12th May Blue Dress

Not moaning about the election anymore. We must be positive and wish them all well, the best that can happen is that they will be wonderful together, for everyone. In true spirit I have made a blue dress with a little yellow and flowers.

Here is today's dress, made from a gorgeous vintage piece of cotton stored away and as usual inspired by the 1950's. I'm very pleased today, it worked out beautifully and I even had just enough time to add a net underskirt and darling pink floral buttons.

Clutch Bag - Monday 10th May

Toile de Jour clutch bag made with a huge detachable bow and little sweetheart pocket.
I adore this fabric, I made a corset years ago for my final collection at Uni and it never fails to look gorgeously indulgent in a French boudoir style.

My Final collection corset made from a Victorian pattern and instructed by a wonderful costume designer who worked on the corsets for Titanic who also happened to teach us pattern cutting. This corset took at least 4 inches off your waist and was boned with spiral steels. Heavy but very secure!

Lots to do tomorrow as I have to make a whole new dress to make ...eek

Julie & Julia motivational movie

OK, I know this is very obvious, watch Julie and Julia and you'll want to write a blog about doing something everyday. 

Instead of eating like a maniac, I do need to make more dresses and become a lot more focused.www.makemeadress.com

The solution will be to commit publicly to making a dress every day, a whole finished dress. I'm not allowed to include Anna's dresses as she has put the hard work into making them but I can diversify into a bag or two when I'm a little more stretched and I may also include dresses that have taken weeks, as they are special orders.

I will also tell you all about them and hopefully improve my writing skills!

Here is the first one for Monday, it is also a cheat to get me going as Anna made it last week. Sorry this is terrible! 

I can't quite remember where this incredible fabric came from but it is wonderful and  had been hoarded for a while. The cotton is vintage printed by Warner's and named 'Staffordshire Figures' by Jill Owen. 

It's super kitsch and applies itself perfectly to a 50's style design with a full gathered skirt and sweeping neckline. I imagined summer picnics with ladies singing, maybe Hayley Mills in a Disney song! 

Have listed it in our etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/listing/46577477/the-printed-picnic-dress-ooak

 

Courtney's Ascot Dress

A beautiful actress from the US comissioned this dress for Royal Ascot and I am so pleased she did. This colour combination is just gorgeous. She is wearing a stunning hat made by 'by harriet', it's going to look amazing at the races.

Simple Silk Dresses

Gorgeous silk dresses in striking silhouettes, available at etsy or design your own at our makemeadress.com website.

The Crimson Cupcakes

 I have been very lucky to have such wonderful and imaginative customers over the past year. This commission was quite daunting at first as it was for six dresses instead of my usual singualr unique dresses, but over the months these dresses have turned into one of my favorites. 

 Crimson cupcakes for a Californian cluster of maids. 

Blue Floral Opulence

The blue floral avant garde party dress with fabulous petal corsages in a vintage 60's polkadot fabric.

I really love blue when it's vibrant. It can sometimes look plain which is why the decadent details are needed to bring it up to full volume and that little hint of the pink finishes the dress perfectly. 

This dress is designed to be a statement piece with impact, whilst retaining a pretty femininity with all the petals ruffled around you. As always this is another one off piece available in our Etsy Shop.

Wedding Fever

Wedding season will soon be here and here's one of our first for this season. The gorgeous and delightful tulle prom dress in ivory. Available in our etsy shop made to order. Detailings are extra.

MakemeaDress Mini

I was delighted to be introduced to our friend's six week old baby girl last night for the very first time and she really is a beautiful baby. (Wonderfully peaceful too!) Congratulations too all who have lovely little ladies in thier lives!

Beautiful babies indeed deserve gorgeous dresses so what better time to introduce Anna's new 'makemeadress mini' collection. Now you can have one of a kind dresses for your little ladies too!

All of Anna's dresses are unique and many are made from vintage cottons with pretty lace trims and bows.

The really great thing about her dresses is that they are all very wearable and washable in the machine!

Not just for parties, but for eveyday style and prettiness in bright florals and all in pure cottons .....

Find them in our etsy shop. Also available made to order in a fabric of your choice and made to measure.

Tales from New York Part Three

The shopping, as expected in pretty good in New York, It's a lot like London but a little more spread out when looking for something really special. The weekends are best for markets which I managed to miss but will keep saved for next time!

My favourtites had to be 'Edith Machinist' (above) for the vast but finely selected vintage collection of designer labels and stunning shoes. Another gorgeous shop was 'some old rubies' where they reconstruct incredibly pretty tea dresses and garments from vintage pieces. Both in the Lower East Side where you'll also find Katz's diner where they filmed When Harry met Sally! There's lots of gorgeous independent shops and the diner's hot dog is a treat for the end of the day.

 

For some inspiration we visited the Fashion Insitute in the garment district and they have a fabulous exhibition on American design which is a stunning display. A no glass so you can see every dress perfectly! The area is wonderful for fabrics especially B&J fabrics which is a heavenly selection of all the most beautiful fabrics imaginable.

My favourite places in New York

Angelika Film Centre, Greenwich Village...... cafe serving cakes after your film, yum!

Chelsea Cinema, Chelsea ......big seats and slightly grimey in a cool way, great in the middle of the day

Lower East Side St Marks Place to Orchard Street ......gorgeous vintage shops and independent designers

Coney Island .......... when you're feeling in the mood for grunge and lost boys 

Greenwich Village for bars and Jazz, Monday nights are bargainous! The lower main street isn't so in your face as Fith Avenue etc 

MoMA on Friday nights, free entry including the amazing Tim Burton exhibition.

Brooklyn Bridge for the best view of New York.

Tales From New York Part Two

Coney Island.....

This was one of my favourite parts of our New York Trip. The seaside town in winter with an original 1920's roller coaster, it looked so sad but the awesome signs sure kept it cheery!

 

The best hot dogs at Nathans, true holiday food.   My only regret about Coney Island was not buying a mini dress with a bikini body back and front print! The beach shop has real gems with great prints on T shirts and trashy vintage beach wear.

Tales From New York Part One .........

 

Our First Night, The Rockefeller Centre and the insanely bright Times Square.

I have never been so grateful for my fur coat, it was so cold. The first time it has ever been appropriate!

New Dresses ....... January Golden Blue Cocktail Dress

 

 

New Dresses ....... January Tulle Black Over Skirt

The tulle 'over' skirt .... designed to turn dresses into cocktail gowns, great with bodycon dresses and sequinned tap pants. Also multi tasks as underskirt for those 50's gowns. Trimmed with a velvet ribbon tie at the waist.

Oh Bakelite Bakelite

Whilst on a hunt to find a new car we stumbled upon a most wonderous old mill housing the Bakelite museum! And what a find....,





If you are an admirer of all things vintage particulary art deco plastic then this place is a dream. Never again will I feel guilty for hoarding and collecting my vintage dresses, it's all work toward a collection like this!



This boutique museum is beautifully arranged over three floors with each section meticulously organized.



It's a true hub of inspiration not only for collectors. Designers and artists will feed well on such an extensive design collection dating from late Victoriana and covering every product imaginable.



You look one way and see classics such a the dark dial telephones and radios, round a corner and colours dazzle your senses.......



......look down and find a small but fabulous collection of specs!



And after all that hard inspiration you can sit for a quintessential English cream tea.........would now love to meet the man who created this true treasure and ask what he's collecting next x
Check it out at www.bakelitemuseum.co.uk