Wedding Dress Fashions (09-11-11)

I have a nice collection of wedding dresses, but the most outrageous one is a 1980s Jessica McClintock dress that fits no definite style category: a close-to-the-body tight-fitting knee-length sheath with a high neck, mixed lavish embroidery, and at the back, a cascade of fabric flares reminiscent of a Belle Époque bustle!

There is in fact no bow at the back...

The other dress in my sketchbook is the one that my daughter Valérie has chosen as her wedding dress: a classy, elegant, 1950s (I think) pleated polyester knit dress with an embroidered lace bust and collar.

Paper Fashions (03-01-11)

Shortly after I posted my fashion sketches Linda Daily, a fellow sketch artist, recommended I look up Isabelle de Borchgrave, an artist whose name I had never heard before.

Doing some research, I was intrigued to find out that:
1.) like me, she was born in Belgium
2.) she makes accurate-looking, full-size reproductions of historical costumes out of PAPER!

I located a book about her and made the trip all the way to Powell's in Beaverton. I spent one hour looking at every image, absolutely mesmerized by the colors, the shapes, the textures, and to think it was all made of paper... I drew some quick sketches of the dresses I liked best, just be able to take a little something of these fabulous fashions home with me...but my sketches don't do the work justice.

Paper shoes!

Beautiful 17th century clothing

The hair was made of twisted paper

Portland Bridal Show (01-16-11)

I went to the Portland Bridal Show at the Convention Center, and was fascinated by the bridal fashion show. Although I favor vintage styles, the dresses were gorgeous. It was a fun challenge to draw as fast as I could, and to get the essence of these dresses in just a few strokes...

PDX Collective (01-25-09)

After reading an article in the Mercury, J. and I went to check out the PDX Collective Sale at the Ace Hotel on Sunday. I wanted to see what type of clothes were sold in local trendy boutiques, like Le train Bleu, Moxie and others.
Really cool and great stuff, but $200 for boots on sale, that's just, uh, not my price range, -budget-wise, I'm more like a Target Clearance shopper,- not cool, but I still like looking at cute stuff even if I can't buy it.

I did a quick sketch of the shoppers.