Growing Old Stylishly

Cool blog alert! 


Ari Seth Cohen blog Advanced Style, features both men and women, focusing on the elegance and individuality of his silver-haired subjects.

I do hope when I am that age, I look as good as these women to the left.

What I like about this blog most is the way the folks featured embrace getting older, rather than retreating.


80 Year Old Rita (left) Has Over 70 Pairs of Outrageous Glasses. She says that her tastes are usually pretty simple. She had lost her small vintage sunglasses somewhere in the neighborhood, so her friend Marty accompanied her to a local mall to buy another pair. Marty picked out a big, fun, over-sized pair of sunglasses for Rita to wear and she picked out a smaller, more simple pair. Rita decided to purchase them both and wore the big pair to a recovery meeting sometime that week. Everyone in the group went wild for Rita's big shades. People started sending her huge, outrageous pairs of sunglasses from all over the world, resulting in her collection of over 70 pairs. Rita told me that although she wouldn't normally dress outrageously, she feels that the sunglasses make me people happy. When I asked her how she felt about them she replied, " They aren't really my style, but now I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by not wearing the pair they bought for me. Now I feel lost without them. They have become my trademark." 

About the bLogger: My name is Ari Seth Cohen. I roam the streets of New York looking for the most stylish and creative older folks. Respect your elders and let these ladies and gents teach you a thing or two about living life to the fullest. Advanced Style offers proof from the wise and silver-haired set that personal style advances with age.

Vintage Sewing Sew-Along Challenge: Pin-up Lingerie

I love this!

Had to re-post this awesome sew-along/contest I found over at Oh Lulu. 

Here is the pattern of choice.

Once you get your pattern - choose from either the single Pattern, or the Sew Along Kit (which comes with both patterns, and a vintage lingerie sewing booklet pdf) - there are a few things you will need:

1. Garter Clips - you can find these easily online, or in larger fabric shops

2. Eyelets and Eyelet punch, or 1/2 yard of hook and eye tape

3. Boning (optional)

4. 2 1/2 yards of fabric will do your corset & bra

5. 3 yards of bias binding OR 1 yard of contrast fabric for contrasting bone channels and bias binding

6. 2 yards of ribbon or cord for lacing (eyelet version only)

7. 1/2 yard of ribbon or elastic for attaching garter clips

8. Lace, Bows, Appliqués and embellishments of your choice (optional)

Valentines Day Vintage

This is what I woke up to this morning. I am a lucky girl and I have a super thoughtful boyfriend.

Over the weekend we headed out to Montclair to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of a friends Vintage Boutique called Garnish.

Talk about coveting everything in a store! I love my friend Lisa's taste and the way she had the store laid out so neat and adorable totally gave me shoppe envy! I could have walked around in there for hours just looking at every last little detail of every item.

I seemed to have recently begun this obsession with old mechanical clocks. I think it has something to do with my obsession with old mechanical sewing machines, but who knows. They're just pretty cute too.

Anyway - I saw this clock and fell in love. I  totally couldn't justify my purchasing it cause I just don't need it. I kept shopping around to find a little something a little more practical to spend my money on that night. (HA - practical.) Not sure if I can call what bought practical, but I guess they are a bit more useful than the clock

I wound taking home a baking book from 1961 and a mechanical egg beater. Again - am loving anything mechanical that is not electric these days!

Here they are:

Saturday Morning, I immediately had to make something from my new book. (see - totally practical!)
I knew I had some poppy seeds in my pantry, so lemon poppy seed pound cake it is.
Oops, no recipe for that in my new cook book. But that's okay, I will happily make do.

I used the Basic Pound Cake recipe found on page 116 and added some lemon juice and poppy seeds and all was well and right in the world.

Here is the recipe in case you are interested:

Basic Pound Cake

A delicious, old-fashioned cake, especially good toasted (from the book, not me)

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
(I added the juice of one lemon, some zest & half a bottle of poppy seeds)

Set oven to 350 degrees. Grease a deep, 9 inch tube pan and dust with flour.
In a large bowl, combine eggs and sugar and beat for a minute. Set bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Place saucepan over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until eggs are slightly warmer than lukewarm. Don not let water boil. Stir eggs occasionally while they are being heated to prevent them from cooking on the the bottom of the bowl.

