La Mode Francaise and Pretty French Costumes from 1932

Today for your viewing pleasure I have pictures from one of the my favorite French magazines. This breathtaking, rare 16 page magazine is full of chic costume (Travestis) fashions from January, 1932. The pages contain advertisements, amazing full-page color fashion illustrations, photographs, and articles. This issue features costumes with some of the most colorful and mind-blowingly beautiful illustrations I have ever seen. Please pardon some of the photo quality - these were taken a long while back with my old, lousy camera...

The Perfect Christmas Party Dress

It's now that time of year. The time of year when I start thinking about Christmas (I like to get an early start) and what I'll sew to wear at the annual Christmas party. I have a tradition of always either wearing something vintage or something that I've sewn.

I like this tradition. I'm always dressed a bit more uniquely than the other ladies (who also look quite lovely themselves) and it presents the challenge of balance.

As a vintage lover and seamstress, the balance between unique and flat out DIFFERENT is always a fun line for me to walk. As much as I love vintage, I never try to replicate an era completely. I always look for that subtle blend of vintage and timeless, mixing eras, accessories and hairstyles.

Take last Christmas, for example. I wore an amazing 1950's lace dress with a pink petticoat underneath, but paired it with a modern red belt and current hairstyle:

This year I think my sewing plans will lean more towards the cocktail dress, both vintage AND handmade.
I give you, dear readers, my Christmas party cocktail dress:

I just recently finished digitizing, translating and generally improving the vintage original so that the average English-speaking seamstress could enjoy it too. I put the finishing touches on the graphics for this gem and thought... I have to wear this!
How convenient that it was Christmas inspired over 50 years ago, just so that I could rock vintage at the next party?

French Cocktail Dress Digital Pattern for Instant Download.

The pattern calls for velvet, but let's face it, the sky is the limit! What fabric do you think I should choose?

A Christmas Party Dress

Well I have been waiting about a week now for the sun to come out long enough for me to take decent pictures of the finished Pauline Slip. You wouldn't believe how dark it gets here in the winter, and how impossible it is to take pictures in the "energy efficient" low lighting in most Norwegian homes.
It's frustrating. And I'm still waiting for the sun.

In other news, we went to our squadron Christmas party last night and I had a blast! I wore the most amazing vintage 1950's lace dress my excellent mother gave me a few years ago.

Thanks Mom! To make the full gathered skirt stand out more a la June Cleaver, I wore a great pastel pink crinoline underneath. It was scratchy, but boy was it fun to wear!

The kitty thought it was great fun and was doing everything in his power to play with the net ruffles every chance he got.

The dress had two labels, one reading "Townley" and the other "Montaldos". I felt like the bell of the ball in this dress. First I was worried about staying within the fine line of vintage, but updated. I got over it after the first few dozen compliments. I love to add vintage to my wardrobe, but I don't like to have my whole outfit to be from the same decade.
Does that make any sense?

Do any of you have grand outfits planned for Christmas parties?