Showing posts with label classic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classic. Show all posts

Tuesday, 27 August 2013

The Week in Pictures

floral flowers vintage retro satin fabric red flowers clothing boutique by design fashion new zealand

clothing fashion runway show collection models girls pinup

vintage retro fashion design new york clothing sewing pattern dress

by design whangarei new zealand fashion plus size clothing julz samantha wakelin floral flowers spring summer poncho chiffon batwing top pose

beaded beads vintage purse bag clutch retro fashion style pastel antique

fashion runway show collection swatches fabric samples black gold lace polyester design

1. Floral satin for Spring/Summer collection dresses & fresh flowers in the shop
2. Model fittings for this weeks fashion show
3. Filing all my vintage patterns
4. Modelling for my friends latest design
5. Antique beaded purse gifted to me by a friend
6. Fabric swatches for Septembers show

Tuesday, 13 August 2013

Replikating

I'm so sorry everyone about the lack of posts recently! With two fashion shows coming up and keeping up with Etsy orders, I haven't had much energy for anything else.

Today I thought I would share with you part of what I create! I have my main fashion label under my own name and on the side I like to recreate replicas of dresses worn by the Duchess of Cambridge.
 Random, I know!

I've always been fascinated by the relationship between royalty and fashion, it started with The Queen, Princess Diana & Grace Kelly, and this also led into an interest in Kate Middleton's style.

I focus on bespoke pieces that she has worn, these are custom garments that were made for her. This means that I can make something very similar available to the general public at a lower price.

When the Duchess presented baby George to the world, women everywhere flocked to the internet to try and find a similar look, and amazingly enough I already had fabric close to the original so I thought I would give it a go!



The original fabric was a silk, but I went for a lovely Japanese cotton that had a lovely sheen to it, and a beautiful drape.

I already had a similar pattern, this had a fitted bodice and full skirt, all I had to do was add the waist belt, which is fastened by belt loops on each side.
So here is the final product, modeled by the lovely Charlotte.



You can purchase the dress on Etsy here.


Sunday, 2 June 2013

Diana Style

I apologize for the lack of posts recently! Things have been busy but hopefully I'm now back in action.
Today's post is not about Fifties style but is still vintage!

Some years back I became fascinated with Princess Diana, I loved her grace and elegance, her work to bring attention to various humanitarian causes and of course her style.

Some may look at outfits she wore as 1980's disasters, but I always think she somehow managed to pull off everything she wore with such class! Here I leave you with some of my favorite Princess Diana outfits from my tumblr: royalthreads.tumblr.com

princess diana royal royalty british fashion style revenge dress black sheep jumper 80s 90s

princess diana royal royalty fashion style british pink red dress catherine walker pink shift outfit

princess diana fashion royal royalty style casual outfit shift dress tights winter chanel bag shoes

princess diana fashion style royal royalty red coat military green pleated skirt pink suit

princess diana fashion royal royalty style mother theresa chanel white suit beaded evening dress prince charles summer sailing shorts dodi al fayed 90s

princess diana royal royalty fashion style skirt pleats military white pink silk satin skirt shoes


Sunday, 19 May 2013

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

1950s 1930s vintage retro fashion style coat jacket
Sources: 1 & 2

1950s vintage retro fashion style coat jacket gingham red
Sources: 1 & 2

1950s vintage retro fashion style coat jacket vogue pattern
Sources: 1 & 2

1950s vintage retro fashion style coat jacket
Source here

1950s  vintage retro fashion style coat jacket dress
Source: 1 & 2

1950s 1930s vintage retro fashion style house coat jacket
Source: 1 & 2






Sunday, 12 May 2013

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.

vintage retro 1940s 40s hair hairstyles pinup rita hayworth

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.

lana del ray red lipstick vintage eyeliner cat
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!

vintage pinup pencil skirt 1940s 1950s marilyn monroe

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 


Sunday, 24 March 2013

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





Monday, 29 October 2012

Let them eat cake

Our High Tea evening was so lovely, but silly me I forgot to take photos while the event was actually happening, so here are some of before the event!
 



 




 

Tuesday, 23 October 2012

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.

Thursday, 18 October 2012

Today I

 
Prepared someones order to be sent
 

Was distracted and started procrastinating with nearby magazines
 

Tried out my new peplum top
 
 
Wore eyeliner in a 1940s style

 
Admired our new website signage!