Now, we turn from Historical to Vintage

Hey kids. In an effort to not be so damned gloomy and pissy all the time, I've turned back to crafting things. Because I'm less likely to throttle someone if my hands are busy. So! Yes. Still planning 15th century goodness, both for myself and for my trade project. Which reminds me, I need to get on sketching hers out. Hrm. 

ANYWAY, those are being back-burnered for a bit because two dear friends of mine are getting married in June and I just got the invitation in the mail yesterday. And, the bride being the fashionista she is is having a vintage-themed outdoor garden wedding with brown and blue as her colors. 

I always did like that girl's style.

Now, the invitation blatantly states that guests are not required to participate in the vintage-them nor in the color scheme. However, give me a chance to wear different costumes than my everyday one, and I'll most likely take it. If I could figure out a way to dress as a classy sort of pirate done up in light blues and tans, I'd be all over that shit like white on rice. But, as it stands, I've been pouring over images of different vintage eras trying to decide which silouette I like best and which would take an apple-hourglassy figure and make it not look like a sack of potatoes. Without requiring I wear complicated underpinnings, because I'm not going for complete historical accuracy with this project. Also, because if I'm gonna wear complicated underpinnings, I'm gonna go whole-hog and just show up in some Victorian inspired Gothy nonsense and I think the bride might brain me with her bouquet were I to show up in a some corseted nonsense. 

Now, nothing's finalized, but I think I'd either go with The Teens, The 40s, or The 50's. Reasons are as follows:

- Mainly because I think the 20s would look horrible on me, no matter how much I adore it. Even with a girdle, my body + dropped waist = fugly.

- I'm still undecided on the 30s as I adore bias-cut things because the of the drapery and flow, but am still looking for examples of something I could wear without having to do a girdle underneath. I have done girdles for much of my life prior to when I went off to college, kids. As a fat girl with Southern and Baptist roots and family, it was a neccesity and a rite of passage. One I always LOATHED. And I hope to NEVER have to wear something that requires one again. I would go on an extreme diet and exercise regiment first to lose all semblance of fat from my person, and I like to think I'm fat-positive. Yes, it is that serious. Which, is funny considering how much I like (properly fitted) corsets.

- I really want to see if I could make something reminiscent of A 1910 Tea Gown or A Mourning Dress from the Later Teens (scroll down to almost the bottom of the page for that second Mourning Dress link) without driving myself nuts. Also, I think that style would flatter my shape pretty well, but I could be wrong. And if I did up a mourning dress replica or inspired something, it would surprisingly not be black, because wearing a mourning dress to a wedding that's not a Gothy one is just. Something. Special. Too special even for me, I'm afraid to say.

- If I make said Tea Gown or Mourning Dress, I think I could get away girdle-free, as the waists are high enough and belted with wide sashes  to actually work with my figure.

- I already have an early 40s copper crepe-back satin dress that actually fits my boobs. Just not everything else since the stress/illness weight has packed on. Folks? I look fucking FABULOUS in this dress. (Which I apparently have no pictures of, wtf?) Even when I would clearly need the dreaded G-word to make it fit right at the waist, the color still looks wonderful with my complexion and the cut makes my legs look hot. Since the doctors and I are working to get my body properly functioning again, my metabolism might actually. You know. WORK again, and I might fit into it by June. We'll see. I would try to let it out some, but it is a vintage dress and I am not badass enough to alter vintage anything without messing it up.

- Also, because if i went 50s, I've already got some lovely blue ombre-dyed and embrodered linen/cotton blend fabric (around somewhere) and a sundress mockup (around. somewhere. else.) that could be redrafted for more of a swing look. Which, full skirt + being mostly top-heavy = balanced and fabulous. I might see about rasing the waist or futzing with other design elements to make it work without looking stupid. Because, even though I look good in empire waisted dresses, empire waist + full skirt = weird-looking. Yes, I have tried making something like that. It was a riff on Regency. Updated. No, it shall never see the light of day. It got cannabalized into a circle skirt I wear quite often in the summer and the bodice went. Somewhere. Probably scraps.

- Or, maybe I'll just say hang it all and go ala Marlene Dietrich, because pants and I are friends moreso than dresses, anyway. 

- And is always the question in these cases, what do I do about shoes? Different Vintage eras mean different shoes choices.

I don't know. Thoughts? Please talk to me about this, because I always think better when folks talk it out with me.