Have Your Color And Wear It, Too!

I love color no matter where or how it gets applied. 

Paint, paper, cake icing, fabric, Pantone chips, wallpaper, colored pencils and... cosmetics.  I love cosmetic color in all of its wonderful varied forms, from nails to eyelids to lips.  When I flip through fashion magazines, I'm often paying as much attention to the colors of the makeup as I am the color and cut of the clothes!  It's color to be worn and to transform with - how can I not love it?  As a result of this makeup fascination, I have a pretty decent collection of professional cosmetics that I don't wear nearly often enough.

Knowing this, you can understand how thrilled I was when my friends at Decades of Style pattern company brought me along to assist with makeup and styling at a recent photo shoot!  Sensing the need for restraint in order to let the clothes shine as the main star of our photo session, I brought a selection of demure glosses, blushes and eye colors that wouldn't overpower.  Difficult for me - those parrot green pots of MAC eyeshadow were there in my makeup case taunting me, but they had to be left at home! 

This session was going to be all about a sweet, timeless, natural look.  I packed lots of pretty, glowy, tawny basics like my Stila Convertible Color in "Lillium," Kevyn Aucoin Elegant Lip Gloss in "Molasses," MAC Tinted Lip Conditioners in "Plum Perfect" and "Virtuous Violet,"  and Lipstick Queen Oxymoron Matte Gloss in "Deafening Silence."  All of these are gorgeous neutrals!

At the most, I got to add a pop of lip color to Vicki, our model.  Here I am giving her a pouting lesson while I redden up her lips with a dab of  Retrofuturist Red full-pigment lipstick by Lime Crime.

In the end, it was a fun day and I was happy to lend my hands, artistic eye, and my eager stash of costmetics to such a great project.  Thanks to Christina at Meadowlarking, our wonderful photographer, for these great behind-the-scenes shots!

Pattern Review: Decades of Style 1930s Stardust Skirt

These days I don't get to sew clothes for myself as much as I'd like to, but I can usually wedge a skirt into my busy sewing schedule.  Such is the case with a quick sew like my new favorite, the 1930's Stardust Skirt (Pattern #3011) by Decades of Style.  It's earned its place as a stand-out for several reasons.

First of all, it takes very little fabric to make.  At just under 2 yards for my size, it's quite easy to pull a piece of fabric out of my stash for a delicious skirt.  The project pictured here is made with a black, cream and red Japanese dobby cotton that had been living in my stash for quite awhile.  Dobby cotton has a woven texture and a nice drape to it, making it ideally suited for clothing.  This particular print had a spirited geometric rhythm that screamed "30s Art Deco" so it was a match made in heaven!

But what about those great godet seams on the side front, you ask?  Wouldn't those get lost in that busy print?  Sure, but this was easily remedied using 3 yards of flat geometric crocheted lace.  I simply inserted and sewed the lace into the seams as I went.  The lace detail gave the skirt just enough definition and interest to enhance the overall look and quality of the finished garment.
 

The stardust skirt is also a very quick sew.  Between cutting and sewing, 1 or 2 days is all you need!  Fitting is easy - the back and side front are all one piece, shaped by darts.  The darts are easily movable and adjustable to fit your unique shape.  As with any custom sewing project, I always recommend sewing your garment in muslin first (as I did with this one) and have a friend help you mark, pin and alter as needed.   Even being the unique shape that I am, alterations to this pattern were minimal and easy.

Here you can see the finished result:  A sleek yet flowy skirt with a simple yet sophisticated front detail.  I debuted this beautiful new garment at an Alice In Wonderland-themed birthday party, where the playing card colors were very appropriate.  Even though I'll admit that I made this skirt specifically to wear to the party, it's a skirt that I am sure to wear and enjoy for years to come.

I also love that this skirt is an instant outfit, in much the same way that dresses are instant outfits.  With bold lines and a unique fabric choice, all I need is lipstick, a puff-sleeve black tee shirt and a pair of flats or heels.  Voila - instant glamour!  Who doesn't love a little instant glamour?