Inside the Box: Too Too Much Muumuu

Larry and I made jokes about this one when we pulled it out of the bag: what IS it? A muumuu/tablecloth?

It's a home sewn marvel.

In its own way, it DOES look better on.
The lace on the sides is set into the seams so it sticks out.

It measures 53 x 34" Roomy!
I like the peasant blouse styling of the lace inset + gathers in the front and back:

The lace sleeve hem detail is clever yet strange (the running down the side seams aspect).

But there IS the problem overall --  it's made with horrible 70s two-way stretch nylon. It doesn't breathe. So it gets VERY WARM. Not so good for summer wear. (Winter muumuu for the ski lodge, anyone? Layer it over your long johns!) In addition, if you wore this while BBQing, it might melt. That would be unfortunate. And painful.

I know you're needing this in your wardrobe now. Hahahahaha. Not.

July Gloom - #OOTD

Perhaps you've heard of June Gloom. It's a weather condition in SoCal. A layer of low clouds lurks along the coast, usually burning off midday. It's supposed to be prevalent in June.

I have a big case of July Gloom and Mother Nature seems to be in sync.

I also refuse to use an iron.

That's a "new" chemise that you see. I refurbished a strappy dress I'd made that was too tight in the bust.

My pal Anita is hosting a 20s theme party and dressing up is de rigueur. I thought this would do, but now I'm having second thoughts. I think it needs to be a shorter chemise (maybe with a band at hem) with an additional gathered dropwaist underskirt.

I still have a lot of fabric left over to match the jacket, since I made that from a sari.  I've got until Saturday.

Here I am, practicing some flapper poses accessorized with my chemo wig and Norma Kamali oxfords.

I obviously need some hosiery.

I'll give you details about the jacket later. It's made from two 25 x 50" rectangles and is SUPER easy to sew!

The Spirit of 74" - A Red, White, and Blue Muumuu

That's what it says - 74"! 

When I first pulled this out of Larry's bag of treasure, all I could focus on was the muumuu-sized portion of
red, white and blue in, yes, a fairly hideous tropical print on stiff cotton.

We made jokes about it.
That's what Larry and I do.
I figured it was some sort of Class of 74 school spirit dress. Hey, I'm from the class of 74, I'll take it...

Now there's an "interesting" sleeve...
might have worked better in rayon...

Here is the prize that I didn't find until I shot these photos:

"Compliments of
Marshall J. Wilkings
potentate"

WHAT???

I googled hawaii matadors:

a lot of sports stuff -- no surprise

Then I tried "hawaii matadors"
sometimes adding quotes makes all the difference:

Look! The exact same verbiage as my label!

Here's a screen grab of the link:

I couldn't believe it...
IT'S A SHRINERS SHIRT!!!
Look at the price he has on it!

My muumuu was made for the shriners' wives!
Cause for celebration, SpyGirl style:

Happy 4th of July, whichever day you take to celebrate.

Linking up to IFB Project #54

[Update -- 7/2013: That $485 Shriner shirt is still available. Big surprise, no?]

[Update #2 -- 7/2017: Yes! Still available!]

[Update #3 -- 5/2021: Yes! REDUCED to $225!!!]

Go Fish #OOTD

Yep. Wearing my fish tunic again today. Tomorrow, I may wear it with my green maxi...

You are in my net, my little fishies...
Check on SpyGirl's FB page to catch me!

Visibly Indian Inspired #OOTD

I wore this look Friday, Saturday AND today:

except the hat --
that was Friday only because I was doing my qi gong class outdoors in Clover Park

The tunic is called a kurta and it's from India, via a shop in Artesia, CA. It came in a 3-pc set, with a printed chiffon scarf and printed pants, all the prints slightly different yet matching, all in 100% silk.
(The top and pants worn together are called Salwar Kameez).

I love how the prints mix:

but I would not wear the garments as they came from the shop:

this photo was taken last year

Last week, during Megan and Keely's Fashion Challenge, one of Wednesday's choices was something Tribal. Coincidentally, Sally, of Already Pretty, wrote a post titled "Ethnic Ethics" the same day about how she was uncomfortable wearing a kurta very much like mine. A very lively discussion ensued about "where to draw the line" wearing clothing of other cultures. Since I tend to do that, I was interested to read what others had to say. DO go click on the link, it's very enlightening and there are all sorts of opinions.

