2.23.2012

lightening bolts in my eyes

oh hello there blogland.

after a fight with a stomach bug this past week (i won) i've been left feeling a bit like a wet rag. when i become couch ridden its very easy for me to stay that way - well past my recuperation. when illness hits its like all my desire to be a normal, functioning human bean (because it sounds so much more fun than "human being") just drains out of me. so in order to kick my butt into gear i've decided i need to get organized and get inspired. it is with this impetus that i now turn my attention to my plans for spring/summer sewing.

spring in texas usually comes early (technically we've been having "spring" since january) and is generally quite lovely - and short lived. its merely the veil behind which the evil beast that is summer hides. our summers are like winter to all you northeners. its a marathon season which you hunker down for, pool your resources, and get ready for endless months of blinding heat and suffocating humidity.

sure, the weather might waffle back and forth a bit longer in my part of texas, but its undeniable that hot weather is around the corner, and when it hits, it hits hard. and if you're not ready for it you may find yourself a miserable hot mess. well, you'll still be a miserable hot mess regardless, but having a wardrobe full of sunny colors and easy breezy shapes helps to make one feel pretty regardless of the boob sweat (ooooooohhhhh the boob sweat!)



i've really been feeling these punchy pink hues paired with earthy browns, greys and olives.





i always find myself drawn to these loose, easy shapes at this time of the year. particularly when made up in a light silk, these types of dresses are perfect for allowing a breeze to pass through, and there is just something magical about silk blowing against your skin - its like a built in air-conditioner! i also love that last image - that picture has been implanted in my brain every time i imagine my summer wardrobe.



hot summer + white dresses = perfection. need i say more? yes. yes i do. because that picture of frida, like the lovely lady in chambray standing in the surf above, has also been burned into my minds eye in association with summer. i've never cared for her paintings much (just a personal preference) but every time i see a photo of frida kahlo i'm always blown away by her beauty and personal style.



by hook or by crook - this summer i will be making one of these pairs of shoes mine! about once a season i like to make a major shoe purchase, and shoes are one of those things that i generally feel okay spending a bit more one because, well, my feet are no laughing matter. also i feel that one great pair of shoes can be worn practically daily for an entire season and no matter what, they'll take your outfit up a notch. and i just really like shoes. i mean, lets call a spade a spade here...

in conclusion - friends, do you ever get the sewing blahs? oh, didn't i say i have the sewing blahs? well i do, despite my convalescence, i've been feeling a bit uninspired behind the sewing machine the past week. this post from mpb and this fabulous chart from oona are definitely hitting home for me! this is funny because i'm actually making something - something i hope to have finished and ready to photograph for you this weekend. anyway, if you do get the sewing blahs - what usually gets you out of it?

xx

17 comments:

  1. I totally get what you mean about the weird seasons - it's technically "spring" here (we never really had a real winter!), and it will be blazingly/disgustingly hot and humid by probably mid-april. Boo! I don't mind the heat too much - I'm like a cat, I like to lounge in the sunshine lol - and cold makes me wilt. I'm really excited though because this is going to be my first summer in nearly 7 years where I'll have air conditioning in my vehicle! JOY!

    I love wearing rayon in the summer - it just ventilates so well. And sheer cotton voile and dotted swiss and seersucker... I just love sewing for summer:) Best season ever!

    Boob sweat is the worst though. Ew!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh My God - so jealous of your car AC! When I tell people that I don't have air conditioning in my car they look at me like I must be a dead person! As I'm sure you know... you just rock the back sweat...

      I had a little rayon dress that literally carried me through last summer - and no, boob sweat is no joking matter!!

      Delete
  2. I am so excited for the change of season I'm giddy! I am freezing every day here in PA because I refuse to wear gray and black anymore. It's only tank tops and spring cardigans for me... and oh how happy I'll be when I can break out the stash of dresses. I'm equally excited by some of your inspirations here... can't wait to see how this manifests in the coming weeks!
    Glad you're feeling better! Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What was the rule...? 50 degrees is spring dresses (with a cardigan) 60 degrees is flip flops and 70 degrees is bathing suit weather??? We pushed that every year!!

      I just heard on the radio that we're expecting a "cold snap" with highs only in the mid 60's (oohhh Texas..) but seriously, once your body acclimates to 100+ temps - 65 feels cold!

      Delete
  3. Ack, stomach bug!!!!! Those are the WORST! I'm so sorry!

    I actually miss skipping spring (I LOVED my years in southern California)-- it makes dressing so hard, especially since I work outside. I hate not knowing whether I'm going to sweat or shiver (or both!) and trying to figure out how many layers to wear/bring/drag around with me. Ugh!

