Germany Responds (and Rejects)

    Every seamstress and well, every person in general, will learn at some point that things don't always go how they want them to. This is especially true for people who sew because a lot of times your projects don't turn out as planned. (Take my Owl Pants story for example) Sometimes you get four pant legs instead of two, or one arm hole on a dress; not that I'm speaking from experience or anything .... The point I'm getting at here is that you can't expect things to turn out how you want them to. And yes, I am referring to a specific happenstance. I heard back from that German fashion company regarding my suggestion of writing a blog for them. They said that at this time there just aren't any available spots for a guest blog. I'm not bitter about the situation, they're a phenomenal company that does amazing work and I didn't really plan on getting the gig anyway. Basically, I have accepted rejection and am currently hoping for an opportunity in the future. The reason I'm sharing this is because I'm hoping someone who has recently been denied by anything or anyone will see that it's definitely not the end of the world. I am a firm believer in the idea that when one door closes another door opens. I also believe that everything happens for a reason and if it's meant to be it will happen. Can you think of any other relevant clichés? I think I about summed it up.

Apologies and Updates!

I'd like to apologize for the lackage of posts on Friday and Monday. I know that some of you have come to expect a post every weekday but unfortunately I was too busy to write. I'd like to update you on my latest dress though. Aside from a few minor glitches I have yet to work out, all that's left to do is create the hi-low mullet skirt. I'm very excited to finish and wear this creation ... even if I'm the only one dressing up at the Sadie Hawkins Dance. Yeah, I found out it's probably not a formal dance... but I've been working way too hard on this to not wear it. Well as usual lately, I'm busy and have to go! I can't promise there won't be some more missed post days, but I'll try my best! Also, don't forget about the CSTAWNY contest!

People are Chill. Sometimes.

     There's a lot I could say about people. I usually have something negative to say because my attitude towards people is in direct proportion to how much sleep I get, and I'm running on limited sleep lately. However, every now and then I talk to a person that makes me think "Hey, this whole human race thing isn't too bad!" This is particularly present when I'm in my french class. There are a couple girls in my class that love to hear about my sewing endeavors and compliment me on my work. Sure, people compliment people all the time, but the fact my friends take the time to listen to me talk about sewing (something they don't know much about), is really cool. One day I was worried about scheduling for classes and how it would effect my future. I wasn't sure what class to sign up for because I'm still not entirely sure if I want to major in fashion in a few years in college. However, I was talking to one of the girls in my class about deciding between what I like and what pays she told me:

  "If you do what you love, the money will come."

For real though, how quotable is that statement? She's a champ with words. The point of this all, is that I really appreciate all the support and interest my sewing gets from my friends. Not only does it encourage me to keep doing what I love, but it inspires me to keep creating more pieces. I also appreciate your support as well. It's an intimidating thing to post all about one's life on the Internet, but your views make it a little less scary and more beneficial. Always feel free to comment or follow my blog and don't forget about the CSTAWNY Contest (click here to view)! Thanks again for the support and I shall speak with/at you tomorrow!

The Very First CSTAWNY Contest!

     I recently shared a list of my most foolish blunders while sewing (click here to view), but now I want to hear about yours! Comment your story of your most ridiculous mistake while sewing and I will select the most hilarious. The winner will then get their story posted on the cstawny website along with my view on their story! To enter, simply comment your story below by March 15th, 2013. I will then select the winner and your blog story will go up on Monday, March fourth. To get immediate notification of the winner, please follow my blog! I really appreciate your support and I hope you guys share your stories! If you have any questions please feel free to ask them in the comments below. 

Have a beautiful day and happy sharing! 

Wardrobe Staples List #1

    I feel as like after I gave you a list of all the things you probably shouldn't wear (click here to view my Fashion Faux Pas list), I owe you a list of all the things you should wear. That's right, make way for the "Wardrobe Staples" list! This is a list of the articles of clothing every teenage girl should probably own. 

