All posts tagged: 1930s

Anyone for tap pants?

I’m in the last stages of preparing for next Sunday’s tap pants class at Made Marion. My life is all about checking patterns and sizing, redrafting, and making sure I have the best possible technique figured out. And I’m excited! There are a few spaces left in the class, so if you know anyone in Wellington who might be interested – spread the word! To inspire you, here is Madge Bellamy in her wedding lingerie in White Zombie: Awww! Aren’t those tap pants adorable! And here are some of the ones I’ve made: So whether you want to call them French knickers, cami-knickers, tap pants, or lingerie shorts, come and make them next Sunday!

The Capelet of Yay

Published by The Dreamstress

I’m teaching a course on making the 1930s capelet that Elise gave me at Made Marion starting this Friday (are you signed up?), so of course I’ve been making prototypes of the capelet to make sure that I’ve got every possible bug figured out in different kinds of fabric. And oh my gosh, and I so excited. I love this capelet. The first version I made (shown here) is in silk velvet lined in silk twill – the trickiest, most evilest combination possible. And even so, it whips up so easily and beautifully. And it’s so versatile! I wear it loose and stole-y, or tied in a bow in front. In can also be wrapped around the neck and hooked, forming a very elegant scarf – perfect over a coat in winter, or for dressing up the ubiquitous (and, lets face it – just a little boring) merino tops of NZ winter wear. The elegant part: The gathered cape back. It just looks so beautiful on, and so beautiful in movement and lifts the cape …

Goddesses and queens in the Rose Garden

Published by The Dreamstress

Last Sunday Elisabeth the Sewphist and Sarah of Capital Adventures and I had a photoshoot in the Rose Garden and Greenhouse at the Wellington Botanical Gardens. The photoshoot didn’t go quite to plan – Madame O was supposed to join us and wear her fabulous frilly pink polonaise gown, and I was wearing my chemise a la reine and was going to bring 18th century for Elisabeth, and we would have been the perfect late 18th century trio. But Madame O couldn’t make it, and I couldn’t find a petticoat for Elisabeth, and we ran dreadfully late in getting ready. And my hat just wouldn’t sit right. But I sucked up the hat, brought my green silk satin pseudo 1930s Stella gown for Elisabeth to wear, and we caught the last hour that the Greenhouse was open and the last of the Rose Garden sunshine and had a lovely time anyway. Elisabeth channeled the (rather strange) statue in the begonia house in both elegant and literal fashion. Sarah wore the tropical flowers without picking them. …