    I hope you get over the sewing blahs soon! I bet your illness is at least partly responsible-- it's hard to get excited about something when you're not feeling 100% well. I'm not exactly in a "blah" state right now, but my current knitting and sewing projects aren't been going super well, and I missed self-imposed deadlines for a couple of things, so now I'm sort of lacking the energy to dive in and finish them. Ugh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whoo Boy! Stomach bugs are definitely the worst - and I will be the first to admit that I am a major baby/martyr when I get sick!!

      Yeah, winter doesn't really exist here - which I do love - but the summers are seriously extreme - or maybe this is just because I haven't really functioned with central air since moving to Texas. This year will be my first year!

      Illness def. contributes to my blahs - I feel like I go into shock and like all I can handle is old SNL on my couch!! Ha! I'm totally into your knitting right now -it may seem like failures to you - but I find it totally awe inspiring!

      Delete
  4. Ack - I'm going through the exact same thing this week. I had the stomach flu this weekend and even though I've felt better the last day or two I can't get off the couch. I finally managed to sew a few muslins this afternoon but I just can't bring myself to make something real yet. Glad you beat the bug!
    I tend to see the sewing blahs as my brain catching up with my hands. I'm especially susceptible to them after I've completed a difficult project or taken a difficult class. I think my mind just needs time to work out my new skills for itself before my fingers find something new to learn.
    Love your spring inspiration! I saw you pin that ikat-ish polka dot dress this morning and wish I could find the fabric. So beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! There must be some sort of fabric like that lurking about - very pretty. I'll let you know if I find it anywhere.

      So sorry to hear about your stomach flu! I felt the same - I basically really only felt ill for a day or two, but just didn't feel like myself until... like yesterday.

      I have been doing a lot of reading on pattern drafting and I'm starting to feel a bit in over my head. I think that frustration of making muslin after muslin and having them not turn out *just right* is definitely bogging me down... glad I'm not the only one this happens to

      Delete
  5. ugh... boob sweat. Such a horrid thing to have to deal with. Loving the inspiration pics - I'm a huge fan of the white dress, and Frida does pull it off with aplomb.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is there any worse kind of sweat than boob sweat? I'm not a huge fan of sweat in places I don't think I should sweat - like shin sweat, or toe sweat - but really, I've learned to just embrace the sweat! Gross.. TMI... sorry!

      I love that picture of Frida - but it appears to have disappeared!! What gives? Maybe its only my computer...

      Delete
  6. Being on the other side of the world, Australia, I'm looking forward to it cooling down a bit. After weeks of 100+F weather I'm very much looking forward to Autumn and Winter. I love the Anthropologie shoes you posted too. They are gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Yes, I think those shoes just might have to come to me.... ;)

      Delete
  7. Oh, it's so easy to fall into that trap, totally nursing (milking) my sickness. I don't try to force the sewing blahs, unless I find it turns out I've begun to simply get lazy. Get better soon, girl!

    Also, I love that you reminded me of boob sweat. Just like I glossed over the salty sandy mess of winter while in TX, I gloss over the hot sticky mess that was my life now that I'm again in the northeast. Light and fluttery and silky... oh so important! Good money spent on good shoes, one of Daddy's mantras.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, and look at the cone boobs in that next to last garment photo. Love how the dress is built for them!

      Delete
    2. Those are Bridgette Bardot's cone boobs!! (Do you think she had boob sweat?) Its such a lovely, feminine dress...

      Yes, its very easy to romanticize a climate when we're not in it. I actually really love the mild winters in TX - but sometimes I get a little nostalgic for blustery cold and fires and hot toddies ...

      Your Dad was a smart man :)

      Delete
  8. Great dresses, so summer perfect! I'm feelin ya. I've had a nasty bug all week, too, and I'm of the feel-sorry-for-myself-and-stay-in-pjs-mode as long as humanly possible type. It's so hard to get anything done but watch a lot of bad movies. Anyways, I'm still learning pleasant grooming strategies for the summer heat coping. I'm trying to enjoy what is pretty much spring right now and not dread what is coming. The last two summers I almost lived in silk, which I never really wore much until I moved to TX... I love sewing it and so love how it feels BUT the hard thing about silk is sweat stains.

    It's gotta be those Kork-ease sandals! Cork wedges are sooo comfy and light but you still get the heel style. I love that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sweat stains are silk's enemy for sure - also, i'm not a huge fan of washing my silks super frequently which can be dangerous if you're doing a lot of sweating!

      I'm having a seriously hard time choosing between those shoes! I love the color and architectural heel of the anthro pair, but the Kork-ease ones have all the positives you mentioned, plus maybe they're more versatile? So hard...

      Delete