The timing of everything Barbie pink found in every corner of the malls and retail landscape is much more interesting than just a clever marketing plot. It's not just plastic dolls dressed in pink or doll house furnishings, it's clothing and shoes for grown ups. It's a placebo effect for trouble times. Let's consider that when Barbie was first released in the late 1950s, the doll was a celebration of the ummm, not pink.
It wasn't until the 1970s that the connection between Barbie and the colour pink took hold. For those of us old enough to remember the earlier Barbie days, it really wasn't a pink, pink world. So why the shift to branding pink as Barbie's preferred colour instead of the continuing with a multi-coloured world of the earlier days? Marketing a happy colour into Barbie's world could be seen as inserting a colour to counter balance an outside world going through anxious times and social change.
The 1970s was a decade marked by enormous economic and cultural change. It is marked by the end of the post-war economic boom, record high interest rates and record inflation. Sounds familiar? It was a time that divided a country fighting in the Vietnam War. Environment issues were taking center stage as Earth Day established itself in 1970. The 1970s birthed the punk movement. Disco ruled the dance floor. And let's not forget the Watergate scandal and the Roe vs. Wade decision that helped to define the decade.
Pink is a highly coded colour that emerged out of Barbie's world in the 1970s. It happened as a "New Right" movement mobilized in defense of political conservatism and traditional gender and family roles.
Although, I will argue that orange is the happiest colour, many will argue that pink holds the title of being a bright and fun colour that makes people happy. And in our own turbulent times with Roe vs. Wade reappearing in the headlines, record global inflation, the continuing war in Ukraine and the ripple effect of the war on global food security couldn't we all use a bit of pink to re-soothe an anxious world? Or is all this pink everywhere just adding to the anxiety of these current times?
Bill Cunningham, the famed New York Times cultural anthropologist, is revealed in a fascinating memoir discovered after his passing.
Bill Cunningham is known to most and portrayed in the 2010 documentary Bill Cunningham New York as the bicycle riding photographer who captured the artistic, political and social commentary presented by New Yorkers through their fashions. Fashion Climbing is a undated memoir that highlights his young life, influences, love for life and fashion, establishing that serendipity is alive and well.
"Constant change is the breath of fashion."
~Bill Cunningham~
Fashion Climbing starts out as a memoir of Bill's life as William J., milliner designing under an assumed name as to not embarrass his family who disapproved of his enthusiasm for fashion. It is a epic quest of discovering and appreciating the pure and sheer enjoyment of fashion while being true to oneself.
My only disappointment with this memoir is that the photographs of William J's creations found within its pages are all black and white photographs. I longed for colourful images as Cunningham's writing style is not as fanciful of his millinery creations and written descriptions of materials used were lacking the visual beauty that inspired Bill in his creative process. Thankfully, there are colourful examples of his work that remain from his millinery career.
Today marks Equal Pay Day, it's not an arbitrary date. Today's date is a symbol of how far in the calendar year women must work to earn what the other gender earned in the prior year, for the same work.
So why wear red? Wear red to communicate. Red is meant to symbolize how long women and minorities are in the red with their pay. It is a way to communicate this issue when you don't have the opportunity to go out and protest. Wear red. Red is meant to speak on this issue loudly in a culture of gag orders. Wear red to be seen and heard on an important issue.
I wrote about standing and sewing five years ago. It happened accidentally, when I was itching to get back to sewing post-op. Why is it that when we're in recovery mode that our sewing mojo decides to stick around? Back then it did and I was missing sewing something terrible. But I stumbled on something that I didn't realize at the time, how much healthier it is not to spend so much time on one's tush.
Now-a-days you would have to be from another era to have not of heard that sitting is the new smoking. I am in total agreement with the observation that it truly is the most underrated and misunderstood health threat of modern time.
{Source}
That's right, sitting has been linked with a variety of potential ailments from obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, risk of developing cancer and developing a shorter life-span. Sure, most workplaces now-a-days include the work-life balance rhetoric promoting the idea of hitting the gym but the reality is that the negative effects of prolong sitting can not be countered by brief bouts of strenuous exercise.
