… and the first day of Me-Made May ’12.
And thank you all so much for that lovely feedback yesterday!
I’m actually excited today and feeling motivated about taking the photographs again. This is good, hopefully that tide of enthusiasm will carry me along for a while… 😀 I’m also very keen to see everybody else’s outfits over on the Flickr group. Thinking about that, I decided it would be sensible if I made a further addendum to my pledge; that I try to incorporate mostly garments that have been made since the last me-made challenge, so that I am not going over old ground, so to speak. Don’t want to be boring, hehe…
Today is a beeautiful sunny autumn day but with a bit of a nip in the air; so I am wearing my chiffon maxi-dress made last October, and my little black snakeskin cardi, that is a few years old now but is a good match shape-wise and style-wise for this dress. Actually, I experienced a marvellous moment this morning; marvellous, that is, from the point of view of a middle aged woman such as myself. A young twenty-something girl stopped me in the street, and said “That is a completely awesome jacket! I LOVE it!” Oh, man, call me sad, but that moment really made my day. So sweet! Which made me think; unprompted compliments, and especially when they are about something one has made oneself (not that she knew that) do give such a disproportionate lift to the complimentee, over and above the good intentions on the part of the compliment-er. And the importance of paying that forward. So, when I trotted down to the supermarket later I said something nice to an elderly lady about her hand-knitted cardigan. Her bright happy smile made my day even more bright and happy too!
Zoe upped her pledge by stipulating that someone in her circle would also be wearing something made by her every day this month, as she sews a lot for others. So, imagine my joy when Cassie emerged this morning wearing this calico jacket made by me (below). I can’t promise that this sort of synergy is going to happen very often since I have absolutely zero say in what my family wears any more, but it is good fortune that someone in my family is wearing something made by me on this first day of me-made May as well. It is a sign!
Details:
Dress; Vogue 1355, polyester chiffon, lined with lightweight cotton, details here
Cardigan; plastic-coated jersey knit stamped in a snakeskin print, my own design, details here
Sandals; Joanne Mercer for Micam, Hobbs shoes
Nail varnish; self-mixed , ruby-red with gold
Cassie’s jacket; my wearable muslin of Vogue 8333 sewn with all the hand-finishing details, calico, details here (which reminds me, I really should get onto my real version of this pattern…!)
Beautiful dress and outfit! I know what you mean about compliments when one is wearing something handmade. It puts me on a high for the rest of the day.
An outfit for both you and your daughter, that's a real challenge!
I'm so glad you decided to take part in Me-Made-May; your outfits, your pictures and postings about them are always such a pleasure – and now we have ahead of us a whole month of that – thank you!
Both of your outfits are lovely.
I do enjoy seeing family wear what I make for them too.
It's off to a good start! Not surprising that a 20-year-old liked your cardi/jacket – it's awesome! Nice to get a compliment from a stranger though 🙂 I agree, it feels good to see someone spontaneously wear/use something you made for them.
I've fallen a little behind in my blogging this week. Just wanted to tell you that your strawberry jeans are lovely. What a fun way to brighten up the cooler months.
That dress is one of my favourites – great way to start the challenge.
Great outfit and how lovely your daughter wore something you made too! I like the pockets on the jacket.
You're off to a "blazing" start this May! Such a pretty and dramatic dress. Lucky Cassie getting your test garments!
I love Cassie's jacket. What a difference fabric makes — it looks so much more youthful and fun than on the pattern cover. Beautifully done.
Beautiful dress for the first day of the challenge. I really like your daughter's jacket, too.
Wonderful outfit! I look forward to this month of seeing all the amazing "looks" that you come up with.
The outfits are lovely! I understand what you're trying to say with the compliments. I tend to give such compliments to random people if they look sad. I actually see one of those "random people" every day and she still smiles at me every time 🙂 Smiling is also one of those complimenting things. If you smile at someone they will smile back and continue smiling for a while. In my book that's always a good thing …
Beautiful outfit, Carolyn!
pretty dress. look a that, a Donna Karan pattern. I am starting to think I need to collect every Vogue pattern she has done as there are so many gems among them.
Your maxi dress is gorgeous!
oh rapturous sighs, you are going to post a photo each day? yaay! I love that dress! And it looks great with the jacket. I am also disproportionately chuffed when someone comments on an item that I made myself, without even knowing I made it myself. 🙂
Gorgeous maxi and great picture.
You are such an artist!
I had a similar situation in the supermarket when a teenage check out chick admired my Vogue large pocket skirt. It made my day. I didn't think to pay it forward though, that is a good idea.
I like your dress today with the cardigan. A very nice ensemble.
Looks like a great kick-off to the month! And it definitely makes me unreasonably happy to get compliments on the things I've made. It's so much more special than a general outfit compliment.
The dress is simply gorgeous. I've found that blogging has caused me to be more forthcoming with compliments to perfect strangers too.
Beautiful outfits on both of you! 🙂
I have that CS jacket pattern and some beautiful fushia wool. I just need time for the muslin. Perhaps you can egg me one! Love your maxi dress so much. Swoon worthy.
oMG I actually meant egg me on!