Must Wear for the Women's March

~ a hand-made Pussyhat ~

Yeah, I was one of the 250,000 who marched downtown Chicago on a sunny, 60 degree day.

~ it started in Grant Park ~

 those multi-colored teeny dots are people, people!

~ see? ~

~ 300+ acres nestled between Lake Michigan and Downtown Chicago ~

The 50,000 that were expected soon grew 3x that and the march part was cancelled.   Apparently no one told the participants, or, they didn't care.  People started leaving the park and took to the streets and the original march route.

~ spilling across Michigan Ave. and down Jackson Blvd.~

~ only the L was moving, the buses and cars were stopped in their tracks ~

from heavy.com

~ everyone was friendly ~

~ no one was harassed or arrested ~

~ not even these rowdy folks! ~

~ can you find me? ~

~ I'm the one with the pink hat and the lady bag ~

~ yeah, I'm walking to the beat ~

~ and I'm following this sign ~

 source for most pix;

others as noted,

or they're mine.

Being that I'm so Visible and Fashionably dressed, I'm heading on over to join Patti and the Visibles at Not Dead Yet Style and Catherine's I Will Wear What I Want, dagnabit, when they go live.  Oh, oh, I have a hat on so I'm off to join Judith and her Hat Attack!  Hope to see all of you there!

*This just in:  U.S. cities & worldwide totals of 1-21-17 march attendance

 

It's a new year.

~ Buddha with mudra of greeting, prayer & respect ~ *

And it's time I get back

to simplifying my consumption and accumulation of stuff (especially clothes) 

the statement that started me on Project Minima over six years ago.




I haven't been shopping in stores for clothing during that whole time. 

That includes thrift stores.  I don't miss it at all.  I make or refashion everything I wear.  I started to buy shoes from ebay about the second or third year in.  And I buy funky sox online when they're on sale once or twice a year.    I don't go into clothing stores for anything, not even to look.  nah.  In fact, I really don't go into stores at all.  The ambiance (if you can call it that) is so jarring.  Too much stimulation:  noise, people, signage, lights, stuff.  My True Love does the grocery shopping.  Thank goodness he prefers it that way.



One place where I've been completely out of control

is buying fabric and sewing patterns.  Yes, it's true, I buy them on drastic sale and online.  But still.  I have enough of a stash for several lifetimes.

So I stopped cold turkey on 1-1-17.  I unsubscribed to mailing lists, etc.  If I don't look, I'm not tempted, and then not interested.



I'd like to refine what I already have.

Maybe reappraise my "style" as I, and my body, have changed over the last six years. See what still works, refashion what doesn't.   Do some repairing, if need be.

I have a desire to find some piece I like, that works for me, and then do it over and over for awhile.  Whether it's a certain pattern or a certain combination of clothing.  Like my series of tablecloth dresses from way back when (click on label from sidebar to see those posts).   Or like Michele Oka Doner's one dress in many fabrics.  Or like Spotty Dogs Social Club's evolution of Tina Givens patterns into her own daily uniform.



Yeah, I don't want more, I want better.  

And I can do that.  

Without buying a thing.

 

Cheers to All!

*the first image posted on 5-31-11, entitled Prequel

Deep Velvet & The 3 Tops

First Showing:

~ me freezing ~

Yeah, it's a sunny day and 6 below zero again.   So we'll be quick.

I made this deep blue velvet kimono (they call it that on the pattern, Shelley) Simplicity 4134 and self-drafted the skirt a couple months ago. 

~ SEE? ~

And I can't find anything to wear with it!  This is my third attempt at making a shirt/ top/ blouse for it.

~ Okay, that's it, I'm going inside ~

But wait, let me show you each and every one of the 3 Tops I labored over.

Kimono on the Cityscapes

~ Yes, here we all are ~

The Kimono is from Koos of Vogue patterns 1493
and the Dress is from The Sewing Workshop Collection Cityscapes pattern.

I made the dress awhile ago and never wore it in public.  The original pattern calls for a jumper to go over it.  I tried, but it didn't work out at all.  But when I finished the Kimono and tried it on over the dress, I liked the vibe, especially with the dusty pink boots. 

~ I mean I'm having a flashback, man ~

 

~ check out that sleeve action ~

Okay, now this is something you don't see everyday.  In fact, this is something you never see on the likes of me.  Totally XXX rated.