Today's Pattern Story (and Sale)

LOUISVILLE, KY— The nation's first academy for doughnut-shop hostesses has held its inaugural graduation ceremony last Saturday. The class, of ten aspiring fried-dough doyennes, graduated in an hour-long ceremony which featured a ten-minute silent intermission at the halfway point, "In homage to the hole," Academy Director Gilda Grant pointed out.

"Doughnuts are important in our culture," Grant said in her commencement address. "They are eaten by bums and presidents, by children and the elderly, by the police and by criminals alike. Serving doughnuts is a sacred responsibility."

Members of the first graduating class were equally solemn. "I am looking forward to the day when everyone knows the difference between a cruller and a buttermilk cake," said Sandy Muller, of Fells Point, Wisconsin.

Employment prospects seem bright for these students; many have already received offers from doughnut shops in their hometowns. But with their new credentials, they can afford to be picky. "I got an offer from a place in High Point," said one student, who didn't want to be named. "But they spelled it D-O-N-U-T, so I turned them down."

Grant expects that enrollment in the academy will continue to increase. "In hard times and in good, people want doughnuts. And doughnuts are tastier when served by a trained professional."

[Today's pattern is from Sheila at Out of the Ashes, who is offering 15% off through Wednesday night -- use the code BIGTHANKS. Thanks, Sheila!]

Today's Pattern Story (and Sale)

Blue Dress: Why is she wearing a hat? I thought we all decided on no hats.

Floral Dress: I'm glad I decided to wear a hat. I was having a terrible hair day.

Blue Dress: And the bag, too! We said no bags!

Floral Dress: I look especially chic when I hold my arms like this, but man, it hurts. Good thing I remembered the bag, even though it's heavy. A bag really gives you the excuse you need to hold your arms all funny.

Blue Dress: I hope she knows I'm going to report her to the Sartorial Committee.

Floral Dress: I look so good, I'm a shoo-in for the Sartorial Committee!

Blue Dress: Well, maybe with all her code violations no one will notice I'm not wearing my gloves. My bracelets are completely chic. I'm sure to be elected to the Sartorial Committee.

Floral Dress: It's too bad that she's not wearing her gloves. That'll black-ball her from the Sartorial Committee for sure.

[Today's pattern courtesy Jen of MOMSPatterns -- who is having a sale through Halloween; use coupon code 'dressup' on any order and save 15%!]

A couple of Friday shirtdresses, a couple of Friday sales ...

Janet at Lanetz Living is off to the lake this weekend, but her site is having a 15% off sale while she's gone -- through Monday at midnight (CST)! (Use the coupon discount code LAKE in the box on the shipping page.)

And Rita at Cemetarian is having a sale, too, which mean you can get this doozy for 15% off (you can get 15% off anything from now until Oct. 15, with free shipping in the US, too -- [edited to add] use the code LUV):




I don't know how you could possibly choose between these two. I recommend grabbing 'em both. On your mark, get set, GO!

See What I Mean?

Why isn't anyone wearing THIS on the red carpet? This would be what I'd make if I had to do a red-carpet ANYTHING. This would be stunning in old-gold satin, with maybe tulle for that bit sticking out at the side between the scallops. Or a deep, deep fuchsia pink for a blonde. That petal bodice is to die for, and would show off a necklace (and other things) beautifully.

Who would you put in this dress? What shoes? I think NOT strappy sandals, but an open-toed d'orsay satin pump, with a diamante buckle.

[This pattern's from Lisa's Vintage Fashion Library and it's a repro, which means it's available in a range of sizes (bust 32-48) ... for only $19.50! And she's running a sale through the 27th, in honor of her last teenager turning twenty! Use the code THOMAS for 20% off.]

Today's Pattern Story (and Sale)

The Winner and First-Runner-Up of the World Supercilious Gaze contest pose for newspaper reporters and photographers in Weehawken, New Jersey. The final judging of the contest was delayed twice because the contestants made several judges burst into tears and run from the dais.

The top prize in the contest is a year's supply of eyebrow pencil, donated by Revlon; the runner-up receives a stammered apology and a limp handshake.

The winner, Louisa Mcintosh, refused comment, favoring reporters with a version of her prize-winning stare. The runner-up, Candace Watson, added an eye-roll, which would have disqualified her in competition.

Next week Weehawken will host the World Simpering Contest, which will be held Saturday morning from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Elks Hall. The current winner, Maisie Degabretti of Weehawken, will defend her title against competitors from as far away as Old Lyme, Connecticut.

[Today's pattern from Sheila at Out of the Ashes -- she's running a sale through the 27th, use the checkout code CLEANING!]

I'm Not Dead

Just crazy-busy, unlike the women in this pattern illustration:




I feel that these ladies, if not ladies of absolute leisure, spend their copious free time in those stereotypical pursuits of reading novels and eating bon-bons. Plus, hairstyles like the ones here require tremendous maintenance and make me think that the most strenuous thing they do all day is put up with pudgy, sweaty men winking at them and calling them "Sugar."

That hair just doesn't say "day job" to me. Unless you're Dolly Parton, in which case you get to call OTHER people "Sugar," while working three times as hard as anyone else in heels three times as high. That woman amazes me. (And her singin' ain't bad, neither.)

Do I sound jealous of these women on the pattern envelope? I may be, but only of the ruffles. I covet those ruffles. (And maybe the bon-bons. I've been in California a MONTH and have had NO See's Candies. That's just wrong.)

If you think this dress would magically transform you into such a creature, you're in luck, because Wendy at PatternStash is offering 20% off everything today and tomorrow. You can use the money you save for more bon-bons. (Or a fall. Whichever.)

Happy Anniversary!

In celebration of Jen's site MOMSPatterns being up & running for three solid years, she's running a Happy Anniversary To MOMS Sale (combined with a Labor Day sale) through the weekend! Save 25% on by using coupon code 'yayjen' until Tuesday, September 8, 2009 at midnight EST.

Jen's also just moved another 50 patterns to the Sale Section which has patterns priced from $1-$5. AND she's still adding 30-40 patterns every day for you to choose from. (And she offers combined & discounted shipping for multiple purchases.) Happy Anniversary!

