dressmaking | I Get a Kick out of you

Mia Widlake, South Africa, Lifestyle Lust

Artisan Homes – Lifestyle Lust Part 1

March 15, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I moved a year ago and I now finally have the time to get to grips with my new abode. I have always found that the period and build of a house dictates my interior choices. Which is why we moved in the first place, from a very period Edwardian house, to a more ratty Victorian one. I’m not an ordered chintzy kind of gal – I like my creative “stuff” and I like it around me – much to […]

Categories: Interiors, Photography2, vintage • Tags: Amy Butler, Ariele Alasko, art, Carpentry, craft, design, diy, dressmaking, Elle decoration. Living etc, Emma Cassi, Fashion, history, Inspiration, interior choices, Interiors, Jewellery, lifestyle, photography, shopping, style, Textiles, vintage

Showtime

March 5, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

“Gonna rouge my knees and roll my stockings down……and all that jazz”. Those words are ringing in my ears and probably will be for a few weeks! A few of us from PUSH performed three numbers from Chicago for an evening’s entertainment and to raise money for the PUSH Foundation. Needless to say it was fabulous and fun and a little nerve-wracking. Although I knew a little about Bob Fosse, the great choreographer and director of such shows as […]

Categories: Dance, Fashion, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: art, books, burlesque, Cabaret, Chicago, Costume Design, culture, dance, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, Fosse, history, Liza Minelli, movies, music, style, vintage

A Dress of Envy – Atonement

February 29, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

My very gorgeous cousin in law was going to a wedding at St Paul’s Cathedral and she asked me to make her a dress. Aha, I thought, another one to add to the recreating vintage list. When asked what sort of dress she would like, she replied “that green dress in Atonement”. Hmmm – not just any dress, that green dress in Atonement – who doesn’t want that green dress? I have lusted after that dress since the first time […]

Categories: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, Fashion, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1930s, Atonement, books, craft, design, diy, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, history, Kiera Knightley, movies, photography, reviews, style, vintage

The 1930s Monogram Masquerade

February 22, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

I have a favourite book of reference at the moment, for the 1930s. It’s called Fashion at the time of Fascism and it’s all about the influence and effects of the Fascist regime on fashion in Italy. The book explores many different angles of the industry, including beauty, the rise in fashion houses and italian celebrities of the time. Today I’m only looking at one very small aspect of it – as I shall no doubt use many more for […]

Categories: 1930s, Book Reviews, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: art, books, craft, design, diy, dressmaking, Fashion, fashion illustration, history, photography, politics, reviews, style, vintage

Jean Harlow, Nightdress, Dinner at Eight

Elegantly Lounging

February 8, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

Pyjamas are back. But for those of you not in the know, this is not for lounging at home, this is an everywhere , every way trend. Just as the slip was in the days of grunge. Remember Amanda de Cadenet, Courtney Love and Kate Moss? I like the idea of pyjamas, I love the cut. I loved the slip too – I had a black one, which was too big and I safety-pinned it at the back to give […]

Categories: 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, Fashion, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1920s, 1950s, audrey hepburn, culture, design, diy, dressmaking, Elizabeth Taylor, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, films, Inspiration, Jean Harlow, Mildred Pierce, movies, music, photography, shopping

Carolyn Everitt, Jo, Rachel and Rebecca, HUSH, Gentlemen prefer Blondes

Dresses and Controversy in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

February 6, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

It was a bitter night and as we reached the screening, snow was really starting to fall heavily. However, there nestled in a little courtyard off Brook Street was our outdoor screening of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ at HUSH, complete with fairy lights, candles, hot water bottles, blankets and hot chocolate…….oh, and most important of all popcorn! We all agreed that if someone had planned this as a first date, we would have been super impressed. I hadn’t ever watched the […]

Categories: 1950s, Fashion, Photography2, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1950s, Costume, craft, design, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, fashion illustration, film, films, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, marilyn monroe, movies, photography, reviews, William Travilla

Japanese blanket, flowers, embroidered bird

Butterfly Kisses

January 8, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

“Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one. It got on at 42nd, and off at 59th, where, I assume it was going to Bloomingdales to buy a hat that will turn out to be a mistake – as almost all hats are.” Nikolaus Laszlo, Nora Ephron, and Delia Ephron, You’ve Got Mail It’s that time of year when Christmas has passed and it feels like we are running the everlasting lap […]

Categories: Fashion • Tags: birds and flowers, butterflies, cashmere cardigans, cats, colourful butterflies, craft, culture, design, dressmaking, Fashion, Interiors, music, nora ephron, sunburst band

Grace Kelly meets the Gladiator

January 1, 2012 by igetakickoutofyou

My challenge for New Year was to re-create a vintage outfit. Doing the daily routine, school runs etc, in slightly distressed vintage is all well and good, and indeed can add to the outfit, but sometimes there are occasions when the evidence of ageing just won’t do. The added advantage of making an outfit from scratch is making it to your size, particularly since the majority of my vintage finds are a tad on the small size. I comfort myself […]

Categories: 1930s, 1950s, vintage, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: craft, design, dressmaking, Fashion, Grace Kelly, history, HItchcock, movies, Rear Window, vintage

A Week with Marilyn – The Ingenious Breast Dress

December 1, 2011 by igetakickoutofyou

Ahh……loved, loved , loved “A Week With Marilyn”. Michelle Williams is incredible – absolutely breathtaking – in fact I’m going to see it again! One of the things I want to pay particular attention to is the dress that Marilyn Monroe (Michelle) wears when she steps off the plane in England. You’ll know what I mean if you have the seen the film – it’s a total scene stealer. The construction of the bust line on this dress is seriously ingenious. […]

Categories: 1950s, Fashion, Vintage Inspiration • Tags: 1950s, burlesque, craft, dressmaking, Entertainment, Fashion, film, flapper dress, Glamour, hollywood, Inspiration, marilyn, marilyn monroe, movies, my week with marilyn, photography, shopping, style, vintage