A few links for Friday

(Let's just say that when I *started* this post, it was called "A few links for Wednesday". This week just DISAPPEARED. If you see my Tuesday running around, will you tell it to come home NOW? It's grounded until further notice.)




Check out this fascinating interview with Harry Berzack, a sewing-machine collector. (That's one of his machines above.)

Mary Beth is having another Chicago Fabric Swap! I will definitely be there, with another laundry basket of fabric that needs a new home.

And Oh! The day we have been waiting for has arrived, because Gothic Charm School: An Essential Guide for Goths and Those Who Love Them
is out! Hooray for Jilli (and her intrepid illustrator/husband Pete!) If you have not yet encountered the magic that is Our Lady of the Manners, you should check out this video.

I think that's all I have for Wednesday today. Well, except for this. What can I say? I'm a sucker for old gold. Although I think it would be cooler if they showed pictures of the raw materials as well as the finished dress. Preferably in a Pretty in Pink-style montage, except without ending up as that awful actual Pretty in Pink dress.

I promise a return to a more regular blogging schedule next week. I think. Wish me luck!

My Son, the Fashion Designer

My son did this sketch for me a couple of months ago and I have been meaning to post it for ages. It came about because I was curled up on the couch reading Vogue while he was organizing Pokemon cards or some such fourth-grade activity, and some picture caught his eye. Embarrassed at being caught being INTERESTED in something, he shrugged off the picture as "that girly stuff" ... until I told him that (whatever it was, I can't remember) cost $1200. (It was in Vogue, remember?)

After his incredulous "REALLY?" we had a little talk about fashion designers, and how a lot of them were men ... at which point he sat down and drew the above picture. I think he has a lot of promise as a fashion designer. First of all, he totally caught the Goth-Loli zeitgeist thing that's going on; for another he's very self-critical (he wrote the "D+" on the picture himself when he was done). He even named the look ("Moon Heart").

I also think he has a great eye for merchandising and diffusion/bridge lines -- sure, the dress is $800, but the stockings (which make the look, you have to admit) are only $20. Affordable luxury! Not to mention the well-thought-out hair and makeup, right down to the dramatic lipstick and the heart and moon patches on the face ...

The last cool thing is that he drew penny loafers. Since I wear penny loafers ALL THE TIME, I loved that part best of all. When he actually is a famous fashion designer (unlikely, as he mostly wants to be either a scientist or a book illustrator, or, failing that, Indiana Jones) I will take full credit for being his muse and inspiration. (He designed the dress for someone my height, as you can see.)

Look for him on Project Runway in about ... 2018.

Black and Pink Stripes?

Despite my own penchant for bright grass green, which I would venture to guess is the Anti-Goth color (brimming as it is with life and vulgar cheerfulness), I have a not-so-secret fondness and admiration for the Full-On Goth. I really, really love Goth fashion, in all its varieties, but probably my Favorite Goth is the Lady of the Manners, who runs Gothic Charm School. (That's her, right there on the left.)

And because the Lady of the Manners has such exquisite fashion sense, she is often hindered by the lack of availability of certain items, since manufacturers are either unaware of the demand for such things, or unwilling to cater to those so far avant of the garde. So she asked me for help in tracking down a particular fabric, and I, in turn, am asking all of you.

Does anyone know of a source for black and "cupcake pink" (see why the Lady is my favorite Goth?) WIDE striped fabric? The stripes, ideally, would be more than 3/8th of an inch wide.

The Lady of the Manners needs at least five yards, because the envisioned dress includes a bustle. (Oh, my heart!)

It has been suggested that the Lady of the Manners buy black and WHITE fabric, and dye it, but, perfectionist that she is, she is afraid that she wouldn't be able to dye it evenly. So she waits for the right fabric to come along.

And -- this request got me thinking. If I put up a quick-wiki/bulletin board page of "fabric requests" would you folks visit it, both to post requests and to help fulfill them? Does such a thing exist anywhere else? I wouldn't provide any kind of ecommerce support -- you'd have to email each other and make arrangements for sales and swaps yourselves -- but would simply having such a space be helpful? Let me know in the comments.