Author: Erin

A Resounding "Meh"

Erin8 Comments

So at first I was thrilled to hear that Liberty and Apple were collaborating on a line of Liberty-print laptop cases and bags: two of my favorite things, together! My current laptop sleeve is nicely utilitarian, but is the world's most boring taupe-y gray. (I think it's the color androids paint their living rooms.)

And then I actually clicked through, to see: 

Picture 1

Meh, right? I mean, there are literally dozens of Liberty fabric designs currently available, and they picked one that shouts "Grandma's Nightgown"? They also do a leather Ianthe, but Ianthe is the Liberty version of Death By Chocolate—sure, it's nice and all, but it's not SURPRISING.

I mean, even Strawberry Thief would be cooler than this pattern (Edenham). C'mon: Apple, Liberty, I know you can do better than this. WWSJD?

First Review!

Erin9 Comments

The first review of The Secret Lives of Dresses has shown up in my feed reader … from Sarah at the blog Domestic Sluttery:

As the author of A Dress A Day, Erin McKean conjures up the most beautiful descriptions of clothes, including a cherry pie print blouse that sent me straight to eBay. In Mimi's shop, Dora discovers that each item comes with a story, and these were absolutely beautiful. The dress that is only for dancing, the dress that is for a very particular meeting…

Although certain elements of the plot were a little predictable for me, The Secret Lives of Dresses is a heart-warming and lovely book that would make a great Christmas present for any vintage lover.

Thanks Sarah! Of course, the book isn't out until February, but I assume they still have book tokens in the UK, right? (I used to love reading about book tokens in children's books. And speaking of children's books, the cover image at that post is for the UK edition — doesn't it look very Noel Streatfeild? I am so lucky in my book covers …)

Today's Pattern Huh? (and Sale): Simplicity 4672

Erin25 Comments

And double-huh on the postures ...

Caption: Somewhere, deep in the land of WTF accessories, these women have lost their way. See how the blonde in the back is yodeling for help, while her sisters are oblivious to their fate?

Believe it or not, the hat and muff pattern come with this dress. Because someone, somewhere, looked at this perfectly nice dress and thought, "What this needs is FUR! Fur cuffs! A fur hat! A fur muff!" And since everyone else just wanted to go to lunch, or even just get back to their real work, they all nodded and filed out of the conference room in a collective shrug of "what can you do?"

A fur hat, sure: leaving the ethics of fur aside (let's pretend it's fake fur), it's kinda kicky, kinda Moscovite. And it's up there on your head where it can't do any damage. But: fur cuffs? I've never seen a garment where fur cuffs didn't turn into disgusting unwashable dust and germ magnets. It's like wearing Swiffers at the end of your arms. 

And muffs! Muffs are the anti-pocket. Let's see: why don't we take your perfectly functional hands, and shackle them in front of you in a hot sweaty upholstered tube you can't put down? Brilliant! What do you do with a muff when you (just for example) want to shake hands? Blow your nose? Unlock a door? Unless it's lined with nickels so you can use it as a cosh, I can't see the point. And even then, the "beautiful girl pulls a teeny-tiny gun from a muff" schtick is so cliche I bet just carrying a muff gets you extra screening at the TSA checkpoints.

However: the dress itself is lovely, and Sandra is having a 20% off fall sale, through Wednesday. Just mention “dressadaySale” in the checkout (and yes, you can combine the sale with Sandra's shipping discounts)!

 

 

Well, baby, you can turn me on

Erin5 Comments

Gold_sexbomb

I love this dress from Holly at Lucite Box. This falls into the "It's so obvious, it must be ironic!" category — don't you think?

I can see it worn that way — ironic Brooklyn hipster style — with a long fuzzy sweater and flats, or (heaven forfend) those slouchy elf boots that have inexplicably returned from the dead. Or you could rock it straight-up with classic stiletto heels and big hoop earrings.

