Hi People! You may remember my mentioning that I'll be going to Denver to do a demonstration for the Denver Public Library - a Tassel and Pompon-a-Thon. I'm really looking forward to it! Tickets go on sale tomorrow, for those of you who are in the area. Be sure and join me!
For the trip, I want to make myself a new suit. It's important to always look your best! I found a fun vintage hat a while back on Etsy and when it came I was inspired by it to put this outfit together.
The hat has a very peculiar texture to it. Here's a close up of it:
It reminded me of silk noil. Noil is a fabric that was popular in the 70's and 80's. It's made of the ends and scraps of silk fiber left over from making other types of silk and has a rough, nubbly texture and in the natural color, it has some flecks of brown in it.
It's a very nice weight for a suit and has a casual quality while still looking smart. I decided to use noil for my suit. Now this choice is "forward thinking" for the 1960's style I have selected to make to go with the hat, noil wasn't used regularly until the mid 70's, but that's fine. I've always been a trailblazer... I had some trouble finding silk noil in the market today. It's fallen out of fashion, I'm afraid. None of my favorite stores in the garment district stocked it in the colors I wanted. So, I turned to the internet. I eventually found it at a silk importer called Thai Silks. They have a wide variety of silk fabrics, and a nice collection of noils. They also have a 1/2 yard minimum, and their prices are very competitive. If you're looking for silk, it's a good source. (This is a genuine review of the company. I paid for my fabric purchase there)
The style I decided to make is a smart, boxy 60's suit. The jacket will be cut with a kimono sleeve. I looked for this pattern for quite a while. A kimono sleeve is cut in one with the body of the jacket, and I wanted a pattern that was fitted to the body with princess seams and an underarm seam. I eventually found it on eBay. I was lucky enough to find a pattern with the trimming detail I was looking for, so I didn't have to create it myself. The jacket will be cut in the natural color and trimmed with contrast piping in one of the colors. The sleeveless blouse will be made of the other color and trimmed in the natural. The skirt will be a simple straight skirt in the same natural as the jacket.
My first step is to make a muslin of the jacket, to make sure the pattern fits me well. Then I can cut and sew the fashion fabric. I'll be sure and check in with you to show you my progress in the coming weeks, and you'll see the final effect at my appearance in Denver - in person if you're in town, if not then in the subsequent video we shoot out there!
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David Hicks has become a great source of inspiration for modern day designers like Jonathan Adler, and, for that matter, myself for a good reason. He was a master at creating beautiful rooms that were both formal and casual at the same time. His ability to mix traditional and modern pieces and his bold use of color (traits he shares in common with Eero Saarinen) make his interiors both serious and whimsical at the same time.
In the 1970's, he published a series of decorating books that are a bit hard to come by now-a-days. I was lucky enough to get my hands on David Hicks - On Decorating with Fabric a while back, and it's been a joy to study his work.
Some of what he does has an almost candy like quality to it. The rooms look good enough to eat, bursting with flavor. these are a few of my favorite plates from the above mentioned book. I hope you'll find them as inspiring as I do.
This was his own bedroom in New York.
I love the use of lacquered walls in the two images above.
This dining nook is a good example of the mixing of modern and traditional. The architecture in the room has a decidedly antique quality and he mixes it with modern Saarinen tulip chairs and table.
The attention to detail and boldness of spirit are definitely an inspiration to me. I hope they are to you as well! Who are some of your design inspirations? Could you live in a David Hicks room?