Lisa at the Vintage Fashion Librarian is giving away a Mood Fabrics bag (of Project Runway fame)! Very spiffy.

Sorry for the light posting folks, but in addition to moving across the country for my internet startup, I *just* finished (the first draft, anyway, I expect my awesome editors to add some of their awesome to it) of The Secret Lives of Dresses novel, due out next year from Grand Central (in the US) and Hodder (in the UK). Whew!

This Week's Pattern Story (and sale)

Green Dress: I'm just going to pretend to whisper something in your ear to make Sally jealous.

Stripey Dress: You know that stuff only works in movies, right?

Green Dress: No, really. It works. Even I want to know what I'm saying to you right now.

Stripey Dress: You do know what you're saying to me right now. You're saying it.

Green Dress: Well, as long as I'm here, we might as well catch up! What's new with you?

Stripey Dress: I've started to indulge unreasonable people in their follies.

Green Dress: Really, who?

Stripey Dress: You can tell when you see the look of resigned (yet good-natured) indulgence on my face.

Green Dress: Oh, okay. I'll keep an eye out.

Stripey Dress: Sigh.

[Pattern from Penny at Antique Dollhouse of Patterns, who is having a sale
-- 10% off. (She'll refund through Paypal.)]

[Jen at MOMsPatterns is also having a sale, through Friday -- save 20% until Midnight EST Friday, August 28, 2009, just use coupon code 'backtoschool'.]

There's still some summer left ...

Holly at Lucite Box Vintage tipped me off that she is having a sale ... 15% off any item on the site using the coupon code madmen. The sale started today and runs through Saturday 8/22.

I am such a sucker for large-scale plaids and this dress is a doozy. Plus, it's B40/W29, which is a forgiving size ... especially for some of our more well-endowed friends. And only $60, or just $51 on sale!

I would wear this with little flat shoes and a white or pink cardigan, and an ice-cream cone. The ice-cream cone is the essential accessory for this dress. I recommend mint-chocolate-chip, the bright green chemical kind, for contrast, or maybe even rainbow sherbet, if you want to be all matchy-matchy. And a bicycle. I would definitely add a bicycle. A Schwinn "Breeze" by preference, but that's really up to you. (They come in yellow ...)

This Week's Pattern Story (and sale)

Historians have long dismissed speculation that a secret international cabal of powerful women had plans to intentionally prolong WWII in order to increase male casualties, freeing up postwar positions of power and importance for women in government, industry, and the universities.

But recently discovered documents, including this sample pattern (never distributed) intended for the uniforms of the new world order, lend credence to these claims.

Professor Emerita Annabelle Rhys-Middleton, an expert in women's underground organizations of the 20th century, called the new find "Immaterial." She added "If such an organization existed -- and I'm not saying it did, mind you -- it just might have decided that beating Hitler was more important, in the long run, than dragging things out just to have a few more jobs."

"I mean, if you really want a society where women have more and more important jobs, all you have to do is promote a culture of binge drinking and dangerous sports among adolescent males, retarding their academic progress so that more women graduate with higher honors from the top universities. Then you just have to be patient. Wait, did I say that out loud?"

[Pattern is from Jen at MOMSPatterns, who is running a 15% off sale until the end of the month, with the coupon code 'lovepatterns' ... and she will still ship for free in US & Canada with the purchase of 5 or more and offer discounts internationally.]

A Proto-Duro, An Evil Queen, and Two Sales

Doesn't this look like another proto-Duro? I think the only reason I didn't make this back in 1980-whatever is that I probably didn't think that I had the chops. But the gray version, with the pink waist bow? Probably would have been MINE all MINE with a few extra hundred hours of practice. Of course, since I was fourteen, I had pretty much zero patience for practice, so thankfully or regretfully this means there are no pictures of me in anything like this.

But if you have a class reunion coming up and need this pattern, Wendy at PatternStash is running a sale today, tomorrow, and Sunday (July 17-18-19). For a 15% discount, put "Hot Summer Nights" in the note to seller, and your discount will be refunded through PayPal.

Do you know who else is having a sale now through Sunday? Sheila at Out of the Ashes! Just use the discount code DRESSY at checkout for 15% off. You might use your discount on this pattern:




This is TOTALLY the evil stepmother-queen from Snow White getting ready to go to bridge club, am I right? The black gloves are a dead giveaway -- red ones are too obvious, but the white ones show the blood of your enemies (or the small animals you sacrifice for haruspexy) something terrible. So black gloves it has to be.

A Very Brief Pattern Story (and a sale)

CAPTION:

"Too late, Ralph realized that he had absent-mindedly asked ALL the members of the typing pool to meet him for a drink after work."

[Pattern from Lisa at the Vintage Fashion Library, which is having an "overthehill" sale -- it seems it's Lisa's birthday (Happy Birthday!) this weekend, AND her oldest is leaving the nest Monday, AND another child starts college next month AND her youngest starts high school! Poor Lisa! (But think of all the extra space for patterns, Lisa!) So use the code "overthehill" to get 25% off at Vintage Fashion Library. If you want to use it at Miss Helene's (Lisa's other pattern site), put the code in the Paypal comment section, and Lisa will send you a refund. If you let her know in advance, Lisa can combine purchases from both sites, and accept credit cards at Miss Helene's. Whew!]

Oooooh, I like this dress (and it's on sale)

Pam at GlamourSavvy is having an anniversary sale, now through the end of July, with 35% off everything! Which makes this dress, originally $84.99, about $55. Nice! Just enter keyword "Celebrate" at checkout and discount will apply.

I reeeeeaaaalllly like this dress, by the way. (And I'm sure the fact that it was photographed by a swimming pool had NOTHING to do with. Honest.) It's very pretty, but it's cotton, so not too fancy. You could dress it down with flat sandals and turquoise beads and dress it up with some fancy jewelry and high heels. (This is an ideal "I've got to go to a wedding dress," too -- it's coral, not red!) The crinkly cotton won't get too wrinkly, and the lines are lovely. [Click on the image to visit the listing.]

