Married! Now Including More Pro Pics...

Welp, we're married. Just got a fresh batch of photos from our photog (Eddy Price Int'l) this weekend, still waiting on a few more from another friend, but I thought I'd post a few of my faves so far :) Everyone had a blast, the whole night was magical!

Finished sewing my dress the morning of the wedding. Nice!

3 Weeks Out! Wrap-up Time.

I decided that I want cute button favors for everyone, to go along with the candy. Little 1" buttons. So I did a cute little design last night (I will admit - I stole it from a vintage typewriter ribbon tin!!)

Today I'm taking a 1/2 day off work to finish buying up craft stuff for my "Craft Shower" tomorrow. I still have a lot to do... but I'm not gonna panic. No need. I've always been a down-to-the-wire kind of person - that's just how I roll.

Also, finished up the bustier pattern for my dress last night, now I just need to do the skirt pattern, underblouse pattern, alternate skirt pattern - and sew away! Wee!

I'm ALSO getting my hair cut and touched up tomorrow too - I haven't been to the salon for AGES because I usually handle that myself, but it will be nice to have someone else do it for me. 3 weeks to let it grow out a bit, that's a good thing :)

Whew! OK. Gotta buckle down!

Adventures in Patternmaking - Wedding Gown Edition

I finally got started on the pattern for my sweet little wedding dress this week. For some reason, it took me a while to get going - for a long time I've been to distracted by other pressing needs such as the invitations, various wedding crafts, dress shopping with both moms for their dresses... the list goes on and on.

The design for my dress can actually be seen on the invitation preview illustration if you skip down a few posts to THIS ONE. I love the concept very much, I wanted to play off of 1940s and early 50s tradition of wearing a nice suit instead of a gown by creating a multiple piece ensemble; however, I also wanted to incorporate classic 1940s style lines in order to place the ensemble firmly in the proper time period. The close fitting pencil skirt is a bit more 50s inspired, but all together I think it's a smashing vintage look.

I finished up the bustier pattern last night, so far so good when I double-checked the bust cups against my form. I'm a bit concerned about the bust "wings" hanging properly due to the hand of the silk I will be using, but I can always just tack those down discreetly. I did manage to find a gorgeous off-white "aspirin dot" tulle for the underblouse - deep V-necks and V-backs do a body good! I'm planning on making a fuller skirt to wear with the underblouse for the reception (bustier and pencil skirt will be jettisoned at that point), so I will have plenty of room for dancing and mingling. I'm fully prepared to totter down the aisle, but a pencil skirt just won't do for a night of swing.

I'm revving to get back to my shop and finish up the peplum and underblouse patterns tonight, and possibly the pencil skirt (which will be extremely simple...). I'm on track to have finished ensemble ready to go by next Friday - so here's hoping! After I finish the dress, I will be finishing up my headpiece - a frothy concoction of pleated horsehair and russian veiling. Yum! If anyone out there is looking for a nice millinery supply store, look no further than Judith M Millinery Supply - they have a huge selection of veiling, netting and various supplies.

Vintage wedding gown

I am planning (still!) on making my own wedding dress - now that my invites are at the printer, I have time to focus on making the dress. Two months and counting!

However, I did receive a Plan B (a very gorgeous Plan B) last week, due to the graciousness of some good family friends who know my taste well. They rescued a wedding gown from the 1943 marriage of an aunt, which had been residing in someone's attic, boxed up and long-forgotten since the wedding day. That someone had decided to throw out the gown, and it was promptly snatched up by our friends and then gifted to me. How sweet of them!

On to the gown itself: Glorious. Glamorous. Gorgeous. Vintage 1943. 1943!

Ivory silk satin, slinky and smooth but with plenty of thickness. The gown fits me NEAR perfectly, the gown was made for a 'larger' woman (by 1943 standards) who just so happened to be my height and a bit larger in the waist than me. Perfect! The only adjustment needed is nipping in the waist a bit more, but it's a beautiful gown.

Complete with train, elegantly gored skirt falling from the waist, silk bows at the gore points... Long sleeves with a point at the wrist, buttons, slightly puffed sleeve caps (so forties!). The neckline is a sweetheart neckline, which actually sits very high on my chest but I could lower that if desired. Overall a gorgeous, Old Hollywood worthy gown - handmade with love for a 1943 bride, and now it's mine.

That's a mighty fine Plan B in my book. So if I don't get my dress made, I'll be walking down the aisle in vintage. Here's a very similar dress from that era - VERY similar!

Foundation Wear

Here's the scoop about the inner workings of my mind, and why I don't open my mouth too much - because people might think I'm mean.

I HATE. HATE! it when brides and bridesmaids (or any lady dressing for a special occasion for that matter) do not wear foundation garments/shapewear for the big event.

I HATE seeing backfat and tummy rolls, and saggy bums. I realize that some people are fine with looking like this, but for goodness sakes, if you're spending all that money on a garment and a one day celebration, you should put some effort into filling out said dress attractively. In my mind it's on the same level with those hideous "wedding updos" that every salon tries pushing on hapless brides - who then end up looking like Jr. Prom court candidates. EWW.

I'm a liberated woman who regularly wears a very strong and tight old-school girdle (which also function to hold up my stockings), waist cincher, etc. And yes, it makes me look better. And I'm a size 4.

Here's a handy link that will set you straight: Lady Grace

For the love of a beautiful gown, wear some shapewear. Banish the love handles for at least one day. You'll be satisfied, I promise. Good shapewear is like a wearing a tight hug, a hug that rearranges your anatomy into something even better.

Fashion is As Fashion Does

I have my 2 bridesmaid's dresses hanging in my closet at the moment. My sister's fits her perfectly (so she says) and I have yet to get my best friend Kat's dress to her as she lives about an hour-point-five away. The dresses are Stop Staring, purchased through Daddyo's online - which happens to be located just a jump away in Fairmount, Indiana. Hometown of James Dean you know.



The nice things about these dresses are:

1. They aren't "bridesmaid's" dresses
2. They did not come from David's Bridal (a HUGE plus in my book)
3. They are not made out of cheap pastel satin/taffeta
4. They are flattering
5. The girls will look h.o.t.
6. They are red
7. They are REALLY red
8. They kind of reflect some the stylelines of my own dress (soon to be patterned and made... when I get around to it)
9. Did I mention Kat and Laura will look really hot?

I'm thinking about pairing these with some brown and cream spectator pumps of some sort. The ones I REALLY like are of course long gone. Gotta buy things when they're hot!

My dress design is cute, I'll post a sketch soonly.