More Deco Darlings

Last year, I spent a grand weekend with friends aboard the Queen Mary for the Art Deco Festival.
I didn't make it back this time around, but my friend Laura had taken some great photos.
Here's an extra shot of the 1935 striped organdy dress that we'd forgotten about. There are also a few cute shots of us from this year's Spirit Of '45 event, at Kelly Park in San Jose.

On the Queen Mary, in airy striped organdy.

A close up of the sash belt I had to make from some ivory organdy, since the original was missing (and a close up of the manicure ;-)

 The shoes, and the fabulous flounce of the hemline. Yes, I love this dress.

Quick, before the ice cream melts! With Laura Erlich

Peppermint chocolate chip and pretty automobiles, yum!

The Gatsby Afternoon Picnic 2014

Finally getting around to posting photos from the Gatsby Picnic a couple of weeks ago, but first...

I also returned from my hometown of Seattle last night, where I was honored to perform in the annual Steamposium convention. It ended up being a sort of unintended Seattle Burlesque reunion for us, and we had Seattle's best all on one stage; yours truly Vienna La Rouge, The Shanghai Pearl, Waxie Moon, Evilyn Sin Claire, Iva Handfull, Inga Ingenue and more. We had a great time, the people at the venue were lovely and accommodating and we hope to do it again next year. No performance images I know of yet, but here are a few silly backstage photos...oh, and a couple of cast members from Firefly just happened to stop by!
Feathered friends; Inga Ingenue and me hamming it up:



So, on to Gatsby photos;
I wore a vintage dress in a soft seafoam color with an ivory satin chevron stripe, from around 1936-37. The hat is a sheer ivory brimmed halo style from the same time frame. Anders wore his WWII Canadian uniform, complete with the Blackwatch kilt.
My dress has a matching jacket, but it needed a cleaning, and it was way too warm that day for anything more than just dresses and light fabrics, or kilts ;) My Edwardian linen parasol came in handy!
And as always, there were so many beautiful automobiles on display:

Same as last year, Johnny just happened to pull up at the entrance to the 'Gatsby estate' in his lovely car to give us a lift to the picnic site...

With Anders

 Daniel, me and Laura enjoying the cooler hours later in the day.

Michael, Anders, me and Aaron.

 It's not a wedding, but it makes for a nice photo. Some kind gent handed me this pretty bouquet of white flowers before we took this photo

At some point the heat (and possibly that second pimms cup) caused much silliness. Here I am spoiling Aarons Deco GQ cover shot.

So many lovely cars (I apologize for blocking them with my fashion posing ;-)

The ghost of Gatsby. Sneaking to the old pool area on the estate grounds with Autumn, Katrina, Erin and Breanna.

Excuse the blurry quality of the following photos, my camera lens is on a rather well worn iPhone...

 Deco deviants!

 Ending the day with some impromptu golf and possible pineapple throw.

Mr. Mosher and an un-thrown pineapple. Good night, Gatsby. Until next year!

Frozen: Deco Style

Since I can't pile enough projects on my plate lately, I decided that I needed to make a late 1930s Frozen inspired dress. I think much of the inspiration came to me the moment I stumbled across a printed cotton that had Elsa's ice bodice design.
I had a hard time choosing a dress design from my vast collection of vintage patterns, but I finally settled on a 1939 Advance pattern (style #4). Just enough ruching on the bodice, but not too much, and I might do a slightly less puffy sleeve.
My plan is to do a two-tone design, pairing the pale Elsa print on the bodice, with a deeper turquoise cotton for the skirt, short sleeves and piping on the shoulders
I'm hoping to get it done for the trip to Disneyland this Memorial Day weekend!

 

 

Agfa Foto! I Finally Have My Vintage Camera

For a long time, I've hoped to find a vintage camera, preferably German, that was still in good working condition.
I think I finally found it; an Agfa 'Billy Jgetar' from around 1931 that someone in the UK had in their collection.

I can take this beauty to living history events (carefully of course), hopefully to get a few historically accurate 'fotos', and learn to develop them myself. Film for these can still be had.
This little lovely even had a roll of film already in it, that had been there for who-knows-how long. The film had only 2 exposures left, so even though the film is likely no longer good, I used those two shots taking photos of my adorable dog, Lucy just for the hell of it.
I wonder if anything on the previous exposures, or my own shots, survived? I'll just have to get it developed to see ;-)

 Still had its original canvas case

Zee film...

 

Adorable case in fair condition. The tip of the closure strap is ripped off, but someone was kind enough to keep this little bit inside the case. I may attempt to repair it by backing the two pieces together using a small additional bit of leather.

A Few Frou Frou Fotos

Here are a couple of shots of the new costume from the show this past Sunday night.

I want to add boning to the dress so I can wear it strapless, and I'll likely add a corset too, at some point. Yes, more rhinestones. I want the pink areas like the neckline COVERED in fuchsia Swarovski.

The buttons are nearly there, but need to have faux button holes put behind them (?).

The detachable skirt also needs one more ruffle at the bottom edge.

Many thanks to Jeff Spirer for the photos!

Deco Delights...

Some of you on Facebook may have already seen these photos, but here are a few shots of our mini 1930s flash mob at the Elmwood cafe. It's an historic location in Berkley CA, originally a soda shop built in 1921, that now serves as a great cafe. The coffee and teas is wonderful, and their pot pies served on Thursday evenings are to die for!

Left to right: Daniel Silveria, Autumn Adamme, Anders Hudson, Vienna La Rouge (me), Masha Sergeyeva, Frank Slade, Thena MacArthur, Laura Erlich, Jeffery Mosher

Fabulous Finds

A quick trip from the Victorian into the future; the 1930s.
You know, when you're quick and wily, sometimes you really do find those 1930s evening gown patterns online...in excellent unused condition...for under a bazillion dollars. Case in point:

I randomly logged onto Etsy last night, and after 10 seconds of searching vintage patterns, saw the above.
$20, baby!!!

I barely looked, I just hit the Add To Cart/Buy It buttons after determining that it was a complete pattern.

I think all that Anders probably heard from his office down the hall, was an "AAAH!" or "HOLY SH*T, YOU ARE MINE!".

Factory folds, no missing pieces, envelope is in great condition with a few rumples on the corners. That's it!

Thank you again, Etsy ;-)
...and curse you. I told myself I was going to take a break from you.

A Detour From The Dickens Sewing...

Xmas came a little early, when UPS knocked on my door this evening.
My attention went from Victorian bonnets to "Oh, look Deco!", in about 10 seconds.
Thanks mom!

This is an amazing book, showcasing the designs and history of Lucien Lelong.







Now to turn my focus back to bonnets...

Deco Darling...

So as I had mentioned in a previous post, some projects here may be of other eras besides the 18th century. This includes my other obsession; the 1930s.

I just finished this dress from a 1938 sewing pattern, using a reproduction 1930s cotton print. The black belt is actually one from the 30s, borrowed from one of my vintage dresses.



I gave the front collar and "sleeves" a facing of black cotton sateen, as well as the front kick pleat (a bit hard to see in the full length photo I took).
The weather is still warm enough where I live, and I plan on wearing it with one of my vintage 30s hats. Perhaps a lovely large brimmed saucer hat ;-)