Tag Archives: princess highway

Remix: Sunspots dress-to-skirt

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Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou FrouTop: Princess Highway

Skirt: Remixed from 17 Sundays dress

Shoes: Seychelles

You may remember this dress, which I bought from 17 Sundays back at the start of the year. I wasn’t particularly happy with the fit of the bodice – it was short-waisted and baggy with armholes cut too deep, and it didn’t suit my figure at all. Belted and worn with a cardigan it was okay, but it was definitely one of those one-hit-wonder style outfits, which meant it spent most of its time languishing in my wardrobe.

Last week I finally mustered up the energy to remix it from a dress into a skirt, using the same process I did all those years ago when I altered a too-small Gorman dress I’d splurged on (you can find the tutorial here).

Frocks and Frou FrouIt was a fairly easy remix – the bodice had enough fabric in it for me to cut two waistband strips, which I interfaced for stability as the fabric itself is a soft and stretchy jersey. Because the skirt already fit well around the waist I was able to salvage the pleats by basting them in place before I removed the bodice to Frankenstein it into a waistband.

Frocks and Frou FrouI’m really happy with the result, and I’m getting a lot more use out of the dress as a mix-and-match separate that I can wear with a variety of different tops including this pretty rose-pink sweater from Princess Highway.

Screen Shot 2016-08-15 at 11.00.45 PMMEANWHILE!

I’m hilariously excited about Melbourne Fashion Week Plus, which is taking place 22-28 August. There’s a slew of events taking place, including four – count them, FOUR – runway shows, and a variety of panels on everything from feminism, to the state of the plus-size industry.

The organisers are keen to ensure that it’s an event that promotes everything about plus size culture: design, discourse and body positivity.

The runway shows include several new designers that are new to me, as well as some of my long-time favourites, and I’ll definitely be attending all four, so hopefully I can bring you news of some brilliant new local and international names to add to your lust-lists – If you’re in Melbourne I’d thoroughly recommend you check the event out yourself (and if you need another excuse to visit Melbourne and would like to make a weekend of it A+ Markets have scheduled their next market for the 28th, too)

You can find tickets for MFWPlus here.

Smock ‘n Roll

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Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou Frou Frocks and Frou FrouCardigan: Princess Highway

Dress: DIY from Fancy Tiger Crafts pattern

Tights: Sonsee Woman

Shoes: Miz Mooz

I was trying to expand my sewing repertoire beyond Colette patterns (on account of the sheer number of Myrtles and Monetas now in my wardrobe!) when I stumbled across Fancy Tiger Crafts. Ostensibly a craft supply shop in Colorado, they also do a few patterns of their own design, including the oh-so-chic Fen Dress which looks like it’s wandered straight off the racks at Melbourne-based hipster-favourite, Obus.

This fabulous smock frock has deep scooped pockets, a boxy fit, and ‘choose-your-own’ features like sleeves, hemlines, and necklines so that you can mix and match your own perfect creation from the one pattern. I’ve made three now, and they’ve all been made of different fabrics with different elements, and I’ve loved every one of them.

This version has a dipped hem and a v-neckline, plus I lengthened the bodice by an inch to give it a slightly dropped-waist effect. For the fabric I splurged on a totally, totally divine cotton-hemp blend ‘denim’, that looks and feels like well-loved linen with none of the wrinkle-factor. I’ve been reading a lot lately about ethical production in the fashion industry (I’ve just started reading this great book on the topic called Wardrobe Crisis – do check it out if you’re interested in fashion and consumerism) and I was reassured to see that the company who supplies the fabric traces the provenance – and worker standards – right down to the raw materials. At $25 a yard It’s probably one of the more expensive fabrics I’ve bought, but the quality speaks for itself and it was definitely worth the investment.

The fabric’s lovely in summer, but Melbourne seems to have finally caught up to the fact that it’s autumn, and the mercury is dropping fast. Teamed with tights (Sonsee, naturally) and a cardigan, the style of the dress is clean enough to layer beautifully.

I kept my jewellery simple, adding my New Favourite Necklace: a ‘spinner’ pendant that lends itself to being endlessly fiddled with during the day (the rough-cut faceted crystal rotates with the flick of a finger).

Frocks and Frou FrouNecklace: Foxtail Boutique

I’ve had my eye on the necklace for the better part of a year now, and I’m so glad I finally snapped it up, because now I want to wear it all the time.