Sequin Swirls

Last winter, being the very clumsy person I am, I slipped on some snow while out getting photos and fell forward pretty hard trying my best to hold onto my camera and keep it from getting damaged. It seemed fine, but now, 6 months later, its clear I messed up the lens a bit. It keeps jumping around and stuttering. At first it was just a little bit, but somehow it has gotten worse recently? I'm not sure if that's why most of the photos from this day came out a bit blurry, but I have no good pictures of this outfit in full length and I do apologize!

I suppose I'll have to take the lens into a camera place and see if its something that can be fixed for less than the cost of just replacing it. Luckily my mom has the same camera and lens so we can shoot with her set up for a while.

Still, even with my darn burgundy hair and less than idea photos, I wanted to finally show you all this sequin and beaded bolero I made this past spring. I made it to wear in Paris, but it was one of the two outfits I didn't manage to shoot while I was there. I still haven't perfected my ideal bolero pattern, but the embellishment turned out just as I had envisioned. I love all black beading and sequins together, and as time consuming as it was sewing each tiny bead on by hand, I actually love diving into a project like this. I cut the pieces of the bolero out first, serged the raw edges and then sketched on my swirling pattern in white pencil. Unlike sheer lightweight fabrics where you can do this kind of embroidery from the back with a tambour hook quite quickly, I had to stitch on the sequins and beads by hand one by one on this opaque and thicker cotton sateen. I sewed it together with a poly lining in matching black once I had finished the embroidery. I'd like to do black on black bead work like this again on another project for sure as I really love the look!

The clear Lucite purse was a birthday gift from my grandparents last month which was a fun surprise! I never expected to have a bag like this because they are so collectible/expensive and I tend to save up for more 1940's things rather than 1950's items. I'm happy to add it to my collection! Plus it goes well with these futuristic but also almost 50's fetishy (I said it) clear and patent leather heels. I love these shoes, I mean, I think they are perfectly Blade Runner and really nicely made...except that they really hurt my feet. So that's a bummer, but look at them! They were from a Masion Margiela and H&M collaboration collection years ago and I anxiously waited for them to go on sale before I snatched up a pair. It's just a shame they are so painful! Beautiful but deadly.

I hope you are all having a good week, my wonderful photographer is away this upcoming weekend so I plan on being a homebody and focusing on sewing, recording videos, and editing the ol' novel the next few days. Well, all that after I go see Depeche Mode on Friday night (!!!). Always so much to do :)

Skirt & Bolero: Made by me
Top: Banana Republic
Shoes: H&M
Handbag, scarf (inside handbag): Vintage
Earrings: Charms from Michaels or Joanns, made by me-ish?