Bippity boppity boo

There is no question that the entirety of the Disney Princess franchise is fraught with controversy and inaccuracy. One issue that has always bothered me from a fashion history standpoint is that the clothing the Princesses wear bears next to no resemblance to actual historical fashions. Los Angeles illustrator Claire Hummel has taken on this issue in a new series of illustrations featuring the renowned ladies in more historically appropriate attire. She did a lovely job maintaining the integrity of the original designs that we have all become so familiar with, while adding more authentic silhouettes and fabrics. Hope you enjoy as much as I did! (She even has prints available in her shop for a mere $10).

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head...

... but that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red...

Especially if I were wearing a pair of Jessica Swift Rainboots!

I went to high school with Jessica Swift, a woman who has grown into an incredible artist. She works a lot in patterns (which has been featured on fabrics as well, for all you home sewers!), and all her work is infused with her spirit of love and inspiration. It is no secret how much I love rainboots (even though we only get rain a couple months out of the year here in LA), and I can honestly say that the designs Jessica is kicking around are fabulous! Probably the coolest I have ever seen!

Plus, there is a secret extra bonus! Each pair of boots is designed with a special loving, inspirational message printed inside to remind you how fabulous you are each time you put on those fabulous boots!

Right now, Jessica is using kickstarter.com to get this awesome project off the ground. For a donation of just $100, you'll be sent a pair of boots once they hit the production line! Contributions of any amount from $1 on up are greatly appreciated and are being rewarded with other awesome Jessica Swift art. Just think how amazing it would be to help Jessica's dream come true and land yourself a truly special pair of boots!



I can pretty much guarantee that no rainy day or mucky puddle will get you down if you were wearing these amazing boots!

Back in the saddle

I know I very much dropped the ball on the Royal Wedding Retrospective. I hope you enjoyed the posts I did manage to get up and also hope you enjoyed the nuptials of Kate and Wills as much as I did!

Part of what prevented me from putting the time into researching the RWR is that I am working on a new project, a wedding gown for a friend! The dress is unique (and colorful!) and it has been a real pleasure to be working on a custom project again. The wedding is June 11, pictures will follow soon after!

Yardage

I recently stumbled upon this great blog featuring a post on estimating yardage, a really important but sometimes elusive skill to have when making your own patterns or buying on a whim.

Biased

This is an excellent article on learning how to sew on the bias, a sure-fire way to achieve a designer look.

RWR: Speculation on Fascinators

Here's a fun little video that features headpieces of past British Royal weddings, speculation on what head wear Kate will wear on her big day, and a collection of de-lic-ious hats!

What I love on Etsy right now: Mardi Gras Masks

With Mardi Gras just around the corner on March 8, I thought it would be fun to check out what Etsy has to offer in the way of masks for the holiday. Fat Tuesday is all about excess, so a simple gold and purple plastic half mask from Party City just won't do.

Here are some fun ones I tracked down:

Purple Lace Mask

The Mask of Strong Emotion





Scarlett Macaw Masquerade Ball Mask






Fire Bird Phoenix Feathered Mardi Gras Mask





Wild Lotus





Handpainted Damask Inspired Mask