Wardrobe Staples

1. A Little Black Dress 

              Made famous by Coco Chanel, this is a necessity for  

              your wardrobe because it is a versatile piece          

              that can be worn to multiple kinds of events

    

     2. Black Boots

              Whether they're tall or ankle; boots can be worn with 

              so man different outfits and have a slimming    

              effect, especially in black, for those who wear them

     

     3. Flannel Shirt

               Okay, I'm a little bias as to whether or not this is a 

               staple, because I'm a total boho freak, but the    

               fact that they comes in so many styles and colors 

               make flannel shirts appropriate for any season

    4. Tight Skirt

               Yes, tight skirts can look a little "trashy" sometimes, 

               but worn appropriately they are stylish and 

               fun, two things nearly every girl strives to be.

    5. Gladiator Sandals

               Appropriate in both spring and summer, these 

               sandals are chic and fashion forward, but don't      

               require much effort to pull off.

 I'm going to leave you with five today, partially because that's all I can think of, and partially because I'm supposed to be working on a marketing project right now. Again, this list is only my opinion and I'm not suggesting people who lack these items are any less fashionable than me. I feel like it's necessary to point that out with people getting sued all the time nowadays. Actually, as a teenage blog writer I don't think I'm really that much of a target. Alright then folks, stay splendiferous! 

Update on my Latest Dress

      Saturday I bought fabric to start construction on my eleventh (I think) dress! It is light pink with gray lace over top of it. There is a v-neck top with a mullet/hi-low skirt. It took me all weekend just to figure out how to make the top... and I never even tried out the conclusion I came too. Needless to say, this dress is experiencing rather slow creation. However, I don't need it until next month. That's right, I've got an event coming up! Sadie Hawkin's Dance 2013. Be there or be square. Actually, don't be there.... that would be super weird if you showed up. In case you're not familiar with the rules of Sadie Hawkins, it's a dance where the girls ask the guys, how interesting. I'm not actually sure if I'm asking anyone yet, but I'm definitely sure I will look fantastic. This dress looks really pretty. Of course, it's just a bunch of fabric pinned to a mannequin right now, but it's going to look amazing once I have time to actually sew it. I'll be sure to post pictures once it is completed! In the mean time I'll continue to write about things that may or may not be worth your time reading. 

More about Me (Incase that Interests you)

        I'm sure you're wondering (if you frequently read my blog) some important information about me. How old is she? What do her designs look like? Why does she have so much free time to write a post every single day? Well, to answer these questions I must first point out the fact I don't plan on being stalked any time soon so I don't necessarily want to throw out too much information on the Internet. With this being said, I am going to be fairly vague with the information I share. So, let's start answering some questions. I am a teenager in high school, my designs are usually boho style, and I have absolutely no life outside of sewing. I don't really have a problem with the limited social life, because I spend my time doing what I love. It doesn't really matter to me that status quo says I should be out on the town Friday nights, because I really do enjoy staying home sewing instead. As far as blog writing goes, I do most of my writing (including this post) in my Marketing class. We're currently working on some big project which I've already finished so I get to write blog posts instead. I quite prefer it actually, I don't think marketing is really my thing. It's mostly a bunch of sneaky trickery to fool someone into purchasing your crap. I like writing instead, actually English is my favorite subject. This is partially because my teacher is hilariously wacky in a fantastic way, and partially because I just really love writing. It's cool the way you can just throw your thoughts out on a page and people will read and enjoy them. Another class I really enjoy is drama... I'm a total theatre dork. The theatre is just a very strong community and I highly recommend if you have the resources that you become a part of one. I also play lacrosse, which is pretty chill. I'm not too shabby at it, I plan on getting a scholarship playing lacrosse to get into college so I can major in Fashion/Apparel Design. I think this is a very far fetched plan because 1) The college I'm looking at has a Division III (that's good) lacrosse team, and 2) Fashion/Apparel Design is a very impractical subject to get a degree in. Honestly though, what does one do with a degree like that? I'm probably not going to make it that far, but I'd much rather be happy with my job than successful. Wow, that sound slightly pathetic. Oh well, just updating you on my life... no judging. I guess if you have any more questions feel free to ask them in the comments below and I'll be sure to get back to you as soon as possible! Stay beautiful folks.

