In Which, Having Invented Sleeves, I Impersonate A Flamingo

Note to self: do not wear black in hundred-degree Kentucky weather.

(If you can't see the sweat beading up on my neck, it's not because it isn't there.)

Dress: A simple black chemise dress in cotton lawn with short sleeves, slightly gathered portrait neckline, and self-sash.




I didn't intend to make an off-the-shoulder dress, but I'm still getting the hang of designing necklines (damn them) and what will be will be.  I think it looks pretty good.

I know I found a link to the tutorial for this hairstyle on Casey Brown's blog, but now it seems to have gone into hiding.  It's just a twisty kind of circlet thing, gathering hair as you go like a French braid, and held with plain old bobby pins.

The self-sash is faced with an ivory cotton lawn of the same weight.  I'm really picky about fabrics--I don't like prints, won't touch anything synthetic (nylon slips if I can't get anything else), and get cranky about fraying--so I've been buying from Renaissance Fabrics a lot.  The deals are only okay once you throw in shipping, but I'm willing to pay a little extra to find period-accurate natural fibers in rich colors and not have to wade through polyester swirl prints.

Because I'm sure you've been waiting for it this whole post, my flamingo impression:

And this photo shoot marks the day I finally talked Dear Partner into visiting the world on the other side of the camera:

Just look at that dimple, huh?