My friends and I do this thing we call Curtain Skirt Club. We get together several times at least once a year for brunch or happy hour and each meeting has a theme and a charity. The only rules are that your outfit has to be made from a curtain (or similar materials) and you need to bring items for the charity chosen for the event.
This coming Saturday, the 17th, is our next meeting and, in honor of the swearing-in of the 44th president of the United States of America, the theme is "The Audacity of an ObamaNation starring the lovely Miss Joan Crawford." We are gathering canned goods for Wesley House Association, the community center where H and delivered hot meals to house-bound elderly on Christmas Day.
Not knowing much more about Joan than she wasn't fond of wire hangers, and refusing to be obvious with my costume creation, I did some research. I found that she was an amazingly resilient and driven woman, born dirt poor she got her start in entertainment as a dancer in Chicago clubs in the 20's and from there refused to go unnoticed. This clip, Part 1 of several, details her early life and career, the era on which I am basing my costume.
Because I already have a white straw hat and red Mary-Jane shoes very similar to the ones shown below, I am going to try to make, from a white twin sheet, a Gatsby Girl dress that I will embellish and accessorize with red and blue and a suffragette-esque Obama button:
Because I already have a white straw hat and red Mary-Jane shoes very similar to the ones shown below, I am going to try to make, from a white twin sheet, a Gatsby Girl dress that I will embellish and accessorize with red and blue and a suffragette-esque Obama button:
It's a simple shift and should be relatively easy to make but keep in mind I don't know how to sew and don't have a pattern. I found a similarly-shaped dress in my closet and am using it as a guide. This is a challenge but Joan wouldn't give up so neither will I. I'll keep you posted regarding my progress.
18 comments:
I have faith that you can make the dress.
It sounds like you have a really fun group of friends!
What a wonderful blessing to have such great friends, and creative ones at that!
wow you are crafty! I love your club idea, it sounds so fresh and funky!
Let us know how it went and post a picture of the dress!
I think this is from the Carol Burnett show and you're making it up that it happened to you.
Doc: I'll grant you that it's a little Carol Burnett. It's even a little Project Runway and Who's Line Is It Anyway?, too.
But it's real, baby, and it's on! I'm pinning the dress to the sheet right now so I can sketch out the pattern.
I can't sew a stitch. I think I'd have to cheat and get someone to make it for me. But what a super-fun thing you and your friends do, not to mention being charitable at the same time. Awesome!
Wow! You are one gifted lady! I STILL can't get over the BEAUTIFUL earrings you MADE me!!! Lucky for me, we just got a shit ton of snow so I can keep wearing them :) Anyway, definitely keep us posted on the progress!!
I love the new look, btw!
Can't wait to see it. Not sure if I am going to make now next Saturday or not so be sure and take pics.
I love that you do this and the name of the club is so catchy. I cannot wait to see pictures of your Joan C inspired outfit.
Make sure you use plenty of fringe!! Smokin hot! The group of lovey ladies who lunch for a cause must be commended!! Bravo-but I think for all the effort you ladies put in you should change it from a lunch to a ball. An evening event will also give you more photo opps as well as more opportunity for fund raising for your chosen charity.
Either way you ladies are winners!!
HOW FUN...can't wait to see how it turns out!
Uh... Stacie took the words out of my mouth... so... um... ditto Stacie!
Whenever I don't iron my shirt before work (which is always) my buddy jokes that my shirt looks like a curtain. Now I have an excuse I can use. Thanks.
Oooh! Sounds like fun! :-)
You absolutely NEED to rent Mommie Dearest, specifically, the new DVD version with a running commentary track by John Waters. Not only are the costumes and sets MIND BLOWING, but Faye Dunaway is totally brilliant, and Water's commentary is pee-your-pants funny.
I have it on DVD and I wish you lived closer so I could lend it to you, but sadly, I can't sleep unless it's under my pillow.
Oh My God. You and my roommate were separated at birth, I think.
That was fascinating, I never knew that about her. Or you. Boy do I hope you learn to sew before tomorrow. Otherwise, the waitstaff is going to be in for an eyeful. Actually, that should be your plan, then you won't have to tip them!
Helllloooo fellow flatlander. I saw a news clip on TV a while back about your Curtain Skirt Club. I was very jealous that you have such a creative gathering. And obviously a good PR person.
I've been searching for other StL'ers to share a blog community with. Please visit when you get a chance...
prattlefromtheflatlands.blogspot.com
I'll be back.
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