The Making of a Fashionista/Designer

My mom had an old shag coat from the 70s that I've been meaning to take apart, and yesterday, I finally did something about this desire. I cut the sleeves (which were too skinny for my sinewy arms) and made them into bell-shapes. Then I cut off the limp tie at its collar and created cuffs with this fabric. I restitched the shoulders after taking out the shoulder pads, and I started on the lining of the jacket, which will be silky and red. With the remaining fabric, I made a cap, which I'm thinking about embroidering with a butterfly-shaped sequin pattern that I found in my armoire.

My mom also had a 100% polyester dress that's pink with tiny black dots all over it. It's long, has ruffles in the front, and has a very high neck. So far, I've raised the hem of the waist to accentuate my cleavage, and cut the neckline so that it falls off the shouder, creating a flattering décolletage. I think the dress needs something to make it more modern. I'll probably add a felt sash and a matching felt border - both black - around the neckline. (Maybe cotton? Silk? I want the texture of the sash/lining to up the class factor of the dress.) That way, it'll draw attention away from the distraction of the ruffles in front, while maintaining the integrity in the line of the dress. I'm also thinking about putting a slit in the back of the skirt, down the middle.

There are two other dresses that I'm working on, both of them more modern than the jacket/hat ensemble and the pink and black dress. One of the dresses is a black and white number that I bought off of a discount rack maybe four or five years ago. It's made of some cheap stretchy material and is black with white polka dots. The dress has served me well, being something on which to add layers and look young in. However, with my eclectic sense of style burgeoning and my lack of funds painfully obvious, I've wanted to make something new of it. Gucci, D&G and YSL are making see-through fabrics the go-to affair of their spring lines, and since I'm too broke to afford the real deal and I have the means/talent, I figure I'd do something with this dress that reflects that particular motif. I'm going to keep the polka dots on the hem of the dress and the upper half of the bodice, but I'm going to cover the rest of the dress in a barely-there black and white diagonally striped sheath which will up the class AND sass factors, while being more forgiving and affectionate towards my curves. In fact, if I pick the see-through fabric correctly, the dress'll have the curvy-in-the-right-places look of the black and white number Cameron Diaz wore in The Mask.

[NOTE: I tried to find a pic of said black-and-white number, but all I could find was the following.]

The other dress that I'm working on scares the shit out of me because of the challenging nature of the design. It has a nude-colored bodice, and involves draping different barely-there fabrics on it, layer by layer, to achieve a sexy bohemian look. It'll be short, but tasteful and irreverent while also very spring-time worthy. At least, that's my hope.

I've taken inventory of my jackets, coats, scarves, shawls, etc., and my jewelry collection -believe me when I say it's a COLLECTION! I've got rings and things for daaaayys - and I'm happy knowing I can properly cover up and accessorize whatever craziness I create.

The part that I'm really scared/psyched about, though, is actually wearing something I've created. Because it's one thing to be fashion-forward and BUY good taste. It's something entirely different to make something of your own design and wear it out in the world, exclaiming that you've got the go-to goods and/or grand and gorgeous gear. It's a statement, in every regard. The lack of label doesn't immediately hint at how much (or little) money I've spent on buying the clothes, or how much (or little) time I've spent scouring the city for just the right look.

Clothes of my own design speak entirely of the people I've been, the people who have influenced me, the cultures that I've experienced. It's a complete and unadulterated physical view of Me. NOT Calvin Klein, NOT Tom Ford, NOT Betsey Johnson, NOT Abercrombie & Fitch, NOT Guess?, NOT Anna Sui, NOT EVEN THE PEOPLE AT FOREVER 21! Every stitch, every fabric, every collar, every sleeve is a direct indication of something I thought, something I did, something that I am. And wearing that out in public is more revealing than walking down the street naked.