I've said it many times, both here and on Youtube but I'm really not good in the Sun! I burn, melt and suffer and have never really found an appropriate solution {factor 5000 simply does not exist!} in terms of what to wear! Strappy, tiny bits of cloth prove problematic ~ too little coverage and I burn and without a bra, I dread to think what would happen. I need coverage, stylish please, and rigging, also stylish please! So when I remembered the dressing gown from a child hood favourite film, Stella Dallas, I knew I'd found the perfect dress to wear on Summer days.
Nearly all of my sartorial choices are inspired by clothes I saw on Golden Age Stars in those black and white films that were shown on a Saturday mornings. I fell in love with Hedy Lamar, Lana Turner and Barbra Stanwyck especially and I think my desire to make clothes was really so that I could copy their outfits, but I've only understood this recently.
Here's the original dress worn by Ms Stanwyck in a publicity still for the film and I also love the Thonet chair {on my wishlist!}and the little fluffy mules.
I drafted mine with a front yoke and with both a flutter sleeve, which was a popular sleeve style at the time, and a gathered sleeve too. It looks to me like the film version has sleeves that are rolled up and I have made a dress with long sleeves too in a star print which I wear in Winter. This rayon challis was from Minerva a long time ago and I love a dark floral regardless of the time of year.
Despite being covered up , I still feel va va voom in my wrap dress. It's the 'wear to any Summer occasion' dress ~ throw on over your vintage cozzie, glam up for a wedding or party, wear with flip flops for running errands { not advisable in flip flops to be honest...} and is really the most comfortable thing ever! The adjustable tie belt is perfect for those hot days when you feel you're bloating due to the heat or too many treats at that BBQ!
I really love this shoot I did with Georgina Piper one sunny day last Summer, more or less on my doorstep. I never get tired of the fishing huts and seaside life of the Old Town of Hastings.
I haven't made a wrap dress so far this year as I enjoy wearing this one so much but if I find a lovely fabric, maybe one that is close to the original in a pale floral design, I might just have to get sewing!
I hope you're enjoying the sunshine,
Love,
Tara x
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