0 Comments OOTD Downton Abbey Style

It seems like I've been sewing non-stop the last couple of months. Barely finishing one project I already have another one coming up in my head... Here I'm going to share with you my most recent project to date as an outfit of the day.

Freshwater pearls: H.Samuel
Glass bangles: gift from India 

This beautiful dress features a dropped waistline with gathered midi length skirt, my all time favourite 3/4 sleeves and a gentle boat neckline. Material is 100% Italian viscose, extremely lightweight which makes the dress very dynamic and flowing at the slightest breath of air. Well, see for yourself :)

Suede flats: Mascotte

Clearly liking my new dress!

The pattern comes from a relatively dated magazine (Burda 02/2013), although I only got to make it now. And guess what? It all happened after re-watching the Downton Abbey series :) 

All their gowns are just so elegant yet relaxed, feminine yet perfect in their simplicity – needless to say I've been in love with their outfits throughout the series, as [I am certain] are most of the girls who ever watched at least one episode. 

Here, I hope you guys like it as much as I do! Took it out to an Indian summer bazaar hosted by the Indian embassy here in Moscow a few days ago, and it looked and felt fabulous! ^_^

E.V.

P.S. Currently engaged in a lengthy knitting project, so I should reveal it in a week or two, I know there hasn't been much knitting here recently and I'm hoping that would change :P 

0 Comments Cut Me Some Slack! | OOTD

This is just enough word play I can squeeze into this post without sounding too cheesy. Sometimes I find it quite tormenting to come up with a nice title for a post, so it is always good to have an idea bouncing and ready when I sit down to type. So cut me some slack if it's not the most entertaining post title ever :D

Well, to the point now. During the little guessing game I originated to collect your guesses as to what I made as my then latest sewing project, +AdmiralLadyPaula Rizzuto suggested a "lovely drapery pair of slacks" [see what I did there?]. Although not from that fabric, I did make a pair that just fits her description from black lightweight Italian viscose.

I am not entirely sure how to describe the style properly since it is somewhat of a mix between formal-ish harem pants and relaxed peg leg, so I really hope the pictures will suffice. The model features crop length with curved edges, wide waist band and gentle folds placed right on top of pocket openings, making them look puffier as well as adding to their drapery-ness (a total nightmare to iron but so worth it!).

Knitwear top: Massimo Dutti
Suede flats: Mascotte
Cateye shades: ASOS
Necklace: somewhere in Brazil (gift from a friend)

I have another pair I made using the same pattern about 5-6 years ago from lovely linen mix (still alive and well) in size UK 8/EU 36. Now that I've reduced to size UK 6/EU 34 I'm loving how they rest all relaxed about an inch above my hipbones, which is why I decided not to adjust the black pair to my actual size.

I have to say, I am happy with my choice of the material. It took me quite a while to find simple black viscose that is opaque enough not to show off anything underneath – for some reason neutral colours like that are not in favour on the Russian market. This was literally the only fabric matching all of my requirements, and better yet – after decating the cut it got this subtle shine like that of scoured silk, much to my enjoyment.

Mac: Zara Basic

I needed a pair of black slacks like that for the summer actually, since the only ones I have are either linen or shorts. This pair can be both casual and formal, and even night out/occasion worthy if worn with a sparkly top, some nice jewellery and high heels.

As usual, awaiting your comments down below, and hope you guys liked it :)

E.V.

P.S. Forgive my awkward posing, I am not very good at this! *insert monkey covering eyes with hands emoji*

0 Comments The Pink One | Spring Dress

Heyyy... So... I finally got some time to take pictures of the piece I made from that candy pink viscose mix I showed you here some time back. I don't think anyone has guessed what it was from the first try, although few of you came pretty close. I decided the colour and texture would make just a perfect dress for spring, which is exactly what I made of it in the end.

Once again, the pattern came from one of this year's Burda magazines, and I fell in love with it right there and then when I saw the preview:

Ah, so tender! Wish my hair was this long... *dreamy face*

I bought the fabric (quite spontaneously) before I got my hands on the copy, and lived the following week or so in sweet anticipation. I especially liked the simple and modest silhouette with dropped waistline, the length of the skirt (which differs from my favourite midi/below the knee) and the fact that this model has full length sleeves, which is something I haven't seen on a dress in a while.

I think I cut into the fabric the very same day I got the magazine – so anxious I was to finally make it!