While eggs are warming, cream butter and flour till light and fluffy. Add vanilla.

When eggs are lukewarm, beat them until cool, thick and tripled in bulk.  Quickly stir 1/4 of beaten eggs into creamed mixture. Pour mixture over remaining beaten eggs. Fold in gently. Be careful not to overmix.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake about 50 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and pulls away from sides of pan.

Megan Side note: All that business about warming the mixture over the hot water was skipped in my version. I just made sure the eggs weren't cold when I mixed them with everything else. I did this by letting them sit under warm water coming out of the tap of the sink. I also didn't really beat the eggs as they said. I beat them with the sugar with my new beater, but then procedeed to add all the ingrediants and bake it.

The more I think about it, I really didn't follow the directions at all (suprise, suprise). But my turned out okay. I had to take it out of the oven a bit early cause I had to head to work so there was some oozing batter when I cut into it later that day when I tried a pice. This was because it wasn't quite cooked all the way through. But I have to say, I am a big fan of any cake just a little bit underdone. Is that gross?

What is Fashion Draping?

We are getting so excited about the return of our Beginners Fashion Draping Lab happening on Sunday afternoons starting on on September 11th! But it occurred to me recently that perhaps some people aren't exactly sure what "draping" is. So I thought I might take a second to clarify a bit.

In a nutshell, fashion draping is the process of taking a sketch of a clothing design and turning it into a pattern that can then be made into the actual garment. Because our bodies are in 3-D and patterns are created in 2-D, the process of draping is what you do on the dress form to create the flat pattern pieces that are eventually cut out of the fabric.

Maybe I am making this more confusing that it needs to be. It's actually a pretty simple process that our instructor, Alisha Forler is pretty darn good at. And she's excited about helping you learn how to do it too.

But before you take the class, take a second to read this excellent article from Designer Nexus explaining the process and why people who are interested in designing their own clothes should learn how to drape.


Check out the full article from their website here.

What is Fashion Draping and Why Should
Apparel Designers Learn How to Drape?

Posted on Apr 05, 2011

 

Fashion draping is an important part of fashion design. Draping for fashion design is the process of positioning and pinning fabric on a dress form to develop the structure of a garment design. A garment can be draped using a design sketch as a basis, or a fashion designer can play with the way fabric falls to create new designs at the start of the apparel design process. After draping, the fabric is removed from the dress form and used to create the sewing pattern for the garment.

Fashion draping and fitting are usually done with muslin (an inexpensive, unbleached, loosely woven cotton) to resolve any design and fitting issues of a garment before cutting the pattern in real fabric. However, it is important to drape using a fabric that has similar drape characteristics (the way it falls and folds) as the real fabric of the finished garment. Muslin comes in a variety of weights, and inexpensive synthetic fabrics can also be used in fitting and draping for apparel design.

Fashion designers drape garments in sections i.e.: front bodice, back bodice, front skirt, back skirt etc. and only the right side of the garment (when worn) is draped, unless the apparel design is asymmetrical.
The general process for how to drape for fashion is as follows:

• Pieces of muslin are cut and prepared. This includes measuring, tearing, blocking, pressing, and marking grain lines and other important reference lines.
• Now the actual “draping” begins. The fabric is pinned to the dress form and positioned to form various darts, tucks, gathers, etc., which give shape and fit to the garment.
• Once the desired design is achieved, the muslin is marked while still on the dress form to indicate where the seam lines, darts, etc. are located on the fabric.
• When marking is finished, the muslin is removed from the dress form and laid flat on a table for “truing”. Truing is the process of using rulers and design curves to connect, smooth out and finalize the markings.
• Once truing is complete, seam lines are added and excess material is cut away.
• The muslin is then pinned together (with all darts pinned) and placed back onto the dress form to check for fit accuracy and to drape any additional parts of the garment.
• Once all pieces are the garment are draped, they are all pinned together and placed on the dress form to check for fit accuracy.
• When the apparel designer is satisfied with the look and fit of the pinned garment, the muslin is removed from the dress form, pressed flat, and all seam lines, grain lines, markings, notches, etc. are transferred to paper, creating the sewing pattern for the garment.

Why Should Fashion Designers Learn How to Drape?

