How To Breathe New Life Into An Old Mattress...

Carpetbagger Joey #17

Small

Cotton mattress ticking with flannel backing coat, belt and tab

Natural linen braid belt loops and trim

Vintage Plastic buckle

Hand-stitched buttonhole

Carved and layered Celluloid buttons secured with back buttons

It's that simple.

The End.

Fiona Does Steampunk...

When looking for answers, I found many have weighed in on what Steampunk fashion consists of...having sifted through a multitude of opinions I have come up with my own take on it...forgive me if you find my interpretation lacking!

From what I have surmised, Steampunk fashion has no set guidelines, but rather is a synthesis of modern styles influenced by those styles made popular in the Victorian era. Often representative of clothing found in steampunk literature (A Clockwork Orange), it's portrayed in modern day books, film and in the game-world as an artful combination of Victorian, American West, Alternative World, Fantasy and Horror all rolled into one intriguing look. It's that simple, or perhaps, it's that complex - dress Victorian and then add whatever.  

Steampunk is about creating an outfit that delights the senses, entertains the wearer and engages the viewer.  It would seem there is no color code or rules against combining with other styles....it's really up to the imagination of the wearer.  How great is that?  Fiona seems to like it...

Couture Joey #33

Extra Small

Sparkle rayon velvet bound with silk challis necktie

Silk taffeta belt and tab

Crochet snap-tape belt loops and trim

Mother of Pearl buckle

Hand-stitched buttonhole

Metal mismatched buttons secured with back buttons

With special thanks to Glenna's Clothing for sharing those fabulous green shoes with us! They are the perfect match to the belt and tab on Fi's Steampunk JoeysCoat!

From Deauville to Paris...

Fiona, growing weary of an afternoon of modeling..

She is, however, always willing to pose for a close-up...

Couture Joey #53

Extra Small

Wool blend tweed coat and tab

Silk ribbon belt

Silk ribbon belt loops with picot edging

Silk Charmeuse binding

Fabulous black and white Bakelite buckle

Hand-stitched buttonhole

Black and white Bakelite and Celluloid buttons secured with back buttons

Inspired by...

Night-and-Day...

Couldn't resist sharing this awesome JoeysCoat again, this time with sparkly pumps vs the fun, orange flats (apparently I have a thing for shoes!) in the previous post.

Couture Joey #43

Extra Small

Chinese silk brocade coat, belt and tab in the Cheongsam Qipao style with traditional Mandarin collar and frog button features

Antique muslin lining

Japanese silk kimono binding

Cotton lace belt loops

Chrysanthemum sculpted vintage plastic buckle

Carved porcelain buttons

Hand-painted cloisonne-style button embellishment

Savvy shoppers, not unlike Fiona, shop with versatility in mind i.e. a JoeysCoat that goes from day to evening, simply with a change of shoes...

She didn't learn it from me!

Glenna's Clothing...!

For the past week, we have been graced with beautiful Fall weather - mild temperatures, morning fog, sunny afternoons, and remarkably, no rain!  I don't dislike the rain, I simply appreciate Mother Nature's gift of waiting until Halloween has come and gone before the flood gates open only to remain open until Memorial Day!  I have truly embraced life in the beautiful Pacific Northwest having called it home for the last twenty-three years.  However, I began life on the sunny beaches of Southern California, and with the exception of a four year stint in Iowa, a season in Maryland, and months of tramping around Europe with a two year old in tow, and a second on the way, I know a Fall without rain is not to be taken for granted.  Because the weather was agreeable to a photo shoot, I called my sister-in-law to see if her legs were available.  Fortunately for me and my last minute inspiration they were, so we agreed to meet in the city of Tacoma to take some snaps of Fiona in the latest JoeysCoat designs.  

Tacoma is a beautiful old city to the south of Vashon Island with stunning views of Mount Rainier.  It is home of the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, the Tacoma Dome, Museum of Glass and the Washington State History Museum. Tacoma is also home to the famous Pantages Theater located at the intersection of Broadway and 9th, hosting thousands of performers, from vaudeville to present day.  On Broadway, one may also find a plethora of antique, vintage and collectible dealers, auction houses and one very special designer vintage clothing store, Glenna's Clothing.  The first time I visited Glenna's I was in search of vintage buttons and buckles for JoeysCoat.  The shop was tiny, lined floor to ceiling with important designer frocks and handbags, hats and coats, and the shoes, how I love the shoes!  It was overwhelming...

My sister-in-law and I agreed to meet on Broadway and take advantage of the sun and the storefronts as a backdrop for the JoeysCoat shoot.  To my surprise, Glenna's was closed.  I found a note on the door with the new address, but a block away.  We made our way down to the new location and upon entering the store, found it was bigger, brighter and more beautiful than before, if that was possible.  Where once Glenna's was a shop, it is now a salon one might imagine in mid-century Manhattan.  A step back in time, complete with settee's and overstuffed bergere chairs with matching ottomans, perfect for admiring the color-coordinated landscape of high fashion.  Needless to say, we had a ball!  Instead of enjoying what could be the last kiss of sunshine, we opted to stay indoors and bask in Glenna's collection...

Thank you, Glenna, for sharing your breathtaking collection of designer vintage with us!  We are already planning our next visit to your remarkable treasury of the eclectic and sublime..

The lovely Glenna in vintage Coco Chanel...