A Year of Pretty - December 28, 2014

We are almost at the end of another year. Which means I am almost at the end of my A Year of Pretty for 2014. I think after 2014 is through, I am going to go back to posting under some of the headings I have used in the past - "Delicate and Pretty", "A Little Bit of Lovely", "Shoes and More Shoes".

While it has been fun to bring a daily dose of something pretty, it has also been a bit of a time grabber. Not so much in the actual posting each day, but in the researching and finding background information, chasing broken links down a dark rabbit hole to try and credit original sources; and of course.....hours spent scrolling through Pinterest and other such sites.

(For those that want to admire a whole bunch of Pretty at one time, I invite you to a collection called "oh. .  pretty!" that I have curated, both for your enjoyment and my inspiration).

There has not been any snow so far this December in Vancouver. Well, up on the mountains, yes. But not in the city itself. So for today's Pretty Post I thought I would bring the snow to you by way of this STUNNINGLY GORGEOUS suit ensemble from the Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2014 / 2015 collection. I have watched (a number of times) the videos on how these pieces are hand crafted and painstakingly put together. Utterly amazing.

It would take me years...YEARS ! to complete a garment such as this. So I can understand the astronomical price tag that this jacket and pants would go for. If I had to hazard a guess, I would put this at being no less than $35,000.00. Yes, thirty five thousand dollars.

Okay, so back to the garment itself. The detailing is smart. The play between the expanse of white in the jacket and the cording effect of the beading is beautiful. The beading not only acts as a decorative detail, but serves to contour the lines of the body. Essentially, it is a tuxedo jacket with a mandarin collar that morphs into a long tunic. I'm noticing now that in one of the pictures (above), it is worn with leggings, in another (right) the model's leg is visible. In a show, these two looks would be presented one after the other. Which means the jacket combo was made twice?


No, but wait! It's a tuxedo jacket with biker shorts! Now that I have watched the video of the fashion show again, the model is clearly wearing a tuxedo-jacket-cum-tunic over a pair of long biker shorts. Only Chanel could make biker shorts this glamourous. Here is a screen shot from the youtube video (left).

But my train has left the tracks. Back to this Winter Wonderland look. The beading reminds me of Christmas tinsel and holly berries, with all the twiggy bits poking up out of the snow.

So while beaded biker shorts may not be your kind of thing (and honestly, for me I would do without them and wear plain leggings, either in the same warm winter white or in red to match the red "berries" with a cable knit pattern and red patent leather stilettos), this tunic would definitely be a show stopper at any company Christmas party or New Year's Eve gathering. But heaven forbid Carl the Clumsy from Accounting doesn't bump into you with his glass of red wine, or your Uncle Leon drop his plate of Swedish meatballs on your lap as he leans over to kiss you hello.

If you are interested in watching the whole production, the youtube video is here:

A Year of Pretty - October 07, 2014

In keeping with the warm fall colour theme, I found this photo of this beautiful red hat. I love hats. I have a number of them. And this one I really like. It's also a stunning photo. Of which I have no original source. Except our friends at Pinterest.

A Year of Pretty - February 21, 2014

Tomorrow night is the first of two shows I am presenting with a Great Gatsby theme. Both shows will be for charity, and I am looking forward to both as a way to not only highlight my designs, but as an opportunity to learn what works and what doesn't work during a live show. When I presented my graduation collection, I wasn't able to be backstage, so I had no say in how the models were dressed. This time I will have that chance and as such, will be able to style the ladies as I wish.

I am lucky to have a fairly good collection of costume jewellery from which I can select pieces that will compliment each look. I also have a number of shoes in different sizes that will work for the looks for these shows. Every year in early September when wedding season is over, shoe stores start offering amazing deals on all their strappy, sparkly summer heels. Last year I picked up six pairs of the same shoe in gold and silver in a variety of sizes from 8.5 to 10 for 50% off the last ticketed price - $15.00 each pair. It may seem strange to spend money on shoes that don't even fit me (I'm a size 8.5), but it ensures that I have shoes that I know will work for the models; not only for this show, but for for other shows in the future. Choosing shoes with classic profiles and in neutral tones (silver, gold, beige and black) means that the shoes are pretty much going to go with any look.

