Oh my, the "dance season" started again last Sunday and this means I'm going to have no spare time until Christmas. I'll be instructing two classes this season with my partner, 50's rock'n'roll intermediate group on Sundays and collegiate shag for beginners on Mondays, and I'm also the "responsible adult" for a junior dance class with junior instructors. I'll also be taking classes in lindy hop, balboa, air steps, bugg (the Swedish swing dance), and possibly fusku (the Finnish swing dance, with some resemblance to disco swing)... IF I'll be able to fit it in my schedule.
I do look forward to the teaching part once again. ;) It's nice to chop things into digestible size for my students. And it's so great to see the happiness when people manage to do new things. :)
I have a passion for the collegiate, aka double shag at the moment. It just rocks! It's the easiest, most fun dance ever. I would love to go to the 2nd San Francisco Shag Jam next June... We shall see if I can manage the cash somehow... If you don't know the dance yet, check this out:
Collegiate Shag with Sailor Mike and Sylvia Skylar
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I was also fortunate to find this clip featuring triple shag done in a tap routine. I don't think I've actually never seen triple shag before, although I'm familiar with the expression.
Hal and Honey Abbott
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And if you should ever find the opportunity to try the dance, double or triple or even single, just do it. It just might be the thing for you too. ;)
2007/09/05
2007/08/10
The charm of day dresses
Day dresses fascinate me. I can't seem to pass 40's or 50's vintage day dress pattern in, or close to, my size. They are practical, and yet beautiful. That is a combination that is just too rare today. I quite like the idea "form follows function", considering that functionality can also be wrapped in beauty. It's not illegal to make something beautiful. In my opinion that is one of the things that makes design classics. I got this one just recently from LanetzLiving. I just love the simplicity of the whole thing. I hope I'll have time to sew this one soon.
But the idea of day dresses! It means that you also have dresses for afternoon and evening, dresses for all occasions. Afternoon ones to be pretty when your Mr. comes home from work, day dresses for managing all the daily matters. I wonder how many women today would find that idea actually insulting... that they should try to look nice just for their husbands (and the optional kids)? It's not that popular in these days. ;) People only dress up when they are going out. I guess it was a different world. That kind of world where it was not necessary for two people in one family to work just to manage the daily living and pay off the mortgage...
But the idea of day dresses! It means that you also have dresses for afternoon and evening, dresses for all occasions. Afternoon ones to be pretty when your Mr. comes home from work, day dresses for managing all the daily matters. I wonder how many women today would find that idea actually insulting... that they should try to look nice just for their husbands (and the optional kids)? It's not that popular in these days. ;) People only dress up when they are going out. I guess it was a different world. That kind of world where it was not necessary for two people in one family to work just to manage the daily living and pay off the mortgage...
2007/08/08
Creative fabric shopping
Fabrics are not that cheap, right? And it's soooo hard to find nice vintage styled things around, if internet is excluded. And it is for the moment because if the fabrics are cheap, the shipping costs are not. So what can a girl do? Yes, the answer is once again thrift store. They have masses of old sheets and curtains and sometimes even fabrics. I came up with this not-so-original idea yesterday and found four lovely prints. This one in the picture is one of those: 31" wide, more than 4 yards in two pieces, 100% sheer cotton. Old curtains. ;)
And it was much cheaper than buying a fabric. I love it! The fabric is soft, but very firm. Just perfect. I'm thinking about transforming it into 50's styled sundress... The print is quite 50's to me. We'll see what happens. :)
2007/07/26
Vintage Wonderland
Oh, I simply must show you what beauties are making their way to me soon!
I have shopped for vintage patterns a few times at Lanetz Living, and what a happy customer I am! I've been returning over and over again, so Janet has (almost) all of my money now. ;) I found the site just recently by chance, and now I'm visiting it everyday just to see what's new so I won't be missing anything important. ;) The patterns are beautiful and Janet has made good description of each, plus the pictures are usually big and there's also the back view of the envelope available. You'll be seeing many of my buying’s soon here as clothes. Just wait and see. :) Meanwhile... take a look at these babies already safely home with me:
I told you Janet has pretty (simply to die for) patterns, now didn't I. ;)
But today I wasn't shopping at Lanetz Living. I took a sneak peek at Out of the Ashes Collectibles and found some really neat stuff. I've been having this "lingerie, petticoat, slip, night gown, bathing suit, etc." thing going on and was very pleased to find the answer to some of my retro prayers.
