Convertibles

I have this thing for convertible clothing at the moment (maybe it isn't me, maybe it's fashion? A year late?).

I've had my eye on the Donna Karan Cosy ever since immi posted a version of it over at Burdastyle. Such a great piece of clothing!
  
However, I've hesitated to make one, probably because I'm a fabric-hoarder and find it really hard to cut into my nice fabrics to experiment... and this cardigan needs a nice, thin fabric = extra hard to cut into. Even though you barely cut into it at all with this cardigan (the perfect piece of clothing to re-make later on!).

During my UK-visit a few weeks ago (did I tell you about that? I'm a bit hesitant to post my travelplans on the internet in advance, I'm a chicken, afraid of thieves... anyway, I had a great time!) , I  was fortunate enough to be able to visit Bicester Village, which is a designer outlet near London. I now have my own silk/cashmere DKNY cosy... it's luxurious! I'm a big fan of silk, and fine wool, so it's perfect for me. I love to touch it, wear it and sniff it (silk and wool both smell niiice). And it cost me the equivalent of any highstreet cardigan here in Stockholm, or well, nearly.

The picture on the left/above is DKNY's set of instructions on how to wear it. No. 2, 8 and 12 are my favourites. No. 10 and 11 don't work at all for me, I'm too short, and I have still to try no 4, 5 and 6 since you need a ring, like a bracelet, to make them. I'll get one, soon, or at least before autumn!

If any of you want to make a Cosy of your own, there's a great set of instructions at Sewstylish (is that a magazine?). I think I might make a simpler, off-white version for me, for summer (it tends to get chilly at night here). If I find the time that is. Maybe in August?

Recently McCalls promoted a two piece prom-dress with a sash that makes it possible to wear it several ways, a great idea, though probably not new. Very adaptable I think.

Another convertible dress, that has been popular at Burdastyle, is the Infinity Dress. I haven't made one yet, maybe that's the maxi-dress I need for my vacation in France later on this summer? Hm. Anyway, it's nice. There's a great tutorial on how to make one at rostitchery.

This white version is by rachelily, it's one of my favourites.

Also popular on Burdastyle and on the internet is American Apparel's Le Sac dress. There are loads of tutorials on Youtube on how to wear it in all kinds of ways. One tutorial on how to make it can be found on Crafster, and another one at Waking Up to a New Tomorrow: For a video-tutorial, go to I don't give a frock.

Image from American Apparel

For inspiration, and similar kinds of dresses, check out Please Dress Up. Thier summer 09-collection was called infinate possibilities, and is just that. And really pretty too. I so wish I could copy some of their styles!

Image from Please Dress Up

Complex Geometries also make quite a lot of convertible clothing, most of it a bit more avant garde, for example the sheet t. Cool.



Image from Complex Geometries

And then there's the Swacket... available at Harput's Own. Coolness as a jacket. Love.




Image from Harput's Own


And that's the end of the working week for me (I've finished off this post at work, since it's so much easier to type on my work computer than on my laptop at home, I should connect it to a keybord I guess...), one more week to go before it's time to go on vacation. Yey! Just one wek! Time to go home and cook the scallops and anglerfish I bought at the fish-shop-vacation-sale today (no worries, they are perfectly fresh, they just sold everything off before closing for summer!). Loads of patternmaking ahead of me this weekend, and I still need some new clothes for summer, so the Le Sac feels like a good option, we'll see...