Old Hollywood Inspiration: Best Actress Oscar Winners

As it is the Oscars this weekend, I thought this would be great time to look back at previous 'Best Actress' winners from the beginning. Enjoy!



Janet Gaynor 1928



Mary Pickford 1929



Norma Shearer 1930



Helen Hayes 1932



Claudette Colbert 1934



Bette Davis 1935



Luise Rainer 1937



Vivien Leigh 1939



Ginger Rogers 1940



Joan Fontaine 1941



Greer Garson 1942



Jennifer Jone 1943



Ingrid Bergman 1944



Joan Crawford 1945



Loretta Young 1947



Jane Wyman 1948



Audrey Hepburn 1953



Grace Kelly 1954



Anna Magnani 1955



Susan Hayward 1958



Simone Signoret 1959



Elizabeth Taylor 1960



Sophia Loren 1961



Sew Weekly Theme: Academy Awards

I am super super excited about this weeks theme over at Sew Weekly. The aim for this week (so I'm interpreting) is that we can recreate an outfit from an oscar nominated movie.
Now I'm sure I'm not alone that when presented with such a task like this my brain starts going into overdrive. I have been non-stop thinking about iconic movie outfits, my favourite actresses, etc etc...

After the initial 'oh my god! what shall i make?' frenzy, I started thinking a little clearer and got some perspective. I wanted something that I'll wear again (so no fancy ballgowns), something that can be made relatively easy and within the timeframe of a week (so nothing too adventurous), and something made using things I have in my stash already. With these things in mind I started jotting down some ideas.

1. Natalie Wood - West Side Story



2. Diane Kruger - Inglorious B******s

3. Audrey Hepburn - Roman Holiday

The list could go on & on forever, but one outfit really caught my attention from a film I've only recently seen & it just so happened to have been nominated for an oscar. Drumroll please....................

Pearl Harbour!

The film itself isn't anything to sing about, but I absolutely adore this outfit Kate Beckinsale wears. These are the only images I've managed to find, but it gives you the idea.

I already have about 5 metres of black polyester crepe which is the same material I used for my 'Down Under' dress, plus I already have a very similar pattern, Hollywood 785.

The main differences are that the Pearl Harbour dress has a peplum style waist, has more of a pencil skirt, and has no collar.

The peplum is easy enough to add into the pattern by making a detachable one that Mena from Sew Weekly has done on one of her dresses. The skirt however, I'm going to keep to the original pattern as I have to say I prefer a fuller skirt.

And the collar I think I'm also going to keep, but we'll see!

So there it is! Wish me luck!



Finished Project: Butterick 612

What d'ya think?

All in all, considering I went straight for it and didn't do a muslin, I don't think the fit is too bad.

I think next time I'll make the bust darts a little longer as I feel there is a bit of excess fabric around my chest. I'm also quite surprised at how many buttons it absorbed! Count them, there's 9!

Originally there was just 5, but I had some gaping issues.

The fit around the hips however, is perfect for me. Not too tight, but not too baggy and the cut gives a flattering 'hourglass' shape.

I think the next time I use this pattern I'll probably use something slightly thicker, or maybe just go to the extra effort of lining it if the fabric is a little see through like the gingham.

So for this weeks theme of 'Red' over at Sew Weekly, and in honour of Valentines Day, I paired the top with a red bangle from my collection, red lips & a red paisley bandana (which my husband loves to see me wear!). As my fabric was gingham and for some reason I can only associate this fabric with hot weather, I teamed it with some denim capris and tennis shoes.

I can definitely see this top getting a bit of wear in the warmer months, and I'm glad I finally used it for something!







Things I Love Thursday: Hollywood Patterns

I've recently found myself almost uncontrollably buying quite a lot of vintage patterns. I can't really explain why, but I love everything about them. I find the illustrations on the front adorable, and very inspiring. I'm sure it sounds incredibly weird, but I love the fact that these patterns can be over 70 years old and still have a genuine use for a seamstress in 2012.

After scouring through patterns websites in search of some vintage gems, I've discovered that Etsy is the place to go. I contained my excitement as much as I could when I discovered the popular 'Hollywood Patterns'.

My oh my, these babies are just gorgeous.

But before I start gushing over the photos, here's a brief history of the company taken from Cemetarian

"Created by Conde Nast in 1932, the Hollywood Pattern Company quickly became popular due to the photos of favorite radio and movie stars that graced the envelopes.  Collectors of Hollywood memorabilia often look for sleeves with their favorite stars.  Original pattern prices ranged from 15 cents to 25 cents.  Their manufacture stopped after World War II and due to their short production span they are harder to find and considered highly collectible.  The patterns with a STAR from the War years are the most prized of all."

And to prove just how captivating these patterns are, I've collected some images from google showing you some of the envelope covers.

I myself only have 2 Hollywood patterns (so far!) and will be using one of them in an upcoming Sew Weekly Theme challenge which I am VERY excited about. Hint: ACADEMY AWARDS