A Dress A Day

A dress.
Mostly every day.

December 11, 2006

Drabble #6


hawaiian drabble #6
I knew when she tried me on that she was never going to wear me. C’mon, a Kansas schoolteacher on vacation in Hawaii? She wasn’t buying a dress; she was buying a memory, a fantasy. She was buying the idea that this wasn’t going to be her only trip to Hawaii, that she would throw a tiki-themed party back home in Lawrence, that the handsome man at the bar would send her a drink, served in a pineapple. She was buying the idea of wearing a hibiscus flower in her hair. Me? I’ve never even been out of my box.


The special Kansas is shout-out for Lydia and Janet!

posted by Erin @ 11:09 AM  

18 Comments:

  • At Dec 11, 2006 11:26:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    *Waves back*

    Poor dress...I have to say, I would think twice about wearing something with bright red and orange daisies, too. And I'm not a schoolteacher.

    --Lydia

     

  • At Dec 11, 2006 11:39:00 AM, Anonymous Well Rounded Dresser said…

    I absolutely love this dress, if it fit me I would buy it. I would wear it. It hits every glamorous fantasy I had when I went to Hawaii in 1969 with my parents. And, I've been back!

     

  • At Dec 11, 2006 12:00:00 PM, Blogger Gail said…

    I would love to wear that to lounge around the house, except for that high neck. I can't stand wearing anything close and tight around my neck.

     

  • At Dec 11, 2006 1:58:00 PM, Blogger Debby said…

    How true, how true, this dresses story. I think most of have something we hold onto that we will never wear for the same reason.

     

  • At Dec 11, 2006 2:01:00 PM, Anonymous Diatryma said…

    I have a dress like that, unworn because I want to be the person who wears things like that but do not want the attention (again, crazy person talking). Well, that and the fact that mine's embroidered and every time I touch it, I rip out more thread.

     

  • At Dec 11, 2006 3:36:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    OMG! My mother made this pattern way back when I was in Junior HIgh School. I wore it to an international costume event. I had a fabric sash and went as "Japan."

     

  • At Dec 11, 2006 5:17:00 PM, Anonymous Susan said…

    My father brought me back a dress from Hawaii when he went there for work in the early 70's (I was a child at the time, and thought the dress was hideous!)

    I've been to Hawaii twice (while I was still living in Australia, where I'm from), but have never been tempted to buy a dress. I usually manage to pick up some coral jewelry, though!

     

  • At Dec 11, 2006 9:27:00 PM, Blogger Gretchen said…

    Love the Kansas connection- I am a former Kansan myself! I had a dress-up dress that was my great-aunt's that was a very similar fabric, but blue/teal/olive on white. Very 70s, very loud. I loved it though- wonder if I still have it somewhere....

     

  • At Dec 12, 2006 4:34:00 AM, Blogger Kate said…

    Ohhhhhhhh! I have hopes this dress will one day get out of her box.

    Once upon a time my mother's friend gave her an old 30s bias cut flower splashed evening gown for us kids to play dress up in. We did but when I grew up I kept and wore it many times for elegant evening events. Still have it tho' am probably too old for such a clingy dress now (still fits). Life is too short just DO it. K Q:-)

     

  • At Dec 12, 2006 5:23:00 AM, Blogger Carrie said…

    That is a beautiful dress! Do you have any Japanese patterns you can show? It's extremely selfish of me to ask, but our drama club needs to make Japanese costumes, and I haven't been out to look for a book yet. And yes, you are the luckiest woman in the world. I can't believe someone gave you a vintage Singer sewing machine...

     

  • At Dec 12, 2006 8:39:00 AM, Blogger MinaW said…

    Carrie — Take a look at
    http://www.kyotokimono.com/
    for ideas.

    I love those sleeves, though I think of them as medieval, not Japanese (which they are too, I guess). They can be cut reciprocally, so not a square inch of fabric is wasted, if you have a without-nap fabric.

    Starting with a cut-on kimono sleeve cap, (like some of the Duros), which gives a straight upper arm seam, and 45 inch fabric (or 22), two of these can be cut upside-down to each other, with the under-the-arm curve and the under-the wrist curve fitting into each other. The contrast lining is cut the same way. 22 inches wide per sleeve gives one long enough to the wrist to fold back so the contrast lining shows for a couple of inches.

    As for the length wrist to bottom of the hem, it can be anything, even down to the floor. I recommend longer rather than shorter for convenience in wearing. Long enough, at least, so the bottom of the sleeve catches on the edge of the table and stays out of the way rather than getting in the soup or knocking over the wine glasses. About 18 inches or better a 2 foot opening at least. Try them. they're fun to wear.

    As for keeping the dress in the box, well, it might be sad for the dress, but one can get a lot of pleasure from a beautiful thing that stays in the closet or the box. I'll bet it was a secret joy to her.

    But I'm beginning to think of ways to display such things, besides a vintage dress form. Maybe a kimono hanger.

    Mina

     

  • At Dec 12, 2006 8:43:00 AM, Anonymous La BellaDonna said…

    I would wear that, as is, to the office. I sure as heck would wear it at home! (Big surprise there, considering I have a floral brocaded silk satin one drying on the back of the bathroom door. Chocolate + kitty + robe = not good! It's not the only one I have and wear, either.)

    Carrie, check Folkwear.com - they have several different Japanese patterns (kimono, hakama, happi, haori, etc.) Also, check the "costumes" section of Butterick, McCall's and Simplicity; they usually carry some version of a kimono pattern. Are you doing The Mikado? Or something else? There are some very particular conventions to observe, if you're trying to be authentic. What period is it? (You should also google for the book, Make Your Own Japanese Clothes.

    Or you could go here:
    http://www.japanesekimono.com/kimono_fabric.htm

     

  • At Dec 12, 2006 9:58:00 AM, Blogger catalina said…

    As a Lawrence, Kansas, teacher (well, university professor) - I have to say, I've worn much brighter and odder dresses than that.

    Maybe that dress needs to come over to my house.

     

  • At Dec 12, 2006 1:07:00 PM, Blogger Jen ~ MOMSPatterns said…

    Oh, I know & love Lydia & Janet!!

    I'm digging this drabble lately, too.. aaaah..

     

  • At Dec 12, 2006 9:11:00 PM, Blogger Valerie said…

    I must have this dress.

     

  • At Dec 12, 2006 10:08:00 PM, Anonymous Janet & Lydia said…

    Howdy and Thanks from us both! (Hi Miss Jen, too.)

    I didn't check for a day, busy with holiday selling and sewing. What a nice shout out to come back to. Thanks Erin!

    Now wish me luck on Lyd's dress for the school program Thursday. I have some of it pinned, but none cut. Contrast and a huge gathered skirt. Fabric is blue and silver. Lyd picked the pattern.

    Take Care All and Happy Happy Christmas.
    -Janet

     

  • At Dec 14, 2006 7:42:00 PM, Anonymous maddie said…

    Me too!

     

  • At Dec 17, 2006 2:18:00 PM, Blogger amisare waswerebeen said…

    I would mount and frame it and hang it on a wall. That you way, it's not going to waste and you can enjoy it all the time.

     

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