I adore the look of these shoes here. I like the attention to detail, and how the art deco feel is continued on through the punch work of the pale pink instep. Having not one but two adjustable straps is also handy. Unfortunately these will not be my show, but they embody the feel of the 1920's art deco period, if higher heels had been in fashion at that time. Most heel heights were only between 1.5 and 2.5 inches during the 1920's, whereas today's average height for runway starts at 4.5 inches.

So enjoy these darling shoes and I will be back tomorrow with a review of the show. Fingers crossed.

A Year of Pretty - February 06, 2014

Today's Pretty Post is from the March 19, 2012 cover of Ruche. Check out the entire article and many other beautiful photos by clicking on the picture above. The whole collection of images are Great Gatsby inspired, which is just what I'm after for the upcoming show.

A Year of Pretty - February 05, 2014

Today's Pretty Post is a backstage look at Chanel's Spring 2014 collection. Really, I don't have a whole lot else to say . . . . the photo says it all.

(the original source for this photo is kinda obscure . . and kinda not. The link on Pinterest was broken, but a little digging around brought me to a holding tank for images for the look book for Chanel's SS2014 collection. In Italian. Where the credit is given to FotografÍa: Cortesía de Chanel / Olivier Saillant. Which is more than the Pinterest post gave credit for)

A Year of Pretty - January 30, 2014

It's a cold day in January.

So today's Pretty Post is this gorgeous gown by Svetla nad Sazavou born designer Blanka Matragi. An award winning designer, she hand dyes all her fabrics, so each garment is unique.

The colours on this dress are just fantastic. Rusts and coppers and steel blues and greys. The floral detailing provides a unique contrast to the silky flow of the gown. The fur trim really helps set the tone of this dress: old world Russian elegance.

The model's hair and make-up also compliment this gown. I could just imagine her name is Tatiana or Katarina or something equally as fabulously Russian Empire.

This dress would look great on a Hollywood red carpet . . .if ever there were exceedingly cold weather in Hollywood. So dramatic . . so mysterious . . ."Who is that regal-looking woman in her silks and furs?" Now that I think of it, this would have been perfect on Keira Knightley for the premier of Anna Karenina

Enjoy your day and stay warm out there.

A Year of Pretty - January 24, 2014

Today's Pretty Post is this beautiful jumble of cameos, pearls and pearl strands; all linked together to form one 'super pearl" necklace. So interesting, so unique, so . .Chanel.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find an original source except for Pinterest.

I bring you this post today as a follow up to yesterday's silver lace Chanel dress. And because I liked the image of the round, refined necklace with all its luster against the rough, weathered boards.

And because it's something I would wear.
And because it's Friday and I wear pearls with my jeans. With heels.
True story.

A Year of Pretty - January 23, 2014

I can't believe it's already only three months until my birthday. My big birthday. The big four-zero. Yikes!

Onto something more positive. Today's Pretty Post is the GORGEOUS Chanel dress, found via Pinterest, linked back to walkingthruafog. And there it ends.

This is stunning. This is glamorous. This is Chanel.

This reminds me of some lace I have that I will be using on my Great Gatsby Challenge, due in . . .a month. Yikes again!

While my design will be no where near this elaborate, it's still nice to think I haven't got it ALL wrong.

(the shoes are pretty awesome too)

Anyhow, enjoy today's post and wish me luck as I continue with designing (which right now is really just a bunch of ideas with editing and a good dose of compromises).

A Year of Pretty - January 15, 2014

"I love you like Vintage loves Lace"

Boots. Lace. Lacey boots. These are gorgeous. And they are today's Pretty Post from LaLaLaBonneVie's tumblr page.

Shown here, they appear to be part of this woman's wedding preparations.Delicate, but with just enough sexy. Especially if the dress she'll be wearing also has a corset detail in the back.

I am looking for something similar for my model to wear for the upcoming Great Gatsby inspired runway show.

(the bedpost is beautiful as well)

A Year of Pretty - January 14, 2014

I should be designing today. But I'm getting over this cold. My second cold in a month's time. I caught my first one about a week or so before Christmas. I was finally getting back to my usual self by New Year's Day. Then round two came along and now I am heading into the final stages of this one.

It's hard to be creative when you aren't feeling well. The problem is I have scads of ideas running through my brain . . .especially late at night when I am trying to fall asleep. (Never TRY to fall asleep. It does not work. The harder you try, the more futile the result). But setting those ideas in motion and actually getting them down on paper is the difficult part right now because of this head cold. I usually end up walking away to go blow my nose.