Anyway, I'd definitely check out the GlamourSavvy sale ... this is not the only lovely dress hanging out by the pool!

Everything's Cooler with a Cape

I think this dress is aDORable. The pockets! The buttons! The CAPE! So cute. Even though the women in the illustration are obviously deciding which of the cater-waiters they will later kill, dismember, and eat.

This is also one of those rare pattern envelopes where I would follow the suggested color schemes slavishly. Red gingham-y print? Sure. Yellow poplin? You betcha. Then I'd make one in grass green, with white trim.

Even better? This pattern is on sale! That's right, Lisa at yourpatternshop is celebrating her one-year anniversary with a sale going on now. All items have been marked down 15% and can be used in combination with the "dressaday" code for free shipping to USA and Canada buyers. Happy Anniversary, Lisa!

This Week's Pattern Story (and sale)

PICTURE CAPTION, JUVENILE DETENTION QUARTERLY:
Teenagers at the Arkham Home For Wayward Girls live surprisingly normal lives, given the magnitude of the crimes they have committed. There are supervised outings for mini-golf (on a closed course); they have ice cream sundaes on Thursdays. They talk on the phone to young men from the Arkham Boy's Home (although no visits; most of the boys are serving adult sentences).

Their smocks, though not fashionable, are not institutional; the girls are allowed to pick their own fabrics and sew the smocks themselves, in Home Ec. "Trustys" (those without violent or suicidal impulses) are even allowed belts! And thanks to the generosity of the Tangee corporation, all the girls have ample supplies of lipstick and face powder.

[Pattern from What-I-Found Sewing Patterns.]

Oh, and here's the sale: at the EmmaLizz etsy shop, this Monday through Sunday (July 6th-12th) get 15% off your entire purchase plus free shipping. Just include the code "ADressADay" in the comments of your PayPal payment and Emily will refund the 15% and shipping back to you (since she can't do coupon codes at checkout). (What's EmmaLizz? Dress- and sewing-themed stationery!)

This Week's Pattern Story (and sale)

BLIND ITEM:

What notoriously snooty beauty and her identically-snooty twin, usually the bestest of friends, were seen giving each other the VERY cold shoulder this last week? Could it have anything to do with a certain Hollywood playboy who, when put to the (romantic) test, couldn't tell them apart? We heard that the playboy, when confronted, suggested that if you can't beat 'em, maybe you should join 'em ... and our sources say one sister said YES and the other said NO!

[Pattern is from Sandritocat, who is having a one-day sale day sale tomorrow (Tuesday, June 30th). She's offering 20% off and she'll combine with her free shipping offers. Use the code "DressaDay20%off" -- and you can either pay through PayPal and get a refund, or you can wait for a revised invoice. And even though the sale officially starts tomorrow, Sandra said you can go ahead and start shopping today, if you like.]

Bonus Pattern Story and Sale

The story of the Fourth Street Kitchen Gang is one of the most lurid in our city's history. With their razor-sharp spoons and bloody aprons, this gang of female -- and disturbingly feminine -- delinquents terrorized entire neighborhoods throughout the 1940s. Whether they were chasing down defenseless citizens and forcing them to eat pickled okra, or pelting passersby with biscuits solid as hardtack, no one felt safe. Their cackling laughter and cries of "feed 'em, Sally!" were the signal for those who knew what was good for them to retreat inside their own houses, after leaving tributes of flour, eggs, milk, sugar, and chocolate chips on their doorsteps. Those who did not provide tribute might find their houses or automobiles "breaded," "riced," dusted with "powdered sugar," or worse. Junior members of the gang infiltrated elementary schools to steal potatoes to arm their spud guns, while older members extorted "protection money" from local gardeners, grocers, and bakeries.

It was only after the end of the war and rationing that the power of the Fourth Street Kitchen gang was broken. With plenty of ammo to go around, the Maple Avenue Greengrocers crew started a devastating gang war for control of the city which finally drew police attention (before, the attitude of the authorities was that the gang activities were merely "girlish high spirits"), and which resulted in both organizations disbanding to attend home ec courses at the local vocational college in the hopes of "going straight," with some success. It is rumored that Penny "Paring Knife" Morton, the Fourth Street Gang's leader, after graduating with honors, went on to invent cookie dough in a tube.

(Pattern from Wendy at Pattern Stash, who is having a Summer's Here! sale this weekend Friday (today), Saturday, and Sunday. For 15% off, just put "dressaday" in the note to seller, and the discount will be refunded through PayPal.)

Happy Birthday, Lucite Box!

Lucite Box Vintage is one year old and is having a birthday sale! Holly says:

To mark the first birthday of Lucitebox, I'm having a major site wide sale that runs for the next ten days. Turning one is fun, so come and celebrate by checking out our vintage fashions--all of them are on sale now through June 19th.

New items will be added throughout the duration of the sale, so drop by frequently to see what's new. Thank you so much for your support and patronage. I really appreciate it!

And, just so you know -- Holly helped me with my Closet Cleanout 2009 project, in which I am releasing a lot of vintage back into the wild, instead of letting the poor dresses languish in my closet (or worse, in rubbermaid bins) all lonely-like. So (full disclosure) a few of the dresses in her sale are consigned from me.

Oh, and while I have your attention, a big project I've been working on opened up on Monday -- a project to find and describe all the words of English! You can check it out at wordnik.com. (It's still in early beta, but we hope you get what we're working towards!)

Memorial Day Sales!

Jen at MOMSPatterns (the pattern above is from her store) is offering 20% off from Friday (today) through the 26th (Tuesday). Jen's coupon code will be 'decorationday' since "it sounds purdier than 'memorialday'". Jen was striving to list 50 new patterns each day until the sale, so there's a good chance of doing some real stocking up on the oldies!

Wendy at Pattern Stash will have a 4 day sale over Memorial Day weekend - from Friday May 22nd to Monday May 25th. Just use the code Dressaday in the "Note to Seller" when checking out, and 15% of your total purchase will be refunded.

Rita at Cemetarian is in, too: she'll give 20% off anything on her website from Friday the 22nd through Monday the 25th. Use the coupon code "Summer".

