Inspiration Board: 1950s cocktail dress with train

Today I have two looks from the same gorgeous vintage McCalls cocktail dress pattern from the 1950s:-

This first look is sleek and modern with a classic silhouette of the dress focussing on the waist and feature train completed with a pair of killer red heels.

1950s cocktail dress with train by sewindigo featuring hot pink heels

While this second look has a much more "lady-like' feel with the lace bodice, gloves the dainty turquoise kitten heels.

1950s lace bodice cocktails dress by sewindigo featuring mid heels

Do you have any preferences for the look? What are your thoughts on the lace bodice and feature train? Do you prefer the pencil or flared skirt.


PS Don't forget to enter the Colette pattern giveaway here. If you already follow, just leave a comment letting me know you'd like to be in the running. 

Inspiration Board: Cowl neck cocktail dress

You may remember my post about inspiration boards on some of my vintage patterns. I started this because...well...Polyvore is just plain fun and often it helps to see the potential in a pattern, especially a vintage one where we would prefer a contemporary look.

Cowl neck cocktail dress by sewindigo featuring a silk dress

What I like about this pattern is it looks comfortable, elegant and effortless to wear. Depending on fabric and accessories it can be dressed up or dressed down. It's also flexible - waist tie, neck tie or no tie. It can be worn short or long with a side slit.

In a pretty floral print it could be a sweet summer dress, gorgeous in a vivid silk or perhaps a show stopper in sequins.

Inspiration Board: Vintage Glamour 40s nightgown/evening gown

I've decided to create a series of inspiration boards for the vintage patterns

I feature on Esty. Firstly, I love inspiration boards - they give me a chance

to play with images and colour and I enjoy this. Secondly, I think it helps

visualise the look of the garment. It's not meant to be an actual representation

of the finished article but more a "look and feel. " For the source photographs

on the inspiration boards go to my Polyvore site.

Many of my vintage patterns are carefully selected for features that I like. 

At the moment I'm focussed on cocktail, evening wear and some lingerie. 

Key feature of this 1940s Advance pattern are:

- cross over or racer-style back

- cross over gathered bodice

- bias cut

While this is labelled as a nightgown pattern, it makes a wonderful option

for evening wear - something like this perhaps?

- source -

Colour forecasts in action

As I have no sewing machine on board, I'm keeping myself in touch and creative in other ways. For instance, I reflected on the Pantone colour forecast that was in this earlier post. Remember the fabulous colours?

Well, I wondered whether this trend forecast was being reflected in any clothing. So I grab the nearest magazine (May 30 edition) on the boat (not even a purely fashion magazine) and low and behold, these colours are definitely now in the marketplace (see the pages below).

Orchid Hush influenced

Coffee liqueur & nougat perhaps

Bamboo, honeysuckle and ember glow influences

I wonder whether any of you have been making similar choices?

Don't you love fashion documentaries?

I do! The other night I caught a documentary (hooray for TV reception at Abel Point Marina) called "The Day Before" made by a French director Loic Prigent. He takes us behind the scenes for the last 36 hours before the fall 2009 fashion shows of Sonia Rykiel, Proenza Schouler, Fendi, and Jean-Paul Gaultier. The episode I was glued to was the Gaultier one.


I was absolutely mesmerised by the craftsmanship and skill of the people who take a design vision and make it real. The highlights for me were watching the creation of the hand sequinned dresses....

-source-

-source-

...and the crocodile crocheted garment. The crocodile skin had been disassembled and the reassembled by crochet by a master at her craft of crochet. 

-source-

Seeing this documentary reminded me how much I enjoy watching these "behind the scenes" look at the fashion industry. Another couple of my favourite are:-
Valentino: The Last Emperor   - This gave you an insight into the designer Valentino and the business of a couture fashion house. 
The September Issue - This one gave you a behind the scenes look at American Vogue and Anna Wintour. 


Does anyone else have their favourites?

Colour Inspiration - Lake Twilight

Here's some colour (and pattern!) inspiration. Lovely autumn colours inspired by a photo one Friday evening drinks at the yacht club. I've selected a pretty cotton print from Tessuti and teamed it with a 1950s empire line party dress.

When I was reviewing the post, I noticed the palette coincidentally had some resemblance to the Pantone 2011 Autumn Colours in my previous post.

Autumn colours for 2011

For those of you that love colour like me, Pantone released their Colour report for autumn 2011 at New York Fashion week in February 2011.

Aren't the colours delicious for autumn. It will be interesting to see if these colours are reflected in the autumn winter fashions and fabrics this year. Honeysuckle is Pantone's colour of the year and I think is a wonderful summer and winter colour. 

I'll certainly be inspired by this lovely palette, I hope you are too. 

Mini project - stretching fabric as wall art

I rediscovered a beautiful piece of embroidery my sister bought back for me from Turkey. Cotton with wool embroidery - a similar type of fabric as my give away 1.

I finally decided to bite the bullet and attempt making a frame and stretching the fabric to hang it on the wall. Well, my wonderful other half actually made the timber frame, then I stretched and stapled the fabric using some simple guidelines I found on the internet.

I must it came together pretty well and looks perfect in the bedroom.

Jacci Jaye's Corset Pattern – Sewing Projects | BurdaStyle.com

Jacci Jaye's Corset Pattern – Sewing Projects | BurdaStyle.com

I saw this today on Burdastyle and loved it. Very rock and roll!  If you follow the link, there's instructions on how to make it. I seems the fabric may be Alexander Henry, which is a fun new find for me. What do you think?

Ricefields - Colour and fabric

While slogging away at the outdoor boat cushions, I've have amused myself with some more "colour creativity" by creating a colour and fabric mood board from one of our photos from Bali and some gorgeous Tessuti fabric. I'm wondering whether I should include a suitable sewing pattern to complete the board?

Back to colour - Bali sunset

Despite my best intentions, I've quickly realised that I can't sew speedily enough to provide you (who kindly follow) with regular posts. I'd like to post regularly to keep it interesting, so after getting inspiration from other very creative bloggers, I've decided to take some of my posts in a slightly different direction. Not too long ago, I ran a colour consulting business for homes and businesses. I love colour! So I'll combine my love and knowledge of colour with my love of sewing and fashion.

Hopefully, you'll find these inspiring and useful. I know I've had a lot of fun creating this palette and first mood board. In many cases, I'll try to use inspiration photos that are mine (or my husbands) - I feel this makes it more personal. In order to make this practical, I've selected some Tessuti fabrics that reflect the colour and feeling of the photo. Let me know what you think?