Case in point. It's currently 2:10am and I am nowhere near being ready to fall asleep.

I'm also up against a deadline. First fittings for the Great Gatsby themed fashion show are on January 22nd. That's in eight days. I'm only one pattern into my designs and haven't cut the muslin for it yet. Am I worried? Not really, because I'm pretty used to pulling a rabbit out of a hat in the eleventh hour while behind the 8 ball, so to speak. Should I be worried? Probably.

But it will all work out. I have faith. Just not enough sleep.

So. Today's Pretty Post, designed to inspire me to be more creative and actually get stuff done is this AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS beaded dress. The designer is Anna Sui for BHLDN. Photo source is a flickr post by Herkkupeppu. On the BHLDN website, the Aiguille Gown dress is still available in a number of different sizes, and shows some styling options such as jewelry and head pieces. There are several studio shots of the dress, as well as "real weddings" photos of the dress on different body types, which I think is pretty great because we all know that how a dress looks on an industry model and how it looks on the average female frame can be quite different.

I like how the rows of sequins above and below the waist form a chevron pattern, and how the waistband reflects this chevron design in its center. Very art deco. The button detail down the front is interesting, though I'm not certain they are functioning buttons. The silver chain and necklace also mimic the sequin patterns and provide a great contrast to the softness of the garment.

It's Great Gatsby, but with a modern silhouette.

A Year of Pretty - January 12, 2014

Hmmm, if only I could wake up looking like this . . . .

A Year of Pretty - January 08, 2014

In a little over six weeks time, I will be participating in two design showcases; one on February 22nd, the other on February 27th. Luckily, the theme for both showcases is the same: The Great Gatsby.

Which brings me to today's Pretty Post. The photo is from a tumblr post which no longer exists, so I have no original source. Sorry.

So what does chosen theme represent to me? Besides the obvious beading and fringe and feathers and dropped waist lines, Gatsby is a state of mind. It is elegance, it is decadence. It is the beginnings of women cutting their hair into short bobs, of forgoing the previous decades (centuries) of corsets and hip paniers and other foundation garments meant to alter the female torso into the "ideal" shape. 

It's the start of a more free time, a looser time (both in dress and in morals). It's fun, it's flirty, it's here to drink champagne and dance the night away.

I am striving for six looks. I'm very excited about this challenge simply because I get excited about beading and trims and lace and whispy dresses like those shown in the picture. Although, the front beaded one probably weighs a few pounds.

I'm going to stay with a lighter colour palette; pinks and gold and champagne wishes and caviar dreams. Basically, if you took the black garments out of this picture, you'd have my colour palette. This means these six new pieces will mix well with the five looks I created for my first collection back in September. Ah ha! smart thinking !

So get out your feather boa and stay tuned while my creative process begins, my late night struggles to get things done endures and I try to recreate the fabulousness that is The Great Gatsby.

A Year of Pretty - January 01, 2014

Today is the start of a brand new year. As such, I have resolved to be more inspired, to be more creative, and to share more. I also resolve to wear more dresses than jeans but that's another story.

I'm not gonna lie. Most of these posts are going to be from Pinterest. I will try to include original content whenever I can. But I'm finding a lot of posts lately just link to some sort of  holding tank for images and don't really give credit to the original source. ESPECIALLY with recipes (sooo annoying! I then type in the recipe name into Google search, find it and post the original link to the recipe in the comments of the Pinterest post . . I know, call it my good deed for the day).

So, to start, here is today's Pretty Post to share with you: A set of floral saucers from uncovet.com. The saucers are vintage and have some crazing and minor chipping. But I think they are still lovely. Being vintage, it also makes the set unique and one of a kind.

Makes me think of tea and crumpets and all sorts of wonderful conversations with my mom on the sofa in the big bay window of her home.

Design Inspiration - part 4

 

brought to you by the lovely folks at design seeds.

Today on Etsy - February 05, 2013

A few days ago I posted about hats and how they make people smile. Since then, I have come across these little lovelies by yellowfield7.

 

Perfect for Valentine's Day.

 

Tip of the Hat

The other day I stepped into an elevator. Inside was a gentleman who I suppose was in his early seventies. I say he’s a gentleman because upon my entering the elevator, he promptly removed his hat. And I have to admit that up until that moment, I was having a Bad Monday. Capital B. Capital M.

