I Want Candy

Usually I can't stand stripes, especially on clothing! And then I saw it. A beautiful billowing cotton with pink and blue on white stripes, and I had to have it.

Inspired by 1950's full skirts and the colors of candy, I had it made into a vintage inspired dress for my upcoming summer/spring collection.

Modeled by the lovely Charlotte.

This dress will be available in By Design soon!

Vintage coats

The colder weather has arrived here in New Zealand and I've been drooling over vintage coats.

For the first time I'm going to have a coat in my next collection, nothing complicated (I do love minimalism!) but something classic.

Here are some amazing coat patterns that are available on Etsy, there's something out there for everyone!

xx

Sources: 1 & 2

Sources: 1 & 2

Sources: 1 & 2

Source here

Source: 1 & 2

Source: 1 & 2

Incorporating vintage into everyday life

Because of what I do as a vintage-inspired fashion designer, I come across many women who want to be styled in a 1940s/1950s manner but are too scared of standing out or not being able to pull it off.

Any women can wear vintage! So I thought I would put together a few little styles for those women who want to add just a touch of vintage to their everyday look-you don't need to look like you walked off during a photo shoot.

Hair can make such a difference to someones overall look. 

Victory rolls are still very popular with those wanting a 1940's style, but as these photos show even having a wave/curl to your hair can make a huge difference.

The photo of me on the right was my first attempt at pin curls following a wonderful tutorial over at Vixen Vintage which you can find here. 

I simply took the bobby pins out after my hair had set, and then took one part of my hair on each side and pinned it back with a single bobby pin.

On other days where I'm in a hurry, I place my hair in heated rollers and save time by doing my makeup while they set.

There are many easy vintage makeup tips out there! These two aren't groundbreaking but I always go with them when I'm having a retro day.

Cat eyeliner is an easy one, you may or may not team this with false eyelashes, and the style you may draw them in can depend on your overall eye shape.

Red lipstick is also very popular, there's a shade to suit everyone but I also find that if I'm wearing a shade of red that I have to make sure that any spots I have are well concealed as the hue of the lipstick can sometimes draw attention to similar colors elsewhere on my face!

I could go on and on about different garments that have a vintage look, but skirts are a fantastic staple with a variety to choose from depending on what you feel most comfortable with.

Pencil skirts are great if you want a more 1940's feel with an hourglass silhouette and are wonderful teamed with a beautiful blouse or fitted jacket.

Box pleated skirts are beautifully feminine and have the fullness of a circle skirt without the need for a petticoat, creating a silhouette all on their own.

Circle skirts are easy to create and find, for a more dramatic look they can be worn with a petticoat underneath to give them more shape.

These are just a few tiny tips! It's all about being comfortable and confident in your look-the more satisfied you are with your outfit, the more your confidence will radiate.

There are many different options for shoes and bags, I personally prefer kitten heels as I find them easier to walk in yet I still get the height I want for my outfit.

Hope you've had a great weekend! xx 

Baubles

We've had some amazing jewelry come into By Design lately. There are times where I'm still amazed at the difference jewelry can make to an outfit, not to mention someones overall appearance.

I'm personally not a big jewelry wearer and when I do, I prefer to wear only one piece at a time.

Here are some of the pieces that have arrived recently, and can be found at our website By Design

Pearl and wire earrings by Amanda Keir 

 Glass earrings by Amanda Keir

 Vintage style cross necklaces by Julz

 Pearl necklace by Amanda Keir

Peacock brooch by Samantha Wakelin

Back in Time

 Still getting things ready for tomorrow night!

 Had the dress finished for a client

Wore my hair in pin curls!

Double Indemnity

When it comes to my fashion design I can draw inspiration from any number of things but mostly they come from movies.

I'm a huge fan of film and in particular movies of the forties and fifties.

Double Indemnity was both the first film noir and the first film starring Barbara Stanwyck that I ever saw and I loved it so much that it inspired me to create a dress after it.

 While the dress may seem simple, it's actually what I wanted to achieve. It's about light, dark, contrast and drama being created through the strong feminine silhouette and the wearer making a strong visual impact.

Dress available here.

Memoirs of a Geisha

This film based off the novel by Arthur Golden is one of my absolute favorites.

The actors were also dressed by one of my favorite costume designers, Colleen Atwood.

Colleen has also worked on Chicago, Alice in Wonderland, Sleepy Hollow & Snow White and the Huntsman.

"Audiences who are perchance knowledgeable in kimonos will note that Atwood has taken liberties with her designs. In an interview with LA Times, Atwood noted “the subtlety of an actual geisha dress wouldn’t have the right impact on film...We were taking an art form that is a huge part of Japanese culture but it was important to remember that we were making a movie based on a book of fiction, written by a guy, about a geisha. It is not a documentary film.” Atwood’s decision to alter the costumes was also because she wanted to create a shape more palatable to modern audiences. “We wanted to see a shoulder, have the illusion of a waist and have a sense of breasts beneath the kimono. We are trying to honour the form but make it more accessible, so we made the obi fit tight against the body to sort of glam it up”.

Each character also had their own color pallette: "Kimonos that were resplendent in vibrant reds, striking blues and dazzling greens defined Gong’s Hatsumomo while Yeoh’s Mameha, who is the epitome of the perfect geisha, was attired in serene colours that match her cool demeanour. Sayuri’s, played by Zhang, transformation is depicted by the change in her kimonos from basic, modest cotton to rich, elegant silk." 

 This film is a beautiful look at 1930s/1940s Japan, with magnificent use of colour and light.