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Weekend Reading: A 21 armhole dress, virtual fitting rooms, and chic shoe shining

3-armhole-dress
This week, everyone in the studio was abuzz about three armhole wrap dresses. Taylor was reminiscing this 1960’s trend on Pinterest, and someone on Twitter (thanks, @CarmencitaB!) linked to a video of a fashion show featuring Adeline André, a designer who pushed armholes to the limits. The video shows a model patiently threading her arms through armhole after armhole, wrapping herself in billowy layers 21 times before heading to the runway. It’s hypnotizing.

Weekend Reading:

For more links every week, you can follow us on Twitter, where we’re always posting interesting tidbits and discussions.

Sarai Mitnick

Founder

Sarai started Colette back in 2009. She believes the primary role of a business should be to help people. She loves good books, sewing with wool, her charming cats, working in her garden, and eating salsa.

Comments

Lelia Guilbert

March 26, 2016 #

What a rich source for weekend reading. I will get to all of these interesting and fascinating topics eventually. The first one is sharing the armhole dress with my 13 year old granddaughter who hacks into a piece of knit fabric, stitches some seams, puts it on, and it’s utterly chic on her slim body. Oh, yes, I am corrupting and encouraging her fashion expermentation. We both love it. Thanks for this delightful wealth of fashion reading.

Claudia

March 26, 2016 #

Thanks for the links. A lot to check out.

I recently gave a Calvin Klein dress (designed by Francisco Costa for Macy’s) to a friend that was meant to wrap around like the pattern above. Kinda cool although potentially revealing. As for Kinfolk, I really wanted to like that magazine, but I find it terribly self-congratulatory and yes, kinda millennial.

Deborah Morrison

March 26, 2016 #

I believe I might have set Taylor on her three armhole dress quest with a comment on her last post. I am very into this vintage trend and am excited that you all are, too. There is a current version of this dress that is actually for evening, put out by the big three. I want to try making a reversible one from the traditional pattern shown above without the bias binding, although I do love any excuse to get my bias tape maker out!

SJ Kurtz

March 26, 2016 #

I have made myself a nuisance on the wrap and go topic many times. The wearability issues/the wardrobe malfunctions/the endless yardage/the miles of bias tape or seam finishing; these all pale in comparison to how long it takes to make a simple dress that is not very flattering. Why? Why?
I want to make that video into an endless loop and run it in my workroom, with a Brian Eno score.

Alice Elliot

March 27, 2016 #

The video was gorgeous. Good idea.

CitricSugar

March 26, 2016 #

Good gravy! I think that’s Roger Moore in the purple swim sweater getting out of the pool…. Double-oh-what the heck is he wearing. :-)

Heidi

March 27, 2016 #

Thanks so much for the inspiration and information! And chuckles.

Alice Elliot

March 27, 2016 #

The video of the 21 armhole dress was the best thing I’ve seen in a long long time. Gorgeous.

Raquel

March 27, 2016 #

Beautiful , love the armhole dress. Thanks for sharing it’s inspiring.

Roberta Fahrni

March 28, 2016 #

Thanks for the article from Business of Fashion. Very interesting!

FatCatAnna

March 29, 2016 #

I actually “borrowed” a hospital gown (went for an MRI) a few weeks ago because was a similar design!!! I live on a sailboat in the summer months, and the way it fit (I’m going to modify to make it more fitted in certain areas) and this would be a versatile dress for me to store onboard the boat (and this would also be great for travelling if you’re like me with a carry on )! After seeing the video as well, it got me rethinking of what material to use! Thank you Colette for getting my creative juices flowing … come on warmer weather (well – not too warm – we women aren’t meant to sweat like pigs – we are such delicate creatures ;) )

Zainab

March 30, 2016 #

I enjoyed the – 10 Vintage Fashion Rules From Yesterday That Still Apply Today. #3 “Red lipstick will brighten any outfit”. It got me thinking and wondering – Does/will the lip color work on women with chocolate skins tones, ebony, or with tint of yellow skin undertones, and finally on pale, not ivory but very pale? I am guessing the tone and tints of the “red” color.