Hi there guys and dolls!  Today’s blog is about clothing, or rather what shall I do in my own world and in my own way.  Now as many of my long term, faithful friends have known, not only do my two creators want to keep telling their Poppy Cove Mysteries (and are quietly but surely developing a couple of additional series to be shared in the future), they’re playing around with clothing and design ideas.

Now I must say my heyday is the nifty 50’s/swinging 60’s, but my alter egos are also very much at home in the present day.  They love the clothing of my era and that which they describe at Margot and Daphne’s atelier.  Vintage clothing, thrift and antique stores and countless images and family closet raiding provide an endless source of creative dreams and inspiration to keep the Santa Lucians well dressed.

As they are looking more and more at breathing life into the fictional attire, they’re considering what they would like to wear and share.  Vintage garments are very precious and amazing to find, but it’s getting harder and harder to come across them in good condition — they’re a hot commodity and unfortunately time and tide do a number on the fibers, threads and fasteners.  They can be so delicate and precious that we may want to preserve or display carefully rather than subject them to our daily movements and actions.  In addition, the majority of us are shaped and sized quite differently in this modern age, not only naturally, but in how we choose to shape and mold (or not) our bodies with the various torture devices once known as undergarments — rubber girdles, pulling and prodding for just the right angles exuding from the right places.  Now some smoothing undies and padding exist today, but not quite in the spring loaded slingshot degree of yesteryear.  This changes the modern day dimensions of vintage patterns and the wearability of era garments, hence trussing up ourselves as turkeys, ready to sproing out at all directions if we happen to chortle too heartily.

As yours truly grows in my place in the world, I’d love to share the ideas of beautiful clothes from a beautiful time.  What I’d like to have my alter egos learn and accomplish on my behalf is to carry on the quality, craftsmanship and finesse of the garments in the days gone by, wearable in today’s world.  The swish of the silk, the punch of color, the glamor and allure of a well placed neckline and sweep of hem that never lets a girl forget to flirt and wink, all with my joie of my vivre.

Toodles,

Barbara Jean