Which brings me to the thought of sewing furniture. This evening I'm flipping through the current issue of Sew News and came across yet another sewer offering a reader's tip of purchasing bed risers. The idea is that raising the table height helps to alleviate back stress. Not exactly a new concept since standing desks and desk raisers have been around for more than a decade. Even longer when you think about famous users of the standing desk include Leonardo da Vinci, Ernest Hemingway, Charles Dickens, Sir Winston Churchill and the list goes on. So why is the sewing industry slow to catch on? Why do we have to resort to this?
Creative solution to the lack of standing sewing tables.
Yes, I know we're a crafty DIY crowd and creative enough to find our own solution. The question remains, when is the sewing industry going to catch up? I'm not just talking about the actual piece of furniture but also foot pedal cords long enough to reach the floor from a standing height.
Sometimes we come so far ahead with self-threading sewing machines that can create thousands of stitches with the press of a button but then we're held back and limited by the length of the foot peddle cord.
BBC's investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker Stacey Dooley explores the impact of fast fashion in the 2018 film Fashion's Dirty Secrets. Hardly a new topic since Elizabeth L. Cline's book Overdress: The Shockingly High Cost of Fast Fashion hit the bookstore shelves in 2012. And the emergence of Fashion Revolution movement in the aftermath of the 2013 Rana Plaza tragedy. There has been countless calls for transparency and reform of the fashion and textile industries. Dooley's investigation travels the globe and interviews the social media influencers, social activists and scientists who all play a part in this global issue.
Dooley offers a disturbing and powerful look at the impact that the fashion and textile industry is having on the environment and water systems destroying and reshaping geographic landscapes and impacting the lives of communities outside of the textile industry.
The film starts off examining the environmental destruction of the Aral Sea, located in Central Asia between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. In 2010, The Daily Telegraph reported the Aral Sea as "one of the world's worst environmental disasters."
In the early 1960s, the Soviet government decides the two rivers that lead into the Aral Sea were to be diverted in a plan to grow and export cotton, also referred to as "white gold." It became a major export and in the late 1980s, Uzbekistan became the world's largest exporter of cotton. The disturbing part is that this environment disaster was foreseen in the early 1960s and came as no surprise to the Soviet government. Dooley doesn't go into the geo-political history of the region, instead she takes the viewers on an expedition into the now barren sea to view it's current state. It's a powerful opener, and echoes the empty promises from the fashion industry with their claims of sustainability and inability to discuss the meaning.
Could it be in the age of fast-fashion and contract work that organizations are desperately trying to attract and keep young talent until their contract is up? The concept of casual dress codes hit the news again when Goldman Sachs, the last of the Wall Street hold outs, last week loosen their own dress codes. Yeah, the same day that Burberry took a hit on the stock market.
Times are a changing. Of course the slow pace towards a less formal suited look comes at a time with technical advancements in the textile industry. Unless wearable technology could be adapted into traditional forms of dress something will have to give.
Pockets have evolved throughout history but what does remain is its practical and desirable feature to a garment.
Pockets are key. Or are they?
I'm in favour of garments with pockets, they are more than a portable storage device. Pockets in the age of ready-to-wear fast fashion is a luxury item. And they seem to have a history of luxury associated with them.
Paco Peralta's divinely designed skirt pockets.
Vogue 1567
Pockets as we know them today haven't always been part of an article of clothing. During Medieval times "pockets" were more like external bags tied around one's waist or suspended from one's belt. A style worn regardless of one's gender.
Pockets can also have negative associations with them, especially if they carry one's hands. In Western culture when one's hands are in their pocket it can be perceived as awkwardness or disrespect depending on the cultural situation.
Often pockets are used to hold our money or wallets instead of our hands. Phrases relating to pockets have come out of these: Out of pocket refers to a financial loss. Put one's hand in one's pocket refers to an act of generosity. Emptypocket refers to being broke.
To pocket something refers to conceal or hid something.
Much as been written about the white pant suit Hilary Clinton wore at the Democratic National Convention and what one commentary saw as a pocket-less suit jacket illustrated that she had nothing to hid.
I see this analysis as a lack of knowledge on pocket construction rather than a commentary on whether or not Clinton was trying to send out a message to voters. What I do see is a beautifully tailored welt or perhaps a bound pocket on the jacket front. Hmm, does anyone else see the irony here?
Today, pockets are lacking or at least minimized in ready-to-wear clothing as an austerity measure. Details such as buttons and pockets have slowly been given less and less importance and prominence in clothing design in recent years.
