Style Reference

There's a ton more interesting vintage photos and stylings here.

How To Be Lovely

We're all familiar with what makes Audrey Hepburn so lovely. Not only was she a wonderful actress, but she was also an extremely decent human being, which is rare as celebrities go.

Her loveliness attracted the attention of some quality fashion designers of her time. Hubert de Givenchy is responsible for many of her most notable ensembles.

A lot of the classic styles of the 50s and 60s were very form-fitted in the bodice with full A-line skirts. They were very flattering, and not just on small thin body types. I think this is the reason why I tend to prefer these vintage styles. They work! Why redesign something that already works well? Plus, if you've ever worn a dress of this style, it just feels good to have on, hugging your best curves. Sort of like you're your own Audrey Hepburn, and who doesn't want to be like her in some way?

Check out this dress. I love how the skirt has pleats in the back but not in the front. She has a wide neckline and a fitted waist, which gives that very flattering triangular shape to the bodice. Very classy and lovely. Also the subtle pink fabric with horizontal stripes is a nice touch for this style. Sometimes you can choose pink and it'll go horribly wrong, other times it can work very well, even if pink isn't "your color." I'll have to write later to discuss fabrics and color choices.

Ps: Many of my first posts won't be about specific projects because my main project currently is my wedding dress, which I can't talk about here (yet) because Jon is one of my blog followers. But I love that he probably will be the only male to do so. And I'll share plenty about the wedding dress post May ;)

Introduction

I'm really excited to start this blog and share the things I've learned about sewing with whoever may be interested to explore a new hobby for themselves. I always wanted to host a sewing class but haven't yet been able to find the means or the time to do so. I'm hoping this blog might be a good solution for those interested. If you are, feel free to bookmark this page, or let me know if you want me to add your email to the list for updates.

Sewing has sort of become a lost art, not to mention viewed as a craft and not even an art. Don't be deceived by that notion! It will only make you feel as though you should join the red hat society, ha. There are very few girls my age that have discovered the pleasure in it, but I know there are a handful of you who would love to learn more.

Well I have some words for you if you're even somewhat interested, don't get discouraged by the beginning stages of learning to sew. Sewing is a puzzle to be solved, which involves a sometimes finicky machine that can tend to give you grief. These things can make you extremely frustrated until you get the hang of it. Don't give up! I really want to encourage you to keep at it. It took me about 4 years on and off to become confidant about just trying new things, solving the puzzles and just keeping at it. Eventually I became very fond of the challenge the puzzle presented me and I was able to overcome the doubt in my ability. When you get down to it and begin to understand the basic how-tos, it's really very simple. Once you get to that point, you can become more artistic and creative about your sewing projects, and really have something unique to wear, gift, or display. (Not to mention that altering your own clothes can save you a lot of money if you happen to be someone who needs that kind of work done often, and your clothes will always fit you the way they should).

So what do you say? Give it a shot. Try something new that challenges you. It's good for your soul. And feel free to use my blog as a reference for some tips and tricks that I have learned so far. I'll also be sharing my successful (and maybe sometimes the unsuccessful) projects I've worked on.

Go forth and enjoy a good challenge!