But when this man removed his hat at my presence, I couldn’t help but smile. I had been acknowledged (presumably as a lady); and it made me lift my chin higher and walk a bit more lightly. And maybe that’s the point.

Why don’t we wear hats anymore? I know men still do (and I’m not talking baseball caps or knitting caps). Think of the ranch hand tipping his Stetson with the anticipated “Ma’am”; or the octogenarians playing chess in the park. But what about us ladies? How many women do you know who routinely wear nice hats? I mean personally know. The Queen doesn’t count.

Remember those funny looking headpieces worn at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton? They are called fascinators for a reason. Love them or hate them, people were  in one way or another …”fascinated” with them. And they needed to be a bit extreme to capture their youth and whimsy. It wouldn’t work for the young princesses to wear the same style of hat that the Queen wears; they would come off looking old and frumpy. Although, the hats that the Queen wears give her a bit of youth and often add a touch of fun to her ensembles.

Sometimes the hat does make the man (or in this case, woman).

I love hats, and have several that I wear. In downtown Vancouver. For no reason. And when you think about it, you’re really wearing the hat for the people around you. I mean, you don’t see it while you’re wearing it. But each time I do wear one, at least one person will stop me and say “oh, what a lovely hat!” Which makes me to smile.

Which is reason enough for me.

Today on Etsy - January 14, 2013

mmmmmm…lace.
 
Somebody once gave me a card that read, “I love you like vintage loves lace”. Which is pretty à propos, because I love lace. Not the stretchy cheap stuff you find tacked onto panties and tank tops at Walmart, but the real good stuff. Alençon lace, Venice lace, lace from Spain used to make elegant mantillas.

I’ve been researching lace for my upcoming design projects. I’ve decided on Alençon lace or point d'Alençon for several reasons. Alençon lace is has a raised, slightly corded edge to it. This makes it easier to work with for couture designs, where the lace is hand appliqued to the garment. It can be cut to suit the design of the garment, since there is an easily defined pattern repeat. It doesn’t fray as readily. It is often embroidered or beaded, so I don’t have to spend the extra time or money to do this. And it definitely has that vintage lace feel.

Here is a picture of the pieces I've bought from MaryNot Martha to use for my fianl designs / runway presentation. Great selection of all kinds of lace, trims, feathers and millinery accessories. Super prices, fast shipping and based in sunny Pasadena....not overseas. I've bougt from this Etsy seller a couple of times and have always been happy when the package arrives.

The trouble is choosing which pieces I like without spending the bank. Self control and I don't always see eye to eye when it comes to things like lace and buttons.

Today on Etsy - January 01, 2013

Yes, it is the first day of a new year. And in keeping with the goal of moving forward and focusing on creativity and my designing....I present you with some fabrics from FabricMart.

There are so many things I would want to make with these fabrics. I'm in the process of designing five looks for my final school project. Not five garments, but five looks. Each look will have two or three pieces. For example, instead of just a dress, there is a dress with a jacket. Another look is a pair of pants with a top with a bolero. Yes, I am designing a bolero.

In total, I will have 16 pieces to make up my five looks. By the end of June. I know, it's a bit daunting. But outside of my full time day job, it's my focus.

Back to the fabrics.

These all are in my colour palette for Pre-Fall 2014. These particular fabrics will work well for the dress and the lining of the jacket. I hope to post sketches soon.

It's going to be hard to choose

 

All That Glitters

New Year's Eve is fast approaching. Found this FANTASTIC dress on Pinterest by Atelier Versace. Personally, I think the model has had her waist nipped a little by our friends at Photoshop (I mean, come on...unless she has been tight lacing for 10 years....that is one tiny waist).

Either way, it's a stunning dress. Kind of a champagne gold colour. Great for them fancy New Year's Eve balls all the gals are going to. Imagine all the hours it must of taken to cut each petal detail, finish the edges, add beading detail and apply to the garment.

And check out the height on that leg slit....yowza!

The hair is something else altogether.

Today on Etsy - December 21, 2012

So today on Etsy this adorable chic dress was featured on the home page. Beautifully designed by Vanda Fashion out of Isreal (two sisters, infact).

AND they are having a SALE !

This one ladies...is coming home to me.