Scanning the menswear department, I noticed the lack of chest pockets on men's dress shirts. The Ultimate Guide to Dress Shirts suggests that pockets on men's shirts decreases the formality of a shirt and that most men don't use them. Some questionably argue otherwise, "[w]hy are women constantly trying to feminize the American [m]ale?" Seriously, the dude needs to stop blaming women and find himself a good tailor because RTW is not going to give him shirt pockets. In the age of fast fashion, it's all about getting clothing to the racks as quickly and cheaply as possible and pockets are deemed unnecessary in the process. Sewing on the other hand [pun unintended] allows you to add all the pockets that your heart desires. But you might have to draft your own.
Scanning the offerings by Vogue patterns most long sleeve dress shirts are void of pockets with the exception of Vogue 8759. McCall's offers shirt pockets on many of their casual shirt offerings. And yet, vintage pattern finds are abundant with pockets from last century's offering.
As long as we have devices, wallets, sun glasses and whatever else we want to get out of our fingers, there will always be the desire for pockets. The question is do we want them to be seen or unseen. What are your thoughts on pockets?
I get it sweatpants are all the rage. I see them at the mall at all the twenty-something shops. Forty dollars (CDN $) a pop is quite an expense when you consider how easy they are to whip up and that teenagers are sewing pyjama bottoms at home economics classes. Sewing up a pair of sweats is not that far of a stretch from pyjama bottoms. I guess those classes don't emphasis the economics side of sewing. Or maybe it is the designer / brand logo or celeb-look they're after.
Now I have to admit that I did literally laughed out loud while reading this article, "The Latest Thing in Fashion: Stylish Sweatpants?!" while in the waiting room at physiotherapist's office. Gotta love a waiting room with current magazines. But I digress...
And this is a public laugh-out-loud. I found it utterly ridiculous when I read
Paul Hardy has a pair of sweatpants he says cost him at least $600. They look like a hybrid between dress pants and sweatpants; he wears them with a tuxedo jacket. 'We're not talking about Adidas here,' he says. 'The ones I have are from a Parisian designer. There's a drawstring on the inside of the waistband'.
Don't all sweatpants have waistbands and drawstrings? And to think that I thought $40.00 was ridiculous for a pair of sweatpants. What am I not getting? Besides a pair of $600 sweatpants.
If this is your thing, you can easily make your own. True Bias has everything you and your family needs to be hip and fashionable in "stylish sweatpants." The Hudson Pants is available in women, mens and kids sizes.
And Vogue patterns too! Myself, I don't think you will see me dressing up a pair of sweatpants to wear to work or a black tie event. Call me old school but I wear sweatpants for sweating not strutting. Needless to say, I wouldn't style it with a tuxedo jacket, but hey, whatever floats your boat. Just don't spend $600 on a pair. That's just crazy!
The Pink Suit by Nicole Mary Kelby
Published by: Little, Brown and Company (a division of Hachette Book Group Inc.)
ISBN: 978-0-316-23565-5
Retail: $29.00 Canada / $26.00 US
The length of time that it took to read this book is not a reflection of how much I enjoyed it. Instead, it is a reflection of how busy my life can get along with how much I wanted to savour the descriptions of hand stitched haute couture art.
The Pink Suit is rich in details that have been woven from facts into an exquisite piece of fiction. Kelby has created a masterpiece that anyone who has an interest in history, pop culture or the art of sewing would enjoy.
The story captures the search for equilibrium between reality and fantasy that characters in the novel try to create and navigate through their work and lives. Kate takes us on a historical romp through a time where innocence is lost for the protagonist and a nation through the back streets and service elevators of the fashion districts inspired and lifted from the runways of Paris.
This is truly an enjoyable read that I can not recommend enough. If you haven't yet read this gem, you might want to consider putting this on your "must read list."
Update: Wishing all my easterner friends and family a safe Christmas. There has been asnow storm with freezing rainthat has knocked out power to thousands of homes. Even though I jest in this post, my thoughts and heart are with you guys. Stay safe and sending well wishes.
Thank you for all the lovely get well wishes. Your kind words were a real boost and I'm on the mend and actually starting to think dreaming about finishing off some projects. Not quite there yet.