Owl Pants Make Me Sad.

           People aren't perfect. This statement is incredibly prevalent in the world of sewing. I've had my share of blunders when it comes to life and sewing... but the life ones are for a different time on a different blog. Today I'm going to share my most ridiculous fails when it comes to sewing in hopes that my sorrow may brighten your day in a form of schadenfreude. 
           My first big mistake was the time I tried sewing a tan dress with a braided belt and a sweetheart neckline. It looked marvelous when it was finished, but it took me a while to get there. You see, while I was sewing the top and waist together, I actually sewed the bottom of the skirt in as well. Basically what I ended up with was a strange romper effect... minus the leg holes. However, the crisis was averted thanks to my dearest friend: seam ripper. 
          Another nightmare of sewing I experienced was when I began sewing my first tulle dress for a winter formal dance at school. Oh boy was that a disaster. I ended up hand sewing the tulle on in a process that took an hour and a half after I broke three needles in fifteen minutes by machine. Once I had finally finished I tried it on. It was beautiful. There were black roses on the top and black tulle sticking out from the bottom with a red sash in the center. There was only one problem. I turned and looked in the mirror and realized I appeared to be 9 months pregnant. The tulle stuck out so far it actually made me look like I had a bowling ball taped to my stomach. Needless to say I bought a dress for that dance instead.
         My final major sewing disaster (so far) occurred while sewing four sets of owl pajama pants. My mother was paying me to sew a pair for each of my siblings and I so she could give them to us for Christmas. Now, in theory, this was an adorable idea. Who doesn't want four children in matching homemade pajama owl pants? So my mother took me to the fabric store and we found a cute fabric and I began construction. What basically led to my downfall was the fact I eyeballed all the measurements. Mine and my little brothers turned out great because we're the same size. However, when I got to my older brother's I used way too much fabric. The top ended up going well past his belly button and the bottom piled up on the floor. I guess he's not as tall as I thought he was. After using so much fabric for him, I ran out of fabric for my sister's pajama pants. I asked my mother to take me back to the fabric store and buy more fabric. Once we got that fabric, I managed to sew it half inside out and, while seam ripping, tear the fabric into two pieces. This resulted in my father having to secretly take me back to the store to get even more fabric, I didn't want my mother to know that I'd ruined the fabric she'd just bought. Eventually I managed to sew a full set of pajama pants that looked rather decent. Me and my little brother love wearing ours, my older brother can't fit into his, and my sister can't wear hers because they ended up being the wrong size in the end. They were pretty pitiful Christmas presents, and I still can't look at those pants without laughing/feeling as if I've died inside.
          These stories are not only embarrassing, but they are also very helpful. It shows that I've still got a lot of learning to do before I can become a famous designer. And even then, the best designers still goof up sometimes. I think it's completely fine to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them afterwards. Let's just say I've done a lot more learning than I shared. 

Fashion Faux Pas List #1

      It has come to my attention that as a "designer" (we're sticking with the quotes to keep this all politically correct), it's kind of my job to help out the people around me who are lost as far as clothing goes. I don't mean that I'm going to set out and completely change the wardrobe of someone who is happy with the way the dress, because the only thing that really matters is whether or not you're comfortable in your fashion choices. I'm just saying there is a list of rules which I've created that those of you who may be lost in the world of fashion should take a peek at. Also this list only applies to things people wear at school, when you're at home I think people should wear whatever the heck they're comfortable. Please don't take this personally, I'm merely expressing my own opinions and style.

List of Things People Who Dress Like Me Probably Shouldn't Wear to School 

1. White socks
2. Those glasses that change color in the sun
3. Zip off pants, aka: "shants"
4. Crocs
5. Striped shirts with plaid pants
6. Socks with sandals
7. Sandals without painted toe nails (girls)
8. Tall socks with short shorts
9. Sweatpants with elastic on the bottom
10. Short sleeve shirts with sewn in long sleeve shirts underneath

Again, don't take this personally, they're just my opinions folks. I will even admit to the fact that I have worn a few of these pieces, back in my days of fashion confusion. If there's something I forgot, or something you'd like to add, please let me know in the comments below!