My enthusiasm got turned down a notch when I realised the material I had just wouldn't flow and look as lightweight as it does on the picture. The reason – magazine model is made of silk, and my viscose crepe turned out to have stretchy fibres and due to added polyester it was heavier and thicker than needed.

Apologies for the dress being all creased, I took pictures only after I wore it once ^_^

Anyways, no turning back after you cut it, eh? In every other aspect the fabric was a treat to work with, and I didn't have any problems whatsoever when it came down to sewing. Psssst, overlock is such a life-saver!

Sewing wise this model had a couple of challenging operations I have never done before – cuffs and a concealed button panel – which, although required some extra time, were not as challenging as I originally expected. Altogether it took approximately three evenings to make, and then another couple of days for me to stop being lazy and hem it by hand :D

I quite enjoyed making this dress and I am pretty happy with how it looks on me. The only thing which I find slightly weird is the fact that it has full sleeves (which came out a bit longer on me than they are on the model) – not something I dislike, but I'd have to play around with shoes and accessories a bit to be confident enough to just grab it from the wardrobe and go.

From what I can say now, it will look amazing with simple nude pumps and a classic mac for a casual day out or an office look, whereas matching hairpiece, bold lip colour and high heels will give it a more sophisticated evening touch. So, potentially versatile, but will have to experiment :)  

Bonus: a full look featuring the new dress :)

I really hope you like how it turned out! I know I've been keeping you waiting with it, so thank you so much for staying with me! As usual, the comment section is open for your lovely opinions and suggestions. 

Lots of love <3 

E.V.

2 Comments Can't Quite Contain My Excitement, or Floral Vintage

I am excited, as it follows from the title of this post, and I would much like to share with you why. After about three weeks of hectic [at times] reading books on modelling clothes, trying to model some basic forms and then designing a dress I only ever saw as an illustration on Pinterest (this one) from scratch and without any substantial guidance, I finished The dress!

Close up of the front tie detail

The overall silhouette and the front tie detail I took from the image, as you can see, but the required measurements and proportions between different parts of the pattern I had to estimate, and I did improvise with the back of the dress, since you can't quite see it from the picture. The fabrics was a birthday gift from a friend, and it is a Japanese cotton with grey background and vintage flowers.

The dress features a boat neckline in the front and a moderate V-neck in the back, which turned out looking very elegant. The top of the dress is made as a crude probability distribution curve (I do hold a BSc and an MBA, after all!), with darts being transferred into soft pleats around it. The back has two regular darts that match those of the skirt. The front ties are sewn into the side seams, and serve more as a decoration rather than have any practical purpose.

Mirror selfie in the new dress is a must!

The back of the skirt is a regular pencil shape with a tall kick split, while the front has darts gathered at the waist, making it puffy in the hip area. To be perfectly honest, I expected the skirt to be a little bit slimmer, although it does look good and vintage'y as it is. The dress fastens at the back with a 50cm/20inch concealed zip.

The overall look for the night

What I am most proud of in this dress though are sleeve gussets – an essential element of vintage dress-making, particularly in the 50s. A one-piece gusset like the one here is a diamond-shaped piece of fabric that goes into the opening under the arm and allows extra arm movement in more fitted kimono sleeves. Ah, so pretty!

Here I'm showing you how the dress looks as part of a whole, with recently made coat and evening hair and make-up. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised that the dress was so comfortable to wear – and gussets do indeed allow proper arm movement while maintaining close fit. Although I would probably let some time pass before I attempt to model another dress for myself, it was too exhausting and time consuming!

Well, I do hope you guys like it, too. It took some time and dedication to make it, but all the hassle was well worth the result :)

See you soon!

E.V.

0 Comments Spring in Lilac | OOTD

This winter here in Moscow was dull. It wasn't the regular cold, but rather mildly negative temperatures mixed with March +3ºC throughout the whole three months of winter, more or less. This means there was snow, which then got stained with fumes and dust, which then melted halfway and turned into dirty mush, only to freeze again a couple of days later. Repeat.

All that left the winter city [and its urban outskirts] looking grey and impossibly miserable. So, when the air first began to smell like spring again and streets began to dry a couple of weeks ago, I knew it was time to bring some colour in! So I figured a cuddly oversize coat in a lovely shade would be perfect to get into the spring mood.

Another reason I needed, or rather wanted a coat is that ever since late October I wouldn't take down my favourite +Uniqlo dawn jackets. They are fabulously comfy and light and versatile, but they sure lack some style and glamour for those occasional fancy moods of mine.

