Monday, August 22, 2016

EPITOME OF FLAIR - BEX HULANDS


Who are you?


I'm Bex from Subversive Femme - vintage enthusiast, collector of patterns, maker of things.

Fashion from the 1930s-1950s really speak to me, and I blog about sewing/knitting clothing from this era.
I don't hide from being a plus size woman, and happily size up vintage patterns to fit me. I think everyone should have access to vintage style no matter their body shape.
Every year in July I host Curvy Month on my blog. I find and share free vintage knitting patterns for larger figures during that month, proving that women have always come in different shapes and sizes.
Describe your fashion style


Eclectic 40s and 50s.

I like wacky novelty prints and bright colours, hand embroidery and ricrac trim.
I love vintage knitwear, swing pants, vintage jeans and patio dresses - fun and easy to wear.

I don't believe that dressing in vintage should be hard work, so I'm always looking for comfortable and unusual clothing.
I'm not a vintage purist, but 70% of my wardrobe is true vintage and the rest is vintage-style or reproductions.


Who is your favourite style icon & why?


I would have to pick two - Lucille Ball and Carmen Miranda.

Both of them looked a million dollars - they were glamorous and had playful sense of humour which really comes through in their fashion choices.
They were strong personalities too


Name your 5 essential fashion pieces


A Pendleton 49er jacket - perfect for Sydney autumns and springs



Minnetonka Thunderbird moccasins - great for walking long distances when you're antiquing



One good rayon or silk scarf - for those bad hair days. Do a Rosie for casual, or a Turban for fancy. A scarf can take you anywhere



Red lipstick - I love Kat Von D 'Tijuana'. Velvet matte, and cruelty free



A novelty brooch - nothing better than catching a glimpse of your crazy jewellery in a mirror as you walk past



Do you have a special prized fashion piece in your wardrobe?


I have a stunning floor length Crimson velvet dress will amazing sleeves from the 1940s. The shoulders have heavy gold embroidery on them - I've never worn it out as its so over the top, but here's hoping I get invited to cocktails with the Queen soon!

What is something surprising about you?


I'm the Treasurer for Sydney Dykes on Bikes - this will be my 6th year on the Committee.

People think Dykes on Bikes are only about Mardi Gras, but we put on events for our members throughout the year.
We also work really hard to raise money for our charities - to date we've given away over $30,000 to needy causes.


Do you have a favourite sewing pattern? What is it?


I have so many favourites! Probably the one I most want to make up is Simplicity 3414 from 1940.

It was one of the first vintage patterns I ever bought, and has some gorgeous options like an open sun back.
Maybe this is the year I make it up...





Sunday, August 14, 2016

EPITOME OF FLAIR - ANNE WHALLEY


Who are you?
Anne Whalley
I am a Personal Stylist & International Motivational Speaker.
I am passionate about fabric and an avid sewer.
Helping people Dress to Express themselves and  feel confident in their skin is something I live to do.
My formal fashion training began in my twenties.
In the International sewing community I am known as "The Pattern Whisperer." 


2.  Describe your fashion style
Dramatic Creative and Comfortable!
All three ingredients result in an outfit I love wearing.

Who is your favourite style icon & why?
David Bowie! He was never afraid to dress the way he felt inside.

Name your 5 essential fashion pieces
Brown two way stretch Singlet dress - this basic piece is a platform for the majority of my my outer pieces
My yellow cape - first cape I made and now I have an addiction to capes
My cocoon dress - a recent make that I want to wear everyday day...so I made another one
My crochet digital print dress. Everything about this dress makes me feel fabulous
My hand-knitted neck accessory made by my designer friend Alfia Galimova.
I love the colour and the design and the various ways it can be worn



Do you have a special prized fashion piece in your wardrobe?
My latest make is usually my special prized fashion piece!
I get crushes on the way my newest creation feels and looks.
I have to stop myself from wearing something too much.


What is something surprising about you?
I love listening to people and taking them on a journey that helps them move forward.
Seeing people break free from situations and take control of their lives is what gets me up in the morning!
The surprising part is that I show them  how wearing the right clothes is the key to their breakthrough!



