Outfit: “Bonnie Lassie”/ “Highland Schoolmarm”

Gentle Readers, I must confess that I still have yet to finish my write-up of the delightful Springtime Tea last month (not to mention the Talache Picnic the week before). It would seem the things closest to the heart are the most difficult ones to write about, wot? I do intend to share my thoughts and pictures from those events...but probably not soon, as my life has been rather topsy-turvy of late. I need to get into the groove with my new Summer schedule...once I get my health back. Long-story-short, in the past week and a half I have endured the Mother of All Headaches, a sore throat, fever, runny nose and sinus headache. And I'm still recovering. >:-( Could have been worse, though—it could have been food poisoning instead. >Shudder<

But enough on that head. Today I want to share what has become one of my favorite outfits this Spring. I call it “Bonnie Lassie”...although at first I dubbed it “Scottish (or Highland) Schoolmarm.” It depends on what jewelry I wear with it.

~What I'm Wearing~

Skirt: “Lassie Skirt” Kmart (altered)

Blouse: Pink Shirtwaist hand-me-down from Mom

Pink sleeveless tee (under blouse): Wal*Mart

Brooch: Rose-and-lace Brooch hand-me-down from Mom

Earrings: “Ruby Romance” Wild Rose Designs

Hairstyle: “Edwardian Lace Bun”

Altering the Lassie Skirt: Winter(ish) 2009

Scraps from the Lassie Skirt Treatment

The piece de resistance of this outfit is the red tartan skirt. It's made of poly-rayon but looks and feels like real wool, without the itchiness. :-P The camera doesn't show it very well, but there are metallic gold fibers woven into the pattern, and there is a red velvet ribbon a few inches above the hemline (which you can barely see in the picture at left). The skirt originally started out as two slim A-line skirts (sizes 12 and 14) on clearance at Kmart back in California. I opened them both up and sewed them together into one big skirt, then made a new waistband and pleated the now-huge waist to fit. That looked too bulky, so Mom helped me give the skirt what I now call “the Lassie Skirt Treatment.” She had me put it on, then she pinned up the side seams until they fitted my waist. I then sewed along there she'd pinned, tapering the new seams into the existing ones, so the hem would still be nice and full. I made the skirt a wee bit wider than my actual waist measurement at the time because—it must be confessed—I was a bit freaked out that my waist had expanded to *gasp!* 26” in two years, and I was afraid it would get bigger as the years went by. So I provided for that and pleated in the extra fullness in back, on either side of the invisible zipper, to be let out should I happen to get any “fatter,” LOL. (For the record, my waist is holding at 28”, and the skirt still fits fine, if a wee bit snugly. And I've come to the conclusion that I was too skinny back then anyhow. :-P)

*Sigh* I miss my chin

The blouse—a poly-cotton number from Mom—may be what I call a “plain-vanilla shirtwaist,” but it has some redeeming feminine details—namely, the very rare rounded collar (most shirtwaists have those sharp-pointy things) and the vertical pleats front-and-center, one of which covers the buttons so they don't clank against my necklaces and make them hang crooked, like other button-up blouses do. Plus it's one of my very best colors—always a plus! (Incidentally, it's pretty much the only shade of pink I look good in, as a solid color, anyway.) People say you're not supposed to mix pink and red, but being very pale—almost next-door to white, really—somehow this tint goes very nicely, I think!

And if you're wondering why I wear a sleeveless tee under it, it's because the blouse is on the thin side. Not out-and-out see-through, but still pretty thin. The tee, being cut fairly wide so the edges don't show, and being the same color as the blouse, is practically invisible and therefore provides a nice opacity layer. This gets a bit bulky when worn over my Bodiced Petticoat, but I'm in the process of making a pink one (christened “Eglantine”) to alleviate that problem.

The brooch was a gift from some friends one Christmas several years ago, but Mom doesn't tend to wear brooches, so she gave it to me recently. Being a sucker for roses, I accepted it gladly. :-) I don't wear it often, as I'm not much for brooches myself, but it is nice to have about when I'm in the mood for a more Victorian look.

I made the earrings last year—or was it the year before?—to go with a necklace I'd been working on for a couple years. In the past I haven't been comfortable with dangles, but lately I find myself more drawn to them. Not big-bold-blingy ones, mind you, nor the kind you could practically wrap around your neck; that's not my style. Just something delicate and dainty and a bit more formal than the humble stud. They consist of Sterling earwires hung with a red "quartz" drop and a tiny "Siam" Swarovski bicone.

My hair is the same as in the “Sea Breeze” post, only this time you get to see it with side-curls. :-) Originally I just did my hair in Swedish Braids with this outfit, but this style (which I call “Edwardian Lace Bun”) is more formal. It's quickly becoming my favorite way to do my hair!

I hope y'all have enjoyed this little fashion show, and I'll keep working on those special posts so's you can see my pix!

God bless,

~“Tom”~