Feathery Fashions

Are you looking for something to really spice up your Fall - Holiday wardrobe? Think feathery adornments. The sketch at the right shows a skirt with rows of golden pheasant feathers from the Per Se Collection priced at $795. Another skirt in the Collection is black with a plume of ostrich feathers at the bottom, priced at $425. A black skirt called Jazz from the Carlisle Collection has a feather-like look with dangling eyelash yarn woven through out the fabric and is priced at $295. Most impressive is the Vermillion deep red cocktail dress with the bottom adorned with 210 ostrich feathers, 250 beads and 200 handmade fabric leaves. It takes 9 days to complete the dress which is well worth the $645 tag.

To see more from these Collections go to http://www.carlislecollection.com/ and http://www.persecollection.com/ I will be showing the Collections Sept. 24- Oct. 6 in Pasadena, CA by appointment. If you need a consultant in another part of the US, I can direct you to one.

marylin@wardrobeperfect.com

Clothing Fit and Alterations

Can you buy your clothes off the rack and have them fit perfectly? Then you are the exception. You just happen to be the same size as that designer's fit model. A size eight dress can fit a variety of figure types who are basically a size 8 with tweaking. With a jacket or dress first fit your shoulders then the widest area of your upper torso. Is it your bust or hips? You want the garment to glide over these areas. Now if there is excess in the other areas, have it taken in. Check your sleeve length also. Is the jacket too long for your proportions? Even this can usually be altered an inch or two.

What I often notice from the rear is that a jacket is just tight enough over the hips that it is not falling straight down, but causes horizontal fold in the back around the waist area. From the front it makes you look thick in the middle. The jacket seams need to be let out over the hips. Sometimes I have recommended venting a jacket. That is removing the bottom stitching of the seam and creating a "V" vent.

Proper fit can make a less expensive purchase look more expensive. Conversely, an ill-fitted garment will look less than impressive if it has not been altered to fit your unique body type.

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Fall Fashion Trends

Sleeves are a design focus this season with bell shapes and poufs. The third outfit in this sketch is called Spectator. It has 3/4 length sleeves that are puffed plus another trend: dramatic and interesting collars. You view this better at www.carlislecollection.com

Zippers are exposed and used not only for function, but as an embellishment. My favorite zipper treatment is the Glimmer jacket in the Fall Per Se Collection. It is long charcoal and black tweed jacket trimmed with zipper teeth around the collar, edges and pocket flaps. Check it out at www.persecollection.com

The consultants who represent the Carlisle and Per Se Collections across the nation will begin selling through their trunk show July 16. This is a very personalized way to build a wardrobe that reflects your unique style and needs. I will have the collection July 16-28 in Pasadena. Email me if you wish to view the collections at marylin@wardrobeperfect.com or call 626 432 1765.