Lisa is offering a combination discount: Memorial Day and Indy500 weekend: 10% off at the Vintage Fashion Library with coupon code
INDY500 (and you can combine this with your Miss Helene's purchases, if you let Lisa know in advance -- she has to set it up specially)!

Carol has a pre-Memorial Day sale running now until the end of today, 5/22. 25% off of all stock at www.dandelionvintage.com. Hurry!

Janet at Lanetz Living is running a "May Sale", put the word "May" in the coupon box and get 25% off your entire order. Good for one order only and expires June 14th.

Pam has three sites so she's running three sales! At Glamourstitch on ETSY:
Buy 2 patterns get one FREE! (In the notes section of your order simply state 'DressADay' and she will send you a revised invoice through PayPal.)

At www.GlamourSavvy.com they are having a 25% Off sale. Just type in 'Glamour' for the coupon code and the discount will automatically apply.

And finally, over at www.Glamoursurf.com they're offering 15% off with the same code ('Glamour') at checkout.

Trudy at HotPatterns is offering 20% off the "Vintage Hotpatterns" range today through Monday!

Penny at Antique Dollhouse of Patterns has had a rough week. (She lost one of her cats to liver failure and the other is not doing well.) To cheer herself up she is running a random sale, depending on the pattern: the discount will be at least 10% but possibly even 40%!

Sheila at Out of the Ashes is running a 15% off sale, Friday (effective 12:01 a.m.) through Monday.

Holly at Lucite Box is doing something a little different -- she's showing "featured items" on her home page in a gold oval frame. In that frame, she's featuring one item from each category on lucitebox.com.

During the four day sale, she'll mark-down items in that frame each day. The discount will vary depending on the item. Many of the discounts will be at least 20% off. Moreover, she's changing the featured items every day over the holiday weekend, so it's wise to check back often!

This Week's Pattern Story (and sale)

Jimmy: Why am I in this dress, again?

Janie: Because it's a movie, doofus. This kind of stuff happens in movies. You want to get into someplace that's all-girls, and I just *happen* to have a dress (and shoes!) that fit you perfectly, despite us being completely different sizes.

Jimmy: Why did I want to come with you?

Janie: Do I have to do everything in this plot? Am in voiceover right now? Do I have a name badge that says "Ask me to provide exposition?"

Jimmy: No, really, I don't know.

Janie: (heavy sigh) See that girl behind me? You loooooove her. Despite the fact that she can't accessorize.

Jimmy: Oh, okay. Thanks.

(pause)

Jimmy: All right, what do we do now?

Janie: Count to three, then duck before the explosion. When the rubble clears, go help her up. Then kiss.

Jimmy: I just want to be sure I have this straight. Kiss HER, right?

Janie: Next time I want to be in a werewolf movie.


[This pattern -- and a lot of other lovely ones! -- is on sale today and tomorrow at Sandritocat's Etsy shop! 20%, plus she offers free shipping with three or more patterns. Mention "20% off sale" in the notes section and then either wait for a revised invoice, or Sandra will refund the difference through Paypal. Enjoy!]

Fridays can be random, can't they?

First item of business: Lisa at the Vintage Fashion Library is a donation/sale event: Now through April 19th, you get 15% off your purchase price with keyword PINK, and 10% of your purchase price will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research.

(I really want this pattern at the VFL but it's not my size. Anyone got one in a 36/38? I don't have time to grade stuff right now ...)

Check out these super-cute uniform dresses! (Thanks, Jesse, for the link.) I haven't clicked through to the source page because I'm sure they are depressingly expensive. If I'm wrong feel free to let me know.

Just an update: did you know that the Vintage Pattern Wiki is one of the top sites on Wikia, in # of articles? (We're the top site if measured in pure stylishness.) Let's get cranking and knock those World of Warcraft guilds back on their heels!

Hana tells me there's a Duro-like tunic dress pattern available as a free download on the Burda site ... it looks pretty cute!

That's all for this random Friday; check in next week for slightly more ordered posts.

Vintage Sewing Contest! (Not An April Fool's Joke)

Michelle from Patterns from the Past reminded me that Pattern Review's Vintage Sewing Contest is starting up again!

First prize is a $100 gift certificate to Patterns from the Past; 2nd prize is a $50 gift certificate. If you were planning to work on a vintage sewing project between between April 1 - 31, you should consider entering it in the contest! (You must use a vintage sewing pattern printed between 1920 - 1976, not one of the new reproduction patterns. Here are the full rules.)

Michelle is also offering a 15% discount at Patterns from the Past during the contest. The discount coupon code is contest.

Good luck and happy sewing!

Oh, and a couple of not-a-joke sales, too:

Sandra at Sandritocat is running an April-Fool's-only sale -- 25% off today only -- and you can combine with her offer of free shipping with the purchase of three patterns.

Marge, at Born Too Late Vintage Patterns, is running a $5 sale! All patterns at her store are $5 (or less if marked less already). All you need to do is haggle the price to $5 and I'll accept it. She's running this sale from Friday April 3 to Friday April 10th.

Imparting a Sense of Urgency

I almost forgot to tell you that Lisa at Your Pattern Shop is having a big sale! Which ends TODAY, the 31st of March! I myself tend to shop sales their last day, because 1) I am disorganized and 2) I am disorganized. (I also have a large number of expired "FREE SHIPPING" coupons from Lands' End on hand at any one time. See #s 1 and 2 for an explanation.)

I kind of love this pattern here (which is ON SALE!!). Mostly for the yellow dress. I like to think that they are playing "Simon Says" and the woman in the yellow dress just realized that "Touch your cheek!" was NOT preceded by "Simon says ..." (The woman in blue's hat gave her just that extra second of mental processing time, which is why her hand is only halfway up.)

Anyway: the DETAILS of the SALE: all items are marked down 10%, plus use the dressaday code for an additional 10% off and free shipping with the purchase of 3 or more patterns! That's pretty good. Simon says check it out!

Matchmaking: Fabric and Pattern

Somebody needs to take this fabric (from Pins-n-Needles' Sewing Emporium):




Here it is at a different scale:





And make this dress (from MOMSPatterns.com) with it.




Volunteers?

