Somehow it feels to me like comic con sewing season never really ends with all the prep work involved keeping eye an out for potential fabrics, testing garment patterns, and discussing plans for group outfits. It truly feels like not that long ago that I wrapped up my sewing just in time for last year's convention. We ended up bringing our daughter along due to a last minute sitter cancellation and which resulted in her needing four skirts to match our existing garments. I think I made 16 total garments (and 4 hats) last year in the span of just a few weeks, finishing up literally the day before it was time to go. I love the rush of the time crunch and seeing just how much I can accomplish in a short time. This year, however, because I reworked an existing dress from last year's convention months ago (featured in a blog post in early May) and because we are reusing one set of outfits from last year AND because our daughter is not going this year, I had a much smaller sewing load and finished up a week ahead, leaving me kind of lost as to with what to occupy my time. I did realize a week ago that I have very little time in between San DIego Comic Con (SDCC) and Disney's D23 expo (for which we will leave a week after returning from SDCC, Thus, I needed a headstart on the three garments I am making for that. I am now done with two of those and will have an entire week to focus on my own look, for which I'm pretty excited and will post with details when the time arrives.
On Thursday, I will start the convention off with my Charm Patterns Gina Bustier dress, which I made from last year's comic con Barbie Betty Dress (detailed in an earlier post). I anticipate the Barbie love being less intense this year than last when the movie was very fresh, but I think I'll still garner plenty of love with this number. As much as I loved making last year's Betty Dress, I truly feel that this pattern is more in line with the spirit of this print and I love how the black accents really set off the pink dots. I've taken to calling this my party dress because it really embodies that early 1960s party vibe for me. The Gina Bustier is designed with movement and comfort in mind and features a mesh back that stretches to make a fantastic fit while allowing for very easy wearing. Those ladies at Charm are brilliant! I have some silk brocade fabric that I purchased at Mood Fabrics in the spring just to make a standalone Gina Bustier and I really hope to get to that as soon as convention season sewing is all wrapped up.
Friday brings a whole new change of pace for me as this is the first time I'll attend any
convention day in a full getup that is not a dress. I will be sporting the Charm Patterns Rosie Jumpsuit (as a romper) which is named after the famous Rosie the Riveter and is based on workwear from the WWII era, modified to be quite flattering and feminine, of course. I love this pattern. It is fairly complex with a lot of pieces, but it has tons of customization options with sleeve length and style, pockets, and fabrics. This pattern is one of the most satisfying projects I have ever made and I had sewn two others before making this one and will feature them in a blog post in the future, perhaps when I also make a full length version! But this piece, for comic con, is made of a Jetsons print fabric that is absolutely adorable. I am a huge fan of 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoons, with The Jetsons and The Flintstones my absolute favorites. I used a classic bandana as both accent fabric (on the zippered pocket and back waist tabs) and hat as a nod to the original Rosie with her polka dot head scarf.
Saturday features what is probably my flashiest outfit of the entire lineup. I found this Simpsons fabric on clearance at my favorite Las Vegas area fabric store last year (Quiltique in Henderson) and have been saving in until I had a clear vision for what I wanted to do with it. After a lot of agonizing, I settled on the Charm Patterns Night and Day Dress, mostly because I wanted the opportunity for this fantastic contrasting collar. I settled on the red and white polka dots as a nod to the red and white pearl necklaces worn by the Simpsons ladies, Marge and Lisa. This dress features what I consider to be the best basic bodice out there. It has a flattering neckline, a smooth silhouette, and comes with so many customization options that one could sew for the rest of their life and never make a duplicate design. For this specific configuration, which I have made once before in a Mandalorian fabric, I really love a contrast belt to match the collar, and I made this one myself with a buckle kit and some vinyl designed for outdoor patio cushions. Sewing through all those layers on my new industrial machine was so fun and easy! Now it's going to be matching belts for every dress with a contrast fabric. I discovered these fluffy Marge Simpson Adidas sneakers in the spring and bought them just to wear with this dress. My Swatch watch also features Marge. I can't wait to wear this outfit to the The Simpsons panel at comic con.
Sunday, the last day, will feature a dress repeated as is from last year. I don't generally like to repeat a look from one year to the next, but Spider-Man was a theme everyone in our convention group could rally around so I am game for another go. I really should re-wear these dresses more than once anyway because as it is one use feels wasteful. It's just so much fun making and wearing new ones! This dress is the Charm Patterns Scout Dress, which I would guess is one of Charm's most popular designs of all time--there are multitudes of Scout devotees. It almost feels like one isn't truly a member of the Charm crowd until they've made a Scout (or at least it felt that way for me). I spent a very long time and a good number of mock ups before I finally got the fit of this pattern right last year and still have only made the two I wore to comic con. Maybe it's time to change that! This one in a Spider-Man comic book cover print is really delightful. I love the juxtaposition of superhero with one of the most classic vintage style dresses. This look is also the only one this year that will feature one of my beloved bow belts. Anyone who has followed me for awhile knows I love to pair these giant bow cinch belts with my dresses. I was once famously and publicly chastised for being so childish as to wear a bow around my waist, leading me and a select few of my friends to christen each dress as "-- Child." As of now, I have Easter Child (the original Child), Autumn Child, Garden Child, Happy Holidays Child, Picnic Child, and coming soon Palm Beach Child. It's the dress line to end all dress lines and I see no sign it will ever stop.
While all my dress styles change in one way or another every convention and convention season, one thing that has always remained constant is my dedication to the Charm Scout Hat. I make one to match every dress (or romper) that I create. For me, it's become a signature piece that ties all my looks together, creating cohesion and continuity. Something about putting on the hat before walking out the hotel door is immensely comforting to me and puts a stamp on the look that I don't know I could get any other way. Of all the compliments I receive when I'm in convention mode (and I get a LOT of compliments), the most consistent ones are related to the hat in one way or another. Something about a great accessory in matching fabric sends the message that I made this effort and put thought into how I am presenting myself. People have begun to remember me from year to year because of the outfits I make and wear, and I do not believe they would be as good if they didn't come with the hat.
I hope you will follow my comic con and outfit exploits along in real time on Instagram and Facebook. I'll be back soon with another post, detailing my adventures in sewing vintage 1960s housecoats and how to make them modern and fun while keeping all the flair that made them so fun in the past. Additionally, I'll share how I turn my luxe fabric scraps into underwear, as I attempt to revamp my lingerie drawer with more handmade items!
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