I don't really know anymore which came first, the idea to make the coat or this pattern from Burda Style Classic edition 2013. But as soon as I laid eyes on the picture I knew it was EXACTLY what I wanted to have! And making it would be another pleasant challenge for my sewing skills. Not long after I was already in a store looking at a piece of coat wool in a beautiful shade of lilac, which again was love at the first sight.

Love how the colour matches my dark denims

It took me a few evenings to finish the coat, as I wanted it to turn out as neat as possible. Making it was easy, although handling so much fabric at once was a tiny bit tricky. And, me being me, I still managed to find something to be upset about when the coat was done. Not critical, but buttonhole positions offered by the original pattern turned out to be too far from the edge, which resulted in a fold between the top button and the next one down. Ah, well...

Colourful silk scarf my dad got me from Japan when I was 6 – it's like it was made for this coat 17 years ago!

The coat is of oversize silhouette and features a funnel neck, dropped shoulder and patch-on pockets. It is just the right amount of 'bulky' for my complexion, so it doesn't look like I picked up the wrong size or wandered into a plus-size department by accident. The lining is 100% viscose in tie jacquard ornament, which I got for a ridiculous price of under a £/metre (bin sale in the warehouse of an online store FTW!).

Now, to the Outfit Of The Day part :) Here I am wearing the coat with +Levi's® straight leg Bold Curve denims cuffed into peg leg (which is my favourite shape apart from slims and skinnies), and Poste Mistress heeled boots I bought from Office, London. I accessorised the coat with a square scarf made from hand-painted Japanese silk, and topped it all off with +ASOS cateye shades and massive green amber earrings. Although it can't be seen, inside I'm wearing a thin Primark sweater in beige.

Such a combination is perfect for casual outings like a journey to the textiles store and a simple city promenade. For a more sophisticated look I'd wear a pair of black trousers with a nice blouse, or something more feminine – a skirt or a dress. Possibilities are pretty much endless :)

'Busted' buying new fabrics :p

Anyway, here goes my first OOTD post, which I hope you enjoyed. I am planning to make more of those in the future, and spring/summer season should be the perfect opportunity to explore shooting locations and try different looks more freely.

For now, take care and enjoy the spring!

E.V.

0 Comments The Baby Blue that Turned Out to be Peppermint

Funny story about some yarn now. It's been living in the stash for as long as 6 years – my mum got it when she was buying some sock yarn to make me a pair of nice Christmassy green socks back in 2009, and unlike its green-colour colleague, it never got to any use until now. Those socks were the first time my mum knit anything in ages, and I suspect it was also the last time she ever did. 

Quite frankly, I was squeamish about the baby blue colour of the yarn to use it on anything. I mean, the colour itself is fine, it was just (1) the matter of matching it with the rest of my wardrobe, and (2) there was too little of it to make anything substantial – only two 50g skeins 135m each. 

Serial knitter that I have become, I felt sorry for those sad little skeins bearing their existence in a dark box inside a cabinet, so I made it my purpose (for about 30 minutes) to find a suitable project to use them on. Pinterest to the rescue, as usual.

A cute little pattern came along called Shawlini by Kathy Kelly. It is originally from Ravelry, but I did in fact find it on Pinterest in what to my opinion is the best execution for this particular pattern in candy pink colour. It is also a crochet pattern, and I figured it would be a nice and quick project to use up the long overdue yarn.

So, I geared up with a 5.5mm crochet hook, and was at it the next free evening. And oh wonders! The baby blue yarn began transforming into pastel, almost translucent peppermint as it turned into the shawlette. For some reason, the colour appeared different from what it looked like in a skein. But hell, that was definitely more like it!

Nearly all the yarn was used, as expected, leaving minor leftovers for some cute and quick crochet gifts. The shawlette, as it turns out, is a narrow but really wide triangular scarf. In my case it is 150cm/4'9" long and 25cm/10" at the widest part inclusive of the shell ornament.

The shape like that is particularly practical when it comes to covering overcoat collars, and it also kind of eliminates the problem of doing something with loose ends – they are thin enough to tie them together and hide under the wider middle section without having a massive bump on your chest.

As per usual, it was only after I was done with it and blocking that I realised I had done something wrong. I am not a very experience crocheter [yet], so instead of using both loops to make a new row I was using back loops, which resulted in textured vertical stripes all over the shawlette. Not that it looks bad or anything, just one of those things you learn once you got to do them wrong first.

Otherwise, the pattern was very easy to read, and making it only took me a couple of evenings including the shell border. The loose stitch here will allow some air through while pure wool will be keeping the neck quite warm – perfect for those spring winds.