To modernize it, you'd have to wear those (also largely inexplicable) open-toe wedge-heel booties that I see everywhere and a Balmain shoulder (unless the Balmain shoulder is already out? I can't keep track).

If this is your size, I'd jump on it — it's a great holiday-party dress and it's only $85! 

Today's Pattern Story (and Sale): Simplicity 2263

Erin4 Comments

Simplicity_2263

Blue: This flu season has been terrible. I've been having to keep handkerchiefs in every pocket. 

Brown: I see that. But you should really wear a hat — bare heads always lead to colds.

Blue: I didn't have a handkerchief earlier … I had to improvise. With my hat.

Brown: Suddenly, I'm not feeling so well either. 

Sheila at Out of the Ashes is having another camping sale, now through Monday — 15% off the patterns at her store, with the coupon code CAMPING. Have at it!

Mad, Plaid, and Dangerous to Know

Erin30 Comments

Lands End Canvas plaid dress

I am verrry tempted by this Lands' End Canvas plaid shirtdress. I've been looking for plaid fabric to make some shirtdresses, but I haven't seen anything I like that isn't an authentic tartan (at a kajillion dollars a yard). This dress is only $80 (and there are many, many LE promo codes for $15 or $20 off purchases of $75 or more).

Lands' End Canvas is LE's new younger line — basically, it's J.Crew-like styles, with LE-type sizing. (Win-win, in other words.) I've bought a cardigan sweater and a short-sleeved sweatshirt from LEC, and been happy with both — okay, I'm only happy with the sweatshirt on a philosophical level, because there's never been a short-sleeved sweatshirt in the history of of either sleeves or sweatshirts that's been flattering on anyone over an A-cup (can you say 'blocky fleece torso"?), but I'm wearing it now and it's very comfy on a rainy California day in front of the computer. 

Back to the dress. It's cute, it has pockets, and if I buy it, it will satisfy my current plaid hankering without requiring me to figure out which branch of my ancestry qualifies me to wear which design. Sounds like a plan to me — what do you think? 

Today's Pattern Story: McCall's 6782

Erin12 Comments

McCalls_6782

Stripes: How many times are we going to have to rehearse this?

Belt: Until you get your back foot right, evidently. Also, your hand is too low.

Stripes: I can't get it up past my hair.

Floral: That can't possibly be your hair.

Stripes: I own it, so it's mine.

Belt: Hurry up and let's get this right. This scarf is gonna leave a welt.

[Director, from offstage: "One more time, girls!"]

All three: I hate the chorus.

 

 

Wait 'Til Next Year

Erin15 Comments

You know how some people have a go-to little black dress, which they can wear to anything? I feel like I need a go-to costume, for the same purpose.

McCalls4336

It's too late for this year, but I feel like this dress, made in silver lamé knit, would be THAT DRESS. Obviously, it could be any kind of Space Empress, but also you could turn it into a robot, or add some kind of tabard and be a playing card, or a knight, or any number of things. And if you did it right you would never be cold on Halloween, and you wouldn't have to worry about showing too much skin, or uncomfortable shoes, any of the other dumb things that come with costume-wearing. Silver hooded dress: the savior of Halloween. (It's almost as good as a gorilla suit!)

The jumpsuit … could also be a costume. A very, very scary costume.

This dress is even ON SALE: Jen of MOMSPatterns is having a Halloween Weekend sale of 20% off until The Witching Hour of Midnight (ET) on October 31, 2010. Coupon code is 'sewscary'. [Geddit?]

In Which The Blue Gardenia Puts Up With My Wiseassery

Erin7 Comments

Denise at The Blue Gardenia very kindly asked me to send her information about my sewing den for her sewing spaces project … you can check it out (with some slightly-off-kilter pictures) here!

I was a little tired and punch-drunk when I answered her questions, so I apologize for exceeding your RDA of facetious answers (if you're wondering, the RDA is 3 for adults, 1.5 for children). 

Here is a special bonus bad-quality cell phone picture of shoeboxes full of notions, just for you!

CIMG0175