My plans are to restyle the pants, probably into a skirt. Maybe then I can wear all three together!
I'm linking up with Patti's Visible Monday, as is my wont.

Shirts of Our Fathers

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!
Here is "something special" that I pulled from Larry's treasure trove:

Ha! I got a little over-zealous hiking up my tube skirt!

These are two very strange pieces: the widest tie I've ever seen and the insane op art shirt. Let's look closer...

The "tie" (probably really a sash):

measures 7.5" at its widest part!

100% acetate twill, made in Japan

The shirt:

Whoa! Op art!

Notice the blue here on the sleeve placket and at buttonhole --
imagine how the body used to look before the blue faded.
OK, maybe you'd rather not.

Not only is it an Oleg Cassini,
but
it was worn by FATHER Keney
OMG, right?

The ensemble, one more time:

Can you see the major design flaw?
How on my right side I have a concave breast* and a goiter on my rib?
It's a VERY disturbing shirt, if you ask me.


That's why I'm keeping it!
Horrible 100% nylon knit and all!

Severo gets the tie, if he wants it...
If not... to the resale pile it goes...
or should I keep it?

* I DO have a concavity there, but I DON'T need it emphasized! And I DON'T have a goiter, thankyouverymuch.

Fashion Challenge: Bold Print #OOTD

Ah, the bold print, how I love thee. You are so easy and fun! You camouflage all my incidents of cupcake debauchery. Even when you become "so last year" (not too soon, I hope) you will always be my BFF.

vintage bold floral shift of unknown synthetics
from Black Market on Sawtelle

See if any of my Fashion Challenge colleagues are wearing a bold print today here on this list.

Maybe some of Patti's Visible Monday Posse sport them here.

Here are some Bold Print shift dresses that I found on Lyst:

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In addition, I added this to Everybody, Everywear for this month's Neon theme

The Art Print Tunic, Yet Again - #OOTD

How I wore it yesterday for presenting my summer class
at the OTIS Cont Ed Open House:
slightly swashbuckling, with a scarf-as-belt

I've worn this tunic a lot during the past month and I have a good reason...
I've got art to match!

Here I am day before, when I hosted a tea party at my gallery on the last day of my exhibition.
Hence the hat. With print on scarf too.

I even used this print yesterday morning on some "class project samples" that I realized I needed by noon (at seven am).

This is a combo of Corel Painter used on this image
(sorry Pinterest link is vague, did not have time to refine URL search)
and Photoshop for the addition of the print and enhanced shading
Note: not great knockout of background -- time restraints!

I'll be doing another post of this with a Spy sketch... sometime...

Meanwhile, it's another visible Monday -- Go get your visible on!

Where In the World: OTIS

click on images to see bigger 

I have decided that this skirt has too
much of a dirndl silhouette.
I'm going to sew in another panel.
The hem (what hem? It's a raw edge!)
could use shortening too.

The Rat Fink graphic on the tee
amuses me to no end.
Severo picked it up at a NAMM show.

It's for Rat Fink Guitars

By the way, here's the REALLY UGLY print that I'm using in the demo in the Instagram shot at top:

mock printed tie dye
it even comes in colorways!
kind of looks like easter eggs

I snagged it out of the trash pile at the OTIS Fashion campus at the CA Mart. They have awesome trash! I have snagged MANY treasures there!

on trend: eclectic prints

Thursday of Fashion Challenge
this one was easy

ADORE this print!
vintage rayon purchased at Uncommon Objects in Austin, TX
I designed + sewed the tunic

on trend - military paired with feminine

Tuesday of Fashion Challenge
This was a tough one... I found only one "military" garment (and I looked in my boyfriend's closet too) - a communist cap that I bought in Hong Kong in 04. And most of my "feminine" garments are on the small side...

the silhouette I conjured up reminded me of something...

Poiret (source)

I'm quite fond of the bird print on the dress
that I wore over the olive chiffon skirt.
So so girlie!

Did I wear this out into the world? Are you kidding?
I had fun mixing it up however.

on trend: stripe and floral mix

Monday of Fashion Challenge
The first day of creating summer trends from my closet.

I look annoyed.
Probably because I was running late for work

oh how I yearned for a black/white stripe top

the best part was discovering how nicely the scarf matched the skirt