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Sunday 24 July 2011

Snoop Shopping From the Comfort of Your Sofa and Vogue 1250 remixed.

(Longest blog title ever).

I know everyone probably has their favourite websites for ideas and inspiration, I have quite a few bookmarked, but my current obsession is the Net-a-Porter website for designer clothing.  It is well organised and easy to search.  Do a little search on, say, t shirts in descending price order if you ever feel a need to justify how much you spend on fabric, it will make you feel much better.

In addition to all the eye candy, they also issue an online weekly magazine .  Of course it is essentially a marketing tool for their products, but is just as good as the printed fashion magazines that I used to waste a ton of money and trees on.  There is a tab at the top of their home page, but you can check out the latest issue here - magazine.



I am currently working on something other than a dress - I know, amazing hey?!  My other staple outfit is jeans with a tshirt or blouse, and a jacket in the cooler weather so I thought it was about time to work on a few pieces.  (Hence the looking around at expensive t shirts!).

I am still in love with my Vogue 1250 cowl neck dresses so I decided to draft a top pattern from it.  This was very straightforward, the neckline is identical but I have added a side seam all the way to the bottom and lengthened the back piece to eliminate the waist seam there.  I tried it out in a leftover piece of black jersey and think it makes a great basic for my wardrobe.



I am going to have to be careful I don't end up with a closet full of these dresses and tops, I know we always say non sewers don't notice when you re-use a pattern, but I think there is a limit!  I'm thinking I could add sleeves for fall and am wondering if there is enough ease to make it in a woven, like the Michael Kors version above which also has a collar.

Two more tops in the pipeline, hopefully on their way soon!

Finally I discovered that I could upgrade this blog to use the latest Blogger software which you probably all did years ago, oh my goodness what an improvement, so much easier to move photos around.

15 comments:

  1. I am a major insomniac. One of my favorite middle-of-the-night activities is to snoop shop the internet.

    I haven't looked at net-a-porter in ages. Thanks for the reminder!

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  2. That looks like an awesome top. I use Net-a-porter too. It has the best photography for seeing how garments work. I haven't found any others I like as much, although style.com is useful for individual designers. I mostly rely on dead tree stuff for inspiration still though. What other online ones do you use?

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  3. When you are on to a good thing... well I just made four tops from the same pattern, so can see no harm in a great pattern repeated, repeated, repeated...

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  4. I think that when you find a pattern that works for you there is no limit to the amount of times you can or should make it. (I have made one dress pattern five times and will probably make more!). Your top is wonderful - what a great idea to adapt a favourite dress pattern to make a top. Net-a-porter is one of my favourite websites for drooling over wildly expensive clothing!

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  5. Hmmmm, I've never browsed around Net-a-porter, so thanks for the tip. I am getting more and more interested in designer duds. Great little top too. You are really getting your money's worth out of that pattern!

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  6. $3390 US for an YSL Leather T-shirt. Wow! I'm awed, but also inspired. Hmm, after I make a couple more shirts, I might be willing to try sewing with leather. And now, Liberty of London fabric seems quite reasonable, in comparison.

    Thanks for the link to Net-a-porter, and for the search suggestion.

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  7. I have the Net-a-porter app on my iPad and browse it when I'm on the bus heading to or from work. It is a great site for inspiration.

    Oh my do great minds think alike...I've traced my V1250 into top pieces also but I deepened the neck drape ala Kay of The Sewing Lawyer's instructions. Have yet to make one up but it is definitely on the to be done soon sewing list!

    Your version looks great and I can see several of these in your future!

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  8. I spend so much time on anthropologie that I have never really browsed Net-a-Porter. Hmmmmm.....I think I will have to start looking. That is a pretty top--I love cowl necks.

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  9. I use Net-a-Porter alot. I use it to take pics of inspiration pieces on my iPhone so I can remember silhouettes when buying patterns or to find similar looking fabric.

    This cowl neck style is all over the place in RTW, so you could have easily purchased several dresses and tops in this style. I think it is flattering and great for dressing up or down. Enjoy all of the versions you make. They are all fabulous!

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  10. I use lots of the designer clothing websites too. Can you post a tutorial on upgrading blogger software. I get very frustrated - especially with photo placement. Love your top.

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  11. It is good to reuse a pattern a few times esp Vogues . Using different fabric and adding sleeves and no-one will realise.
    I am going to check out the Net-a -porter site now - I need all the help I can get . Oh and nice top by the way.

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  12. As Sandra Betzina says - any top pattern can be a dress or vice versa. Now you have proven it. I am going to order that pattern with the current sale. And thanks for the reminder on Net a Porter. I used to go there when it first started but it wasn't so user friendly. Now I am going to go get the app, thanks Carolyn!

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  13. The top looks awesome (I am kind of addicted to cowl neck tops, lol!). What a fantastic idea to ude the pattern to make a top!

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  14. I've been always see your posts, I'm starting to sew clothes.
    Beautiful site.
    Congratulations.
    luzweber.blogspot.com

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  15. Thanks for getting me back into the reading again. I really enjoyed the stuff you shared in the form of blogs. Keep writing.

    Comfort Clothes.

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