Project Selvedge Challenge 2

The End Result

The Process;

assignment: Today your challenge is about the leisurely life.  Here in Montana we have a number of luxury resorts (that most of us can’t afford to visit).  Resort wear should be elegant and effortless – ready for duck hunt or cocktails and gourmet dinners.  For this challenge you will be dressing a client on his/her way to a stay in the lap of luxury, however, in light of current events,  you will be making luxurious resort wear on a sequestered budget.  You each can choose 2 fabrics from the Selvedge  stash – and you will have a mere $15 in the shop to complete your garment. 

FABRIC

I first chose a pale pastel colored pink heavy weave fabric, because I liked the color, and then a creamy white jersey type of fabric. 

I had a lot of initial ideas, but many were effected by my choices in fabric, so I had to commit to tweaking my ideas to fit my material. Initially i wanted to do a pant with the pink, and a drapy boat neck top with the cream, and possibly incorporate a chevron patchwork of the fabrics. I was really inspired by 1920s loose fitting draped clothing with drop waists etc. 

but playing around with my fabric led to me working with the pretty draping grecian nature of it, which resulted in the silhouette below, a 1930s inspired shape with a Greek or Roman look.

DRAPING

SKETCH # 1

I new I wanted this as a base so this was where I started. 

(also if you want to check out my pinterest board with all my digital imagery inspiration, click here)

and then I found this 1920s dress that I loved so much and really wanted to borrow from

which led to the following sketch

SKETCH # 2

The above was the first time I fit the dress to Janyssa, and started trying to tack on the chevrons. But the first issue was that there seemed to be bad proportions of fabric. With so much skirt, I decided to bring the neckline down. Also the chevrons weren't looking the way i'd hoped.

Then I put Janyssa in some western boots and a chunky leather belt to style her up. I played around with the look and ultimately decided the pink chevrons weren't working.

FITTING AND CHANGES

 

That was on wednesday night. On thursday I went to work, and got out at 3:00, and felt pressure to go get something from Selvedge since it would likely be my last chance. It was just so hard because I didn't know what to look for and buy. I had been mulling over it the night before(DREAMING about it) and at work, and had been wearing a blouse that resulted in me to get inspired by lace and buttons and a western bohemian look. I left the bead shop(where I work) that thursday, and made a beeline towards Bernice's Bakery where I plopped myself down and slowly drew out of myself the ideas for this design

SKETCH # 3

I liked this direction because it fit the idea of a western Montana resort. It's whimsical and a little country, but with a bohemian delicate touch which is very much my style. 

I did have a concern that the draping back wouldn't match the front of the dress, but I ended up liking it. It was as if I'd combined a grecian dress with a bohemian/western/vintage slip.

So I promptly went to explore the fabric store. I found some gorgeous vintage lace, and bought all the teeny brown buttons I could afford, bolted home, and wound up doing this;

FINISHING DETAILS

I kind of loved it. I tied for third, which felt great after seeing my tough competition for this week; challenge 2 winner

photo cred: Susman media

side note; I did have to spend the half hour leading up to the runway show frantically re-stitching the buttons. They were continually falling off, i think due to the thread i'd used to sew them on(the knots would just slip right out!). Just ask Janyssa, I was near to tears and panicking. I ended up losing 2 or three of them, but fortunately was able to conceal it, and with many fingers crossed, none popped off during the show. 

And now, to work I go on challenge 3; something inspired by the 80s, in the prominent color orange!

.yikes.