Clothes are more than just fabric... they are communication...

We are always changing and evolving.  Our tastes and needs are always changing and evolving, too.

Lately, I've been getting requests from people who are looking for all different kinds of things.  They want fabric to dance in, to decorate something, for certain kinds of parties... I think people are looking for feelings, more than "definitions" of fabric types.  So, what i end up doing, if pointing them at stores they might like to look.  And I try to give a few choices in different price ranges, so they can determine for themselves which is best for their needs.  The stores all have different personalities.  Some stores are really tough to shop if you cannot name what you are looking for.

So today, I offer food for thought.  If you are like me, clothing is a way to express yourself, to communicate, to enhance your appearance and personal expression, to dance to beat of your own drummer!  Old or young, spry, feeble, or graceful, you can create what agrees with what you (or the intended user) want to wear/carry/have.  After all, isn't that the beauty of being able to create? 

Oh, and what a thrill it must be to have your own husband design for you (see video below)! For a beautiful fabric like the kind her dress is made of, I would look at Elliott Berman, Rosen & Chadick, NY Elegant, or Metro Textiles.

Now for a completely different take on a unique way of dressing...

Note: The following video takes you to some touchy subjects, depending on your point of view, so be forewarned if you aren't comfortable with issues surrounding an honest account of a human being's discoveries and introspective questioning surrounding her own sexuality and appearance.

Having said that, will you take a moment to appreciate the wild patchwork of fabric that makes up her ensemble? To mimic this in any way at all, I would go to Spandex House for the pants fabric, NY Elegant for the shirt fabric, someplace like Chic Fabrics for the main jacket fabric, and someplace like Paron or TruMart for the scarf fabric.



And then, although this is the outfit of my dreams (below), I'd need the attitude, legs and courage to wear it... but then I'd have nowhere to go in it. 

Sigh...

The chainmail, if you're thinking about it for yourself,  can be found at B&J Fabrics, though, and then, of course, used in countless other ways...

Any of the stores mentioned above can be found on the where to shop list here.

Let's say you've got 20 bucks and an event to go to...

Oh come on... we've all been there!  The event is tomorrow.  Or this weekend. You have "nothing" to wear.  Payday is a bit too far away, and you haven't budgeted for this.  You still wanna look fabulous, current, and creative. What to do...?

Here's where you can go:

Top Trimmings - Grab a flower, and put it in your hair or on your dress/jacket whatever.  Match an interesting color of shoes you already own.

Daytona Braids and Trimming.  You can take something simple and boring, and jazz it up, with a bit of creativity.

Something I did for a dressmaking client - as posted on my other (older) blog on dressmaking.

Fabrics Garden Let's call their pricing "arbitrary".  And I mean that in the most respectful way.  This weekend, for example, I'm gonna make an $8 dress.  At least, I'm pretty sure it will be a dress.  I'll show you when I know!

Trumart... or is it Truemart?  Even Google doesn't know the answer to this question!  The signage on the store reads "Truemart", but other sources indicate otherwise.  Who cares, right?  I wrote a post on this store many moons ago, but there have clearly been some changes since.  While still packed to the brim, I shopped there comfortably with about 4 other customers yesterday, finding exactly what I needed, at exactly the price I was willing to pay.  Prices are clearly still negotiable there, and the other shoppers made their budget consciousness known, but the fabric quality of their offerings has significantly improved compared to my last trip inside.  No longer feeling like closeouts, but more like "lucky finds", the pickins' are much plumper now, and the variety more interesting.

Believe me, there's much more you can do.  You are only limited by what your imagination (or fellow bloggers and creatives) can dream up.  People don't really sew to save money anymore, but for what you can create, the opportunity to really do something fun and fabulous for yourself is irresistible.

And if you're in NYC right now, it is cold and raining.  Bummer for Memorial weekend plans today, but fire up the machine, and you can make magic.  Report back if you do!