Back to the Past

A while ago, I wore two dresses that were bordering on being discarded. One I thought wouldn't look good after the my "year of wasting away" but it seems I've recovered enough that it's going to stay in rotation. Another I thought just wasn't really my style anymore. But what style was I talking about? My before 1996 style or the after 1996 style, in other words, before corporate job or after? Good question.

I wrote about this before here, but here's a little more. In high school and college I was a pretty unique dresser. I only wore trends the way I wanted to, if I did wear any trends. I was extremely lucky as a kid that my mother was talented and could make all the Designer Vogue patterns I asked her to make, which culminated in me making my own Issey Miyake coat during my last year in high school (see below.)

However, after college and once I moved to Northern VA for a job, I stopped sewing as much. It didn't seem as if I had enough time anymore. I also started to feel I couldn't wear as much thrift store items as I did in college, that I needed to "step it up a notch." So I started to buy more clothing and because affordable clothing back then tended to be more mass market, my style seemed to fade into the background. Lately, at least since I've been back in school I feel a desire to dress more in the way I used to. More vintage-inspired, more experimental.

So for inspiration, I've been looking back at pictures of those days in college. Sadly, there are so many wonderful outfits I remember that I have NO records of. In truth, I was having so much fun taking pictures of other people that asking someone to photograph me rarely happened. But here are a few that I do have. Bear with me, some are embarrassing, like this first one.

This is me as a college freshman, believe it or not. Apparently, I was very impressed by Donna Karan's collections for Anne Klein at the time, and made this when I was still in high school. not typical college wear, right?

Dancing in vintage at a rockabilly show. I SO wish I still had this dress, the lace was set with almost-matte iridescent sequins.

New Year's (with Zion*) in vintage brown netting over gorgeous burgundy satin. This dress was way too big in the bust, I had it safety pinned closer to my body in this picture. I ended up giving it to my 5'9" roommate years later.

Style 2225

Yup, I had Liberty fabric before I even knew of it's reputation, I just loved how it felt. For this dress (a lost Style pattern Style 2225!), I even made covered buttons. The fabric was bought at G-Street Fabrics in Maryland. I loved this dress so much it hurt when the corset-like waist no longer fit me.

One of my many black dresses, this one I got in a clothing exchange with a friend, along with the velvet vest. I'm almost sure I'm wearing boots and black socks with this, or Mary Jane's.

An atypical outfit for me (I was no skater chick!), but a practical one for a Virginia winter when your main source of transportation is your bike! Check it out: boots, socks, ribbed tights, bike shorts under fleece shorts, knit hoodie, turtleneck, and all worn with a regulation black wool Pea Coat.

A red polyester shirtdress with an embossed floral print on it. The bodice buttoned and a hook and eye seccured the waist of the skirt which was attached to a red scratchy tulle petticoat. If you look close, you can see that the sleeves have turned-back cuffs with pairs of red buttons as cuff links. That's an old mens belt around my waist and the coolest little party purse that I wish I still had. The straps ended up falling off, something I could probably fix now. However, at the time, I just threw it away.

*that dog (my roommate's) shadowed me the entire time I had Mono and therefore, started my love of dogs.