Until We Make It

       Being a high school student (woe is me), the majority of my life is based off of what people think of me. When I first started sewing I was very confident in my work and loved showing it off, however, when I reached high school my attitude changed drastically. I was still very proud of my work, but I was very concerned with what others might think of me. I remember worrying that people would make fun of me the first time I wore one of my new dresses to school. Of course, people were very supportive and nobody had anything bad to say. I think in my mind I have this idea that people will always see the worst in me and this fuels my self consciousness. I know my biggest enemy is myself which is true for most designers. We critique our every move and it effects our designs, and our lives. I'm not just referring so designers here though. It's so important for people, especially young hooligans such as myself, to be positive and confident in the way they act and look. If you're reading this and are having a rough day, just know that eventually it will all be worth it. All the crummy days, all the upsetting experiences, it'll all pay off when you make it out there. Whether you have one now or not, eventually you will have a goal you want to achieve and all of the things that ever brought you down will inspire you and build you up. Never forget you are worth so much and you will become something wonderful someday. We just need to keep waiting and staying strong until we get our chance to prove ourselves.

Sleeping Beauty, Tennessee, and Other Things That Inspire

       Designers get ideas for a lot of the work from the world around then. Whether or not the title 'designer' fits me is debatable, but I too am inspired by this wacky little world we live in. I remember when I was younger, watching Disney's Sleeping Beauty. I was mesmerized by the scene where the fairies changed the colors in Aurora's dress. I wanted to do that, though at the time I didn't know how. I think that's the first time I ever wanted to design. Of course, none of my sketches were entirely impressive . I can barely sketch now, so you can only imagine how pitiful my attempts at fashion were at age six. Lots of triangular dresses and square pants. I was young and wild though, and found myself mostly pursuing Rollie Pollies and and Slinkies as oppose to a fashion career. Again, it wasn't really until I got my sewing machine that I began to pick up that idea of fashion again. This would be much more clear if you were aware of my clothing choices pre-sewing machine. My favorite shirt was orange with a monkey on it an my favorite shoes were blue Crocs... and this was middle school. I think my entire past wardrobe consisted of Validation Pieces. Validation Pieces are hideous outfits other people wear that make you look good in comparison, by the way. Needless to say, I've made many advancements since then. One of those advancements includes an increased intellect regarding ideas for designs. I am now aware on this whole idea of "transferal of sight to sketch". This is my way of saying: me see pretty flower, me draw pink dress. One of my favorite places for inspiration are the mountains of Tennessee. There's so many colors and values in the scenery that I am filled with design ideas by just googling images of them. Not only is nature a big factor in my design process, but the people around me play a major part as well. My older sister inspires a lot of my designs because she has a unique style which I love. She also gave me the idea to make my pieces functional as well as fashionable. She's always going places and I want the clothing I make to represent an idea of looking beautiful while getting stuff done. I also get a lot of ideas from my past. I like to take old outfits I used to wear and upgrade them to a more mature look. There are a few outfits however, that I just can't do a thing with. For example, my mother decided when I was in preschool it was a good idea to send me to class wearing a pink collared shirt with leggings... both of which were littered with fuzzy sheep. I think I disposed of all photographic evidence of that outfit, other wise I'd post a picture for you to see/cackle at. Basically what I'm getting at is that my fashion sense and the way I view the world has changed drastically since I got my machine. Every time I open my sketchbook I get a feeling of joy as I see a blank page that I can fill with the things I see around me in a single outfit. I highly recommend you pick up a talent that makes you feel as good as I do when sewing and designing.

