Usually, I try to visualize an outfit before I wear it. Sometimes I can, othertimes I cannot. If it's not a style I've worn, it can be a challenge to see what will my body shape look like. The 1920's styles are boxy, straight, and very loose to allow a woman complete freedom around her midriff/ribcage. They had just ditched corsets and were suffragettes, you know. They were empowered! So this boxy style symbolizes freedom.
| "Votes for women!" Oh, whoops. Heh heh... a little Glynis Johns as a suffragette in Mary Poppins for ya. |  |
When I struggle to visualize, I am learning to sketch out what I feel or see in my minds eye. This is a challenge. Instead of usually seeing myself as I am, I often get the image of the model or sketch on the pattern in my head. It's not that my body is of any less value, it's just that I see the pattern model and think, that's how it should look on me. It's sort of like the record in my head skips and then keeps skipping.
Considering that I don't normally resonate with straight, boxy shapes, I knew I really needed to explore some designs that would be true to the era and flattering to my pear shaped/hour-glassy curves. With the help of my mother, another excellent visualizer, I decided that a couple patterns from Past Patterns would be flattering and simple enough for me to take on as my first 1920's dress. With a style this unfamiliar to my sewing knowledge, I need a base to start from rather than drafting my entire pattern.
Considering that I don't normally resonate with straight, boxy shapes, I knew I really needed to explore some designs that would be true to the era and flattering to my pear shaped/hour-glassy curves. With the help of my mother, another excellent visualizer, I decided that a couple patterns from Past Patterns would be flattering and simple enough for me to take on as my first 1920's dress. With a style this unfamiliar to my sewing knowledge, I need a base to start from rather than drafting my entire pattern.
| Did you know the album to Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and some song clips are available on Spotify? How utterly divine. Queue the Miss Fisher Theme Song! Though I must say in addition to the theme song, Positively Absolutely, Sad Snoop Blues, and Sailing on a Sunbeam are my favorites. I bet my Grandma's loved them too! I chose a girl's dress pattern and a woman's evening gown. My intent is to make these into a summer sundress that could not only work as a 1920's costume, but also be wearable for an everyday 2014 summer frock. | |
#8721: Girl's Sleeveless Dress: Circa 1929-1930
I begin my sketch with an outline of my body, making sure to draw my full thighs, round hips, etc. If I make sure those are even a little larger than normal, my eye and memory can get a "feel" for my body. This is really hard to describe. So much of this is intuitive, muscle memory, and remembering what I look like in the mirror and through photos. So, hips & thighs in place, I sketch the rest of me. Yes, always with big lips. That's my trademark from way back in elementary school days.
After the body outline is in place, I begin to draw in clothes. I repeat this process, creating a new outline with every new sketch. It just feels right to recreate my foundation. I could sketch one, photo copy it and use that as a base, but I like the practice and I'm rarely with any more materials than a pen. As you can see from my instagram post in early May, when I was travelling, all I had was the local newspaper and my pen. That didn't stop me sketching out Deer & Doe's Chataigne short on my body shape.
After the body outline is in place, I begin to draw in clothes. I repeat this process, creating a new outline with every new sketch. It just feels right to recreate my foundation. I could sketch one, photo copy it and use that as a base, but I like the practice and I'm rarely with any more materials than a pen. As you can see from my instagram post in early May, when I was travelling, all I had was the local newspaper and my pen. That didn't stop me sketching out Deer & Doe's Chataigne short on my body shape.
I decided to play with the girls dress since I am usually attracted to kid styles anyway. Does that make me unsophisticated and declasse? Nah! I think the swoosh or curved gathering at the yolk (left) is kind of cute. Looks fun on me (right), but given the blousing at the waist, I'm not so sure. I also think I didn't quite get the blousing low enough. Hmm... I feel ok about this one. I'll probably try making it and/or sketching it anyway, but it's not my first choice at this point.
 Source: Past Patterns. #8721: Girl's Sleeveless Dress: Circa 1929-1930 |  Original sketch by Gwen Gyldenege. Sketch shows how Past Patterns #8721 would look on my pear shaped body. |
#4990: Ladies’ and Misses’ Slip-On Dress: Autumn 1927
Moving right along to dress #2. This is a much more elegant dress. Plus I like how the flounce or draped rectangular panels give triangular impressions to the eye. After sketching it on my body and playing with design ideas, I like this one best. It appears to draw the eye down the body, whereas the girls dress draws my eye directly to the flounce and yolk point, then up.
 Source: Past Patterns. #4990: Ladies’ and Misses’ Slip-On Dress: Autumn 1927 |  Original sketch by Gwen Gyldenege. Sketch shows how Past Patterns #4990 would look on my pear shaped body. |
I'd love to know your impressions of the sketches. Which would you choose?
RSS Feed