Wouldn't it look adorable with a red patent belt and flats? I love narrow dresses in linen-look fabrics. They're so elegant and summery. And I (as you know) am SO TIRED of winter. And inelegance, come to think of it.

To make it easier for you to fulfill my request, Jen at MOMSPatterns is having a sale -- you save 20% off your order from RIGHT NOW until midnight EST Sunday, March 29, 2009. There are new patterns in the SALE section and she's listed tons and tons during the month of March ...

Sales and Stuff

PatternStash is having a sale March 20-22: She'll be offering a 15% discount in place of the usual 10% - just mention dressaday. (At Pattern Stash, shipping is just a flat $2.50 in the U.S. for all your patterns, no matter how many patterns you purchase.) (That's one of her patterns above, which I find both charming and disturbing in equal measure.)

www.GlamourSavvy.com is also having a Spring Sale. 25% off all items (including patterns) through the end of March. Just use code word "March" at checkout.

Also, I'm strangely tempted by this swimsuit:



Not that I think this cut would be especially flattering on me (or flattering AT ALL, mores the pity), but because I *LOVE* that color, and I had a swimsuit exactly that color when I was about eleven. I'm sure if I lie down for a little while this urge will go away, but if it doesn't for you, click on the image to visit the Popina Swimwear page -- it's on sale for $40.

Also -- all of you who've ever had a less-than-perfect dog? Need to read this blog. Go now, I'll wait.

Completely randomly: I like this t-shirt.

Less randomly: there is a giant button auction going on until March 22. (That's [giant][button auction], not [giant button][auction]. If there were a [giant button][auction], don't you think I'd post a picture?) Details here. (Thanks Brenda!)

Not Exactly The Meeting at Yalta, But Close

So, Jen of MOMSPatterns is taking a trip from sunny Florida (VERY SUNNY, as she KEEPS REMINDING ME) to Indianapolis (STILL WARMER THAN CHICAGO) to meet up with Lisa of The Vintage Fashion Library & Miss Helene's Vintage Sewing Shoppe! This meeting of Sewing Pattern Divas is being celebrated by a sale at their sites. They're using coupon code 'watchoutworld' and you will save 15% off your orders starting right now, and it can be used through NEXT weekend. (Lisa can't do coupons up front at Miss Helene's, so just put the coupon code in your paypal payment, and you'll receive your 15% back as a refund.) Sale ends Midnight EST on Sunday, March 15, 2009. Also, Jen's poor hubby will be handling her orders and is running away for the weekend, so orders from MOMSPatterns will be processed Friday night, then not again until Monday afternoon.

Also: GREAT NEWS! The Antique Dollhouse of Patterns is OPEN AGAIN! Yay, Penny! I'm glad your site is back up!

PS: Lisa: have you told Jen she's going to need one of these?

Is it Friday already?

It's been a busy week, and I'm unclear as to which day of it we have attained. But my sources say it's Friday, which means that Wendy of Pattern Stash is having a sale today, Saturday & Sunday. She'll be offering a 15% discount in place of the usual 10%. Use the code Voguesale.

At Pattern Stash, shipping is just a flat $2.50 for all your patterns, no matter how many patterns you purchase (in the US only, sorry)!

And at her new shop patternstash.ecrater.com all the patterns are new and uncut, and shipping is free.

That's her pattern there, that really 1960s bridal gown. I love that skirt and the short sleeves; not so sure about the chokey collars on the attendants' dresses.

Also, xstpenguin sent the embroidered logo for the Air Hostess Corps, from Urban Threads:




So. Awesome, yes?

A few small things

Sandritocat is having a Valentine's Day sale, ending Sat. 2/14. Anyone who purchases from her shop will be entered into a a giveaway of a $25 Gift Card to use in her store. Each pattern you purchase will give you one entry. (She is going to have her 7 year old draw the name, which should ensure total randomness!) The pattern above is available on her shop ... click on it to visit!

If you're Chicagoland-local, Mary Beth is teaching a hat-making class this Sunday, and then again on the 22nd! The first Sunday class is almost full, so hurry-scurry! (Sadly, I'm booked solid both of those days, or I would be there ...)

Oh, and one of the reasons things have been a little quiet around here lately is because I'm filling in for Jan Freeman at the Boston Globe for a few weeks. You can read my columns on correcting people (don't) and Twitter, if you like.

Other quickies:

Amy sent a link to Little Dresses for Africa.

Carol P. sent a link to this fantastic Garden of Eden dress. It won top design prize at the annual meeting of the International Textile and Apparel Association. I wish I'd know about them before, their last meeting was in Schaumburg (very close to Chicago).

More Fabric To Covet

So yes, the nice folks at Sew Bettie Fabrics have LURED me into looking at their site by offering you, dear readers, 10% off with the coupon code "PINK". The fabric above is one I am seriously considering buying two or three miles of. I have a weakness for that color and abstract plaids. (I just like the CONCEPT of "abstract plaid.")

I also love their mustache print, which is calling out to be a stunt dress if ever any fabric was; I just don't have a suitable mustache-related event to make a dress for. (And actually, the idea of there being a suitable mustache-related event scares me a little, so, please, no suggestions in the comments.) Here, see for yourself:




And this chain-link fabric: want. Perhaps to use with this pattern.




They have some other great prints, too, including a bike print (for those of you who liked my bike fabric a while back). One caution -- the fabric is priced in fat quarters, so be careful when you place an order that you don't get much, much less than you expect!

Sale!

Sandritocat is having a sale! It starts 1/16 at midnight and will last until 1/18 at midnight. (I'm not sure whose midnight ... you might want to shop early, just in case.) Receive 20% off your order, and you can combine this sale with the free shipping offer (but no other offers). When you order, mention "3 Day Sale" in the message box. You can either wait for a revised invoice or, if you want to pay immediately through Paypal, Sandra will refund the difference.

It is so freakin' cold here in Chicago right now that I can't even imagine when it would be possible to wear this dress, but I know lots of you are in warm places ... Remind me what that feels like? You can tell me after I put on this third pair of socks.