Instead, I've been catching up on my reading since I'm laid up and I have finished reading the December 7th, 2013 Globe and Mail article Relax during the holidays with five cozy but chic looks. It is a look at dressing up casual for the holidays.
Let's face the windchill at this time of year, it is darn chilly out there. And the thought of donning a frock this time of year is only realistic if you're snapping a photo of the latest sewing make to be worn in much warmer temperatures down the road. Or perhaps with your leggings ski pants.
Heels
For me, the article lost all credibility when a Torontonian spoke about the connection to holiday dressing in the Canadian winter climate, "I want to be that little bit more comfortable, so, instead of a dress, I might wear heels and sweatpants" (Verner). Say what! And the photos that accompanied the article were of outfits styled with cropped pant legs and bare ankles.
No wonder there is a great divide between the east and west. Silly easterners. I feel I can say that since I was once a silly easterner with a shoe fetish. Gawd, how times have changed.
or Sorrels?
For one, I would never equate comfortable with wearing heels. Especially as I'm recovering from a knee arthroscopy. Oh my foolish younger self. (This must be the Tylenol 3's talking?) I would much rather wear a frock and stylish sorrels this holiday season if my foot weren't so swollen and I could squeeze it into a pair of sorrels. But that is a whole other story.
This holiday season I'm embracing the cas-holiday look minus the j-crewesque "restrained ornamentation" (hold the glitter!) and just rock the flannel pj look. I don't think it would be too much and I know I will be cozy.
Someone needs to sit down and have a serious talk with this man.
His name is Chip Wilson and he is the founder of Lululemon. He failed this week at Communications 101 when he blamed pilling that occurs on Lululemon's newer yoga pants on the wearer. Oh. Yes. He. Did.
Someone needs to talk to him about fabric and this thing called pilling. It is about fabric, not people. It is quite sad really because Lululemon does some wonderful charity work. I'm not endorsing their products since my hips are not made for Lululemon products and if I were in need of yoga pants, I would grab some of that gorgeous fair trade organic cotton knit I found at Mitchell Fabrics and sew myself a pair. But I'm saving that fabulous fabric for Marcy Tilton's shingle dress. And I'm starting to get off topic.
Pilling is the process that results in the formation of ball of fibre, or pills as they are known, that settle on the surface of fabric.
Ah, yes. Mr. Wilson was correct this week when he stated, "there has always been pilling." This is true. Mr. Wilson also spoke of Lululemon as "a technology company that strives to push its technology as far as possible" (Hulsman, Yahoo Finance). Also true. Poor Mr. Wilson should had stopped there and left woman's thighs putting pressure on his tech fabric alone. ~sigh~ And then the media storm blew into town this week to cover the blunder. Instead of educating the consumer on Fabrics 101, the media criticized Mr. Wilson for his response to the technical problems with his products. Learning opportunity blown.
The Lululemon website describes their "signature fabric" used to make their yoga pants as a
four-way stretch Luon™ fabric - Full-On Luon™ is a high-performance fabric that gives major support and coverage with a cottony-soft feel
Pilling does occur in all fabrics. We all know that and have even experienced pilling in our own clothing, right? What some consumers don't know is that with the invention of synthetic fibres came the undesirable pilling syndrome. Lululemon's signature fabric is not a natural fabric, rather it is a synthenic. Pilling should not be a surprise here. It should be expected. This phenomenonhas been around since synthetic fabrics hit the stage. It is not new to Lululemon's products.
Now, in natural fabrics we don't notice pilling as much because the collected fibres tend to fall off the fabric and instead of pills we observe wear and tear over time. Whereas, with synthetic fabrics that are significantly cheaper to produce the trade off is the undesirable pilling syndrome. It is not to say that synthetic or tech fabrics are bad and natural fabrics are superior. Both have their pros and cons.
That said, consumers need to educate themselves since school divisions have been cutting home economics courses for decades now. And some business leaders need to recognize their strengths/weaknesses and hire communication experts. Maybe tell the consumer what the fibre content is made up instead the mysterious "Luon" label. And everyone needs to just calm down and take a pill. (Sorry, bad pun.) Besides, yoga pants are easy to sew if you don't like what you find at the store.
Rhonda over at Rhonda's Creative Life reflected this week on her past sewing life with "Cracking the Shell" after reading Sew Sister's piece "Sewing in the 70's". You have to go over and read Rhonda's inspiring and personal story and the post that got her thinking about it. Go on, my post will be here when you come back.
