Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Unique Vintage Blouses: Dare to be different

“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” ~Coco Chanel

When you go to a party with "polka dots" as theme, would you actually show up in a dress or a top of polka dots design? Just imagine the room with all those big black and white, red and white, violet and white moving polkas? That whichever you turn, all you see are people and friends wearing this strictly announced theme? I bet that would be boring. I was once invited into such a party, I showed up in white teenage shirt, wide pale-brown belt with big holes all around, and a military shorts. When people asked why I wasn't wearing polka, I pointed all the holes around my belt and said, "they're imaginary'.

When I was a senior in the university, we had to complete a year of in and off campus practice teaching. I dreaded the thought of wearing those dull practice teaching uniforms. A brown formal short sleeve suit of second hips length paired with a loose pencil cut knee level made the uniform for TTh while the same style and cut of white suit and pink skirt made for MWF. I was eighteen and I knew that teachers shouldn't be trapped in such boring pair of suits just to appear modest and respectable. Known for my rebellious character, my friends of the same concern turned to me for help. Sitted at the lobby in our department I pulled my sketch pad and designed two pair of suits for our gang. We were so excited when I finished the sketches that we couldn't wait to get it done. Five girls on a mission of changing the image of practice teachers in our school set off to choose better quality cloth but with colors similar to the prescibed practive teaching uniform.

First thing that I changed for the new designs was the length. I made the length of the top suit leveled at the first hip instead of the second hip. I made the sleeves shorter just about four inches down from the shoulder bone and the circumference smaller so that the ends appeared slanting down the underarm when worn. I made the skirts shorter too and more fitting to show good curves. The slit for the brown skirt was short and remained at the back while for the pink skirt I moved to the sides. I also put pink borders [I don't know what they're called but I hope you can imagine] to the edges of the colar and the front [the edge that overlap when you put on the buttons] for both the brown and the white top suit.

Came the time when we had to showcase our new ensembles completed with skin-tone stockings and high heeled black shoes. Not surprising was all the head turns we were getting. How dare these five student teachers be different? All the head teachers in the department were annoyed much more mad. It was important to note that they were the olds if not middle-aged virgins. They interrogated my friends what made them violate the dress code for practice teaching? So scared were they that they all pointed me as the reason. "

"Who gave you the right to change the prescribed dress code?" I was asked with extreme disapproval on their faces. Standing in front and in the middle of those tigers I raised my chin up and in a very confident way answered, "The laboratory high school where all the unexperienced anxious practice teachers are trained before they are sent for off-campus training is known for its fierceness. The school where the spoiled sons and daughters of the great politicians, lawyers, businessmen, and rich people learn has made quite a number of student teachers break down to tears. These students underestimate practice teachers. I would need to be tough and confident to handle them. But how can I be confident if I am not confident even with my uniform?" the room stayed still for a while. That very day marked the liberation of all the next generations of practice teachers in the University.

It was eight years ago. Back then I never imagined how my fashion would evolve into what it is now. But yes, it has evolved so much better that I am loving these unique vintage blouses that I found. They run very small, mostly in a first come first serve basis.



FLORAL BECKET BLOUSE BY GEORGE
Was $298.00
SALE $169.00
I'm not sure if this blouse can actually be called a covert couture, but i'm sure that it is of very good quality. Made in Australia from viscose and silk.




60's style Multi Mod Tunic Blouse
Sale! $44
The style is unquestionable. Empire waist with tie sash, high, neckline with buttons up back.




Vintage Water Color Bow-Tie Blouse
Price: $19.50
This item is still available at the crazyhotclothes but only for 1 quantity. Therefore hurry.




Holly: Roses
The Holly is a long-sleeved shirt with a trimmer fit and ribbon detail at collar and cuffs. This is one of the signature shirst from the collection of Liz-Logie.