must love gauzy linen

(Images: both via megbydesign.com)

We just got back from a trip to Bali, and while it was a surf trip that didn't involve much fabric, fabric found me. While sniffing around various tourist destinations like Ubud and Singapore on our way home, I couldn't help noticing the awesome fashion aesthetic that many of the oriental women have. 

Our neighbour is Japanese and I've always loved her sense of style - lots of loose-fitting smocks and tunics, natural fabrics and comfortable shoes (that are actually shaped like normal human feet, not like some pointy-toed alien feet.)

To explain where I'm at, here's what I mean...

I love the understated grace of these designs. They are both timeless and would suit women of any age. The way that the navy dress is layered over white and denim is ACE!

(images: left via veritecoeur.jp and right via lagenlook tunic via pintrest)

Say linen and I think French vintage sleepwear (I actually bought an antique nightdress when I was in Italy. It's LOVELY! BTW, Bellamy and Bellamy have some stunning replicas in their store.)  I'm crazy for the rumpled, pebbled washed look on the left and the French painter's smock on the right is sublime. Look at those pleats!

(Images: left via Pigve.com and right April Cornell french artist smock via pintrest)

Lightweight linen cowl neck tops... it's a YES from me. I'll be hunting down a pattern for these.

( Images: left linen smock on etsy via Pintrest, right via vividlinen.com)

Classy, fresh and understatedly sexy. However, I think it's all about the gauzy, light weight of the fabric. You don't want to look like an extra on Litte House on the Praire. I'm obsessed with the raw hemline of the short tunic (right).

(Images: left via sassyposh.com and right bloglovin.com)

Just before we left for our trip, I tried to find a very lightweight linen dress that I could wear with long leggings on the plane, over a swimming costume on the beach, and over shorts while exploring. A kind of from the beach to the bar to the parent-teacher meeting kind of dress. Not too much to ask, is it? 

Guess what? I didn't find one ANYWHERE! Then I remembered that I had some gauzy off-white linen fabric that was left over from curtains that I had made. 

I first washing-machine dyed the fabric a faded denim colour (much as I LOVE white, it's not a sensible travel colour). I found an old pattern lying around (erm, yes, from the 90's - Simplicity pattern 8980 by the way), made adjustments to the pattern here and there, added some raw-edge ruffles on the sleeves, and made a dress the similar to megbydesign's dresses (top image)

Voila! I'm stoked. It only took me about an hour or so and now all I have to do is wait for it to get warm enough to wear back in SA :)

(Images: Camille linen gauze top via Pintrest, right, own)

If you're looking to make something out of any linen, gauzy or not, make sure you first pre-wash it (or else your baby-doll dress really will be able to fit a baby doll ;)

Till next time nerds

x

Keep fabricing :)