Rhonda's and Sew Sister's posts had me thinking about how sewing and how the perceptions surrounding it has changed over the decades. I'm also reading Patricia Volk's Shocked: My Mother, Schiaparelli, and Mewhich has me thinking after reading a wonderfully descriptive section about sewing.
Sister Sew asked, "Do you consider the 70s vintage?"
I didn't give much thought to that until the two posts written about this by-gone era and looking at the new Vogue fall patterns.
There is a perfect definition of vintage over at Americana,
Time is not the only criteria used to define vintage, but rather other elements such as enduring style, perceived quality and accrued value.
That had me thinking if we define clothing as vintage based on various factors, what about sewing? Would you consider the act of sewing vintage?
I started sewing in the 1970s and even took Home Economic classes when I was in high school. It was not the cool thing to do. I wasn't trying to be cool (that was a lost cause), I just liked to sew.
It was the beginning of the second wave feminism that lasted into the 1980s. During the 1970s strong feminist women were portrayed on television. Maude, Rhoda, and Mary replaced the older generation of TV woman Lucy, Harriet and Margaret, who embraced domestic life. Maude, Rhoda and Mary were too busy making a name for themselves to be stuck at home doing... domestic stuff.
During this time, it was the beginning of the end of Home Economics classes. And television shows were moving women away from the sewing machine and towards being the mover and shakers in the world. Televised domestic work at this time was reassigned to Alice, an older woman happy to take care of the modern family. The 80's with the shoulder pads and power suits came the backlash comedy (I use that term loosely) of Andrew Dice Clay, and American comedian who was quite vulgar and vocal about his opposition to women's rights back in the day. It was another nail in the lid of the sewing machine moved into attics as the fight for equal rights was on.
Was popular culture playing a role in the decline of sewing and the negative attitudes towards those who sew their own clothes? I don't believe it helped. During this period I don't recall positive representations of sewing, rather it was presented as a relic from the past that we should run screaming from. CabinQuilter's: Sewing Machines in Movies highlights television shows where sewing machines appeared. Most sewing machine appearances are as reliacs of the the past.
TV
1900 House PBS (2000): Singer treadle
American Family, PBS (2002):"The Sewing Machine" Singer Treadle
Blue Valley Songbird (1999)
Dogs and More Dogs, Nova, PBS (2003): Singer, 5-drawer treadle
Dr. Seuss's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (1966) He and his dog sew the Grinch's santa suit on a black treadle with gold decals
Extreme Home Makeover (ABC 2004): Several Featherweights
Geico Commercial (2006): Peter graves is sitting in the homeowner's sewing room. In the background is what looks to be a mid-arm machine. See a video clip HERE
Gilligan's Island (believe it or not!): "The Matchmaker" episode; combination bamboo exercise bike/sewing machine
Gilmore Girls: Singer Model 12 treadle
Hometime (PBS): Closed Singer Treadle cabinet
I Dream of Jeannie: Singer treadle, on the beach
Jeff's Collie (Original Lassie series): 5 drawer coffin top treadle
Jericho: Treadle table against the wall between the kitchen & living room at the Richmond ranch.
Laverne & Shirley: Treadle stand in the bedroom
Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe, The (BBC 1988): Mrs. Beaver is sewing on what looks to be a Frister & Rossman handcrank
Mad About You: Flashback to his dad's tailor shop, with an industrial machine in the background
Manor House, PBS (2003): Jones handcrank and a treadle
Martha Inc.:The Story of Martha Stewart (2003): Black Singer in an old, treadle-type base
Monk: Mr. Monk Goes to the Ballgame (2003): Treadle base only (!) used as a foyer table.
Papa's Angels (2000): 7-drawer treadle
Pimp My Ride (MTV 2004): Industrial used to sew custom, green suede/black leather auto upholstery
Reba (2002): Reba McIntyre sews a bridesmaid's dress on a Featherweight
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry(1978):
Seinfeld: Episode #149 "The Pothole" (2/20/97) Kramer 'adopts' a mile of the freeway. A Singer 99 sewing machine falls off a dump truck and is shown bursting into flames caused by igniting paint thinner.
