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Tuesday, 18 August 2015

70's Splendour at Frocktails Melbourne

Yes, I do spend my life swanning about at all the most fashionable functions ;)
No?
Well, in my dreams I do...
Photo Credit Poppykettle
After a wonderful weekend in our nations capital for #cbrfrocktails, I set about planning for '#Frocktails', here in my home city of Melbourne.
Now, I knew Canberra would be frosty cold, but somehow the Antarctic winter that Melbourne was experiencing was more 'real' and caused more angst about 'what to wear to be warm'. Well, that and the reality that I was staying next to the venue in Canberra, but would be waiting on open platforms and catching trains in Melbourne.
Jenny Rennous-Oh-Glennus had the most brilliant of solutions - pop over to her post to see not just the best full skirt ever made, but also, her hidden source of toasty warmth.
 I accompanied her on the train to Frocktails in a full length wool coat, appropriated from my mum's "AFL games at the MCG" attending wardrobe - I felt very Sherlock Holmes. I will be making one for next winter. My headdress was the source of much fascination for a young girl also on the train, clearly we were going to a ball.
And what a ball it was! 51 gorgeous ladies from as far afield as NZ & Brisbane, all in handcrafted magnificence. My photos of the evening aren't mine and all credit goes to Mel Poppykettle, Helen Funkbunny and Gabrielle UpSewLate, they have many more in their posts.

Photo Credit Poppykettle
Keeping up my tradition of sewing my way through my silk stash, I paired this very tactile, almost peach skin silk with a classic 1970's pattern. The Tuesday before Frocktails I was full of 'the flu' & my wonderful mum drove me around some opp shops, as we like to do. There were 5 perfectly 70's patterns in a little shop that simply said 'take me home' and this one then said 'make me, in silk, tonight'. I did mention my raging fever? Anyhow, I was sensible enough (for a change) to soak the silk in a gelatine mix before laying it out and cutting the dress as long as the crosswise width of my fabric allowed.
I've reinforced the channels at the top and along the CB zip with silk organza. SewSquirrel is my online & local supplier. This silk is divine, but really doesn't like being unpicked and even with a new microtec needle, threatens to run on the stitch lines. That invisible zip, it's white, shhh, don't tell anyone ... A perfect excuse to buy a new summer shade of nail polish really ;)

DH had understandable reservations when he saw it in it's full 70's glory, it was quite Aline and made a strong 70's silhouette statement. My concerns were more along the undergarments line, its not an opaque fabric, and in it's original styling, bras were rather optional.
Mel reassured me early on in the night that the paparazzi flash wasn't showing my undergarments, phew! (I'm still wary after my first Frocktails experience where my understated burgundy slip became the main event, rather than my black lace dress). For those curious, this has a black halter neck slip ;)
Photo Credit Funkbunny
It was a truly magnificent night and I managed to escort the last ladies standing down Collins St to hot chips after 2am, so that's a definite achievement!


20 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness. Your dress was superb. This silk looks divine on you.
    And what a night right? So glad we got to catch up at both events Nicole.

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    1. I really enjoyed seeing you at both events. It's so lovely that we have the chance to meet and chat at length, and to have occasions to wear pretty dresses in silk and sequins!

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  2. I can't believe you would go anywhere near silk when sickly!! I have enough trouble when I'm healthy! You totally pulled it off though.... so glamorous :-)

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    1. It's knowing your sewing strengths ;) I find cotton sateen or linen much more confronting and would never consider anything requiring precision sewing when I'm feeling a tad vague. Your godets and top were well beyond me last week! Lightweight silk in a simple design is so forgiving when worn, and I simply adore it ;)

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  3. What an awesome dress! So glam, and so ace to meet you in the real world!

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    1. I'm so glad we got to chat! We now have to meet again, I must see your bird dress IRL! ;)

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  4. Hot dang, do you ever not look smashing? xx

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    1. Regularly, but Thank You ;) I was SO tempted to go tutu but I knew I could never carry it off as well as your rad self ;)x

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  5. Great post- I can't believe you only bought the pattern the Tuesday prior. Or did you tell me that? I can't remember! Thanks again for your chip help! Looking forward to the next one!!!!

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    1. I can't remember who I told! ;) Those chips were goood, so was the gin.... I like this habit of frocktails with you - lets base the next around a sculpture park ;)

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  6. Gosh you looked so stunning. So sad not to have come, but I'm sure there will be another occasion xxxxx

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    1. Most definitely! Am very glad we had Canberra. :) and thank you. ... til next time xxx

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  7. You sew with silk when you have flu? Wow! your dress is fantastic really beautiful. Looks like you had a great time.

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    1. Thanks Louise. And the best sewing secret ever is that gelatine soaked silk behaves like cotton until you rinse it out, then that drape forgives any little sewing digressions - perfect for when you need a bit of wriggle room ;)

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  8. Nailed it you fabulous 70's babe. And don't even get me started on how perfect that fascinator was...

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    1. Hello Ms Vogue drapey goddess! Thank you ;) A little secret - all the fascinator hard work was done by the Darn Cheap flower and the Spotlight feathers, and a few bobby pins 'borrowed' from Jenny ;)
      However, I do love an excuse to wear a dramatic headpiece!

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  9. Oh you gorgeous, gorgeous woman, you wear this style so well! It's so utterly perfect, just wish I could have seen it in person xxxx

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    1. Thank you my fellow 70's pattern devote and inspiration!
      I'm sure we can manage cocktails on a beach one day! I was imagining this dress somewhere warm, on sunset... and it packs away to nothing, so it's coming on my next holiday north ;)

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  10. Sooooo much fun, I want to do it all again and soon!

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    1. me too, me too!! I'm still very keen for a repeat of SewcieTea as it was the blog posts following it where I discovered the wonderful world of Melbourne sewing ladies! ;)

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