More Sales

Okay, one more post about a sale before I sort out just who got the WORST and BEST Xmas presents ... Marge is closing her Born Too Late Vintage store (don't worry, Born Too Late Vintage Patterns is still going strong) and so you should hurry over and make some offers. (Especially if you have a thing for hats, she has a ton of wonderful hats!)

I really love this rayon/cotton paisley shirtdress, B36, only $25 (or make Marge an offer)!

Blue Gardenia's Sale ...

Denise at Blue Gardenia is having her yearly sale ... here are the details:

Another shameless plug. Forgive me. Please. But the mortgage must be paid. The pups must have their treats. And His Bertness has a fondness for Haagen Dazs. Oh, the list, it is endless. Truly.
So. Take your seats. The curtain's rising. The drums are rolling. Etc.
I announce, without further ado, The Blue Gardenia's once-a-year sale. And it's a doozy. Really. Purchase any three items — patterns, jewelry, mix and match — and get 33 percent off. Yup. 33 percent. Is that fabulous or what? You can buy ten, twenty, thirty items, forty even, and you'll get 33 percent off the total price. And your purchase will come lovingly shipped, as always. The patterns carefully stored in archival wrap with backing boards, the jewelry in classy boxes. And you don't have to stand in line with the riff raff. No pushing. No shoving. No smelly armpits or aching, swollen feet.

Early next week I'll choose the winners of the best/worst present ever contest ... so there's still time to look at your haul from Thursday and say "What were they thinking?"

Stuff I Forgot

Holly at LuciteBox Vintage asked me to point out that even though she'll be away from the 22nd-28th, she'll be shipping again on the 29th, AND the discount (15% off anything on the site) and the donation (10% to Books Through Bars in honor of the purchaser) still applies until the 27th!

And I missed a whole slew of stuff from Pamela (of GlamourStitch, GlamourSavvy, and GlamourSurf ... and Glamoursurf, by the way, is offering 20% off through Dec 31, enter the keyword "Santa")

So you could get a discount on something like this:



Or this:



Or you could just head over to Glamourstitch for this:



Or to Glamoursavvy for these boudoir shoes, which if they were my size, would have never seen the light of blog (despite the fact that my nightwear now consists solely of exercise clothes, so as to obviate one more excuse to avoid the treadmill, and these would look ridiculous with Target flare-leg yoga pants):



Whew! Okay, now I think that's it. But if not, email me!

This might be the last of it ... did I forget anybody?

Janet at Lanetz Living couldn't choose just three patterns (and I can't blame her) ... instead, she created a special 25% off coupon for you! Use the code "xmas" when they check out and it will automatically be deducted. Plus, Janet offers free Shipping in the USA and Canada when 3 or more items are purchased. (International shipping is discounted with three or more items.) The coupon will be good from now until New Year's Day.

Janet has over 200 Vogue Designer patterns to choose from ... has newly listed McCalls Needlework Magazines from the 1930's to 1950's ... and (my favorite) dozens of shirtwaist dresses that span the era from the 1940's to today!

Holly at Freudian Slips Vintage says that Dress A Day readers will receive a 10% discount off anything from her website if you type in coupon code RUDOLF. Check out with the shopping cart as usual, then click "recalculate" to receive the discount from your order. The discount will run from now until the 20th of December only, and will finish at midnight UK time.

If you're looking for something to spend that discount on, you might want to peep at these:










Whew! I think that's it; see you after Christmas! Happy Holidays!

Almost done ...

Sheila at Out of the Ashes has created a coupon JUST for Dress A Day readers good until December 26 for 15% off instead of the usual 10% - yay! Put in PRESENT at checkout it's not too late to get a pattern for a New Year's Eve dress ...

Tina, at What-I-Found offers these for your holiday listmaking:










These are from Lisa at Miss Helene's:










And these are from the Vintage Fashion Library:

Oh, Oh, Oh ... Merry Christmas!

Birgit at Stitches and Loops sent me these, and only my sense of bloggish responsibility kept me from buying all of these myself and not posting them:










Christine at Alley Cats has these for some lucky Jazz Age babe:










Hotpatterns is doing a sale: buy any two of their three bestselling dresses and get the bag pattern of your choice free! (You have to email in your choice of bag pattern to sales@hotpatterns.com and they will add it to the order -- Offer ends Dec 31st! One of their three bestsellers is this one, which I love and plan to make Real Soon Now:

Are you ready for more?

Of course you are. Karen at Mystique Vintage is offering these three charmers:

A great sheath dress pattern:




Some really nice floral 1940s fabric:



And, for the girl who has (nearly) everything: a faux-fur and satin hanky-holder. You know, for the vanity table:




Karen has also added a gift certificate feature to her site through Paypal - good on all items for sale at Mystique Vintage (with no expiration date!) and in denominations of $5.

Amy at Viva Vintage has this heartbreakingly wonderful vintage coin charm bracelet:




And this mother-of-pearl bracelet:




And this wool cape and muff set, which is so vintage it looks like it's from the future!




Oh, and Deborah sent me this link to an Etsy necklace supposedly inspired by this blog! I am very, very flattered.

And Even More Holiday Shopping

Marge at Born Too Late has the perfect suit for your Mad Men-obsessed friend:




She's also got this sparkly green cocktail dress, this really cute Anne Adams newspaper pattern and this Vogue pattern (ahem, Santa, I've been really good this year ...) And Marge is giving 10% of the purchase price of all items (not including shipping) to the Salvation Army through the end of December!

Carol [not Caroline, as I had it earlier! ooops!] at Dandelion Vintage has a great selection of vintage purses (including this mock-croc doctor's bag):




And if you're giving a bag, why not put a vintage hanky in it? Carol also has lovely vintage aprons, which make great gifts whether the recipient cooks or not (if she does, it's useful; if she doesn't it's funny).

More Holiday Shopping!

More holiday shopping ...

Rita at Cemetarian suggests these wonderful things ...

I love this old dress ad -- an inexpensive frame from the craft store and you have a fun present:



This vintage knitting book would make a great gift for, well, knitters. If you're feeling flush, included the recommended amount of yarn ...



