Years ago, in the dark ages before the internet and e-mail, my friend Rosalie published a newsletter called, "Art You Wear". It was geared toward, if you hadn't already guessed, the then small, but growing, wearable art community. I enjoyed the newsletter very much, but one day it stopped showing up. I missed it, but didn't pursue it as I was busy with other stuff in my life - being a free-lance musician, working with the local artists' guild, and just beginning to learn the ropes about being a multi-cat-mom. Recently, as I was chasing links (one of my favorite pastimes), I wound up on a blog called Art You Wear and me, and realized, after many years, I'd found Rosalie! As fate would have it, within a few days, she posted some information about the Vogue Patterns website having a sale. As fate would further have it, I've been thinking, recently, of getting back to sewing clothes for myself. When I retired from UCSF in 1993, I slowly drifted into slobdom, fashion-wise. After moving from San Francisco to the wastelands of Vallejo, I discovered the fashion here was No Fashion. The only thing worth dressing up for in Vallejo at that time, was the Symphony, which only gave six concerts a year. Now, they only give four concerts a year, so the need for new outfits decreased even more! Alas, it's been sweats and tees for me for far too long, and I've finally decided I'm tired of that non-look. Anyway, Rosalie had posted pictures of some Vogue patterns she'd purchased from the web sale, with an eye towards garments for wearable art. Seeing them, I was hooked, and went to the Vogue website to "have a look". I found a wonderful selection of patterns available at absurdly low prices if one was willing to join the BVM (Butterick-Vogue-McCalls) Club, which I immediately did, because who can resist the opportunity to buy notoriously expensive Vogue patterns at 70% off??? This "opportunity" sent me over the edge into becoming thoroughly determined to start sewing my own clothes again. Here are the patterns I bought - yes, they're all coats, because coats lend themselves beautifully to becoming wearable art. Besides it's finally starting to feel like fall around these parts! Vogue features patterns by avant garde designers, such as Koos Van Den Akker (first pattern, below) and Lynn Mizono (second pattern). For many years they've had a line by Issey Miyaki, one of my favorite designers. Before I get started, though, it looks like I'm going to have to go out and buy some fabric. Awww...
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