I wore this dress out to dinner with Mr Sewaholic and his parents, and the waiter called me Lady in Red! And sang a little bit, I think. You can’t go unnoticed in a bright red dress.
What I’m Wearing:
- Self-Stitched Dress: Las Margaritas dress, Vogue 9668 in red wool crepe with bemberg lining.
- Jacket: Club Monaco, from my sister’s closet that she had for at least four years before giving to me!
- Shoes: Nine West, bought at Macy’s in January 2008
- Scarf: thrifted, Value Village.
Read more about the dress here, or see it in more outfits!
I love this dress! Did you know the pattern is being discontinued? Buy it now if you like it and might ever want to make it in the future.
Thanks for all the lovely comments on yesterday’s post! I revealed my dorky self and you guys like me anyways. It feels good! Thanks for not laughing at me! You would have laughed for sure if you’d witnessed the swimming lessons… and I bet I can make you laugh singing the alphabet backwards too. Mr Sewaholic suggested I post a video for proof but I’m not so sure about that idea.
Oh and I love that so many of you are speed readers, too! That’s fantastic. You kind of have to be, to keep up on blog-world don’t you? And the secret glasses-wearers too! Tanit-isis is right, HD TV is so much more HD with the glasses on! Plus you can actually see the puck when watching hockey.
Misty, I will find a feather hat picture! In fact let me look right now… again, no laughing!
Ok, so that was in July 2009, it was over 30 degrees out, and I’m wearing over 30 pounds of wool and feathers. It was a memorial for fallen police officers, so we had to stand while hundreds of names were read out loud, and not pass out! And then, actually play the bagpipes too! I get it, I understand the seriousness and the respect of wearing full uniforms but still.
The cool thing about the feather hat is that it’s hollow – you could hide your purse in there! It’s like a cage with feathers on the outside. At the very least you can stash a pair of gloves in there for seriously cold winter parades.
Anyways, it’s no wonder I’m obsessed with sewing. Look at all the crazy things I’ve been required to wear!
respect!
I am of Scotch-Irish, decent and you won my respect some time ago with your skill and creativity. Now, you clearly deserve the a trophy! My soul stirs with the pipes, a female piper is not common sight in my part of the world, my hat (no feathers at this time) is off to you. Your parents must be so proud! Thanks for sharing.
You look so amazing in your feather hat and pipes.
http://www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com
Hmm, now I want to go and weigh some of my old dance costumes. Probably not quite thirty pounds, but once you pack on the jewelry it can definitely get heavy.
I have to say, I think that red dress is my all-time favourite of your pieces. Every time I see it, I want one. I have a “little red dress” but it’s not something I can really wear for everday, at least without looking like I belong on a street-corner. ;)
Our High School drill team and band down here in California were decked out in Scottish attire. We also had female bag pipe players and dancers wearing the kilts, plus a guy wearing a kilt who led the band. I lived 2 blocks away from the High School, and loved hearing the band practice for the Friday night football games — the bag pipes sounded so lovely. Seeing you all dressed in your band attire brought back such wonderful memories.
Your red dress is one of my favorites, and I am sorry to hear it’s being discontinued.
Look forward to seeing more items from your pattern line, even if I am not a pear shape.
I think it’s brilliant that you play the bagpipes but I’m really laughing! not at your outfit because you wear it really well – but those booties…!
I love it! I wouldn’t laugh at that, you look totally bad ass! Is it hard to keep the hat on, or is it pretty light because it’s hollow? I looked pretty stupid in my marching band outfit in high school, but your uniform is seriously awesome.
I find your photo so cool! I was in marching band my first year in college and I completely understand your not wanted to do this anymore. My get-up wasn’t quite as involved as yours but still its too hard in hot weather. Seriously though, you look so cool in it! Love the red dress and that fabulous thrifted scarf too!
wonderful red dress! and the feather hat’s pretty cool too ;)
Somehow, this works. Maybe it’s because you make anything look good :-)
Tanit-Isis and I used to dance together. I did weigh my kit one time and it only amounted to about 10 pounds (though it felt like more). Not enough jewelry, I guess!
sigh, still one of my all-time fave creations! btw, i can’t believe you made that feather hat, it’s awesome!
Oh no I didn’t make the feather hat.. I wouldn’t even know where to start! It’s part of the police band issued uniform. Thank god! That would be an ordeal. I’m always impressed with the people who make hats and get into the whole millinery thing, it’s like knitting to me – very cool, but there are not enough hours in the day to get good at everything!
@Zena: , @Tanit-Isis: – what kind of dance did you do where you had to wear 10 pounds of gear? Ballet? Highland dance? Belly dance?
@Misty: It’s pretty heavy, the cage is metal and it’s thick wire. You can’t see it but there’s a nice thick chin-strap holding it on – sexy, I know!
@Clare: Haha, they’re not even booties! There are so many layers involved: first regular black dress socks, then the knitted argyle sock toppers (they’re footless) with elastic bands holding them up, then the black dress shoes, and lastly the white spats, they go on over the ankle and under the shoe. (They get SO dirty – and we’re supposed to keep them pristine and white!) It’s a five-part thing, achieving that ‘bootie’ look.
@Celkalee: Oh and I know, female pipers are rare! One of the reasons I wanted to do it, because not everyone was :) I used to compete too, when I was younger, and even won a few trophies!
So your hidden bagpiping identity comes out! Love it! All the shiny buttons are great and the argyle socks.
That thing looks heavy…
you sew AND play the bagpipes??? AND smile through all that? No wonder it’s so much fun reading your blog….
By the way, I made a necklace out of a sporran, speaking of all things Scottish!
http://stylewilderness.blogspot.com/2010/07/mcmagic.html
Love that red dress. I have three metres of red just crying out to be made into a dress with a swishy skirt.
Whoah! I am Scottish and I have to confess I have NEVER seen a girl wearing the full piper kit – that is extraordinary! My (small hand-knitted) hat is off to you for having the balls to a) wear that lot and b) blog about it!
Thanks for the heads up about the Vogue pattern being discontinued (i’m still bummed that I missed McCalls 5803). And wouldn’t you know, the Vogue pattern sale ($5.99 each) at Fabricland starts today!!
Oh – I also wanted to know all the deets on that gorgeous green purse – it looks perfect for fall!
@Tasia: Belly dance – specifically, American Tribal Style belly dance. See http://fcbd.com/index.shtml for some examples of what we aspire to!
Samantha, I bought the purse at Winners last fall. It’s my favourite source for affordable, good-quality leather purses that aren’t like everyone else’s.
@Zena: Wow! Very, very cool, fantastic costumes. How fun would that be ..and I bet an amazing workout!
@Roobeedoo: Thanks! Not a lot of women pipe, and very few would even think of joining a band that wears the full dress uniform… one of those cool things I’ve done that I’m glad I did!