I *really* want the guy's sweater in this booklet, shown here (but not enough to learn how to knit, sadly):



And if you still need a dramatic holiday dress, I bet you could get this in time ... I would make it in tartan, myself. (Because, yes, I *enjoy* looking like a sofa ...)



Rita is offering 10% off with the code adad ...

AND: Kathleen at Little Hunting Creek is offering a free handmade baggage tag (and they are CUTE) with every purchase over $25. And if you buy three or more patterns, you still get free shipping! (Put "Dressaday" in the comments.)

Holiday Shopping

So, here's the deal. I haven't even come close to finishing my holiday shopping yet -- I celebrate Christmas, so I'm gonna call it Christmas shopping, please feel free to substitute the name of any holiday you like -- and I haven't even had time to even look, for the most part. And I figure, with the way things are in the world, a lot of you might not have finished yours, either. And time's a-wastin'!

One of the things that's been holding me back, shopping-wise, is that I didn't really feel like buying mass-produced, cookie-cutter things for people who are (to me) one-in-a-million. I'm planning to do a little shopping on Etsy, and at craft fairs, but I've been looking for cool vintage stuff for folks, too.

So I asked all the lovely folks who advertise with me what they would suggest as presents for vintage-loving or sewing-loving folks, and send me some links, and I'll be posting them all week (sometimes several times a day, if I can manage it ... I got sent a lot of links!) so check back early and often!

I know a lot of folks hesitate to give vintage, since it usually can't be returned, and because you really have to know the recipient for it to work. But really, this year -- if you gave something from Linens-N-Things, well, that can't be returned now either! And a really great vintage dress is so much better made than almost anything modern -- if you're not entirely sure of someone's size, give it and an offer to get it tailored to fit them. (Personally, I'd rather get one fantastic vintage dress, even if it didn't quite fit, than ten "eh" presents ...)

First up is Holly from LuciteBox, who sends three fantastic dresses ...

I would send this one to a best friend who is looking for a cool but still possibly office-y dress:



This one is definitely a teen-ager's dream ...



This one I think folks might be tempted to get for themselves ... New Year's Eve is coming up ... or maybe you should forward this to your significant other?



But wait! There's more! Holly is offering NOT ONLY 15% off any purchase on her site (with the coupon code: pleasegive), she will ALSO donate 10% of the order total (less shipping) to Book Through Bars, our charity this year!

Here's the sweet part. Every customer who shops using the pleasegive coupon code also gets to be entered into the pool of names to be chosen for a character in the upcoming "Secret Lives of Dresses" book. If you've already been entered, you'll have increased your chances of getting chosen when part of the proceeds of your purchase are given to Books Through Bars. (Holly promises to send me your name right away.) This offer expires on December 27th, 2008.

How can you resist that? The dresses, plus the discount, plus the donation?

A Congerie

It's at MOMSPatterns, B34, $16.99. But probably not for long ...

These are awesome (Marimekko Memory Game tiles), although I think I would make them into a little mobile, instead.

This makes me wish I were going to London this weekend: £50 for all the vintage and costumes and paste jewelry that you can stuff into a bag? Whoa. (Thanks, Eirlys!)

Did you all know about the vintage fabric group on Flickr? And if so, why have you been holding out on me?

At least some of you are still sending me links, like Kristina and Cécile, who sent me to this Chinese ceramic dress art. And Kay sent me a link ages ago to this dress wallpaper (caution: some of the other wallpaper patterns on that site may not be Safe For Work).

If I had a spare gazillion dollars (and about three inches more height and a lot more hair: these coats really call for long wavy hair and a modicum of willowiness) I might spend some of my loot on an elaborate brocade military coat at Samiah.com.

And while I'm thinking about coats, did anyone but Jonquil notice the Pirate Queen jacket at EvaDress? It's not OFFICIALLY a Pirate Queen jacket, because you don't just go around advertising that you're a Pirate Queen. There should be a little stealth involved, at least until you come alongside and attempt to board.

Sometime this week -- tomorrow, I hope, since there's not a lot of week left -- I'll announce this year's Dress A Day charity effort, and some other good news!

In Which I Buy A Sweater (Harder Than It Sounds Dept.)

Last week Zappos.com offered me a $100 gift certificate to try their new clothing shopping "experience", and, after thinking about for a while (Pro: I like shopping online in general, and the Zappos interface in particular; Con: will it damage my Walter-Cronkite-like credibility to take free stuff to write about a shopping site?) I decided that sure, I'd give it a shot.

Honestly, after about an hour of browsing, I almost wrote back and said "thanks but no thanks" -- let's just say my taste in clothing and what was available on Zappos didn't have a lot of overlap. (Which is odd, because I can find a pair of shoes I desperately want on Zappos merely by clicking randomly on any page ...) There are a lot of very trendy clothes on Zappos, which would be a huge selling point for anyone whose fashion sense didn't crystalize roughly twenty years before they were actually born.

I thought for a while about this sweater (also gray, highly rated, and heaven knows I love cardigans) but I haven't been impressed by Three Dots stuff before, so I didn't hit 'buy' on that one.

This morning, though, I realized that I had never replaced my favorite "cozy for around the house, but nice enough to wear out to the post office" gray hooded sweater that got eaten up by SOMETHING (I refuse to countenance the possibility of MOTHS) winter before last. All last winter I tried to find a replacement, but my heart wasn't in it. But now I'm ready to move on.

Finding a gray hooded sweater on Zappos was really easy -- there's a nice drill-down interface, so you don't have to sort through too many irrelevant options. (It did take me a minute to figure out how to filter just for women's clothing, but only a minute.) The *huge*, well-lit, all-angles photos were great, too.

I wish there were actual garment measurements (or, if there were, that I could find them), but looking at the general cut of the clothes on the site (narrow, narrow, and narrower) induced me to order the Large (and Zappos has free shipping both ways, so it's not like making the wrong size choice is gonna cost me another $8.90 in postage).

The price points were a bit towards what I consider the "higher end" (this sweater was $104! Which I would not otherwise spend without a subsidy of at least $50); about the same as a mid-level department store, like Macy's.

Finding a sweater that had a kangaroo pocket was a bonus. I love kangaroo pockets. So cozy ...