While the majority of companies in the fashion industry no longer use draping as part of the design process, draping is a key skill which allows apparel designers to understand what creates a great fit and how to achieve it. If a garment sample fits poorly, a designer who is familiar with how darts and seams give shape to garments can spot what is creating the fit issue and advise the factory how to correct the problem.

However, the art of draping isn’t completely lost; in high fashion, couture fashion houses, evening, and lingerie companies most garments are created through draping. When draping a garment, the designer can immediately see what her apparel design will look like on the body, and immediately correct any fit or design problems before putting anything down on paper. In addition, some apparel designs are just impossible to make via flat patternmaking and need to be draped first. And some fabrics need to be experimented with on a dress form to see how they behave.

While draping for apparel design may seem like a daunting and tedious approach to creating patterns, it’s actually one of the more creative parts of the fashion design process. Apparel designers can experiment with fabric, and decide where to place darts, tucks, and other design elements. Playing with the way fabric folds and hangs on the body is a fun way to create new fashion designs that you wouldn’t have thought of sitting in front of a sketchpad!

More Vintage Dress Lab Please

I don't know about you, but I can't get enough of these vintage patterns. The looks of the 60's, 70's & 80's just keep getting recycled in todays fashions. It's so easy to make wearable dresses today using the patterns for yesterday. I would have to say this is what makes our Vintage Dress Lab continue to be one of our most popular Fashion Lab Series Classes.

I went through the treasure trove of my vintage pattern collection today and picked out 4 fresh (so to speak) vintage patterns to be added to the upcoming Vintage Dress Lab that is happening on Tuesday nights in October. The dresses added to the line-up reflect the fall season a bit better, as well.

If you haven't already taken this class, fear not. If you've got some sewing experience under your belt (ie, you're comfortable on the sewing machine and you have some pattern reading experience) you can take this class easily. You may not complete four dresses in the 4-week course, but you'll have access to all four patterns and if you give it some extra time (open lab hours - which are free with this class!)four dresses are totally do-able.

If you have already taken this class, come take it again! Four new, never done before projects means that there is never a project repeat! No matter how many times you take this class, you'll always make new dresses and learn new skills. I promise!

The other really cool thing about this class you are forced to learn how to size patterns to fit your own body. Vintage patterns typically come in one size only. It's not like the patterns today that have multiple sizes in one envelope. So depending on the size of each of the patterns you choose to do in this class, part of what you will be learning is how to make adjustments to the patterns so they fit your body measurements. You'll see just how simple and un-intimidating this process really is.

Here is the link to all the details of the class.

Brimfield 2011

My friend Michelle and I were lucky enough to make it up to Brimfield for the big flea market last week. We got up at 5am on Friday and made the 3 hour trip, arriving at the site at 8am and things were in full swing.

We both did pretty well, in the way that we found what we set up to shop for. I scored big with some great vintage fabric that I will post soon. As well as about 200 vintage sewing patterns to add to my ever growing collection.

I took some great photos, because I am always so inspired by the color you can see walking around this flea market. Here are some of the shots that I took:

Vintage Hat Dinner Party

The ladies of Hat Lab had the opportunity for a little post-class reunion last week and I happily tagged along. Thanks to our Hat Lab instructor Irina for inviting us over to her spacious apartment for yummy treats, wine and a chance to check out her vast vintage hat collection.





Highlights included a delicious blackbean & sweet potato stew straight from the "Kickin' Kitchen" of Lynda Layng, Irina's boyfriends banana dessert with fresh whipped cream and of course, getting the chance to try on Irina's collection of vintage hats.

Here are some photos from our fun night.

Tips for sewing Vintage Sewing Patterns

So we just wrapped up our Fashion Lab Vintage Dresses class this past month. We had such a blast teaching it and people had such a great time making all the vintage dress, we'll be offering it again right away on Wednesday nights on September. All four of the styles of dress (no matter which era they were from) were completely fashionable in today's standards and it was so fun to see how sewing patterns have changed since way back in the day.

In the class we learn how to make four different vintage dress styles based on the actual sewing patterns from the 1950's, 1960's & 1970's. There were certain things that rang true each week, no matter what we were making.  I wanted to share with you three major tips for using vintage sewing patterns to make garments.

