take a standard hood from a very basic hoodie pattern like this StyleArc pattern, and attach it to the neck of a core pattern knit top. Instead of having the whole top zip, you can put in a placket type zip, and you have a great holiday top.
Another idea is to add a ruffle to a knit neck to a core pattern. You can have the body in a delicious bright color and the ruffle in a white or cream depending upon your skin tone.
Even a little blingy trim can make a top sing. If your neck on your knit top is large enough (a V neck is plenty large or a bateau neckline) or you can add a zipper placket, a short 9" zipper is plenty long enough on center front), you can do a woven trim for your neckline that will be elegant and totally comfortable.
If you have a woven core pattern, think about taking some of that quilting fabric, in a rich color and some of it has a metallic gold or silver printed on it, using some really sparkling buttons, can make a great show for the holiday, and keeping all that glitter and glow around the neck and collar area, accentuates the part we want everyone to see anyway - which is around the face.
For some bottoms, still remaining comfortable and flattering, crushed velvet stretch in a dark color like black, navy, wine, forest green to go with your blingy top can make a great show and it's very comfy to wear. Stretch velour is another great option. If you feel comfortable in leggings, that would be great, but a nice stretch slim pant would also work.
It's time to dress up - even if it's only your top or a trim or ribbon. Not only do you deserve it, it will so put you in the holiday spirit and that's worth a whole lot right there!
I'll be posting lots of fun ideas in the next week or so on my social media.
So when the site gets working and back up, I'll put that here, but in the meantime, I've been thinking of some fun things to do while the site is under construction.
One of the things that's happened since the Covid thing started is that I've met so many of you through Zoom Live Videos, and I can't think of anything more fun than getting together and us getting together once a month. These are a blast, and you can give me your questions ahead of time here (that makes it nice cause you can also upload photos and
talk about what is specifically you want to know), but also that allows me time to set up a demo or explanation if I have to be at the drafting board or the sewing machine. My little zoom account can't handle all of you, so those who want to attend will need to send me an RSVP so that I can give you the password to enter the Zoom call.
The last Zoom Live Video was really fun and I appreciate you all and your pithy questions. We had a lot who simply came on and lurked and that's fine too. There's no telling what you will see when you get onto one of the live videos. When you join in you also get a living and growing Google Document which makes it great, cause the conversation contines with comments, questions and sometimes a simply IDN?!!!!! (I Don't Know/Understand)
I'll announce next months Zoom Live Video here! I'm trying to make this so that everyone from Australia/New Zealand, US to British Isles can see it - usually about
Progress is being made on the site and below are links to three of my favorite blogs. Just test it out and see what you think. As always I love to hear from you - respond to this email is all you have to do.
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As the site finishes (toward mid-December) I will start posting a lot of blogs on there with gobs of information to start populating that again! I actually have most of the good ones out there. If there's one you loved that isn't in this three - PLEASE tell me and I'll post one up and do an update! See below for the blogs I have up now.
Thank You!!!
On the Blog
PS - I do a lot of posting on Facebook as SewingArtistry - like my page to see more goodies!
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