The Game Plan

     Alright, so I've established a goal, now I just need to figure out what to do with it. I debated making one of those 'acheivment boards' with the inspirational quotes and magazine pictures of clothing pasted on to it, but then I decided I was better than that. Instead I made a blog post... which may or may not be a step up. Basically, the plan to becoming a fashion designer is as follows:
1) Get sewing machine
2) Learn to sew beautiful works of art
3) Create an online profile to gain support from 'fans' (that's you)
4) Contact fashion companies to become noticed in the fashion community
5) Get an offer from a fashion company to design/sew/tailor/fetch coffee
6) Accept my first offer for a fashion show
7) Become a famous fashion designer
I guess that leaves me at step number four. So far the only contact I've made in the fashion community was a plea email I made to an amazing German fashion magazine to write a fashion blog for them (which I am still waiting on a response from). I also contacted one of my friend's teacher's about sewing for her friend's baby clothing company which totally would've worked if she'd considered hiring me. The point is because of my age and limited (but totally qualifying) years of experience, I'm probably not getting any attention from Vogue Magazine anytime soon. I know I need to stay positive and all that, but sometimes it's hard when I feel so confined to a bubble of lifelong sewing in my parents basement without profit. Wow. That sounds pathetic. I think it's important for me to remember I won't be in high school for long, and eventually I'll get attention from someone; maybe not someone important, but a person none the less; who is interested in my work. I know there's still plenty of time to succeed, but I got stuff to do broski, I can't wait around forever. I think today I'm going to try contacting more people. I have no idea who, but I'll find someone. If you have any suggestions I'd really appreciate you leaving them in the comments below. Thanks so much for reading, and I'll try and write again tomorrow... yeah this is a regular thing now. I gotta do something to keep me from refreshing my inbox every two seconds in anticipation of receiving a life changing email.

Starting Out

        I'm not sure why I did, but in 2010 I asked for a sewing machine for Christmas. I still can't remember why, I think it was because a few years earlier I had taken a class in school called Family and Consumer Science (FACS) and we sewed pillows. Mine turned out looking like a purple ferret that got hit by a tractor five times, but I loved in anyways. I was so proud of it and I wanted to keep feeling like that. Once I got my sewing machine the first thing I made was a pair of green pajama pants. They were way too short and looked like I'd gotten half of it stuck in my machine (which I did). Eventually I started making dresses. That's when I started getting that feeling again. Every time I wore a new dress to school I felt more and more proud. I finally had a talent that no one else in my school did. I felt special. Of course, these first dresses mimicked my pillow sewing skills. They were terribly made and disastrously accessorized. I was only in eighth grade when I made my first dress so of course it was a nightmare. I honestly cannot even imagine why my parents let me leave the house looking the way I did. Here's a what dress number one looked like:

 Notice the lack of pleats, the hideous floral belt, and the uneven straps! Oh, and did I mention the fabric? It was a pillowcase. It's really a marvelous piece of work. Each dress got better and better though and eventually I started making things people could actually compliment without snickering about later! I'm making serious progress.



How it All Began

       This blog is about me and my journey on my way to becoming a fashion designer.
Aw. That's cute. You're in high school and have an improbable dream.
True. But, I know I can do this. You're going to be here when I first start going on and on about it, and someday when you're wearing my clothing you can say:
"Hey, I knew that girl before Paris did."
And then we'll all clap and be merry.
Seriously, I know this sounds ridiculous, trust me, I do. However, I want to be able to look back on where I came from someday, and this will be it. I think it's important to remember where you came from. It's things like naïve and embarrassing blogs that keep you humble. Gosh I can't wait until older-me, or present-day-someone-I-know, reads this and goes:
"What the heck, brah. You're insane."
Actually, I have no problem waiting for that to occur. I think I've always been really concerned about what other people think about me. Which is a terrible attitude for a designer to have because they're probably the most 'out-there' people there are. Have you ever watched Lifetime's Project Runway? It doesn't take more than five minutes of viewing to get that the whole cast is just a bunch of wackos. Crazy talented, amazingly skilled, incredibly lucky wackos. I guess I need to be more like them, which doesn't sound like an entirely promising decision should this fashion designer thing fall through. I guess the point I'm trying to get across here is that I'm going to make it out there, and I'm going to try and make it as me without sacrificing who I am (a shy little thing), for a career I may or may not have a future in. Who am I kidding. People don't make blogs for dreams they don't fully intend on reaching. Mark my words, unknown reader, I'm going places. Just watch me.