All posts filed under: Admire

Fashions for Winter 1931, from The NZ Mirror

Since it’s definitely hit winter weather here in NZ I thought you might enjoy some fashion inspiration for Winter 1931. These are from the August 1931 edition of The Mirror (because, of course, August is definitely winter in NZ!) First, some rather delicious coats, as they were ‘Favoured in Paris’: #1 is a three-quarter ensemble in checked wool, trimmed with beige astrakhan (blech). #2 is “the new collarless tailored coat in tweed jersey.’ Looks, and sounds, very wearable indeed! #3 ‘The tunic coat…in navy serge trimmed with persian lamb’ (i.e. astrakhan by another name, still blech). #4 ‘The loose bolero coat, in black velvet, worn with a tweed or checked skirt’. So fabulous, and also so very modern – nothing new in fashion at all! And to go with your chic coats, a lovely selection of blouses: I particularly like the asymmetrical number at top left, and the lower left number with it’s cunning cross details – though I think I’d struggle to get away will all the frills and fuss. Can you …

The Home Front at the Museum of Wellington City and Sea

Published by The Dreamstress

Photos! Pretty, pretty photos from my talk at the Museum of Wellington City & Sea! And lots of them! (well, of course. This is me we’re talking about!) And then, down at the bottom, some unexpectedly serious musing. (well, of course. This is me we’re talking about!) The talk covered the immediate before-the-war fashions, and the effect of WWI on fashions during and after the war. Usually I use my own models, but this time MWCS arranged all the models – a group of gorgeous girls (and by gorgeous I mean ‘interesting and lovely people’ not ‘look like a magazine model’) from a local college (that’s a high school in the US) or WelTec (a college in the American sense) and museum staff and friends for the men. I missed my usual models because they are so fabulous, but really enjoyed getting to work with a new group, because they were also fabulous. Before the talk, with models, and the amazing Sarah who arranged the whole event in my Poiret dress: Because we had male …

The HSF/M ’15: Favourites for Challenge #2: Blue

Published by The Dreamstress

Whew! Almost caught up! Here are five of my favourite entries among the myriad of gorgeous items created for the HSF Blue challenge. What a fun post to pick favourites for – so many shades of lovely blues! I think it was even harder than usual to pick favourites (and it’s always, really, really hard!) — there are so many amazing things that have been produced, and such a range of periods, experience levels, and personal taste. I’ve chosen the items I thought best represent the spirit of the challenge and the Historical Sew Fortnightly; the quest to explore history, raise our skill levels and standard, stretch ourselves (or sometimes just get something done, rather than just procrastinating). Inevitably there are some projects that I adored that I just haven’t been able to post about, so go see them find your own favourites through the challenge page, and in the FB album (yep, you do have to be a member to see it, yep, if you ask to be a member we’re going to ask …