Monday, August 8, 2016

EPITOME OF FLAIR - SUE CADZOW


Who are you?
Sue Cadzow - 50s Vintage Dame

I’m a graphic designer and illustrator who particularly loves working in vintage style.
My illustrations have been featured on Atomic Swag tee shirts (Aloha, Ranch Party and Square Dancers and the little girls’ tee shirt) and I have created designs for many people in the vintage and retro world both in Australia and overseas.
For instance, I did the artwork for the Vintage Fashion Guild logo, Doughbox Diner in Sydney, Doll Deluxe clothing, and CD covers and posters for various rockabilly bands.
I love vintage design and I get really excited overtime someone comes to me with a new project!
People often come to me and they only have a vague notion in their head of what they want, or they may have seen an old advertisement that has inspired the seed of an idea.
My job is to visualise what is in their head and make it into artwork.
Its actually really satisfying when people say “This looks even better than I had imagined!”







Describe your fashion style
I have never really thought about it, but I guess I would simply say “1950s”.
I grew up in the country and used to watch 1950s movie on TV (Dial M for Murder was on high rotation on the country TV channels) and I raided my mum’s sewing patterns (she had been a teenager in the 1950s) and started sewing my own vintage outfits.
I also loved listening to her original record of “Rock Around the Clock”, so the love of the music started at the same time. I thought I was the only one who liked that stuff though, so I was extremely please when I moved to the city and found a whole bunch of other people loved the same things!
Whether the look be casual-look high-waisted side-zip jeans and a tee shirt and penny loafers, or full-on glamour with gold lamé and leopard print nearly everything in my wardrobe is either vintage, 1950s repro or items that I have sewn myself from vintage patterns.
I guess my dream is to emulate the style of Auntie Mame and dress totally for my own pleasure!


Who is your favourite style icon & why?

Marilyn Monroe has always been my favourite.

As a young girl growing up i the country watching her movies on TV, she seemed the epitome of style and Hollywood glamour to me. I used to sit and watch her movies with a sketch pad on my knees and quickly draw ideas for outfits to sew based on what she was wearing.
I used to whip up a new outfit every time I went out! When I was younger I used to have platinum blonde hair and my nickname was “Marilyn”. My hair has changed but I still love her outfits!



Name your 5 essential fashion pieces

Side-zip jeans (I hate things that don’t come up to my waist)
Capri pants (For when I want to look a bit dressy but still comfortable these cover all occasions!)
My vintage spectacles (mainly because I am blind as a bat and cannot see a thing without them!)
Flat shoes (After years of wearing ill-fitting vintage shoes my feet are a complete mess and I need to wear orthotic inserts)
Pencil skirt (Goes with everything and can equally look dressy or casual)




Do you have a special prized fashion piece in your wardrobe?
My dress and matching bolero in the photo below.
The dress was purchased on my first ever trip to Viva las Vegas and the bolero was purchased separately 3 years later on a subsequent trip to the Rockabilly Rave at Las Vegas! When I saw the bolero hanging on the rack I actually swore out loud because it was the same fabric as my dress.
It was like time had stood still ad I was in slow motion running towards the bolero and willing everyone else to leave it alone and not pick it up before I reached it.
As I triumphantly grabbed it off the rack (possibly shoving other people aside who were reaching for it at the same time) I could not believe my eyes that it was a perfect match!
I probably would have paid a million dollars there and then to have that piece and complete the set!!!



What is something surprising about you?
I love Agatha Christie books and TV shows (actually that’s probably not all that surprising to my family!!) and I collect vintage paperbacks of her books.



Do you have a favourite sewing pattern? What is it?
This pattern has been loved to death! I bought it from an op-shop in the mid-1980s and have made it as a top, a dress, and it was the first pattern I ever sewed that had no markings and odd-shaped pieces that I just had to work out how they joined together!



http://redpeppergraphics.com.au/ shows my graphic design work
http://redpeppergraphics.com.au/retro/ is where you can purchase and download my vintage-style clipart