In short: Zappos has a lot of clothing-type stuff, mostly geared (as far as I could tell) towards juniors/young misses. (Which is smart on their part, that's who spends a lot of money on clothes!) Their search system is clever and easy to use, which won't surprise anyone who has ever looked for shoes on the site. I would definitely use it again if I were looking for something in particular (like, say, a gray hooded sweater) ... I'm not much for just browsing, though, so I don't know if I'd go to their site just to hang around. I think it will improve as they add more vendors; I would much rather shop at Zappos than on most crappy, Flash-heavy, badly-organized boutique/manufacturers' sites ...

If I had to suggest a feature, I'd love something where I could ask to be notified when something came in that they didn't have any current listings for, like a red short-sleeved cardigan or a kimono-sleeved cardigan, or a way to suggest categories ...

Thus endeth the review. In other retail news, Little Hunting Creek is having a sale this week: ten percent off everything (to make room for holiday merchandise) through October 5 at midnight. The discount code is LHC10.

Pink Dots For Tea

I am oddly entranced with this Pink Dot Tea Dress which I found on the sale section of the Boden site (I went there last night to look for v-neck cardigans, which are on my "want" list for fall ... and got distracted by the on-sale stuff). It's only available in limited sizes, and only in pink, but ... it's cute! Click on the tiny image to visit their site and see a zoomable picture.

Boden calls this a Spotty Tea Dress, but that makes me think of less-pleasant things, so I will just call it a Pink Dot Tea Dress, if that's all right with y'all. Not that I don't spot myself with tea on a regular basis (drinking iced tea all day long as I do, and not being the most graceful of persons). And occasionally I'll spot other people to an iced tea. And more often than I like I break out in what the Brits call 'spots'. But I don't think I want a dress to remind me of that.

I've had generally good experiences with Boden; I have a printed twill coat of theirs which is one of my favorite things, ever. I haven't bought a dress from them yet, though, mostly because I really, really don't want to buy things without pockets. But if you don't have that odd compulsion, maybe this dress is for you? (Or you could try this one, which does have pockets -- but is only in smaller sizes.)

Post-fundraising drabble #5

She'll pull us both out, and lay us next to each other, and we think "Is this it? Are we going to be made?" We try to look tractable, reasonable, pretty. We try to look as if we'll get along. It's harder on the poor fabric than it is on me—if I get made once and it turns out badly, there's always a chance she'll blame the fabric, or fiddle with the fit, and try again. But once a piece of fabric is cut, there's no second chance. They're hardly ever recut into something else, at least in this house.

[Thanks to Jen at MOMSPatterns for the image ... and she's having a HUGE clearance sale to clear out some patterns before the end of the year! The sale is EXCLUSIVELY for her mailing list and people who read this blog and will last just one week, so hurry on over and grab yourself her best ones! Use coupon code 'merry25' and you'll save 25% off of any sized order! The sale will start the moment you read this and end at the stroke of midnight EST on New Year's DAY.]

Let's see, what else? Oh, THE WIKI IS OVER 3000! I won't give out the prizes until January, though, so keep on loading ... you guys rock.

I'll dole out the red-dress prizes after New Year's, too ...

And I had (completely unrelated to dresses) a piece in the Boston Globe yesterday, all about Christmas superstitions. I hope you and yours who celebrate have a lovely day (and that those who don't celebrate Christmas have a nice quiet day to do with as they please)!

If you have a sewing resolution for the next year, why not leave it in the comments? And then maybe next week sometime I will do a big roundup post about them. Mine is "Take the time to do things right the first time." We'll see how that works. See you all in 2008 ...

If you're a size XS ...

... then this dress, in this color, is on sale for $49 at JCrew. (Click on the image to visit the webpage.)




If you're not an XS, this dress probably won't work for you, although it is also available in L (but only in black and 'bright poppy'). (But if you're not an XS, those pesky breasts might get in the way.) But if you're small on top/small all over, this dress is so incredibly cute. It's cotton-rayon. No pockets, of course, but I'm pretending I didn't see that. Worn with a different-colored tank top underneath, of course. I'd do turquoise, or yellow, and definitely add a chunky mid-length necklace.

There's this color, too, also for the XSs among us:



I have to admit to a love-hate relationship with JCrew. They have so much cute stuff, in so many gorgeous colors (even if they are called froofy names like 'fir' and 'aubergine') and nearly all of it seems geared toward that clenched-jaw Katherine Hepburn phenotype: tall, narrow, angular. Not surprising, given their prepster-chic stylings, but disappointing to those of us not nearly so jawbone-and-elbow-y. Sadly, I haven't bought anything from them in years that got more than a cursory wearing. Yet still I look!

It's almost Labor Day, time to think about holiday parties

Since the fashion cycle has gotten so wonky, and since the advent of air-conditioning, and because of who-knows-how-many other reasons, quite a lot of dresses that no one in their right minds would wear in July are now sold then. Which means that by Labor Day, they are all on sale.

Take this one for instance, at Bloomingdale's, in a small range of sizes (although that range includes 24W!) going now for $69-79. It's all silk, and it's quite elegant. And yes, it also comes in black. (Click on the image to visit the catalog page.)

This is a perfect holiday-party dress for those of us who think bare arms and shoulders in December is a great way to catch a cold, and/or folks who hate managing a drippy shawl, or who just want to look a little more covered-up. It's so rare to find a holiday-party dress that's not bare and still looks witty and dashing and elegant -- something that is the female equivalent of the tuxedo, in fact, which I suppose is why this one works!

I think I would wear this with huge cloisonne beads or very large cloisonne cuffs, and high heels -- as high as I could manage. Maybe black patent heels with a very square heel and a round (or at least not very pointy) toe, so they would look like men's classic tuxedo pumps, and a black patent clutch. And red lipstick. Definitely red lipstick.

I would NOT wear it with a pin or brooch that featured any of the following: Christmas trees, Santa, candy canes, holly, blinking lights (especially not blinking lights that were intended to represent, say, a reindeer's NOSE), or the words "Ho Ho Ho." There's festive, and then there's festooned. There's a difference.