Category: Sales

Just in time for Holiday 2011

Erin5 Comments

Pendleton taffeta dress

I didn't realize Pendleton had a website until last week — I was doing a little belated Santa-ing and there it was. And it's a nice site, too. 

I know you're probably sick of holiday dresses at this point, and are planning to spend the next 30 days in workout clothes, but — hey, fully-lined silk taffeta (in sizes 4-18!) for $113.99? That's hard to beat. With the unusual square neck and cap sleeves, it's not another super-bare LBD, that's for sure — but still nicely festive. And think how smug you'll feel next Thanksgiving knowing you have a lovely holiday dress already in your closet?

And — thanks to you all, we hit the $1200 fundraising target! (Not by Dec 25, but hey, folks were busy.) New "secret lives" story imminent — and I'll keep the "writing prompts" poll open until I actually start writing. 

http://www.networkforgood.org/PCA/Badge.swf?BadgeId=114975

Still time to vote — the story will include the top-two vote-getters below:

http://modpoll.com/poll.js?pid=agdwb2xsMmdvcg0LEgRQb2xsGLvHlwYM&theme=&width=200

Today's Pattern Story (and Sale): In Uniform

Erin5 Comments

Advance_9259

 

I don't know what this dress is the uniform for, but please point me to the recruiting office (to picket it). The mitered tab-like thing at the front (partnered with the inverted pleat-entrance on the skirt) makes me think that something attaches there. Tab A, meet Slot B. But what is it? A cigarette-girl tray? Climbing harness? A front-mounted jetpack? 

Obviously, the woman in red is a commanding officer, and the woman in blue is … confused? Although, now that I think about it, a uniform that came in floral print would have me doubly-signing-up. Signing up for a double hitch? Something to that effect. 

You can't see it, because the illustration is unclear, but the ornament pinned to red-dress's shoulder is the Order of Confusing Uniform Merit, first class.

This dress is part of Sheila's current SALE, which runs Friday through Sunday night, 15% off.  The coupon code is MERRY. (Oh wait! Maybe she's a Mad-Men Era Elf! Still doesn't explain blue-floral.) 

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)!

 

 

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!

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?]

You've Got to Fight The Power (with an ascot)

Erin14 Comments

AnneAdams4699

This dress brings to mind three scenarios for me:

— Flight attendant (a trained pilot herself) manages to land plane safely after rude, chauvinistic pilot eats a bad egg-salad sandwich and spends flight moaning in lavatory. After landing, she gets his job!

— Crusading journalist takes on City Hall (and town's rude, chauvinistic mayor) and wins! 

— 1970s unfulfilled suburban housewife goes back to work as charismatic teacher for school full of written-off, disadvantaged youth, fights rude, chauvinistic principal and wins!

In short, this pattern is made of WIN. Something about the yoke + neck scarf + jaunty pockets combo just leads to triumphs over the patriarchy. I don't know what it is. 

This pattern is from Sheila at Out of the Ashes, who is having a sale this weekend: 15% off, starting today and ending Sunday night. (Coupon code is GLAMIS.) Got any entrenched jerks who need fighting?

Quick Labor Day Sale Post

Erin7 Comments

You regular readers of the blog know about my obsession with Lands End cardigans; as a result of that obsession, I get a catalog from them about every 2.7 days. Environmental degradation aside, the catalog (they have a new stripey gray cardigan!) drove me to check out the web site today to find that everything, including the clearance section, is 25% off through Labor Day (Tuesday Sept 7 for those of you not in the US).

Which includes this skirt:

Landsendskirt
Landsendskirt2
It's only $29.99, BEFORE the discount, and it's wool! And (as the picture above seems to suggest) it has pockets! (It also comes in charcoal gray.) 

I never buy a ready-made skirt unless it's cheaper than I can buy the fabric to make it myself, and this passes that test: I couldn't buy this much wool flannel (in non-weird colors) for $30. Just not possible. (Also, this skirt is lined.)

There are no reviews of this skirt on the LE site, so it's entirely possible that it's made of a special blend of wool, spandex, and unflatteringlon, but hey, wool skirt for under $30! I could wear it just on cold & rainy biking days and still feel I got a bargain.

LE sizing is on the generous side, so be sure to check the size charts before ordering. (I regularly drop two sizes in their stuff.) Most of the petite sizes in the camel still seem to be available as I write this, but it's in the clearance section, so, no promises.

This skirt is cheap enough so that you could even buy one for experimentation — the camel would be cute with brown or green velvet ribbon trim or appliqués, for example — although that would ruin the "junior teacher in an exclusive girls' boarding school" appeal that the unadorned skirt has … your call, either way.

Dear Miss Magnin

Erin4 Comments

MissMagnin

This dress has a Miss Magnin label in it, according to Holly at Lucitebox Vintage (where it is on sale). I think I like Miss Magnin. I think she has a sense of humor, smiles at babies on the street (I think that you should always smile at babies on the street) and would let you know if you had lipstick on your teeth. I think she would meet you for coffee and let you complain about your first-world problems and then make you laugh about them.

And if she did it wearing this dress, then so much the better! Midriff band, geometric print, pockets … oh yes, Miss Magnin and I would be great friends. Does anyone know if she’s on Facebook?

 

Oh, sure!

Erin20 Comments

McCalls_9136

I've been thinking about skirts lately, and came across this one from Jen at MOMSPatterns. It's got SIXTEEN GORES! And it recommends PLAIDS! There is not a single alternate reality across the multiverse where I have the time, the patience, or the number of pins necessary to match a plaid across SIXTEEN GORES. 

In fact, the reason that the plaid example here is oddly truncated is because the model's HEAD FELL OFF while she was completing the skirt. And she's just an illustration! Imagine what would happen to a real person.

I recommend you to to MOMSPatterns to look at this pattern and marvel, and then click around to take advantage of her sale – 
you can save 25% using coupon code 'costumes' through midnight (EST) on Sunday (August 29, 2010). The sale is good on ALL
items, even patterns in the sale section.

 

 

Frankly, My Dear …

Erin5 Comments

I think about a dozen of you have emailed me the link to the Ransom Center's restoration project for the dresses from Gone With The Wind — they're hoping to have the dresses restored in time for the 75th anniversary exhibition in 2014. 

Lisa from The Vintage Pattern Library is having a sale to help support the project – 15% off with coupon code SCARLETT. $1 from each purchase will go toward
the restoration project, and Lisa will match every dollar as well! Good
till the end of August, and she will combine shipping from Miss Helene's as
well, if you email her to tell her before you purchase.

Maybe you might get this pattern, in solidarity? (And doesn't the dress seem to match the curtains, in true Tara style?)

Simplicity_9761