I have to say, the colour transformation was pretty lucky. Peppermint should be a perfect match for a lilac light wool spring coat I am currently making for myself (to be shared here once it is finished, of course). Plus it can brighten up pretty much any neutral colour, which is just the kind of spring accessory you want in your collection :)

E.V.

0 Comments Old-School Toffee Cardi

Right, so at least one of my unexpectedly long-term projects has come to an end a few days ago. Namely, I finished that knitted toffee colour cardigan I wrote about some time back. The story goes, I had quite a bit of yarn left from the Wedding Gift project, and brave as I am I decided to have a go at making a cardigan out of ample leftovers. I figured a soft toffee colour of the yarn called for an old-school'ish cardi, preferably in textured knit. 

And I found a lovely Finnish pattern here, which fit the idea perfectly – it had 3/4 sleeves, crew neckline, button front and pretty lace/aran mix of a pattern. Even its colour was nearly exactly the same as the yarn I had. So, I got myself some fitting needles and started casting on straight away. 

That was more than three months ago. 

I did not spend that whole time knitting this cardigan, but rather I kept putting it on hold to make things like the Onerva shawl,  these fingerless mitts, and a couple of camel wool hats which I probably will be sharing here a bit later. Altogether that took up about a month or so.

The biggest bummer was my own stupid mistake. Remember when I said you shouldn't be afraid to unravel your knitting if you made one here? Well, about two days after that post was published, when I was blocking the body of the cardigan (which, mind it, is a massive single piece comprising of back and both fronts), I realised I knit the wrong size... Chest circumference was too small, so it wouldn't even meet on me. 

*Massive sigh* Loathing myself for not double-checking final measurements of the size I picked, there I sat – unravelling the whole thing until there was nothing left but two balls of curly and tired-looking yarn. 

To keep my sanity after undoing weeks worth of work, I decided to make sleeves first this time around. When I was making the body once again, this time in the correct size, some things I managed to improve. Which is a poor consolation for having to redo it, but still a nice thing. 

I followed the pattern exactly, although I did use slightly smaller needles to achieve the required gauge, 3.25mm instead of 3.5mm. The lace was a bit tricky at first, but once I got hold of it I could do it with my eyes closed. Figuratively, anyway. Also I used a crochet hook to cast off the neckline as well as to hem the cast-on edge, which made the latter look much neater.

Embellished collar: ASOS
Glass bangles: gift from India

You can imagine what a relief it was when it was finally finished and looking so good! The [correct] size fit me perfectly, although because of it being quite structured, the fitting is more like that of a jacket rather than a cardigan. It also turned out to be pretty heavy and warm, more than I imagined it would be, anyway. 

Here I am wearing it on top of a half-sleeve white blouse with peplum hem that peers out from beneath like a ruffle, and slim black pants (sorry you can't see it here). Surprisingly, the embellished collar complements the cardigan rather nicely, and kind of adds to the old-school feel of it.

3/4 length sleeves are undoubtedly my fav, as I might have mentioned here a few times. The knit work on this one for some reason gives me that vintage'y feel of 40's and 50's, but with a slight touch of countryside chic. So pretty and tender!

Because of its neutral colour, a cardigan like that would be perfect to mix and match with many other colours and styles. It can also be accessorised with skinny belts, collars and brooches to achieve different looks depending on the outfit. Can't wait to play around with it!

As usual, let me know what you think in the comments ;)

E.V.

0 Comments "A Time to Reap" Mitts

As promised some time ago, I'm sharing the result of knitting some fingerless mitts from Rowan Fine Art yarn I had left from the making of Onerva shawl. I found this lovely pattern from Ravelry on Pinterest (as I would), and I instantly knew what I will be using the leftover yarn on. I followed the pattern in every step, although I did use slightly bigger needles to get the required gauge.

Knitting this model was relatively hassle-free, if you leave out the fact that it took me almost one hour and two failed attempts of knitting the first inch of it to tame the set of double-pointed needles that kept falling out and retreating under a sofa. Although it got easier after some time, I have to admit, I did not master knitting with those, as you can clearly see the ladders on all four sides of each mitt. Quite annoying. But a good thing they're symmetrical.

The pattern is probably the easiest I could pick (although quite tedious since I hate knitting large portions in stockinette stitch), but this simplicity is what attracted me to the pattern in the first place, so no complaining here. Unfortunately the miniature lace insert at the top and bottom got kind of lost in all the colours, but the mitts still ended up looking nice.

