Storms and new Vogues

I was up a bit last night. 

Got a 2:30 a.m. call from my son in East Village to say he was on his room mate's cell and they were fine, despite being pretty close to the power station that blew up. 

He was eating grapes which I take as an indication that he did not follow my storm preparedness advice. He will be fine. My children are all survivors.

They survived me.

Now I want to talk about the new Vogues. I know everyone has reviewed them but me, so I better get on it.

This collection really struck me. I believe it was Sullivan who said form follows function and Chanel who said that if it isn't comfortable it's not style. 

I am wondering if they know all that at Vogue.

To my mind a new style should make you feel sharp in a new way without being something that you make because it is "on trend" and without being something you would look at next year (on in the family pictures) without you saying to yourself "what was I thinking?"

There is only one I ordered actually and it's not because it is particularly new but looks comfortable and reminded me of the potential impact of border prints:

This simple style is all about the fabric and that is where I am going these days, but I have to tell you I am totally mystified by the fabric requirements in my size - about 6 1/2 yards 45"-60".

That is a lot of fabric, even allowing for the border layout, particularly when it looks to me as if the yoke and sleeves are laid out on one repeat. 

I am going to have to get this pattern for myself and do my own trial layout, my sense is this is nuts.

Now onto other patterns, the ones I am not getting, with my editorial comments:

Who would possibly look good in this? A few gathers over the belly to disguise that concave stomach? A baggy top to disguise the shape you might have? All of the style of a canning apron with none of the charm.

In general I like this, but it probably the fabric that is attracting me. The wings are something I will have to get used to, but I suspect the way I crash around they would just get caught on doorknobs and rip perfectly good fabric. If they were on the front they would be good though if you had to go to an event and had a broken arm or carpel tunnel and needed to support your arm, not a lot of patterns provide for that, so you might want to hold that thought and wear it backwards if you were ever in that situation.

Gulag fashion and even the model's face knows that. Note they put a turtle neck underneath to make up for the fact this jacket combines a stiff body and a drafty neck.

Wow. A turtle costume. Might look cool for two weeks but think how it would be trying to strap this little number into the seat belts. And you would spend most of your time trying to move the shell out of the way so you could drive.

Just in case no one noticed you have boobs. Imagine doing a FBA on this one. Makes me want to draw eyes in those specs. Waste of good silk.

For those of you who have always wanted to unzip a seam and leave them flapping like a couple of ziplock bags. Although the pouches are sandwich size so might be handy if you made them into actual pockets. Not sure how this look enhances feminine beauty.

And there is trying too hard, way too hard. I can achieve the prominent rear end look without any assistance but this takes function follow form to the outer limits. Must be 6 1/2 yards in that plumage. 

There you have it, a sleep deprived pattern review, not that it shows.

Take care all of you impacted by Sandy and hope your sewing machines all have power soon.