a quick teaser

I had something arrive for me in the mail today, as a part of my experimental design. As you may remember, I am doing nude bodysuits and one has a roving oversize-knit "body sock" over the top (I posted the drawings in a post further down). The critique is December 2nd, so I will be sewing like crazy pretty soon! But the pressure is off; I was worried the roving wouldn't get here in time because I need to dye all of it first. Now, however, I'm just excited!

The first photo is the neoprin - a very thick, double-knit material used for scuba diving. Neoprin is a little thinner and stretchier than neoprene, used for wetsuits. In the next photo, look at how big that box is! That is 7 pounds of natural merino roving, which you can see better at bottom left. It is ridiculously soft and even thicker than what I used to knit my swatch sample, bottom right, with my specially-ordered size 42 knitting needles (I couldn't find these in a store anywhere). I am excited at how lofty the roving is - means my stitches will be just slightly bigger. I am so excited to start knitting this!

I will document the dyeing process, since it is sort of interesting to see how it is done. I will be doing it in the bathtub while I am home for Thanksgiving break - not putting my perfect wool in my college house bathtub here, no way. Just thought I'd give you a sneak peak of the materials! For our critique, we will have a professional photographer, so expect some "photoshoot" type things in about two weeks.

obsession : cowls

Cowls have always been a detail I've loved. Since we are working on them currently in my draping class, they've been on my mind. Cowls are any fabric excess that folds in on itself. They can be pleated, like I've done on my dress form above (two small pleats at the shoulder to create two defined folds in the body of the cowl), they can be in the front, the back, as an armhole, at the hips ... anywhere. And they are luxuriously beautiful.

Cowl details are easy and fun to wear. Like the draping above, their ability to hang allows for something underneath to show, like the strapless bustier is. They also instantly lend a "dressed up" feel to a garment. Cowls can be done in a variety of fabrics and are very versatile, as well - a wool cowl on a business style dress will be a little stiff, with interesting structure, while a chiffon or jersey knit gown will "pool" at the cowl and seem to drip from the body.

The Reem Acra pre-fall 2010 collection shows us that cowls aren't just done symmetrically - the cascading drapes down the side of the gray dress are cowls, too.


Derek Lam's fall 2010 gowns show two very different cowls - on the left we have what usually comes to mind when thinking about cowls - deep and dramatic. However, cowls don't always have to show skin. On the right, we have a high cowl.

Donna Karan pre-fall 2010 showcases a variety of cowls. At the top is a cowl that drapes over the shoulders; next is a very subtly cowled armhole. Bottom left, a low cowl made modern with a piece draped through it. Last, a more structured cowl.

I have been trying without success to find a cowled skirt or pant from the runway (so I could get a high quality picture) but found none. I know they are out there; style.com just doesn't have the best search feature. But the moral of the story is, cowls are fun to drape, easy to wear, incredibly flattering, and a wonderful option for evening. You can get so creative with them.

3D printing in fashion

I stumbled across something truly mind-blowing today, while doing research for a presentation on eco-design we all have to do for my textiles class. I feel like a bad person saying this, but I've never been very interested in the green fashion movement much, so I wasn't excited to find a topic for this. (As someone who wants to do bridal, more is more! Or at least, expensive fabrics and ostrich feathers and all those wasteful things are on my top priority as long as it makes it beautiful). So I googled "eco textile technology" hoping to find something techy, since that would captivate my interest more, and after finding pretty much nothing I switched over to images to see what I could find. And there it was:

3-dimensional textile printing. Now, 3D printing has been around for a little while now, but mostly for the architecture or industrial design industry. Essentially, a nylon-6 polymide (a "technology nutrient" as it is called, because it is completely recyclable) is "printed" through a vacuum printer head in a 3D printing tray, while a computer slices up the product to be "printed" into zillions of paper-thin 2-dimensional layers. Each layer is then printed, one on top of the other, in this polymer material until the 3D end result is achieved. The magic is in the way you can create any shape in the world - because it is printed in layers, you can have hollow spaces, curves, angles, and anything in between. The process is called rapid prototyping; my school owns a 3D printer for the industrial design students to create models for their designs before they are made into final products, for example.

