Friday, July 6, 2012

Tutti Frutti

Sherry recently wrote an interesting post about style rules and it got me thinking about how much I dislike any rules which tell people what they should or should not wear. I'm short (or petite as it's now euphemistically called). "Style rules" usually say that I shouldn't wear bold prints and should dress in one colour from head to toe. Well, I say screw that. I love bold prints and usually wear a rainbow of colours. This dress is pretty typical of the kind of thing I wear every day.  



Aside from being a bold print (which I shouldn't wear), the fabric breaks another style rule. The print has both red and pink in it which are not meant to be worn together.



The shoes worn with this dress probably break some style rules too. I wear my saddle shoes with almost everything, though. I like the way they make fancier dresses look more casual.


I used a mish mash of two Burda patterns for this dress. The skirt is made from the Jenny pencil skirt. The bodice is made from a modified dress pattern that I got from a Burda magazine from the library.


I made a pleated inset for the front waist based on one of my vintage dresses. It's pretty much just a rectangle with three pleats that's sewn into the side seams. 

This was a really quick dress to sew up. I started it the day before I went to away for a few of days. I pretty much finished it that same day. I did the hem and a few other bits of hand sewing while I was away, in between scouring small town op shops and visiting my grandma.     

43 comments:

  1. Oh no! Not the 'rules'! I work in a shoe shop and have a seemingly endless battle with the crazy rules customers try to tell me about. One of the most annoying is when they say "I used to wear that colour but I'm too old for it now.' I have a number of people on strict orders to shoot me if I ever say anything like that. I love this dress and I think it looks fantastic on you, and hope you never, ever feel like you're too old for it. :)

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    1. Ugh, I hate anyone saying they're too old to wear anything. Thanks! I only plan to get more colourful with age so I'm sure I'll never feel like I'm too old for it.

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  2. I'm not a fan of style rules either, why should everyone fit a stereotype. This dress is gorgeous, what a fabulous make! Xx

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    1. Exactly. Everyone should just wear what they want. Thanks!

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  3. I hate rules, and like you, I just follow my instint and my eye.
    Would Picasso be Picasso if he would have follow the rules???
    You look grand and inspiring to me, dear friend.
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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    1. Yes, rules are boring and a lot of amazing people wouldn't be so inspiring if they followed the rules. Thank you!

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  4. I dislike the rules too, I think they are for people who can't dress or think for themselves when they follow them bit by bit. If someone needs help dressing that is fine, but following them like a rule is not for me. Dress how you wish & express your personality. People who stand out, stand out because they are leaders not followers, they pave the way instead of going where others have gone. I think you look marvelous, love that dress and sneakers :)) xx

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    1. Exactly! Some people like having rules because they don't know what to wear but I don't think people should be restricted by them. Thanks!

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  5. Oh I'm glad you agree! Keep on breaking those rules, and inventing your own, because you look fab doing so!

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  6. bah, rules are boring. You look great, pink and red look great together and do blue and green.

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    1. They are. Thanks! I love blue and green together too.

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  7. pffft, pink & red is the best colour combo ever!

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  8. Beautiful... I love red and pink together and I'm "petite" too but with a few extra kilos!

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    1. Thanks! Me too. I hate all the rules about being "petite".

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  9. Well, if your outfit is breaking the rules, I'll say break away! The dress is awesome! And I love your saddle shoes.

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  10. I just found your blog not too long ago and I thought you were TALL! So you must be doing ok! :) I am also short. I used to hear this one-"match your hose to your garment and your shoes for a longer line". You're breaking that one on both ends and it looks wonderful!

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    1. Ha ha, no, I'm pretty short. Yes, I was going to mention the 'matching your hose' one but I wasn't sure if that was still a rule people followed. Thank you!

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  11. And the oscar goes to Miss Camelia Crinolene for "The quickest dressmaker of the YEAR" award. I'd like to take a leaf out of your "quickness" book. Yeah screw the style wannabes! You always look sensational in your dresses. And I too imagined you were a tall lass - just goes to show ha! You wear it all well!

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    1. Ha ha, I'd like to thank my mother who taught me to sew and my sewing machine for (usually) working well. Thank you! I think I look taller in photos because I take them from hip height looking up.

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  12. God I hate the rules!! I think if we followed them only about three people in the world would be allowed to wear colour.

    I love that frock - looks beautiful on you

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    1. Yes! Everyone would probably just wear head to toe black if we all followed the rules, although lots of people seem to do that anyway. Thanks!

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  13. Oh that is one fabulous rule breaking wee dress!!!!! You look gorgeous in it!!!!!
    Yay to op-shopping and seeing your grandma. Looking forward to seeing the treasures you find.
    Love v

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    1. Thanks! I found lots of buttons and a felt hat while op shopping so I'll have to do a post on them.

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  14. You're short? Really? I always imagined you as quite tall. You look tall in your photos.

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    1. Yup, I'm short. I have quite long legs and I take photos with a tripod at hip level so that probably makes me look taller than I am.

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  15. pink loves red! ja. this dress is awesome and it looks great on you! love the details and the bold print.

    http://wardrobexperience.blogspot.de

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  16. That's one gorgeous dress, the fabric is just stunning!
    Rules? Pah! They're just made by inadequate women who feel the need to quash any creativity. If they had it their way we'd all be in beige pencil skirts.
    I'm a shortie, too! x

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    1. Thanks! Exactly. Down with beige. That's funny. I imagined that you were tall. You look it in your photos.

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  17. Even though I've met you several times I never noticed that you were short too, whoops. I agree about the 'rules' though, I am extremely pale, very short and towards on 'plus size' so there theoretically should be lots of things I can't wear. There was this regular customer at my old work who was into this colours thing whereby everyone (depending on their skin, eye and hair tone) had a 'set' of colours that they should wear exclusively. She'd always bring her swatches in and make comments about how people shouldn't be wearing this and that. It was so banal and ridiculous, and also insulting to insinuate that we didn't know how to dress ourselves properly.

    Anyway, you look excellent as always. Your sewing is so perfect and professional-looking. I am jealous of your scouring of small-town opshops, they're always the best.

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    1. Ha, I think when short people meet other short people they don't really notice because they seem average sized to them. I hate those stupid colour things. They always say I should wear really drab colours. That's super rude making comments about what people shouldn't be wearing. Thanks! Yes, small town op shops are my favourite.

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  18. Rules--ugh! I'm short, too, and I can't even imagine wearing the same color head to toe. And no bold prints? That is NOT ME at all.

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    1. I know, that one colour head to toe rule is stupid. I think everyone should just wear what they want.

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  19. But I like breaking the rules. I love this dress! & the shoes too.

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  20. I really like the pleated inset - nice work! :)

    And break the rules all you want!! that's what's fun!

    Cheers,
    Victoria

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    1. Thank you. Yes indeed, breaking the rules is fun.

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  21. Hello there, just found you, though I see many of my blog pals are already here!
    Rules? Oh please, wouldn't it be boring if we all dressed the same way. Some of the most inspiring and stylish people I know clearly follow their own hearts and instincts about clothing/styling, and have never followed a single rule!
    That dress is a stunner, gorgeous print and colours, and you look beautiful in it.
    Rules are for fools!
    Love Curtise xx

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    1. Nice to (internet) meet you. Yes, the world would be boring if everyone followed the rules. Thank you!

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  22. Love the dress, but the shoes make the outfit for me! The rules are so homogenizing and leave little room for self-expression. Give me your style any day over rules.

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