Sew What?! A Trivial Tropical Frock

I certainly hope that I don't convey too strong an air of expertise on any subject.  The sad fact is that, like the effervescent Ms. Lee sang, "I know a little bit about a lot of things."   I have a solid Jeopardy-esque knowledge up to about the $600 level; after that, I feel particularly proud if I happen to phrase the correct question - if I remember to phrase it in the form of a question at all.  I can die a happy man if I get Final Jeopardy correct before the last "bum-bum" of that anxiety-inducing music.

Having a broad base of trivia clogging the cortices (I learned that one from Jeopardy) of my brain makes my authority on the subjects to which I can speak, well, quite trivial actually - especially sewing.  I try not to get so intimidated by the glory of the garments produced by the unbelievably-talented sewists/tailors/seamstresses with which I am acquainted via blogs and in real life, that I give up completely.  However, being mostly self-taught, terribly impatient, and buttery of finger, I try to stick to trivial pursuits (see what I did there) with sewing projects that are low-input/high-impact.

Last weekend Tiny & Mary were asked to perform at a co-ed, Hollywood, "industry" baby shower.  Wanting to make an impression (really good or really bad is better than indifferent, right?), I decided to whip up a last-minute frock for Mary.

For this project I did something I never do;
I followed directions!!!

Most of the time, I will design something first and
then alter an existing pattern or work off of a sloper
to draft my own.  This time I cut and sewed
Retro Butterick B5137 as printed.

Well...mostly as printed.
I love the idea of a floor-length, afternoon gown but not knowing what
shoes she'd be wearing, I decided a shorter hemline would be more versatile.

I had this red-on-tan, tropical-print cotton in the stash for years after having purchased yards and yards of it for $0.99 per yard at one of my prized fabric outlets.  Figuring that we are still in the throes of summer, I decided that the style and print were still seasonally-appropriate, if a little wild for a baby shower.  Never one to leave wild-enough alone, I determined that the only way to top this ensemble off was a matching turban.  In my mind I envisioned some glorious, 1940's, Good-Neighbor-Policy-come-to-life a la Ethel Smith in "Blame It on the Samba."

What I actually saw in the finished product was more reminiscent of the lovely, bahiana-style women who attended my mom and her siblings when they lived in Brazil and Panama (Army brats).  It was an odd pattern - basically an extreme A-line muumuu with the fullness appropriated by a wide cinch belt of my own making.

Incapable of tying a proper bow, I opted to loop the
neckline bow through a second, fabric-covered belt
buckle that matches the buckle of the actual belt.

I don't know about you, but the front yard photo shoots that I use as the default background for every "Sew What?!" post, have grown extremely tiresome for me (usually the photos are taken as an afterthought as we head out the door to an event).  I wanted to find an interesting alternative but I didn't feel comfortable taking photos at the home where we were performing.  Requiring a quick stop at the drug store for some snacks supplies, I had a sudden burst of inspiration.  Wouldn't it be funny/unexpected to have the ambiguously-ethnic glamour of Mary's dress juxtaposed against a backdrop of cold remedies, orthopedic insoles, and enema kits?!?!?!

Not really...

Unable to catch my vision, Mary ended up looking 

more like a crazy spokesmodel for generic toilet tissue.  

Although, I do believe that economy packs were the grand prizes 

offered on several Eastern European game shows of the 70's & 80's.

I blame myself really; among many other subjects, I am no expert photographer either.  Back to the front yard we go!

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Just Because I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi Like You Very Much

I love birthday presents.  I love Christmas presents.  It is a fact that I love presents of all varieties, but usually I protest the opportunity to be a recipient because I was raised with the notion that a gracious decline (see "no gifts please") was good manners.  No matter how much I protest, which I usually doth too much, there is no denying the joy of fiendishly tearing into the aluminum foil (What?  Everyone doesn't ensconce gifts of the heart in food-grade wrapping?) to uncover something that is meant just for me; growing up in a family of five children, there were very few things that I could claim as mine alone.  The only thing better than a birthday gift or Christmas gift, is that gift that comes totally unexpectedly at a time when a little pick me up is needed but no such expectation can be justified because the major gift-giving holidays have just very recently passed - the "just because" gift.  When that rarest species of gifts just happens to be old-timey AND wacky tacky, then you know you have hit the "just because" jackpot!

Many people will say that they were "born in the wrong decade," but I am convinced that the same people would be reticent to abandon the luxuries and basic comforts provided by the modern world.  I see it as an episode of The Twilight Zone - an unwitting protagonist wishes to go back in time but fails to read the fine print and promptly contracts polio and lives in an iron lung for the rest of his life.  Despite the obvious pitfalls of time travel, I will admit that I too have been guilty of spending an inordinate amount of time planning the clever and productive use of a time machine should such a device ever become available.  Few things make the desire to explore the flexibility of the space-time continuum more profound than a "just because" gift I recently received from my pals Jesse & Emily.  Just four words....

