Kate Spade/early 1960s inspired Cocktail Dress

Y'all wanted pictures of my dress? Well, here they are my dears. {The bodice does fit right. It just doesn't look like it in a few of the pictures.}

Pattern: I used vintage McCall's 5294 for the bodice & sleeves.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Not really.

Were the instructions easy to follow? I didn't use them. For this is a really basic pattern and I was doing my own thing. 

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I can easily make this in one evening {5PM - 11:59PM with a few breaks for dinner & a snack}. Hurray!

Fabric Used: One of the fabrics in the Casa Collection from Joann Fabrics.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made: I added a pleat to the top of the sleeve {instead of making it smooth} to make it more modern. I also used just two rectangles of fabric that was box pleated to the bodice for the skirt {inspired by Kate Spade cocktail dresses}. 

Would you sew it again? Yes! This is a nice basic pattern.

Would you recommend it to others? Yes!

What I Wore - 1959 Meets a Country Vibe

1960s dress hand-me-down {made by my sister, Gabrielle}/ mustard tights forever 21/ pearl clustered earrings claire's/ tan boots target

I adore this dress. I've loved it ever since my sister, Gabrielle, made it a couple years ago. I know that some of you are going to ask, what pattern did she use. Right? Well, she used vintage McCall's 5294 {1959}. I love this dress {the buttons down the front are faux} and was so excited to hear that Gabrielle was getting rid of it. I pounced on the chance for the dress to be mine. That is one of the great things about having sisters {that are also all around the same size} you have a shopping mall right in the house. {Right, Long girls?} *smiles*


You may notice that my bangs are pulled back. I've been loving them pinned back into a little poof. I've always loved the look, but was never to do it myself with my side sweep bangs. So I've kinda been going crazy with this look right now.  


Y'all need to check out Sarah's blog, Through the Lilac Bushes, right now. She is having a sort of blog party with giveaways and interviews. 


Before I go, don't forget the sale I'm having in my etsy shop right now. 

Nancy Drew Fashion Week - Day 1

Are y'all excited for the Nancy Drew fashion week? I know I am. Today I decided to be more of a 1960s/modern inspired Nancy Drew. As the jacket I'm wearing is made from a vintage 1960s pattern and I'm wearing t-strap heels. Plus, the pencil skirt is classic. 

What I'm wearing: 1960s Jacket {made by me}; Cream Ruffle T-shirt {Kohl's}; Jean Pencil Skirt {Made by me}; Brown T-strap Heels {Naturlizer}; Pearl Drop Earrings with Bows {Brittany Chavers Etsy shop}; and the Pink Fairy Flexi Clip {c/o Lilla Rose}

Looking at these pictures it seams like either I grew taller, or my clothes have shrunk. As several of my skirts and dresses now hit at this shorter length. Oh, dear. I sorta of hope it's the latter, as I thought I would have stopped growing by now. :p

Now it's time for you to link up your outfit for today {the direct link to your post}. So go ahead and link up your post/pictures below in the linky thing below. Oh, and remember there are three category's you can enter in. So be sure to let me know what category you are entering in. Thanks!


1. Nancy-Vintage 
2. Nancy-Modern 
3. Nancy-Costume

DIY Vintage Hairstyle's {Achieving a Vintage Look Part 3}

The next part in the series, Achieving a Vintage Look is Hairstyle's. I love vintage hair! My favorite eras for hair have to be the 1940s, 1950s, and the early 1960s.

1940's

 1950s

 1960s

Tutorials -

~ Casey's Elegant Musings ~

50s Style Faux Bang & Ponytail Tutorial

 1940s Braided Headband Style {I've done this one}

1940s Pin Up Hair Tutorial

1940s Hair Tutorial 

~ Mrs. Amber Apple ~

Vintage Inspired Hairstyle

~My Hair Tutorial~
1960s Flip Tutorial 


~One of my favorite YouTube Channels~
Strawberry Koi Vintage

One of the best books on the subject is Vintage Hairstyling, and it's one of the cheeper options out there. I received this book for Christmas and love it!!  

Besides watching these video tutorials, and reading books on the subject. The next best thing is to study old magazines, watch old movies & TV shows, and look at old photographs. Just experiment with your hair by coping what you see! That's what I've been doing for years.  

~Ashley

What I'm Wearing - The 60s Flip & Yellow Tights

- What I'm Wearing -

Jean Skirt - Made by Me

Cream Turtleneck - J.C.Penny

Black Pumps - Connie {Famous Footwear}

Yellow Tights - c/o We Love Colors

Brown Knee-High Socks - Kohl's

Pearl Earrings - Gift

Last night I curled my hair with pin curls {for the very first time!} and they turned out wonderful!!! I was feeling very 1960s this morning and decided to do the flip. =) I LOVED it! I felt very Laura Petrie all day. =)

I also tried something new today. Wearing tights with knee-high socks. It seams to be a trend for this winter, as I have seen several fashion bloggers doing this look. Another new thing....yellow tights. I'm slowly bringing color to my tights this winter. Or, rather quickly I suppose. lol.

~Ashley

Resources & Info for Dressing Vintage {Achieving a Vintage Look Part 1}

On Formspring I was asked the following question, "How can I easily achieve a Vintage look??" I decided to take this question and make a whole series dedicated to the subject {it will be a short series}. =)

Stores -

The easiest way to buy vintage inspired {or real vintage} clothing is from the following stores.

http://www.modcloth.com

http://www.shopruche.com

http://www.lulus.com

http://www.shabbyapple.com 

{I've own a dress from them that I won in a giveaway.}

http://www.etsy.com

Sewing - 

Another great way to get vintage looking clothing is to buy vintage patterns and make your own clothes. This is what I do. =) I find my patterns from Antique Malls/Stores {this is the big one for me} and online vintage pattern stores. 

Vintage {Original Patterns}

So Vintage Patterns 

http://www.sovintagepatterns.com 

{I bought my first vintage pattern from this site.}

http://www.lanetzliving.net

{I've bought many patterns from her.}

http://momspatterns.com

http://www.etsy.com

Reproduction 

http://www.decadesofstyle.com

{I bought several of their patterns while at Costume College last year.}

http://www.evadress.com

http://butterick.mccall.com/retro-pages-371.php

New Look Vintage Looks & Vintage & Retro

{The first one is vintage inspired. While the second is taken from their archives.}

Sense & Sensibility Patterns - 1940s Swing Dress Pattern

{My Pattern Review}

Blog Posts - 

Va Voom Vintage - 

Building A Vintage Wardrobe: 101

• Dresses
• Pants
• Skirts
• Blouses

Latter I'll show you the ways I dress vintage. And blogs of other people who do so. Next up...1940's make-up.

~Ashley

Who Inspires Me (Fashion Wise) - Audrey Hepburn

For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness, For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people, For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry, For Beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day, For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others. - Audrey Hepburn

With the Keeping it Classy {Modest Fashion Week} coming up I decided to bring back the Who Inspires Me {Fashion Wise} series, which only lasted one post last year {It was Grace Kelly}. I know, I'm so bad about doing blog post series. I'll try to do better this year. =)

To bring back the series I'll start off with Audrey Hepburn. Who has to be one of my favorite inspirational ladies, fashion wise, ever!

I would love to see a full length pictures of this photo shoot/what ever. For her dress{?} looks fabulous!! And the umbrella is so colorful and fun! I like.

Her look is so casual, but looks classy and nice. I don't know how she did it. As she is just wearing jeans{I think}, sweatshirt or oversized shirt, and her hair is wrapped in a scarf/towel!!!

 A sweet, darling, little summer print dress. I would love to have a nice little print dress for this summer like this one. I can imagine the flowers to be a purple {not sure if it's light, or dark purple.} and the background is a cream, or white. Oh, a girl can dream on finding the perfect fabric or ready made dress like this one. ;-)

 The amazing outfit Audrey wears in Roman Holiday. It's just a simple blouse, skirt, and scarf {silk?} with a scooter! I would love to ride a scooter around Rome {just less hectic}, or just one in general. =)

As you guys know, I LOVE this jumper that Audrey wears in Sabrina. And I was able to copy it last week after years of dreaming! What bliss.

Polyvore Sets -

Dress Like Audrey Hepburn by Bramblewood Fashion featuring capris pants

Audrey by Bramblewood Fashion featuring an extra long necklace

Audrey Hepburn Style by Bramblewood Fashion featuring chanel sunglasses

Little Black Dress - Audrey Hepburn by Bramblewood Fashion featuring a button glove

Movies I've Seen Audrey Hepburn in -

• Roman Holiday {1953} {movie review}
• Sabrina {1954}

What's your favorite outfit of Audrey Hepburn's? And what's your favorite film with her in it?

~Ashley

Feminine Fashion Week {Day 7} - 1960s Inspired

-What I'm Wearing-

Brown Polka-dot Sun Dress - Made by me for my HS Graduation {seen here}

Brown Sweater - Kohl's {Hand-me-down from Gabrielle}

Pink Tights - J.C. Penny {$4.99}

Brown T-Strap Kitten Heels - Naturalizers {Don't remember it was several years ago.}

Pearl Earrings - Gift

I love this dress! The sad thing is, I had a hard time putting on my dress this morning. I'm so worried about tonight. What if I can't get it off?!? I think this means I've grown out of my dress. :( Hopefully this isn't so. As it is my favorite dress ever!! {I think.} As this dress is sleeveless I add the sweater for a more winter look. I think it brings the outfit a more 60s flair. And my hair was fixed into a relaxed {more modern} flip, aka. Mary Tyler Moore. 

Now my dear readers, I'm excited to announce that my 1960s hair tutorial is now up on Vimeo {YouTube has a 10 minute limit and the tutorial is 15 minutes long}.

1960s Hair Tutorial from Bramblewood Fashion on Vimeo.

  

Today is also the last day of Natasha's fashion week. How fast this week has flown! Thank you, Natasha for hosting this wonderful Feminine Fashion Week! :)

~Ashley

Feminine Fashion Week {Day 2} - Très Chic, No?

-What I'm Wearing-

Black & White Polka-dot Jacket - Kohl's {$13.80}

Cream Ruffle Tank - Gap Outlet {$8}

White Long Sleeve T-Shirt - J.C. Penny's {$6}

Jeans - J.C. Penny's {$17}

Black Flats - Payless {$10}

Black Flower Pin - Maurices {$3}

Pearl Earrings - Gift

Here it is, the second day of Natasha's fashion week. Today my inspiration was this polka-dot jacket and my 1960s hairstyle. Though, to me at least, my hair is screaming for a LBD (Little Black Dress) with a boat neckline (a.k.a Audrey Hepburn). Alas, I don't own one, or have any black fabric in my stash. I do have fabric to recreate the jumper below, that Audrey Hepburn wears in the movie Sabrina {1954}.

Oh, once I master this hairstyle I will do a tutorial for all of you. I just need raise the back more. As it doesn't look very 60s in the front. :) Here's more pictures of my hair. 

~Ashley