Now to the part I kind of dreaded – the thumb gusset. I agree, dreading it would be a big word to use, but since I've never faced such a task before, it felt like a big step for me. In reality it was one of the easiest things, although it did add some volume to the stockinette part. The funniest part was knitting the tiny thumb with only 6-7 stitches on each of the three remaining needles – it turned out looking like a tiny mushroom!

Thumb gusset

Again, since it was my first ever attempt, there can be seen some ladders around the gusset. Well, I'm sure that with these things practice makes perfect, and that in time I will master the art of knitting with perfect tension throughout!

Just like in the original pattern, they come quite high up the arm and are slightly slouchy in the wrist, which creates that effortless comfort look. They work (and look) perfect with 3/4 or half-sleeve tops, keeping the arms fully covered in those colder days and giving them an extra layer under the coat. The fitting is also rather elegant to be able to leave them on indoors where there is no requirement to appear formal. 

Here, I hope you liked them! Take care for now.

E.V.

2 Comments The Story of a Batwing Lace

Today I was faffing about the internet once again looking at awesome potential knitting projects. And that is despite the fact that I currently have two projects in progress, which I am working on from time to time, including a camel wool helm-hat for my mum (winter here is getting colder) and a toffee-coloured cardigan with half-sleeves in textured knit for myself. Both to be shared here once they're done. 

However, thinking of what I could make took an unexpected turn, and I started recollecting what I had already made instead, where I found something I would be nothing less than proud to share with you. 

The story starts more than a year ago, when I decided to knit myself a nice wool sweater in ivory/cream, the decision I made after about two hours and more than a dozen shops visited on Oxford St in London around November. There was absolutely nothing decent of that colour! And whatever had the colour, had wrong style or, what's more important (to me), fabric composition. So, to finish off an otherwise unsuccessful shopping spree, I went to John Lewis and got myself somewhat four balls of Rowan Fine Lace in colour Porcelaine, which I figured would be more than enough for a lacy sweater.

I started knitting a simple model – 1.5-inch rib at the bottom followed by a pretty lacy pattern I found somewhere on the internet. Then, my MBA dissertation happened, and when I picked the project up again in April I had no clue whatsoever what my original plan was! So I unravelled the 8 inches of the back part I had already knitted, and started to research a new, simpler pattern, Online.

I soon found this lace sweater by Vogue Knitting and I absolutely fell in love with it! The pattern is fairly easy, and it is knitted by simply working increase charts bottom-up, then dividing the work in two and knitting some more for the sleeves, and finally joining the two parts together leaving an opening in the middle for the head. Doesn't really get much simpler than this.

To achieve the required gauge I had to knit with two strands of yarn at once, so practically I was only left with two skeins, and I was kind of worried it will not be enough. Not that I couldn't buy more, but I was feeling too lazy to go all the way to John Lewis for just one ball of yarn, plus if I only used a few metres of it I wouldn't know what to do with the rest of it again. Luckily it was enough (possibly since I was knitting the smallest size), although I had to unravel the pattern sample to finish off the seams.

Anyway, after such a lengthy intro, here come the pictures:

The sweater turned out to be very soft and insanely warm, so a good thing the pattern is lacy. Despite the fact that it is a double-strand 100% wool knit, it is very gentle on the skin and slouchy batwing sleeves make it rather cosy. Just what you need when the weather is less than perfect in those colder months.

The only thing I kind of wish was different is the sweater being cropped just at the waistline, which makes it quite difficult to match with the bottoms without showing some skin (which I dislike solely for the reason that the open parts feel uncomfortably colder). I usually end up wearing it with a high-waist pencil skirt, just like the one in the pictures, or with anything high-waist, really. Otherwise, I think it is one of those perfect pieces. Its soft and neutral ivory colour is easy to match, and the simple yet elegant design fits many styles and moods.

Let me know what you think in the comments ;)

E.V.

0 Comments Birthday Dress

At Kremlin State Concert Hall

It became a more or less consistent tradition for me in the recent years to wear a new dress on my birthday. I suspect a lot of us try to wear something new and exciting on such a day. It kind of adds to the overall excitement of the moment when you get to shop for a new outfit, or order it Online and wait in sweet anticipation until it arrives to your doorstep, or even get one made just for you.

When I was a child my mother would sometimes make me new pretty dresses for my birthdays. That wasn't the case every single year, naturally, but I still remember those times when the dress would be hanging in the hall already finished and when I simply couldn't wait to put it on. Such excitement!

