First dress styles for sale...what do you think?

Based on the positive responses on the Etsy shop idea, here is the first pattern I was going to produce.


Not too sure about the style with the mandarin collar, but I really love the 2 bigger styles...what do you think? Would you buy this dress?

Etsy...?

So...I’m thinking of starting an Etsy Shop.

It would sell dresses that I had made from original vintage patterns.
There would be a photo of the original pattern, and a photo of the actual dress.
All dresses would be made to a professional standard, lined, overlocked, etc.
Each style would be available in XS, S,M and L.
Prices would be around $100 Australian dollars, depending on the work in each dress.
What do you think...would you buy one?
What styles would you like to see?
Fabrics, eras?
Ask and you shall receive!

**EDIT** - What if each dress was custom made to your measurements? You could order on Etsy, then send through your measurements and get a dress that looks vintage but fits you perfectly...would you pay slightly more, (say $30 AUD) for that service?

Oh - someone asked if they sent me a vintage pattern and their measurements, could I make the dress to fit them? The answer is yes!
And I will ship internationally.

Look! A non- Christmas Post!

I got another package in the mail the other day. Vintage curlers and wave clips! Now I just have to do a test set...wonder how they'll be to sleep on!



Now I'm off to the beach...

V for Victory Dress...

I found this one in a place called "Decades" in Salt Lake City, Utah...



I love the little arrows/"v" shapes...perhaps a war time dress?

oh, and the shoes were $5 at an op shop somewhere near the coast.

A few of my Friends...

So here are some of my favourites...




That's all.

My New Job...

Some of you may know I'm moving to Melbourne in about 5 weeks. I have a job lined up in a vintage store "Frocks and Slacks," which I was offered off the street last time I was there. The owners have just opened a second store, called "Fancypants."



I was doing some google-ing and found this interview with my boss about his newly opened store...


So how did I get the job?
Garth and I were walking past, we were in Melbourne for a job interview for him (in a hot rod shop). He got the job, but I had no work lined up. We were trying to decide if we should make the big move, when suddenly, I walked past this vintage store.



I didn't go in, because we were having this big, serious conversation, but the owner (Tracey) came out and yelled: "You can't look like that and not come in here!"



So I did. After chatting for the grand total of five minutes, she offered me a job. Didn't want my resume, didn't care if I'd done retail work before (I had). Just flat out offered me a job!



That was nearly 4 months ago. And she's keeping the job for me. What a doll.



Maybe some things are just meant to be?

Good Pincurls, Great Music...

Last night, the best band ever played a show. They only play once or twice a year, so I had to go. In honour of the occasion, I did super tiny pincurls and wore one of my favourite dresses.

The band is the Horrortones.

They're a soul cover band, which has the potential to suck, but it doesn't. Not one little bit. It's made up of members of my other favourite bands, which is also a plus! It was such a great night. They played songs by Sam and Dave, Joe Tex, Blacktop, Otis Redding, The Dirtbombs, King Khan and his Shrines and Sam Cooke. There was much dancing, and the pincurls held all night long. (Support bands were The Prehistorics and Velociraptor.)


Cool.

The Mighty Valiant...

I have to sell my car before we move.

Sad.

It's just so great.

See?

Oh, and here's the original advertisement. Ironic that the "move that makes a difference" is the reason I'm selling the car!

>sob.<

Brisbane Vintage Fair Haul...

Last night was the opening night of a local vintage fair. I went last time and it was really busy, really hot, really crowded and really expensive. This time, I was pleasantly surprised. Seems the recession has hit overpriced vintage sellers too.
Here's a few shots of what was on offer...





And here's what I came home with:

A great old suitcase (which will come in handy for the move to Melbourne)...




A cute top and some 60's dresses...



Some 50's floral numbers and 2 deadstock bullet bras!



All for the recession - friendly price of $50! yay.

Style Patterns Ltd...

I've been looking around for a while for a good (and affordable) 40's skirt, but to no avail. The only nice one I could afford was too small. (My 27 inch waist is never going to be 24 inches!) So, etsy to the rescue. This arrived yesterday.



It's from England, and must have been made during the war, as there's a strict reminder about fabric restrictions on the back!





The pattern pieces are real paper too, not the fragile tissue I was expecting.



Now to find the right fabric...

Mission Accomplished...

I finished the Blouse! Hurrah!

Not quite as perfect as I wanted, but still, a good outcome for my first try!
I want to make it in brown and white gingham next, and make a brown skirt for it too...

So that's where I get the dimples from...

My aunt (or really, my mum's aunt Berry)is now 89. She has been compiling a family history book for as long as I can remember. I was looking through it the other day and found some pictures of my Grandma, (mum's mum) and thought you might like them. It's been way too hot here to take any of my own outfit photos anyway, so Grandma's will have to do!



Love the hat, love the braids, love the dress!




Poor quality - but look at that hair!




Bottom picture - classic.






Love those knitted sweaters/jumpers!



...and the 40's suits.



Switchboard girl!



She's nearly 90 now, but still going strong! Yay Grandma!

Sewing THE Blouse...

You may recall this post on the perfect blouse pattern...
Well, I have begun.




It's actually the easiest blouse I've ever made, with only 4 pieces, which makes me happy. The fabric is a nice ivory with a bit of stretch and I love the peter pan collar. The instructions say to "ease" the sleeves onto the bodice, but I decided to use pintucks instead, so the sleeves are kind of "puffy" at the shoulder.

I still need to do the button holes, sew on the buttons and hem the sleeves and the bottom, but so far, I'm pretty pleased.

Stay tuned for further progress...

Mail Call!

I arrived home after a particularly bad day at work to find a parcel waiting.



I opened it to find a dress I had been waiting for...



A cute little 50's number...



In novelty car print! Alas, it was too big...



So out came the sewing machine...



Now it fits like a glove!



I love mail.