Year: 2011

Let’s go to Mexico

Though it seems hard to comprehend as I sit barefoot in my garden and eat another slice of watermelon, I understand some of you are having some dreadful, cold, stormy weather. To warm you up, for this Textiles on Thursday* let’s go to exotic locales south of the border and examine some vintage Mexican themed fashions and fabrics. To start, I’ll throw you off this deep end with this jacket, which is pretty…umm…awesome. Just in case you couldn’t tell where it is from, her skirt says ‘Mexico’ For something a little more restrained, and more suitable for actually wearing in Mexico, what about these? Or you could go for something a little dressier: And, of course, no survey of vintage Mexican themed garments would be complete without a scenic circle skirt. I love the teals and purples in this one. I have some charming unmade-up vintage Mexican themed fabrics in my stash, courtesy of my Grandmother, who lived in California. I love the aqua and fuschia colors in this fabric. Very art-deco carry over: Let’s …

The Corset Model Class of 2011

Published by The Dreamstress

I got photographs of all the models wearing their corsets on Saturday against a plain cement wall. Every time I have looked at the photos since then, I have cracked up. They remind me of the kind of pictures you take in Elementary School for a ‘me, myself, and I’ project. You have the kid who can’t stop grinning, the kid who closes their eyes in every picture, the kid who won’t smile because they think they look better without one (that would have been me), the kid who won’t stand still for even a moment, and the kid who probably should have been a model. We all look ridiculous, and absolutely gorgeous, all at the same time. It’s a total celebration of personality, and all the different facets of beauty that exist. Without further ado, I present Ms Oakes’ Corset Model Class of 2011. And finally, the erstwhile instructress: Ladies, you can teach me anytime!

Rate the dress: Maria Josepha of Saxony

Published by The Dreamstress

Gah! I’ve been having bad luck with my Rate the Dress selections lately. I saw a great one, bookmarked it to go back later and get the picture, went to write my post, and the site is down and I can’t find the picture. To fill in the gap, I’ve gone with the theme of ‘bad luck’, as it suits both last week’s dress and the subject of this week’s dress. Last week’s very colourful Rate the Dress‘s bad luck was that you did not approve of it, either because of the colour or because of the ruffles of the lower skirt. It rated a 5.9 out of 10 For our bad luck lady, I present Maria Josepha of Saxony. Nope, it’s not Marie Antoinette’s mother in law (the one she never met), this is a different Maria Josepha of Saxony, two generations later. Maria Josepha’s bad life began early in life – she lost her mother as an infant. She herself died, young, and without any children, at 26. Her other bad luck was …