However, this has only recently begun to touch the fashion industry. Obviously, rapid prototyping can be used to create shoes, jewelry, and other such small accessory products. But as a literal textile, in the way we define textiles in fashion, it is just beginning.

Currently, the furthest this has gone in "wearable" garment fashion is this chainmaille-like textile. The polymide, printed out as a powdered thermoplastic material, is printed in flexible links that are shaped during the printing process, so there is no need for a needle and thread. Unlike the typical production process for garments, which is more or less the making of the textile (fabric), the cutting out, and the sewing, here all that is rolled into one. Virtually, the entire garment is printed, finished. (And in case you're wondering what on earth the above image is, it's the new exhibit on 3D printed textiles at Disseny Hub Barcelona, from the Freedom of Creation design company.)

Iris Van Herpen, for her spring 2010 collection at Amsterdam International Fashion Week 2010, used this new technology in the most fashion-forward way yet. She teamed with architect Daniel Widrig to use 3D printing to create the elaborate, complex shapes encompassing her models in what she titles, "Crystallization". The splashes of water were also printed in the rapid prototyping process.

While it may not be at its most wearable yet, this really is a huge leap in the fashion world for the green movement. This virtually no-waste process made of completely recyclable materials creates seamless garments in a matter of hours - a slight nod to a more futuristic "bespoke tailoring", or the creation of customized garments for individual clients. I might just keep the green movement on my radar now.

obsession : fur collars

My hair was nothing special today. It curled well, but it was a little messy. My face had been red all day from how cold it is outside. I was wearing nothing fancy, just a usual Rachel outfit of leggings and some form of loose sweater. And I'm tired. But somehow I got more compliments today than I'm pretty sure I've ever gotten in my life. And I've been to a wedding, I went to prom twice, and I've worn a designer dress before.

But something about what I did this morning must have changed the winds of today because right before I headed out the door with all my bags for class, two layers of coats, earmuffs, and some mittens, I threw on this vintage fur collar I had gotten over the summer. It was my first time wearing it and it didn't really go with my outfit at all.

I get to class and just about everyone had to take turns petting me. I got about five compliments on the collar before class had even begun. I could see people looking at it when I walked through the building. On my way to dinner, two flamboyantly gay guys go, "You're looking great!"; a car stops, honks, and gives me a thumbs up; and right before I get to my house someone walks past and goes, "Ooh, pretty jacket!"

The obvious conclusion from today is that fur collars are full of tricks, a la Mean Girls: "I hear her hair is so big because it's full of secrets." Though not gossip secrets this time, but the unlocked keys of femininity that no one really realizes til they wear one.

Fur screams luxury. And today, in a market where no one really has extra cash to spare, fake furs are everywhere so that you and me can afford to look like gold (or go the vintage route and be able to afford a real one probably owned previously by some fabulous woman of the 1920s). My fur came from Talk of the Town, an awesome little vintage shop around the corner from the Cincinnati bridal district. It's mink, with an inner down layer of deep tawny caramel and a rich espresso top fur - and it has that glittering luster that all real furs have. Back in the day, when Hollywood stars were more glamorous than Starbucks-drinking, cellphone-in-the-other-hand, going-through-rehab-and-paying-my-way-out actresses, everyone wore fur - from collars to muffs to full on fox and rabbit coats. Fur also screams femininity. It's hard not to feel confident with fur wrapped around your neck, glowing in the sunlight, telling everyone around you that you're one of those who pays homage to the beauty lost in today's overly-technological world where surgery is how we proclaim where are money goes in terms of how we get our faces done every morning. Instead, you're the type of woman who feels unique and happy in her own skin, shops at thrift stores because it doesn't matter where it came from, and has a "shade" of lipstick (even if you don't wear it - I like to think I've found my signature color, but it's still sitting on my dresser. Baby steps.)

