For myself, one of the most fun parts of getting ready for The ADSC Gatsby Summer Afternoon is making my outfit. It truly brings me so much joy to plan what I’m wearing from my hat and hair down to my stockings and shoes. Sometimes I have more time than other times to figure it out, so depending on my schedule I can make the experience as simple or as complex as I can handle at the time.
Read moreTransforming a 1980's Pink Lace Gown into a late 1920's style Garden Party Dress
This 1980’s pink lace dress has been hanging in my closet for a couple of years. It was donated by the lovely Art Deco Society Member Cheryl Stanton, who thought I might be interested in turning it into something more Art Deco. I’ve been quite busy, but had a vision of how it might turn out, just this weekend. Sometimes a dress just needs time to simmer for a while.
Read moreFor Tips for Becoming a Flawless Flapper - Getting ready for the Art Deco Preservation Ball
The Art Deco Society of California reached out to me to write a piece that might inspire you to attend the Art Deco Preservation Ball, which is coming up in a few weeks on March 19th at the City Club in San Francisco. The Ball is always a fabulous event and lots of fun. I’ve attended year’s past and have such lovely memories of dancing, people watching and dressing up, which is my favorite part because it helps me feel like I’m living in another era, if only for just a little while.
Read moreMaking a One Hour Dress - Evening Style
At Gatsby, I heard that the Art Deco Society would be holding the Preservation Ball this year in November. A thrilling discovery as it had been cancelled twice last year due to COVID19. With a look toward this Fall Event, I thought to make my own “One Hour Dress”. My friend Jone wore a version of this dress to Gatsby and it was created with so much ease that I thought it would be perfect done up in fancy fabric.
Read moreRemodeling a 1920's Dress to Give it another Life
First, I’ll start out by saying that I believe vintage textiles are special but not necessarily precious. They are something we should treasure but that we should also use. This is a somewhat controversial point of contention between archivists, historians and collectors when it comes to clothing, especially historic clothing that marks an era in time. Some feel that they should be put away for posterity and preserved for history’s sake. Others feel that they should be worn and treasured personally. I’m kind of in both minds about this, , depending on the garment. However, my own line is drawn when a garment will likely go into the landfill, because someone deems it unwearable for whatever reason - in this case, deteriorating and falling apart. I’m SUPER-NOT into the landfill. My hope is that we can re-use parts of garments that are falling apart and that will extend the life of the original textile.
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