Summer Summary

Just a quick summary of some outfits I've pulled together for some summer costuming opportunities.

I say "pulled together" because I didn't actually create much for these, so there isn't much to say about patterns or construction. I'm very grateful to past me for my costume closet and stash.  Thank you, past me!  

High Tea (50s inspired styles)

I already owned everything I'm wearing here.  The gloves, purse, and hat are all from my costume stash via Goodwill.  So are the umbrellas, which just happened to be in my car.  The belt and shirt were retail purchases (belt from JC Penney's and shirt from Banana Republic).  Circle skirt was salvaged at the 11th hour, but made by me years ago.  The shoes are the wonderous Clark's Brier Dolly that I wear to work almost daily.

I had every intention of completing a new circle skirt for this outfit.  I bought beautiful fabric, drafted a pattern, cut it and pieced it together, and then realized I screwed up.  I fixed it, sewed it, and then I realized it was still screwed up.  It was also midnight the night before the tea.

I gave up, grabbed an old circle skirt that no longer fits me, pulled out the waistband and zipper, created a pocket for elastic, threaded it through and called it done.  It's not perfect, but it works.  Plus, now I have a wearable floral circle skirt.

PA Ren Faire: Pyrate Invasion 

This is made entirely from previously-made items.  I haven't ever worn them together, so it was a totally new outfit for me.  The shirt was originally worn for a Ren-Faire pirate event a few years ago, the skirt for yet another Ren Faire outfit.  I recently purchased the corset (Orchard Corset 411 in leather).  The only item purchased for this outfit was the hat, which I'm not entirely happy with.

PA Ren Faire: Time Traveler's Weekend

Rule 63 11th Doctor (Doctor Who) I bought the shirt for this one at Goodwill, the bow tie at Walmart and ordered the fez on Amazon.  The corset is my good old Orchard Corset 411 in cotton that I wore at Steampunk World's Fair. Skirt and ankle boots (which you can't see) from my normal wardrobe. 

Real Talk:

I'm honestly feeling a little burned out on costuming lately (say it isn't so!).

I used to do one major event (Otakon) annually, plus Halloween and maybe one Renaissance Faire event.  This year I had planned to attend Wicked Faire in February, 3 days at Steampunk World's Fair in May, Jazz Age on the Delaware in August, two PA Ren Faire events this summer,Steampunk Unlimited in October, plus Halloween.  I added the high tea event (August), a Prohibition Era costume party (September), and got invited to 4 (FOUR!) Halloween parties.  I obviously love costumes and will really create just about any reason to get dressed up BUT

in retrospect, I may have been a wee bit over zealous this year...

I'm feeling a little bit over costumes right now.  Monday I had a three hour costuming meeting with my costuming partner in crime.  We fueled up with coffee and didn't even get through the agenda.  Oof.  Fail.  Turns out she's pretty burnt out too.   We've got a game plan for the rest of the year and then I have a break from events, but not construction, until February.

Maybe I'll finally get those outfits from Steampunk World's Fair photographed? *sigh*

Vogue 2859 Review

For my Jazz Age on the Delaware outfit I decided to use Vogue 2859,  but only the shirt piece.  I'm fairly certain that the dress would look awful on me.

The hardest part, for me, when trying to evoke a particular decade is getting the fabric choice right and making the finished product look more like an everyday outfit rather than a costume.  I also knew that in August it was going to be hot, so I wanted a natural fabric that would breathe .

Getting the fabric for this outfit was an exercise in frustration.  I was trying to find a floral print fabric that wasn't shiny and had the right drape, but I kept striking out.  I finally settled for a green seersucker, which wasn't what I really wanted.  Then when I went to get it cut the bolt was actually two cuts of fabric and not long enough for my pattern.  Fail.  I ended up buying some red seersucker, but I still wasn't happy.

I brought it home and washed it, but because I wasn't happy with it I never got around to cutting it.

I hit the fabric store a few weeks after getting the seersucker to pick up some patterns and I just happened to find an absolutely beautiful plaid fabric at my local JoAnn's in their "famous maker" section.  It's a light yellow with grey and blue stripes, it's a little bit sheer and it's wool.  Yes, wool.  For summer.  It's a summer- weight wool.  I did not even know this existed. It's super soft and feels awesome.  I'm incredibly impressed with this fabric.  I also had a 50% off coupon.  The seersucker lays forgotten in the fabric stash.

So much love for this fabric!

On to the review!


Pattern Description: Back wrap blouse: short sleeves, kimono in front and raglan in back, triangular cut-out, twisted collar extending from front and tie ends that slip through bound buttonhole in back and knots in front.

Pattern Sizing: 18/20/22

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing it? Yes, it did.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  Somewhat.  I generally don't read pattern directions at all, but that's not really an option with a Vogue pattern.  I followed them where I needed to and figured out the rest on my own.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?  It's quite short and definitely not meant to be worn with low-rise anything, and almost all modern clothing sits below your natural waist.  I'm wearing it with a skirt that sits at my natural waist and I still needed to extend the length by a few inches to reach the waist of the skirt.  Be aware of that before cutting the pattern.  Also, if you're a dancer, you may want to make it even longer.  I found that I was constantly tugging it down whenever my partner turned me.

The little bow in front was an absolute nightmare for me, I almost gave up on it.  The directions made no sense to me in spite of reading them at least a dozen times.  I finally figured it out, though I'm still not quite sure how I did it.  In spite of how difficult I found it, this detail is really one of my favorite things about this piece.  It's a very cute little detail and I think it really gives the shirt some character.

Fabric Used:  Lightweight wool

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I lengthened the bottom hem by a few inches.  I'm 5'8" and I have a large bust, so I knew it was going to be short.

I didn't follow the directions (big surprise) for making the bound buttonhole in the back of the shirt and just left an opening in the side seam for the tie.

If you are using a fabric with an ugly/noticeable wrong side, you'll probably want some extra fabric to use on the ties.  Because you only do a rolled hem you'll see the wrong side.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  Yes, I really like the pattern and would sew it again.

Conclusion: Overall it's a very nice pattern, has a lovely vintage style, and goes together relatively quickly (for a Vogue pattern).  Plus it's one of very few 30s era patterns that are commercially available, so if that's what you're looking for, this is a good bet.

Gazing longingly at the 1930s Model A

PS:  I haven't forgotten about taking those photos for Steampunk World's Fair.  My sewing room looks like small tornado blew through it and I'm disinclined to spend hours on the fourth floor of the house in 90 degree weather cleaning it..  Best case scenario:  I take the dress form downstairs and photograph it that way.  I'm honestly just glad that I finally brought them back into my house after a month and a half.

Yes, really.