Alright, really what were they thinking Caftans! Now I get the hippy thing is back and I really like some if it  but caftans!

What were they thinking?????

I’m sorry, this is like maniacal crafter meets Kamahl! When is it alright to wear an outfit that could house a small family and to add insult to injury to then spend time making and attaching yo-yo’s to it!
Nope I am not really excited about anything in the new Vogues – maybe I am too conventional but they are either too over the top or boooorrrriiing!!!.

But oh, if I had money, I would LOVE a blouse – or maybe even a shirt dress out of this new season Liberty print…

Vickery silk crepe de chine

It’s only (!!) $Au 61 per metre… and that’s before we even talk postage!  Yikes!

Never mind.. we can dream, can’t we!

Take a look at this post from the Liberty blog to see an overview of all the new Spring/Summer Liberty prints.  Which would YOU choose?

[click to see larger version]

I am seriously considering this one, FOR THE JACKET, people, which I would wear in an homage to Poiret over a long pencil skirt… not the trousers that come with it, they’re just CRRRAZY!!

Vogue 1116

This is from a designer new to Vogue Patterns, Andrea Katz (Actually, the more I look at those trousers, the less crazy they seem… somebody STOP me!)

Ok – If I was only allowed ONE pattern from all 35 new designs, which would it be?

Hmmmm.

Vogue 1113

For some mad reason my browser keeps heading back to this – Vogue 1113 by Lynn Mizono.  (Another new designer to Vogue Patterns.  Apparently she’s from the  Pacific North West … I’ve not been able to find a lot online yet, but I do love these other clothes… especially the Angel Shirt.)

Do I need another “eccentric” jacket pattern?  Probably not.  But I love this!! And I realise for many people, both of these patterns fall firmly into the “What WERE they thinking?!” category.  I’m loving the architectural style – can’t wait to see how these garments actually move on the body.

And now for my (saner?!) choices:

Vogue 8576

I am in lerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrve with this new Divine Details dress, Vogue 8576

Vogue 8576

Look at the structure!

Oh. Ummm.  Ahem.  *blushes* I just realised that really, I’m attracted to this for the same reason I’m attracted to the other two patterns!

And.. errrrmmm… my last choice.. I love this for the … Oh, never mind, let’s just go with it, shall we?

Vogue 1109

Since none of these will be in the Australian shops for quite a while (we haven’t got the January 2009 releases here yet) I’ll be ordering these online.

Do feel free to tell me you HATE these patterns!!  What are your hits and misses from the new releases?

The idea is that we will find something TO DIE FOR (well, at least to get excited about!) and blog about it… maybe adding pattern notes, too.  We’ll see how that all goes.

SO – for my first offering – direct from netaporter.com:

This Jill Sander Cashmere cardigan.

Why I love it: JIL SANDER!  I love her classic, investment lunching/office wear.  (In Australian designer terms, I’d perhaps compare her to  in Carla Zampatti.)

Cashmere  – swoooon!  There’s a real culture of cashmere  in the US that Queen Sue and I have been noticing for a while now – all  you lucky lucky things who have access to 2nd hand cashmere jumpers!  They’re such a rarity here, we never see them for sale… maybe we just don’t move in the right circles,or maybe cashmere is just too warm for most Australian cities most of the time? Anyway, CASSHHHHHHHMERE!!

And to make it even better – this cardi is in fact 70% cashmere, 30% silk.  Oooh, the luxury.

The drape – so now! And yet this piece will work for years, I reckon.

The colour! “slate”.  Ooh, works with black, works with colours, works with denim… Yum.

Only problem isssssssss: the price.  Yep, that’s  £750 Great Britain Pounds – or $1557.44 Australian pesos dollars.  YIKES!

Sadly, so far I haven’t seen any patterns that have even a slightly similar back drape.  I can see how it’s done (I think!) with a long, curved back extension on one of the back pattern pieces; the other pattern piece would then be considerably shorter and the drape hides the seam… you can see the small reinforcing square that suggests this construction when you look at the front shot.  Think I might have to grab the 12″ mannequin and have a bit of a play with this idea!

(Oh, I just remembered an issue of Threads that had just the sort of drape on the front of a skirt!  Issue #127, October/November 2006)

Aha!

(That issue is still available to back order, if this is something that you MUST have!)

OR if you have any ideas on the construction, please comment – I’m really curious about this! Has anyone tried something like this?