But enough wordage. I've talked enough. The key here is that the next time you feel that all you can do in lieu of getting up in the morning is simply to get up, consider investing in something "fur". You will feel glamorous without even trying. The fur does all the work for you. It makes a coat look like a statement piece rather than just something you wear to keep warm. It takes your sweater up a notch. It can entertain you for hours in class by letting you pet it. You have to try to not look cool in fur.

Plus, it's a runway trend for this fall!

project : sweat pants

Well, I'd be a terrible fashion-major blogger if I never posted anything I made, so I'll start now. This isn't exactly going to be a "fashion related" post, but it's something that's so easy to make that I might as well share all the secrets!

My roommates last year loved to make fun of me for my lack of college-wardrobe staples in my closet ... the sweat pant. I can't stand them. Maybe it's the way people tuck them into Ugg boots or how they seem to be the new "appropriate" attire for the airport, but the main reason is the fit. It took me until this year to finally figure out the problem, when my current roommates poked fun at me for the same reason of not owning any sweat pants. So I went to my university spirit-wear store and tried on a pair and there were just so many problems. The crotch is always a mile lower than it should be, and then when you pull them up they're too short (and I'm tall to begin with, so this is a problem). I left, feeling defeated, and then it stupidly dawned on me, why haven't I made my own?

I started these this morning around 10:00, and with a good hour-and-a-half lunch break finished them by 1:00. Easiest thing ever, and it eliminated all the fit problems because I used ... my own sloper!

For those who aren't familiar with pattern drafting, a sloper is to a clothing pattern as a sugar cookie is to a chocolate chip or peanut butter or something-else cookie. It's the stencil of your body that you work from to get more specific garments. The fit of a sloper pattern, when sewn, will be like a glove to your body - you have a sleeve, bodice, pant, and skirt sloper that you can easily trace and then transform into a bishop (or dolman!) sleeve, an empire waist top, trousers, or a circle skirt, as long as you know what to do.

Left, a front bodice sloper, just for fun. At right, the brushed jersey - can you see the knit face and the fuzzy inside along the edges?

I used the standard brushed jersey for this project, about a yard and a half (I bought two though, just to be safe). Brushed jersey is, basically, sweatshirt fabric - a thicker knit fabric with the wrong side "brushed" to raise up the fibers and create that fuzzy interior that everyone loves. I picked red, because it is my school color (along with black).

My front and back pant slopers

As for the pattern, I barely modified my sloper. I remembered trying it on last year in class (with darts, of course) and thinking it was pretty close to perfect for a looser pant - just fitting in the hips with a nice leg width down to the floor. Since sweat pants don't have fit lines (any sort of dart or intake to make the fit closer to the silhouette), I simply traced out the sloper as-is, adding a little length at the bottom because I like my pants long, giving a half inch around the leg below the knee for a tiny bit more of a flare, and cut it out from there. A pant sloper will go directly up to the natural waist, obviously not where I want my sweatpants to go, so conveniently by cutting just below the darts (so darts taken care of), you now have a lower-rise pant that simply needs a waistband. I used the cut-off excess from the darted area as the waistband because the piece would already be trued to the pant (trueing is making all curves and lines within a pattern seamless, so they meet perfectly), and then simply folded it over, inserted elastic, and serged it. For the entire project, minus the hem on the legs, I used a serger machine - sergers are designed for knitwear. If you look at the seams inside your t-shirt or leggings, for example, you will see a more complicated loopy stitch that stretches, unlike a line of straight stitches. You wouldn't want to curl up in your new sweat pants and hear a stitch pop! It also creates a professionally finished edge within a garment. I ironed on a "U" and a "C" and was done!

Now that's how sweat pants should fit!