Six Feet Under (HBO 2001) The daughter found her grandmother's sewing machine in the attic. While high on drugs with a girlfriend she makes her mother very colorful slacks. The machine was dark green, full size, Singer 500.
Texas Ranch House (PBS 2006): Wilcox & Gibbs handcrank
Tommyknockers, The (1993): The boy who makes his brother disappear powers his machine with a treadle
The Brady Bunch (Peter the Magician/Cindy's fear of the dark):
The Real McCoys: Treadle
Walton's: Treadle
Who's the Boss?: Possibly a Stylist, sitting backwards on a shelf in the garage (of course!)
Willing to Kill: Texas Cheerleader Story (1992): Featherweight
I made clothes in those high school years. Come to think about it, I used to sneak downstairs to the basement and sew on my mom's Singer treadle. We didn't have an attic. My makes weren't anything to write home about but it was the creative process that I enjoyed. In the 1980s, I dreamed of a career that would incorporate the skills that I was learning, instead it remained a hobby as I retreated from sewing jobs that did not pay. The act of the creative process had been belittled to the point that people did not see the worth of sewing. And yet, they didn't want to take their garments to a tailor or seamstress.
Evidence of this appeared in the 1990s. On one occasion after sewing a hooded blouse, McCall's 5640, for my brother's friend. She (yes, a she!) refused to pay for the work that I had done stating, "I already spent $30 on the materials. I wouldn't pay more than that at a store for a shirt". I was devastated and felt used. I let the issue go because she was "my brother's friend." People were becoming accustomed to cheap fashion and addicted to the convenience of ready-to-wear.
On another occasion I was verbally scolded by a co-worker after asking for payment of couch cushions I had sewn.
"Why, you can't wait two weeks for your money?" she yelled in a public place achieving her goal of embarrassing me into leaving without payment. All because she wanted to go on a cross-border trip and thought that I should wait to be paid. People back then did not appreciate the workmanship, expense, or time that went into sewing.
From past experiences, I equate bullying and feeling used with sewing for others. And as a result, I refuse to take on sewing projects or alterations for others.
Thankfully, times and attitudes change, Sewing With Nancy appeared on television in the 1980s but the show appealed to a niche market. It did not capture the attention of popular culture immediately but thirty years later she is celebrated for showcasing fabric artists and sewing techniques on her show.
Despite the appearance of Nancy, the decline of sewing as a necessary and honourable skill continued in the 1990s. It was also a time of the third wave of feminism. From Women, Politics and Public Policy: The Political Struggles of Canadian Women,
The third wave of Canadian feminism ... is closely tied to notions of anti-racism, anti-colonialsm, and anti-capitalism. The notion of a sisterhood among women prevalent in the second wave, is critiqued by third-wave feminists, who have perceived this seeming universalism to be dismissive of women's diverse experiences, and the ways that women can discriminate against and dominate one another.
Amen!
It wasn't until the 2000s when reality television turned a curious eye on fashion designers with Project Runway. Project Runway first appeared on the airways in 2004 and as the show gained popularity so did the interest in home sewing. Throw in the internet with tutorials and on-line courses and
sewing reinvents itself as a means of self-expression, creativity and camaraderie with like-minded souls. And journalists have been turning a critical eye to the high cost of cheap fashion as many of our ready-to-wear items come with cheap prices and quality from an exploited workforce.
Sewing has certainly changed over the decades. it is a mix bag of emotions that accompany my sewing journey and it makes me wonder, what's next?
Hopefully, a continued revival and changing attitudes.
It is Louis Riel Day. Louis Riel is celebrated as a hero and has grown into a popular culture icon here in our province. Not so much in some other parts of Canada.
Even though there's a lot to take in today (free admission at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Festival du Voyageur) to help celebrate Louis Riel day, there are some horrid road conditions. I think I'm going to stay put and take advantage of some quality sewing time. I do have more linen fabric to cut and sew. Maybe I might even make a cup of tea and read a few pages from Overdressed. But for sure, like so many others, I will dedicate some thought to this great Manitoban.
I should have my latest Rachel Comey skirt, Vogue 1247, finished but I've been so distracted this evening.
I did manage to sew the front pockets, back zipper, side seams and serge the hemline.
I'm almost done, just the waistband and the hem left to tackle. And I plan on doing an invisible hem on the machine.