1. Vintage pattern pieces are VERY fragile. In order to make them a little safer to copy and cut your fabric from them, before each class I would reinforce them. Usually this meant using packaging tape to tape the actual paper patterns onto interfacing and reinforce in the spots that needed it. I suppose if you have a fancy laminating machine that would work too. But I don't have one of those, so the tape worked for me. And actually by sewing it to a light weight interfacing, it made it sturdy, but also malleable enough to make it easy to cut the smaller sizes by folding the edges under.

2. Sizing can be tough! Vintage dress patterns came in only one size and the sizing is completley different from today's sizing standards depending on when the pattern came out. I found that it was easiest to make a version of the dress we were doing that week in the size that was stated on the package and then determine (based on today's sizing standards) what size it is in today's sizing. Or if you wanted to get a bit more technical about it, determine how big the waist, hip & bust measurements are for the size of the pattern and scale out (or in for the skinny minnies) based on how much bigger you need it to be. Or as we found in the class, when in doubt, make it too big and size it down to fit your measurements by adding darts and pleats.


3. Yardage Recommendations on the package of the pattern are different for older patterns. One the envelop you will find yardage recommendations that may be confusing.  The reason is that back in day, fabric came in narrower widths then they are today. It was commonplace to find fabric widths measuring 36" & 39". Now most fabric widths are 45, 55 or 60" wide

I hope this helps! I know it helped us in the class a ton.

You'll see that most pattern companies that are still around today have re-issued patterns based on their vintage styles from years ago. This will have taken care of many of the above issues. But isn't it more fun to not be afraid to tackle the genuine vintage patterns that you find at your neighbors garage sale, or that your grandmother has had in her attic since you were a baby! Happy Sewing!

Vintage Dress Lab - Vote on Which Dresses you want to see as part of the class

We are trying to nail down our summer class schedule and we need YOUR help on deciding which projects to make part of the class.

We're very excited to hold our first "Vintage Dress Lab" sewing class this July! The problem is there are too many great vintage dress designs we'd love to be a part of the class. 

Can you help us and vote on your favorite dress designs out of the following 10 choices! We're looking to find out your top 4 choices. 

Please Use the comment section to voice your opinion. Tell us the names of your 4 favorite vintage dress designs.

Okay here goes. 

And the nominees are:

1. "Twiggy" - Sixties Inspired, Multi-Paneled Dress

Could be made with long, short or no sleeves. Cute little collar is an option as well.

2. "Dynasty" - Late 1960's/ Early 1970's Maxi

Could be made with funky collar or not.

3. "Flower Child" - Late 1960's/ Early 1970's inspired faux wrap with Empire Waist

Long or short, long sleeve, short sleeve or no sleeve always an option.

4. "Diamonds are a girls best friend" - 50's/60's shift with funky diamond detail.

Long or short, long sleeve, short sleeve or no sleeves.

5. "Go-go Scort"


Fabulous neck detail, the longer version is straight-up dress, the short version, you can add some shorts into the pattern.

6. "Radio Hour" - 40's/50's Dress


Cinched waist with divine neck collar detail.

7. "Ladies who Lunch" - Full skirted with the fabulous neck & chest tie detail

8. "C'est La Vie" - Simple 60's Shift with Peter Pan Collar.

9. "Mrs. Cleaver" - V-neck, Belted Waist

10. "Waist not, Want Not" - Strapless & Belted hi-waist dress


Option for sleeveless or tie straps

Sweet Tees & Crumpets

Time to have a Girls Night Out "Tee" Party !

Get your ladies together for a night of T-shirt Deconstruction.

In this private party each guest starts with a plain used t-shirt and turns it into any of our fabulous deconstructed styles.

Our instructors will teach your group the basic design & sewing skills needed to play fashion designer for the day!

Get a group of six or more ladies together and everyone will design and stitch their very own custom deconstructed t-shirt and leave with it after the party. Don't worry, there is absolutely no sewing experience required!

You do the leg work, our staff will do the finishing touches to make sure your finished product is sturdy and professional looking when you take it home after this two-hour private party.


Check out a few of the photos, taken by photographer Adam Gallagher, of our first "Tee" Party. 

Or head to the website to find out all the details.