Moral of the story, you can do anything with a sloper. I wouldn't call this much of a tutorial, but it's a simplified walk-through of how this was done. I can't wait to wear these around and feel the brushed fuzzy inside! Hopefully next time I'll have a more fashion-related project to share.

obsession : dolman sleeves

The other day I had the opportunity to visit Gap, so I went on the website like I always do when I go shopping (I hate wandering around, I always have to have a "purpose" before entering a store) and I happened across this sweater I had to have. Now normally, I have to have everything the first time I see it, then I get over it and realize I don't really need whatever dress or bracelet or shoe it was. But this time, I walk into Gap, find the sweater, try it on, and buy it. Why? It had dolman sleeves.

My love affair with this sleeve type started when I first got over my fear of wearing things that were tight to my waistline. I've always been skinny, yet in high school I always felt the need to wear very fitted things, as though I might one day walk in wearing a tshirt and everyone would forget where my waist was. Then about two years ago I started falling in love with leggings and realized you can't wear tight-all-over, so the looser-fit-on-top was introduced to me. But I still couldn't convince myself to do an all-encompassing loose fit, and this is where the dolman sleeved sweater becomes absolutely perfect.

Dolman sleeves are, in the roughest explanation, as though you stretch out your arm to be parallel to the floor and then draw a curve from your wrist to your waist. There is no shoulder seam, only a side seam that extends under the curve of the sleeve fullness to the cuff. The reason they are so perfect, and flattering in my opinion, is because the sleeve stays fitted to the wrist to about the mid-forearm, and then expands gracefully outwards in the midsection of the body, and then comes back in to fit at the lower waist or hips. When the arm is extended you can see this curve, yet when relaxed the fabric pools into itself and creates this elegant drape. The end result is utterly soft and feminine. (For clarification, you can have short dolman sleeves, too).

My sweater also had an exposed center-front and center-back seam, which I have always loved. It's just unusual to have a seam there, so it becomes so interesting when it is. And it is this ultra-rich shade of deep teal navy blue.

A new take on the structured dolman sleeve at MaxMara spring 2010


On the left, shorter dolman sleeves at Stærk and right, Rachel Roy, both spring 2011



Beautifully cowled sleeves at Jean Paul Gaultier fall 2010 couture (a fascinating show, I advise you to check it out - especially the detail shots)

trend : bodysuits

Since my experimental design collection is centered around the bodysuit, it got me thinking about how these could become wearable in everyday life. Bodysuits aren't just for dancers or gymnasts (though they do have the bodies for it), but can in fact be practical! Think of them as an extension to what you are already wearing - a full bodysuit with legs can be like leggings. Just toss a loose off-the-shoulder sweater on top, and you don't have to bother with a tank underneath. Or a leotard-style bodysuit - paired with a skirt, it eliminates the need to continuously tuck your shirt back in, something that drives me absolutely crazy. I own two of these.

Of course, the runway is going to do bodysuits a little differently than street wear will, so I'll show you a bit of both.

The Jil Sander spring show from 2009 had some really beautiful examples of bodysuits - and about as "full body" as they come, too. Here, the bodysuit is fully showcased, with a delicate fringe draped over the top in the first look, and a dramatic double-breasted jacket over the second. You can see how the bodysuit becomes more of a layering tactic - rather than being that awkward piece in your closet that you can't quite figure out, it becomes an all-in-one legging and long sleeve tee without the bulk of waistbands and shirt hems.

This photo on the left I just love - and have spent the last half hour trying to find its source, but I can't. However, it shows the perfect "top" bodysuit - a blouse shape with sleeves, and a fitted bottom for wearing shorts, a skirt, or pants. And guess what? No repeated tucking in. And on the right, we have an image from Valerie Dumaine spring 2011. Reminds you of your classic striped tee, with a modern and flattering twist - and how cute this would be with high-waisted black pants.

Now to take it to the streets to show how real people pull off this slightly confusing trend:

Moral of the story? Don't think of a bodysuit as an uncomfortable, awkward-inducing garment. Instead, try to think of it as a shirt with a bottom half, or leggings with a tank top attached. It eliminates any riding up / riding down issues, creates a smooth line at the waist where you won't have an extra waistband or hem from your shirt, and keeps the silhouette slim and will make people wonder what magical gravitation property you've discovered that is keeping your shirt down.