My brother's wedding is in two weeks, and I'm a bridesmaid. My future SIL is pretty laid back about my dress--we will have matching skirts with various white blouses. The colors are purple and green.
The skirt is currently a bunch of very pretty lavender material with a sort of lacey thing running down one entire side of the length. She wants the lace to serve as the bottom hem of the skirt. Here's the deal--the only way I see that workng is on a straight pencil skirt, which really doesn't look good on me. Seamstresses: can you see any way to make an a-line or otherwise flared skirt while still allowing the fabric to have the lacy bottom? If just for the wedding I wouldn't care, but it's a nice fabric that I wouldn't mind wearing again if it actually looked good on me.
My blouse is a pretty white broquade that my mom is almost finished making into an asian-style top with a mandarin collar. I found these hairsticks and couldn't resist getting a fewmoreprettythings. Could you blame me? Sparklies...mmmmm...anyway, Crafters: I originally thought of a long drape of beads running between the two hairsticks (still definetely long enough to allow the hairsticks to serve their original purpose) but my mom thought that might be too alien antenna-esque. Since my mom's opinion means just about everything to me, I'm starting to hate my original idea. What do you all think?
Lastly, I'm looking for hairstyles with which to use said hairsticks. Fashion Divas: I have medium/longish hair which I'm getting trimmed tomorrow (hopefully picture forthcoming). I've seen the sort of spikey, pulled-back look with two hairsticks in the back and I really like it, but I'm not sure what else is out there. Any ideas?
Thank you, all you talented folks at Hatrack for helping me out with this. The wedding's in two weeks, so hopefully I'll have time to work out whatever still needs done. Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I always twist my hair into a figure 8 bun and secure it with sticks. Actually, the sticks don't really hold the figure 8, so you have to cheat with bobby pins. I don't know, though, if your hair is long enough for a figure 8. If not, some other long, oval-shaped conglomeration of hair would work. I think it looks better that way than in a round little bun with huge sticks coming out.
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
what's a figure 8 bun? I've done buns with alligator clips that I twist the hair at the nape of the neck and bring up.
[ May 11, 2005, 07:35 PM: Message edited by: sarcasticmuppet ]
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
Do you have a picture of the fabric of the skirt (or any other similar fabric)? I'm having a hard time picturing what you're talking about. There's absolutely no reason an A line skirt can't have decorative detailing at the bottom of it. Is the "lacey thing" you're referring to actually part of the the fabric (ie. not the selvedge)? It's usually not a problem to use fabric for a long skirt that has decorative detailing along the selvedges, provided that it is wide enough (depends on how tall you are, the exact width of the fabric, how wide the hem/waist will be, etc.). How may need more fabric to allow for matching the pattern (of the decorative detailing) on a flared or A-line skirt though (if the detail is only along one edge of the fabric).
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
If you really can't make it work with the trim, you can always cut the trim off, add a couple of inches for seam allowance, and sew the trim back on.
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
quote: Is the "lacey thing" you're referring to actually part of the the fabric
yes--sorry, I wasn't describing that too well. One end of the fabric is scalloped instead of straight, and has some simple machine embroidery designs in it.
quote: It's usually not a problem to use fabric for a long skirt that has decorative detailing along the selvedges, provided that it is wide enough (depends on how tall you are, the exact width of the fabric, how wide the hem/waist will be, etc.).
It's about 60 in. wide, and it comes to just below my knees.
quote: How may need more fabric to allow for matching the pattern (of the decorative detailing) on a flared or A-line skirt though.
My mom originally said it would work fine with an a-line pattern she had, but then said it wouldn't work because the fabric would have to be cut down the bias, ruining the desired effect on the hem.
edit: kq, maybe that would work. Posted by mothertree (Member # 4999) on :
Hmm. I think once you've gone with the colors purple and green, any objections about looking like an alien should be held moot.
Posted by Eruve Nandiriel (Member # 5677) on :
Good luck with the hairsticks. I've never been able to figure out how to get them to work.
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
It's actually really cool. The bridesmaids are in lavender and white and the little girls are wearing this gorgeous poison green color.
My mom is making the little girl dresses, in addition to my skirt and top, in addition to her own dress. And the poor woman has two weeks >.<.
Posted by ludosti (Member # 1772) on :
Ok, I understand now.
How can it be 60" wide and only come just past your knees? You're not 9 feet tall are you? Maybe folded in half (the way it appears on a bolt) it comes just past your knees...
It sounds to me like you should be able to do it, just with a different pattern (that doesn't require it being cut on the bias).
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Yes, 60" sounds completely doable. Um, if you don't mind a fuller skirt, you can do this with it, just multiply measurement "A" by 1 1/2 or 2 instead of 3. (This makes an awesome skirt, btw, I have two. And it takes less than no time to make; I did each one in 20 minutes each with a competent machine, not counting the 2 minutes to sew on some hooks and eyes for a closure.)
Posted by sarcasticmuppet (Member # 5035) on :
>.< It's not 60 inches. Sorry, I was trying to quickly figure out what 1.5 bolt lengths would be and came up with 60 before really thinking it through. It's closer to 45 inches. Cutting the trim off would make it more obvious that I'm deviating from the bride's original plan, so my mom is gonna use the original a-line pattern, only cutting along the seams instead of the bias. It'll be less stretchy, according to her, but should still work.
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