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And Then There Was Spandex

 Dear Reader,  as you may already know, I am obsessed with textiles. And I must confess, spandex is one of my favorites.  I think it's the idea that something smaller than me can stretch around my body and fit me; fascinating.  Story time:  I once had a red ribbed bodycon maxi dress that I purchased when I was 16. It was really cute and had a racer back and 2 foot split on the side. My cousin thought that the dress was adorable too but I wore a size 4 and she wore a size 16. Because of the size difference, I did not think to protect my dress from my cousin and she wore it but it was never my size ever again. Poor little dress, it was shaped completely out of proportion, no amount of washing or heat from the dryer would reset it. So, the little dress was donated, because she still couldn't fit it, even after she attempted the big squeeze in, and neither could I. lol.  That dress had primitive spandex from the 90's in it. I don't think it had 4 way stretch....
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Fashion as a Mood Lifter

 Dear Reader,  If you are ever feeling down, have no fear because fashion is here!  All you have to do is take a nice shower, pick out a spectacular outfit, do something cute with your hair, splash on some perfume, and voila.. you will look and feel much better.  Don't underestimate the power of a good outfit. Proper well fitted clothing can open doors, lift hearts, and generate positive feelings in yourself and others. Everyone likes when people look nice, everyone likes when people smell nice. They like it because it gives them something nice to look at. It 's like the difference between an ugly old tree that has no leaves or a beautiful tree covered with lovely green leaves and healthy brown bark. Who wants to see a dead old tree? No one, including you. Are you looking like an old tree? Fix that. Liven yourself up. Choose colors that lift your mood. Even if it's just some cozy pajamas. Select fabrics that are soft and feel good on your skin; my favorite is silk....
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Isn't That Interesting?

 Dear Reader,  You know in the fashion world in America we often times look and stores and clothing and thing "meh, no big deal". But, when you walk into any fashion store you have to realize the depth and complexity of what is in front of you.  1. How many hours did it take from educating the design team to placing the item(s) into a bag for purchase?  2. What is the actual cost per garment? (especially if you don't use slaves). 3. Where does it all go once people are done with it? 4. What is the shelf life on each piece?  I wonder about the first question a lot. How many hours out of peoples lives were collectively used to create the items we see? Like, is my wardrobe a collection of an ungodly amount of human life hours? In reality I would have to live 30 lives to actually make the amount of clothes that I own.  What about the actual cost? This one miffs me. Some brands are worth more than others. But are they if the materials are the same, and the desig...
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My Textile Journey

 Perhaps it is just a sensory thing but I really enjoy fabrics, how they are made, and all of the different textures and uses for them.  When I was a kid I had a pillow that was stuffed with feathers and had this lovely slightly softer than denim cover. I think it was military issued because my parents were in the Army. That was my first love.  Until I received two beautiful velvet dresses from my grandmother when I was 10. Oh how these dresses made me feel so pretty! I couldn't wait for an excuse to put them on. "Get dressed we're going to church", out come the regal velvet dresses. The fabric was soft like velour, they had ribbon detailing, a touch of lace in all of the right places, one was a navy blue, and the other was a dark teal green. I thought I was the most beautiful girl in the world with those dresses on and, I had some white stockings and a pair of patent leather ballet flats to go with them.  But then I grew up and Easter would come around. One year, wh...
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