Jackie Kennedy's Leopard Coat



I was asked to make this commission a while ago.  It took me a long time to get around to making it because I wanted to make it at the same time I was working on some other leopard fashions.

I am really happy with how it turned out.

 

 I don't have any exact dates when these photos were taken, but I fugure they are from the early 1960's.

 

 

 

 

 

As much as I like this backdrop, I seam to have a problem getting it to photograph straight.

 

 

I made a little black knit dress to be worn under the coat.

 

 

I chose "Candied Lavender" Gene to be my model.  I like her hair, but I wish her makeup was a little more nuteral.

 

 

This is the first time I have used a zipper in my fashions.  It was a lot faster than sewing on all those snaps.

 

 

Because the dress is knit, and the coat isn't fitted, it fits the 16" Poppy Parkers great.

 

 

This was "Spring Morning's" first time modeling.  I think she is lovely.

 

 

 

 

This outfit fits the Tonner doll also.

 

 

 

 

Jackie Kennedy wore this coat a lot.  I don't think any First Lady would ever wear a coat like this today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I included a hat, scarf, and gloves with this outfit.

 

If you are interested in purchasing this pattern click here.

My Studio Commissary Exclusive

Earlier in the year I was asked by Mike from The Studio Commissary to make an exclusive to sell on the doll board in March.  I was so excited!  I had so many fashion ideas running through my brain that it was really hard to decide which outfit to make.  I finally chose this one.

 

I adore this 1954 Pierre Balmain creation.  When I first saw this picture in  L'Officiel de la Mode, I knew I had to make it someday.  Originally I thought it was a skirt and jacket, or a basic sheath.  Then I one day was going through another French fashion magazine, L'Art et la Mode, and I saw this picture.

 

 

 

 

 Wowsers!  I was so glad that I had found this photo before I had attempted making the outfit.  I love the chiffon neckline.  I also found this picture in the same magazine.

 

 

 

I like this version too, without the fur collar.  I though about making the fur collar on my jacket detachable with an additional lace collar under it, but I didn't have enough lace to do it and I thought it might make the neckline of the jacket too bulky.  I may try it later though. 

 

 

Here is my version.

 

 

 

I had bought the grey lace a long time ago with no plans for it in mind.  I had to shop around though to find the grey fur.

 

I was so excited to use my Eiffel Tower backdrop.  But alas, the lines are all crooked, I will have to make sure that everything is lined up better next time.  I do like the greys of the suit with the greys of the backdrop.

 

 

 

 My restyled Oona demanded to be my model for this fashion.

 

I love this backdrop too.

 

 

I was able to squeeze out 6 of these outfits to sell on The Studio Commissary.  They were a hit!  They sold out in the first few minutes.

 

I plan to make more of these suits in other colors later this year.

 

 

 

 

When I went to make the pattern to sell, I decided I loved this bodice so much that I wanted to see what it looked like as a cocktail dress.  I had some lace scraps left and was able cut out quite a few lace bodices. I sewed a chiffon skirt to the bodice and Tah-Dah! An adorable cocktail dress!

Rondolette looks lovely in this dress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This will be the first time that one of my patterns will have two different options.

 

If you are interested in purchasing this pattern click here.

 

I've Been Very Busy

 

 

This is the third (and last!) time that I have attempted to make this outfit.  Each time I think it has gotten better.  You can see my first time here, and my second time last year here.

 

 

This travel ensemble was inspired by the 1953 film "Gentlemen Prefer Blonds" starring Marilyn Monroe.

The first time I made this outfit, I made the dress a very simple knit sheath with a rounded neckline and a sash.

This neckline has "neck wraps", as I call them in my pattern instructions, that cross over in the front and snap in the back.  I am not sure how I figured the pattern out, I am afraid I would not be able to do it again.  I must have gotten lucky.

 

 

 

 

This is last years outfit, a commission, I made this out of a nice crepe, because the first knit that I used started staining the doll almost immediately!  The crepe was nice to work with, but I thought it didn't have the drape that I wanted.  I went back to a lightweight but different knit for this outfit.  I lined the dress in a flesh colored knit.  The knit was sometimes a pain to work with, but I like the way it drapes.

 

 

I got the neckline right on this design, but not the skirt.

 

 

 

The skirt on this dress, was impossible for me to figure out.  I have always had a hard time with drapped skirts.  Everything I tried looked bad.

 

 

I ended up just stitching a hip drape into the left side seam and gathering it up on the right hip.  It then goes around the back of the dress and hooks on the left side.  Not exactly like the original dress, but I like the results.

 

 

Here is the Franklin Mint Marilyn Monroe doll's version of the outfit.

 

 

 

Note to self, never try to restyle/cut a doll's wig again!

 

Theses outfits have been sold.

 

If you are interested in purchasing this patterns, click here.

Modes Royale Sashed Sheath

I adore this dress!

This dress was inspired by a 1957 Modes Royale design.

I love Modes Royale patterns.  I have many, many, many plans to make more of their fashions.

Don't be fooled by the basic sheath lines.  This is not an easy dress to make.  The pleated bodice drape, and armholes are very labor intensive.  The armholes are hand sewn onto the dress.

As you can see, I used the scraps from this fashion to make these sheaths.  This is a great design for scraps.  The chiffon sash and bodice drape are leftovers too.

This dress looks great on Poppy too.  It is a little too tight for the Tonner dolls, but I am going to alter the pattern so it can be adjusted to fit the Tonner dolls.

I had a lot of fun with Poppy during this photo session.

I think this dress would be beautiful in a brocade, or a lace.  I may also make a floor length version someday.

To purchase this dress click here.

To purchase this pattern click here.