But the U.S. election coverage is on the telly this evening. And it is hard to sew when one is biting their nails. What a close race! I have no vested interested in the outcome of this election but I have to say that it is fascinating to watch. Don't worry, I'm not going into a political debate, it is a sewing blog and I plan to keep it that way. I'm just sew distracted and leaving my Rachel Comey skirt until tomorrow. For now, I'm off to make a chai latte and watch the rest of the election coverage.
Have you caught the latest fashion design related reality television show out?
I'm talking about Fashion Star. I caught the second episode last night for the first time. I can't really say if I love it or hate it, all I know is that I feel really naughty for watching this reality television show. I should be sewing instead of watching poor Oscar Fierro throw a hissy fit because he left behind his dog or something like that. Yea, I just felt really dirty watching all that overplayed drama with questionable dance music and Jessica Simpson shaking it in her seat. Yikes!
Just when I thought I forgot all about it, I came across this while checking out the Vogue/McCall's/Butterick online sale.
Why? Seriously, why?
I don't get why McCall's would pick up a reality television program's designs that are already available online via Macy's, Sak's Fifth Avenue, of H & M.
There was something new on the Butterick website that made me raise an eyebrow in a more favourable way, a new retro pattern.
I think this dress, Butterick 5747, is just the cutest! But I don't need another dress pattern. This is a test of my will power.
What I do need is to get to work on the projects that I have in cue. Luckily, I have a week off next week.
The plan is to work on my niece's grad dress before anything else. I just have to channel some will power and turn off the television.
According to Mark Evan Blackman, Chairman of the Fashion Institute of Technology Menswear Department, the phase "business casual" originated in the 1990s.
Despite being around for decades, the term still exists in our vocabulary and Western cultural sphere as an enigma.
Everyone has their own personal interpretation of "business casual". Yet companies that have a business casual dress code are reluctant to put a definition down in stone.
Why is that? Could it be that they don't want to be perceived as having a strict dress code or would like to be thought of as a cool place to work? What is the big fear over definitions?
One thing is for sure, business casual can mean different things to different employers.
Take Steve Jobs for example, he was well known for his trademark jeans and black turtleneck look. That wouldn't fly in some places of employment even if they consider themselves as a business casual work environment. As a matter of fact Steve Jobs' signature business casual look did not appear in the top google search images for business casual.
I find that no matter where I have worked the one thing that has been consistent is that the definition of business casual is interpreted by the person in charge and that always changes.
Could that be it? Change.
Fashion styles are notorious for change, is this constant need for change what is hindering a true and tested definition of business casual? What do you think?
All of these images were found on websites where they were described as "business casual" via google searches. Would you consider any of these fashions as "business casual"? Why or why not?
Do you use the phrase "business casual" in your part of the world? Or is this phrase more common in North America where it originated?
How would you like to have business casual interpreted? I would love to hear your take on this allusive phrase.
There is a Norman Rockwell exhibit here at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG). Today I'm off to check the exhibit out and attend a lecture.
Democracy, Race and Family in Rockwell's Vision of America • Dr David S. Churchill, Associate Professor of History at the University of Manitoba and the Director of the Institute for the Humanities (UMIH), will look at Rockwell’s use of American history in his art and his changing representation of the United States throughout his career and across the twentieth century. • Presented in collaboration with UMIH. • This talk will take place in the exhibition and is included with admission.
I'm not a huge fan of Norman Rockwell art. My soul would rather dance in the presence of the artistic expressions by Frida Kahlo, Diane Arbus, and Georgia O'Keeffe.
But what does interest me about Rockwell's art is the cultural representation of his Saturday Evening Post covers and the blatant omissions of various American people and landscape. So I am very much looking forward to the lecture.
And the art, I do appreciate the rich detail found in the clothing his subjects are wearing. The smocking details found in the dresses the little girls wear are illustrated in precise detail. I do have a fond appreciation for these sewing details which he took care to include. I know that it is the detail of the clothing that will capture my attention.
Rockwell was clever at illustrating the facades of culture and appearance. I hope that the lecture will touch on this aspect of his art.
There is no denying the cultural significance that Rockwell had on the American art scene. He has received both cultural praise and criticism, it will be interesting to see how the exhibit is received this afternoon.
Well, if I'm going to make the lecture I should get ready.
.jpg)
