All posts tagged: 1930s

Lingerie Touches for Frocks, 1932

I’m got a bunch of blog posts half written at the moment, but they are all long and elaborate, and I just don’t have the time to finish them today. So instead, a quick, sweet and simple blog post, featuring a page from the March 1932 Fashion Services Magazine, with frocks that show ‘Lingerie Touches for Chic’ In addition to the lingerie touches (by which they mean handiwork and lace edging), there is lots of exoticism – Persian prints, and ‘scarab’ crepes (which sound like the pure silk variation of roshanara). Plus, Irish crochet is a la mode and skirt lengths are shorter – a whole 11 to 13 inches off the floor (and that’s in shoes!) .

A sporty ’30s summer suit – from stash

Published by The Dreamstress

The third Historical Sew Monthly challenge of 2015 is Stashbusting. Now, most of my sewing IS from stash – the problem is that I keep adding to the stash. :-/ Or starting a project from stash and then finding I need 3m of some fabric I don’t already own to finish it! :-p I’m quite pleased about this outfit as a stash-busting exercise, because it’s from one of my oldest pieces of boughten stash. Almost eight years ago, when I was just getting back into historical costuming, I bought ten metres of white cotton almost-pique at an Arthur Toyes 50% off sale (long shall we mourn their passing). I bought it because it was 100% cotton fabric in white for $4 a metre, so how could I not? I has this idea that I would make a reproduction of the dress on the seated woman in Monet’s Women in the Garden, but I quickly realised the fabric wasn’t right for that. I couldn’t quite give up on the idea, or the fabric, so it lingered …

Art Deco 2015: Swinging* times in Sunny Napier

Published by The Dreamstress

*And by swinging, I mean swing dancing, of course! Another Napier Art Deco Weekend has come and gone, and another fabulous time was had by all – or at least everyone I talked to! I almost didn’t go this year, because, while I had a great time last year, it was so ungodly hot that I felt ill most of the weekend, and my memories of last year are also mixed up with how stressful it was (we took possession of our new house the day I left for Napier, and moved in three days after I got back!). But the lovely ladies at the clothing swap convinced me to go, and I am so grateful for it! I think this was the best Art Deco Weekend yet, and it was the best because I didn’t stress about trying to be anywhere, or do anything – I just let the good times happen when, and where they did, and they DID. In previous years I’ve pushed myself to be at the costume contest to document …