If only I had the time to sew...
I have shopped for vintage patterns a few times at Lanetz Living, and what a happy customer I am! I've been returning over and over again, so Janet has (almost) all of my money now. ;) I found the site just recently by chance, and now I'm visiting it everyday just to see what's new so I won't be missing anything important. ;) The patterns are beautiful and Janet has made good description of each, plus the pictures are usually big and there's also the back view of the envelope available. You'll be seeing many of my buying’s soon here as clothes. Just wait and see. :) Meanwhile... take a look at these babies already safely home with me:
I told you Janet has pretty (simply to die for) patterns, now didn't I. ;)
But today I wasn't shopping at Lanetz Living. I took a sneak peek at Out of the Ashes Collectibles and found some really neat stuff. I've been having this "lingerie, petticoat, slip, night gown, bathing suit, etc." thing going on and was very pleased to find the answer to some of my retro prayers.
If only I had the time to sew...
2007/07/19
Shoes, where do they come from?
For some reason I seem to have quite a few pair of shoes. And I don't mean like a few dozen pairs, that would be serious underestimating although I don't know the exact number at the moment. I'm sure most of them have snuck in during night-time, because I have absolutely no memory of buying some of them. Fortunately Mr. Too Many Shoes is very understanding and has never uttered the words: "Darling, don't you already have enough shoes?". He might think that though, but is smart enough to keep quiet. ;) And he's actually even offered to buy me some of the practical ones, like dance shoes.
But yes, I do find it a bit strange how some people actually manage with only a couple of pair of shoes. Don't they want to mach their shoes with their outfits, or do they just have so easily matchable wardrobe? I guess I'll never find out, but I'm not too sorry about that. Most of mine are vintage, around 1950's, and wearable. Do I need them all? Possibly not, but I still would like a few more.
What I would really fancy as a collector (collecting only shoes in sizes I can actually wear :) would be a pair of Roger Vivier pumps. He's a true genious when it comes to shoes. Just take a look at these 1961 evening pumps (link to original site). He truly is the Fabergé of shoes. I love to examine all the little details of these beauties, although
I would settle for something little less extravaganza. ;) Some of the pieces designed for Dior in the 50's are more simple, but yet oh sooo-o perfect, like little sculptures (just like he has actually described his shoes). Would love a pair of those. :)
I once did come across a beautiful pair of Vivier for Dior pumps from late 50's in light brown leather with a moderate heel and a moderate price. Only problem was that I could have used them as canoes, the size was something like Europian 43. My feets are bit on the smaller side (U.S. 5.5, Australian 4, U.K. 3, Europian 35.5 - but I'm usually okay with a half size bigger too) and strangely it's getting more and more difficult to find new shoes in my size. Luckily there's still plenty of beautiful vintage shoes in my size just waiting for me to find them. And yes, they actually make dance shoes in smaller sizes too, so I don't complain too much. Just a little. ;)
But yes, I do find it a bit strange how some people actually manage with only a couple of pair of shoes. Don't they want to mach their shoes with their outfits, or do they just have so easily matchable wardrobe? I guess I'll never find out, but I'm not too sorry about that. Most of mine are vintage, around 1950's, and wearable. Do I need them all? Possibly not, but I still would like a few more.
What I would really fancy as a collector (collecting only shoes in sizes I can actually wear :) would be a pair of Roger Vivier pumps. He's a true genious when it comes to shoes. Just take a look at these 1961 evening pumps (link to original site). He truly is the Fabergé of shoes. I love to examine all the little details of these beauties, although
I would settle for something little less extravaganza. ;) Some of the pieces designed for Dior in the 50's are more simple, but yet oh sooo-o perfect, like little sculptures (just like he has actually described his shoes). Would love a pair of those. :)I once did come across a beautiful pair of Vivier for Dior pumps from late 50's in light brown leather with a moderate heel and a moderate price. Only problem was that I could have used them as canoes, the size was something like Europian 43. My feets are bit on the smaller side (U.S. 5.5, Australian 4, U.K. 3, Europian 35.5 - but I'm usually okay with a half size bigger too) and strangely it's getting more and more difficult to find new shoes in my size. Luckily there's still plenty of beautiful vintage shoes in my size just waiting for me to find them. And yes, they actually make dance shoes in smaller sizes too, so I don't complain too much. Just a little. ;)
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