In my defense, I've been pretty damn busy. First distraction was West End Eurovision. The show that I work for put forward an amazing entry. Costumes were designed by Amy Dixon, a fellow dresser and we studded and hot-stoned as if our lives depended on it...
Believe it or not it takes a lot of work to make them look that naked.
Second distraction, one which I had much more involvement with, was a little one-off show in London's West End called Jest End. Written and directed by the estimable Garry Lake and designed by another fellow dresser Katherine Watt it was the most fun I've had working on a sunday for a very very long time! I assisted Kat with the preparation, the making, the dress rehearsal and dressing the show. Brilliant fun. I also assisted with the after show drinking. A most important task.
And right now I'm doing a couple weeks worth of Maintainance calls for a couple of small shows. Not thrilling, copious amounts of ironing. Not fun, but paid. Unfortunately needs must. Ergh.
But moving on - I have a project! Not exactly mannequin-based and not entirely non-frivilous, it takes the form of The Blitz Party, D Day special, 4th June. Make my outfit you say? Well, go on then...
I love the 1940's style, my instinct (as always) was to make a dress, but I think I'm gonna take a different approach and go with trousers, blouse and perhaps a gorgeous little cardi. After a little research I realised that ladies in trousers werent all that common until 1944...
"In Britain during the Second World War, because of the rationing of clothing, many women took to wearing their husbands' civilian clothes, including their trousers, to work while their husbands were away from home serving in the armed forces... As this practice of wearing trousers became more widespread and as the men's clothing wore out, replacements were needed. By the summer of 1944, it was reported that sales of women's trousers were five times more than they had been in the previous year."Good Ole' Wikipedia.
But I just love the look, so I'm going to do it. It's still technically correct... Uh huh...
Having just spontainiously having a section of my head shaved at my last trip to the hairdressers(!) I think Victory rolls might be a little out of my reach, but as per usual I'm hoping a book will come to my rescue. Style Me Vintage by Belinda Hay is a gorgeous looking book and is currently in my Amazon shopping basket awaiting purchase.
I drafted a basic trouser block in my "break" at work yesterday (ahem) so all that remains is to adapt and put together a toile. I'm undecided as to whether to make or buy a blouse, Camden market is beckoning... But maybe I'll make the blouse and buy the cardigan. Acceptable compromise?!
Next step is fabrics, for me the most stressful aspect as it usually entails fighting my way through hundreds of irritatingly slow walking people on the streets of London. However one perk of working the the evenings is everyone else is working in the day, so a trip to Shepherds Bush may be on the cards for the next few weeks.
Brilliant.
xxx
