Reliving the 1950's & 60's, Comfort Clothing!

I was recently asked by a friend to recreate her grandmother's apron. She wanted a unique gift for her sister's birthday. Maybe it's me being nostalgic as I turn the years over, but it seems several people my age and the age of my daughter long for the good old days. There is resurgence in knitting, crocheting,  planting gardens, canning and having "comfort clothing" in our life.  By comfort clothing I'm talking about a phenomena that is similar to the cliche "comfort food", we are all familar with that phrase. But "comfort clothing" is that connection to the past and several sites, pattern companies and craft companies have aprons such as our grandmothers wore.

Grandmother's apron in foreground

 

I love it when I put on this type of apron. I wipe my wet hands on the apron, not jeans, I stuff pins and pens, rubber bands from the paper, penny off the floor into the apron pocket, not jeans. I feel this pull to past memories of my mom and grandmother doing the same type of activities, I'm at peace, my life is full, I'm wearing jeans, tee-shirt, flip-flops, and an apron. As long as I don't have the housedress with my hose rolled down around my ankles like grandma I'm a housewife fashionista.

Little More on Travels and Sewing Finds

Back on hubby's computer to pull off a couple of pictures of the cruise. I did download pictures on to the computer as we went along the trip. Unfortunately I dropped the camera,trying to get it out of my cute little purse that matched my ensemble for dinner. Note to self, DO NOT try and handle camera with gloves on. This was an expensive trip for equipment: computer crashes before leaving, left my Kindle on plane, drop camera and break it.

But while in Portugal walking down a back twisty, curvy street I came upon a small fabric and trim shop. In the window they had a set up for bobbin lace. Large language barrier, I speak no Portuguese and they spoke little English, but apparently in Portugal the practice of bobbin lace is still being done on this colorful bobbin pillow. This art form made me think of Jo Graden in the states who makes beautiful bobbin lace.



Bobbin lace pillow

 Also added another night that Cody and I dressed for dinner. This is a fun opportunity to dress. Dinner is an Event on a cruise ship. It seems in our society today if we go out to dinner, the mode of dress is jeans, maybe dressier pants, cute top and jacket, but certainly no dresses or tie and hat for men.

When we returned to Southampton, England, we traveled up to Bath for the afternoon and met Lyze Lynch and her mother, Donna, for tea. The Jane Austen Festival was concluding that weekend. Unfortunately we not able to attend the other festivities but was able to absorb the flavor of Bath and the Jane Austen House.


Lyze Lynch and moi

There is a chain store in England called Allsaints, they decorate each store with antique sewing machines. This is ONE store! A little gal working there said she thought there was about 200 in this store. The seamstress siren was calling out to me!

ARRRGG Technology, Cruise and Life

Upload, download, copy, upload, download, download, upload  and  me on overload or make that overwhelming - My life 36 hours before the cruise and after the cruise. Right before leaving on cruise, 36 hours to be precise my computer crashed. It would open files but Windows Office was gone, so no PowerPoint. Guess what I need on cruise to run presentations, yep you got it PowerPoint. My files were saved on flash drives and the big computer in the sky. Thank goodness I could use hubby's bigger bulky laptop, no complaining though, I had a computer to take with me! Then after I'm home a couple of weeks I get my computer back and the power cord is not charging unless I push it in reallllllly hard. Bless the invention of duck tape!!! Now to get caught up on some posting.

Nice bright orange duck tape to hold in plug







 

A couple of comments on the cruise. We left Southampton, traveled to France, Spain, Portugal, back to Southampton. We then spent a few days in England. What I enjoy the most and others who travel with me is the depth of history in Europe. I mean a lowly Wool House in Southampton is older than the discovery of the Americas. In the Reno area our oldest building is from the mid-1800's. But that Wool house or English wool had such an impact on fashion, costuming and history, all things near and dear to my heart!! To the interpreters of history, what a Story, the impact of sheep on fashion! One of my presentations was "Textiles and Fashionistas through History, Broad Edification of Portraits, 900-1800's" This Wool House went so well with my presentation I put it into the presentation.

Wool House, Southampton

Love the outdoor cafes in Europe

Just One of the Many cathedrals in Europe, this one in Le Harve

One of our dress up nights, Cody (Step-son) loved this this outfit



Cheerio! We're Off to England! Cruising and Jane Austen Festival

Celebrity Constellation

Next week Cody and I board the Constellation in Southampton. After a marathon of sewing new ensembles, repairing a couple of older costumes, new power point presentations and getting clothes ready, I'm coming up for air.

 

As most of you know on board ship, I always dress in a costume of the era I'm doing the presentation. On the last cruise with Lauren, American Duchess, we dressed, translate to dressed in Costumes or Vintage, every night for dinner. Not only did we have fun, but the other passengers seemed to enjoy our clothing as well. Of course Lauren is about 35yrs younger, that may have had something to do with everyone's enjoyment, she was beautiful and classy. We enjoyed ourselves so much I'm doing the same thing this cruise, but this time I've got a 22 yr old male (son) with me dressing in costume.

 

Dressing in Vintage takes less room and weight in the suitcase. While I was at Costume College a month ago, I bought a couple of patterns from Decades of Style. I had made her Sweetheart Coveralls for the last cruise. For this cruise I made the Katharine Hepburn Trousers. I will pair these trousers with a couple of 1940's blouses that I have, put the sides of my hair in Victory Rolls and voila - 1940's revisited.

 

 



 

Earlier in the month I made a new 1838 costume for the interpretation of Ellen Coolidge's 1838 travels in England. This dress is posted in an earlier blog on Ellen Coolidge's dress.

 

After the cruise we will travel to Bath for the day and partake of the festivities at the Jane Austen Festival. On Friday we will meet Lyzee Lynch, The Mended Soul, and her mother for tea at the Festival.

 

For a Costumer and an Interpreter of the Past this trip is promising to figure in the Top 10!

 

Interpreting the Past

I loved going to Costume College, in LA the first weekend in August. Wonderful costumes from historically accurate to fantasy. But as historically accurate as some of the costumes were we cannot be 100% accurate. Our own experiences will color our interpretation of the past.  As a Certified Interpretive Guide I find those outside of NAI like Jennifer Rosbrugh, who wrote a article on this subject refreshing. Her article in Historical Sewing hits the proverbial nail on the head.

If someone could be praised as being historically correct in her patterns, color choices, sewing techniques it would be Jennifer. But even she is realistic regarding her "100 %" accuracy. I appreciate her honesty.