Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Nothing succeeds like excess

Because of the recession, everyone's talking about austerity. I totally get it - and I'm the first one to admit that making my own clothes isn't always the best way to save money. But think about the Great Depression. Okay, so normal women were making do and mending, and using feed sacks and whatever else they could lay hands on, but what did they want to see when they could scrape together a nickel for the movies? Glamour. Fantasy. Fred and Ginger.

I was looking for a photo tonight and realized that I have a ridiculous number of totally random pictures of embellishment techniques I'm never likely to try - or have a reason to wear, which is a whole different issue.

So in order to share the joy (insanity?) of my collection, I'm going to try to share a few with you on a fairly regular basis and solicit your opinion as to whether or not there is any way that this technique (or simply this particular garmental gorgeousness) can be incorporated into a normal, 40-something, business-casual office environment or a mostly home-and-garden-and-kitchen oriented weekend life. Can I sew in sequins? Do Dior roses actually work in the garden?

Right. And I start with Elsa Schiaparelli. (Actually, quite a large chunk of my collection is Schiaparelli, but how can you talk about embellishment without mentioning her? This is, after all, the woman who gave us the lobster telephone. And who said something to the effect of, "Women dress alike all over the world. They dress to annoy other women.")

Well, I'd be annoyed if I saw that rose-embellished beauty walking down the street ahead of me. At least until I knocked her down and ran away with her jacket.

Looking at the photo at right, you have to give her this: she's no skinny model type, and she's not twenty-something either. Proving you can be forty-plus and still wear a circus jacket.

Of course, who would have dared tell her she couldn't?

9 comments:

Vicki said...

Hmm, I am thinking about doing a jean jacket with silver thread embellishment. Hopefully it will look fantastic and not crafty - we'll see. That rose jacket is gorgeous, but may need to be made in the form of a cushion for you to admire and fondle ;\

Gail said...

You might get away with a row of those gorgeous roses around the hem of skirt.

Kathryn said...

Now this is the huge advantage of sewing for children. There is NEVER a wrong time for a little girl to wear roses. (I will skate over the issue of practicality - always a dampener...)

Uta said...

I think nice clothes get more important not less, as one ages. And a little eccentricity isn't a bad thing... I like embellishment that's tone-on-tone, or even same color, different structure. Imagine a single strand of roses black-on-black around the neck of a collarless jacket.

Elaray said...

I'm a jeans and tee shirt type, but I do love Schiaparelli's designs. I'd buy the lobster phone in a heartbeat. The roses really don't fit into my lifestyle. I can imagine the reaction I'd get at Morton Elementary School! My colleagues would be more shocked than annoyed and my students would just laugh! However, I might put a few of the roses on a jean jacket.

Irene said...

Those roses are amazing! I admire "art to wear" clothing, dream of making certain pieces, but then take the quick route to just knocking off whatever I need at the moment, just to be able to wear it.

Beangirl said...

I totally and completely love your plan (because of course, you have to do all the work and we get to reap the rewards). Excellent!!

And I was going to say what Uta said (great minds, and all that): I think you can significantly increase the wearability of, as an example, Dior Roses if they are tone-on-tone. And perhaps not completely covering your skirt. Although I personally would love to see that.

Little Hunting Creek said...

I love that rose embellishment. Why not? I can envision it on a scarf or jean jacket - or wherever you want

mem said...

aredoutoI am with you when it comes to Schiaparelli but I also feel Vickies fear about crafty looking . What is the defining difference ? Any Ideas ??