This year I decided to make one myself, and let me tell you, it is NOT as exciting when you are the one making it! Things tend to go wrong making you lose motivation and at times even hate the idea altogether. 

It was all going great and smooth until it turned out that the pattern I was using had faulty fitting and the top part just wouldn't fit me properly. It was too tight on the bust, too loose on the waist and overall looked pretty terrible. Terrible to the extent of me deciding to rip it and make a different bodice altogether from the remaining fabrics. Here you have a few snaps of the final version:

Princess-cut bodice 

Semi-circle ruffle skirt

Narrow hemming

Blind zipper - both inside and out

Silk lining (black)

Personally, I am quite happy with the result. The dress turned out to be very elegant and flowing, with a slight 50-s touch just as intended (although I'm contemplating to make a net tutu to be worn underneath for a more authentic 50-s silhouette). 

You can't see it from the pictures, but it has thin spaghetti straps and a fairly low back, so it does require some matching layering to cover the shoulders. What you also cannot see here is the length, which comes about two thirds down the calf, making it a long-ish midi. 

But my favourite part is the fabrics itself. Abstract peacock feather print on a deep navy background, subtle silky sheen and rustling texture. Can be accessorised to be both formal and smart casual, which is probably my favourite quality of silk garments. All in all, makes a perfect dress to wear to a ballet performance :)

E.V. 

0 Comments Polyester Rant | Imported Post

Ok, so I mentioned already that I was experimenting with other blogging platforms recently. Not that I have written a lot there, but I figured that it would be nice to get everything in one place, so now you can read here what I did elsewhere. Enjoy! (Excuse the formatting, copy-pasting unfortunately brought in some scripting I can't get away which double-spaces everything in this post...)

Self-made cotton sundress

"I love clothes. No, not like that… I love good clothes. I am not a style freak, but I admire a well-assembled outfit. I enjoy a nice match of colours or patterns, when it is not too much, but just enough to create that interesting and unique look. A kind of look that people could call stylish without necessarily knowing what exactly attracted them. Elusive. Subtle. But most importantly, I enjoy quality natural fabrics in clothes I choose for myself.
I do well understand and appreciate the fact that people are looking for easier and cheaper sourcing for fabrics since it brings us such materials as bamboo, viscose or acetate versus cotton or silk. I even understand the need for polyester and polyamide - some pieces really do require extra durability without sacrificing the ease of movement. But what I do not understand, and which I find a complete outrage, is the fact that larger section of [especially] women’s fashion is being invaded by polyester (among other artificial yarns) every season that passes.

Taking ladies high street shopping as an illustration, there would be at least 15 pure polyester tops for each one made of viscose or cotton. Depending on the brand, the quality of make will naturally vary, but the fact remains exactly that — polyester prevails. And it is not even the designs, no. The majority of the pieces I encounter are up to standard, feature lovely patterns and overall follow the current fashion trends. But my God are they impractical!

Now, each material has a fairly unique quality to it, which is why it is generally being chosen for a certain piece. Wool for warmth, cotton for breathability, silk for its sheen, and so on. Polyester has replaced all of the above. You can find polyester dresses that resemble wool crepe, polyester that looks like woven or jersey cotton, polyester chiffon… Sadly, they all look like things without delivering the expected qualities. A dress like that will never keep you warm enough in the cold, but will likely feel quite hot when worn indoors. Polyester can hardly be called breathable, and its feel (more often than not) is not too pleasant on the skin.

Some might argue that I should stop looking at cheap/mass brands for quality stuff and be happy with whatever they have to offer. But the more expensive brands are no better! Yes, they do use some nice fabrics and the fitting can be better at times, but they just as easily sell full-polyester dresses for the price of silk ones. What is sad is that the current demand trends make it possible, and it looks like it is moving towards natural fabrics becoming a more high-end good for which one’ll have to pay double.

Don’t get me wrong though, I do own some polyester pieces myself, and I do enjoy wearing them from time to time even if they are not the most practical/cozy items. But that is a reasonable fraction of my wardrobe versus the sheer volume of polyester in the mass market as opposed to natural materials.

The last half a year or so I have been resorting in occasional clothes making, the hassle of which brought me more joy and fulfilment than ‘scavenging’ for nice clothes on the high street or online. I do have a feeling that with the tendencies I spoke of above this might become a more recurring thing. But for now, rant closed. x"

E.V.

P.S. Let me know if you want me to tell you more about how I made this dress and if you want to see some more pictures.