Don't you want to live in a time when a South American songstress was popular enough with the whole family to warrant a coloring book?  Even if you didn't want to live in 1942, wouldn't be a nice place to visit?

Carmen Miranda, having been featured previously on our blog, is a true icon of wacky tacky.  Our credo of "More is more," is a natural extension of her outlandish hats, beautiful costumes, and mile-high platform shoes.  Owning this nearly-untouched coloring book is a bit intimidating because the large pages are just begging to be colored (a favorite wacky tacky pastime) but the nagging feeling that it is somehow wrong to color a vintage coloring book can't be denied.  What do you think?

There are a few colored pages but it is obvious that the artist, Mary Ann, applied a gentle and loving hand.

All I want is a trip to Copacabana Beach - circa 1939

It is amazing to me how with just a few simple lines, the spirit of Carmen is captured in the pages of this book.

Thrown in for good measure?

The details are all there, right down to
 those famous platform shoes!

This generous gift is even more meaningful because Emily is a huge, classic movie buff; she has a beautiful blog called The Silver Screen Affair.  For her to have a little piece of movie-related history in her hands and be magnanimous enough to give it to me was a truly kind gesture.  The greatest part about a "just because" gift is the opportunity to pay it forward and make somebody else's day.

"I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi Like You Very Much" - Carmen Miranda

Thanks Emily & Jesse!!! I, yi, yi, yi, yi, yi like you too!!!

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

wacky tacky icons: Carmen Miranda

Carmen Miranda was born in Portugal!  Yes, the archetypal Brazilian who put Brazil on the map and introduced the Samba to the consciousness of the world was a native of Portugal.  

 

Born Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha in 1909, her family moved to Rio de Janeiro shortly after her birth.  In the beginning of her career she dressed in contemporary modes of the day and became famous for her beautiful interpretations of the samba.  Her international fame exploded after she played in the 1939 musical revue "Streets of Paris" on Broadway.  A one-woman Good Neighbor Policy, Miranda quickly began her American film career playing herslef in a musical sequence from the 1940 Fox film Down Argentine Way.  From then on, she was about as famous for her costumes as she was for her voice.  

Her beautiful phrasing and sensual dancing could not be hidden under the mile-high turbans that she wore but she will always be remembered for her extreme presentation of "bahiana" style. It seems a sacrilege to relegate Miranda to anything but Technicolor but several of her film were in black and white??!!  Some of her get-ups, many designed by Miranda herself, were so ridiculous that even Donald Trump would have a difficult time questioning her wacky tacky credentials. 



Typical Bahiana style

We're bananas for Carmen's muito-Bahiana style

I tried to cull some images to show that there was more to Carmen Miranda than just the iconic "Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat."

Really, she was always cookin' but how
often do you think of Carmen in the kitchen?

1930's nautical

Now those are some bumper bangs!

Her hair was almost always up; it is nice to see those tresses flowing.

Where's Carmen?  Where did she go?
This almost looks 3-D...at least on my screen.

Well-Suited - even in street clothes she had great style!

She embodied wacky tacky ideal number one - more is more!

At roughly five-feet-tall, Miranda's diminutive stature was obviously overshadowed by her huge presence, enhanced exponentially by the crazy platform shoes that she popularized during the 1940's.

Carmen towering above her  wealth of platforms.
Eat your heart out Imelda Marcos.

One of the under-acknowledged high-fashion trends that was born at the tail-end of the depression and continued into the 1940's was wild platform shoes.  Here are a few pairs that Miranda could easily handle, but in which most would break an ankle.

Carmen Miranda was above all else, a performer; she gave new meaning to the word "trouper" during her final performance.  In 1955 Miranda made a guest appearance on The Jimmy Durante Show.  She wowed the audience with her signature costumes, malapropisms and SAMBA! 

At about 3:31 she drops to one knee after suffering a mild heart attack mid-dance.  She goes on to continue the routine and finish the show!!!  She died in her home of a second heart attack later that evening.  What a woman!

In her lifetime, she took some heat from Brazilians for being "too American" and for becoming a caricature of herself and her country.  The ill will became so strong that for a period of time, Miranda refused to return to Rio.  In the end, however, she was embraced by her country and her death was mourned by the people of Brazil.  I am not a huge fan of biopics, but I would LOVE to see one done well about Carmen Miranda.  The trouble would be finding someone with the charisma, dynamism and talent of Carmen Miranda- a difficult task indeed!

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny