>A Colorful Blouse, circa 1937, to match my shoes!

>This weekend my husband and I went thrifting, and I nearly squealed with delight as I found a pair of Farylrobin shoes in my size! And they were a pair I had wanted and are now nowhere to be found! I think I grinned the rest of the day.  Actually, I’m still grinning.  :) Just to show how much, I dug in my fabric stash and came out with a blouse of three color combination to wear with my snazzy new-to-me shoes.

This project was from a pattern I’ve had in my stash for years and years, Simplicity 2344, which I found in a vintage Simplicity pamphlet that featured it in March 1937.  I actually even bought this robin egg blue linen to make it with some two or so years ago! At first I wanted to make it blue and brown- very classy and very 30s, but the shoes were the inspiration so I just ran with it.  I bought a yellow pique on sale at Fabric.com a while ago, so pulled that out, then remembered I had bright red piping and big red buttons (they’re new, but don’t they look vintage? Every once in a while Joann surprised me with their offerings), so it was meant to be.  Now, part of me thinks this looks rather romper room or clownish, but then I remember the mad 1930s color combos I’ve been sharing in the way of catalog scans and my pre-school visions are calmed and replaced with gals jitterbugging in late 30s movies- or the wild color shorts like Starlit Days at the Lido (1935), which I linked to before, or the short of the Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove (1934).
This was pretty simple to make up, the the pique did prove to be a bit of a challenge.  It’s probably a mid-weight, so has a bit more body than I’d like, and does have a loose weave and a bit of stretch in it, so doing the inside of my bound buttonholes was a bit of a chore- but heck- no one can see them but me, so no biggie, right? I am actually quite pleased with my skills of a stretch fabric tamer, since stretch fabrics really are my arch nemesis.  The story of this blouse isn’t finished yet, as I’m waiting on some more yellow pique to arrive in the mail so I can make a skirt and I have a vintage red belt buckle coming as well, so I can make the matching belt.  Now I just need an excuse to wear it!
That’s about all the sewing news here! Hope all of your projects are behaving themselves, and you’re having a great week so far :)

24 Comments on >A Colorful Blouse, circa 1937, to match my shoes!

  1. Steph
    August 24, 2010 at 4:49 am (14 years ago)

    >What a lovely top! Very mad 30's color, just wonderful. I hate stretch, too. Vicious stuff.

  2. om
    August 24, 2010 at 4:56 am (14 years ago)

    >those SHOES! Oh, they are gorgeous!

  3. Ruby Rach
    August 24, 2010 at 5:04 am (14 years ago)

    >Amazing – I'd love to see the whole ensemble on you! I'm not normally a shoe girl, but that pair is absolutely divine.

  4. Debi
    August 24, 2010 at 5:06 am (14 years ago)

    >I love it! And it matches the shoes perfectly!

  5. Una
    August 24, 2010 at 5:30 am (14 years ago)

    >Oh my! Those shoes are to die for… Love that blouse too!

  6. superheidi
    August 24, 2010 at 8:47 am (14 years ago)

    >Who's afraid of red, yellow and blue? Great top and and I'm green with envy on those shoes, they are a dream!

  7. FairyFiligree
    August 24, 2010 at 9:19 am (14 years ago)

    >You're one lucky…… & clever lady. Those shoes are simply WOW! You must post a picture of you wearing the whole outfit once it's done. Prosit!

  8. garofit
    August 24, 2010 at 9:45 am (14 years ago)

    >fantastic! love them, love them!

  9. Penny Dreadful
    August 24, 2010 at 11:51 am (14 years ago)

    >Eeeee! Lovely lovely shoes, totally deserving of a new blouse.

  10. BaronessVonVintage
    August 24, 2010 at 12:30 pm (14 years ago)

    >eeeeks! PERFECTION, Lauren!! Totally meant to be!

  11. Sarsaparilla
    August 24, 2010 at 12:47 pm (14 years ago)

    >Wow, I can see why you were (nearly) squealing when you found those shoes. And don't second guess yourself on the color choice with the blouse – it's perfect! Finish up that skirt, and then get ready to jitterbug. :-)

  12. Fräulein Lin
    August 24, 2010 at 12:57 pm (14 years ago)

    >I'm totally in love with your shoes.

  13. Sickofitcindy
    August 24, 2010 at 2:15 pm (14 years ago)

    >Perfection! Love the blouse and the shoes.

  14. Lauren
    August 24, 2010 at 3:42 pm (14 years ago)

    >LOVE it!!!!! So cute!

  15. daniRED
    August 24, 2010 at 5:54 pm (14 years ago)

    >outfit post! outfit post! outfit post! I love these shoes & this top!!! i'm a wee bit jealous!♥ericadaniredvintage.blogspot.com

  16. Kelley
    August 24, 2010 at 10:13 pm (14 years ago)

    >Mahvelous, dahling! Absolutely mahvelous!

  17. Dizzy Dame
    August 24, 2010 at 10:30 pm (14 years ago)

    >i am so in love with that top!!

  18. Darlene
    August 24, 2010 at 11:52 pm (14 years ago)

    >GORGEOUS

  19. Andi B. Goode
    August 25, 2010 at 8:18 am (14 years ago)

    >Those shoes truly are amazing. And so is the blouse! I love the colours. =D-Andi x

  20. Ruby Rach
    August 25, 2010 at 11:33 pm (14 years ago)

    >Hi there, I just nominated you for a blog award! I am amazed at your sewing skills and the garments you recreate. Blog award Part 1 and Part 2

  21. Valerie
    August 26, 2010 at 12:59 pm (14 years ago)

    >Oh my stinkin' heck. I'm DYING over the shoes AND the top!

  22. Wearing History
    August 27, 2010 at 12:41 am (14 years ago)

    >Thank you so much, everyone!! Yay!!!I'll do an outfit post once I sew up the rest of it. I got my vintage buckle in the mail yesterday. :)

  23. Miss Sews-it-all
    September 2, 2010 at 7:29 pm (14 years ago)

    >Wow, I love it! Can't wait to see the whole ensemble! Oh, and since you're sharing some great pics, have you also seen what other's are stitching up over at http://www.WeAllSew.com?

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