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I am a mother, a grandmother, and a teacher. But whatever happens in my life, I keep sewing. I have worked as a political communicator and now as a teacher in my formal life. I have also written extensively on sewing. I have been a frequent contributor and contributing editor of Threads magazine and the Australian magazine Dressmaking with Stitches. My book Sew.. the garment-making book of knowledge was published in May 2018 and is available for pre-order from Amazon
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Friday, January 14, 2011

New Vogues and frank talk

Since I am on the DL this seems like a good time to add my own comments to the discourse on the new Vogues. 


I have been reading sewers I respect about the virtues of the new VP magazine. So I went out and bought it for myself since I sprained my ankle (if that makes sense) rather than waiting for the new patterns to go up on the Vogue website, which they did about three hours after I brought the magazine home. Not to worry, the articles are very good, thanks for putting me onto that ladies.


Anyway more elegant people than me have made their picks and have selected the most beautiful dresses - most of which I would like to make, but won't unless my life venues get an upgrade. 


There was a time not too long ago when snappy dresses were part of the work uniform but teaching at a university requires more comfort - all that walking around desks and standing in the halls talking to anyone who comes by for hours and hours - you want to look neat and sharp but it's not exactly life on the runway.


Back to the patterns.


Forced to humility by the Tom Jones shirt I have decided to select for my own personal list not what I most admire, but what I actually think I will wear. I think this is the first time I have ever looked at new patterns and purchases this way. And I am 57.


This approach has eliminated my actual favourite, which wouldn't look at all the same on this long waisted, actually non-waisted, body, although this might change if I start doing more with my online WW points tracking system than just click on the number of glasses of water I drink. We will see. I am still stuck on the "nothing tastes as good as thin feels part". I am just not so sure about that.




It is an incredible dress - on someone else.


What I am really considering are things that I know will be very comfortable and therefore most worn.


Hands up all of you who wore the same knit dress about 400 times more often than anything else they made last season.


So I have decided that this dress, which I love, love, love in this sort of shiny poplin with these cute as anything sleeves, would work for me. Although I would ditch the giant, flower bouquet belt, and go for something slimmer and probably purchased. I mean even if you had a tiny waist, do you really think you as a person could tie a perfect bow out of essentially a rectangle of cotton poplin every time you put this dress on?



I also am seriously considering this Vena Cava (get it) dress, because of course it would be comfortable, it has neat sleeves and I have some African cotton I really like that I have been waiting to use in the right pattern. This may be the one:






Also since my recent traumatization with a top that swamped my lower body, and the rescue effect of a raised waist, I am thinking of these pants in some of that black linen I bought for a rainy day about three rainy seasons ago. 


What do you think?

9 comments:

The Hojnackes said...

I absolutely love the first dress (1233) and HAVE to get the pattern. The Donna Karan dress is lovely but I am afraid of how horrible the back would look on me- someone thinner is another story! The Vena Cava is not my style but it looks absolutely comfortable. The pants will be beautiful!

SewingLibrarian said...

I love the top dress, too, and would wear it to church where I just have to sit to listen and stand to sing. Not sure about those sleeves, though. I might have to morph other sleeves onto the body. Or use the pattern for inspiration. I'm sure the other two dresses would look horrible on my pear figure! Love the pants. I, too, would like to see the last of the lower waist look - not just for myself but because I'm tired of seeing students' bare midriffs in the library (in SoCal it's year-round!)

Linda L said...

I like the new look of the Vogue Pattern magazine, having been a subscriber for many, many years; it is nice to have a change.

I will be 60 next week and I find that a lot of the dress patterns I like just aren't going to work for my shape and really age. I like you love the grey dress and keep thinking that will work for me. I would find a belt to wear with it, though I have made a similar sash for another dress and I find myself fiddling with it constantly.

Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) said...

The only dress pattern I want is the Pamella Rolland one and I know it will work on my shape. I will ditch the sleeves because they will only make my bodacious biceps look bigger and of course I won't use the belt...no waistline, no belt. But the seams will be elongating and the collar will be interesting especially worn with a cardigan. Yeah, I'm buying that pattern and making that dress as soon as a good sale comes up!

lakaribane said...

I understand completely what you mean...but I'm not there yet! 2011 was supposed to be the year I grow up about my spending, especially spending on sewing.

But it's January and I want a dozen of those new Vogues, or more.

Let me work on it.

Meanwhile, you are going to look very comfortable and chic. I think an obi belt will compliment the kimono look of the dress very well.

Anonymous said...

I love the shiny poplin shirtdress!

Cherry said...

I like the grey dress too. My take on the obi belt would be to have the inner layer wide, but make the ends which actually tie quite narrow, thus making a small neat bow over the wider obi sash.

NuJoi said...

I love the second dress, but I know it would not look right on me. I am one of those who adores the first dress. I totally missed the pants!

Alethia said...

The first dress happens to be on my list of favs. I find myself looking at more of what I will actually wear~ for comfort and flattery~ more than for a style that might not look good on me. A lot of these dresses are very nice, but body conscious. I know my limitations, but it doesn't hurt to admore them from a distance ( for me that is, lol!).

I, too, have to take a second look at those pants....