· Top Ten Posts of All Time! ·

Life has been quite full lately with a full schedule of traveling during this last part of the summer.  My count of train, plane, and car trips should be quite impressive by the beginning of October, and I'm enjoying every minute of it! ;-)  The downside to gallivanting off to various parts of the country is that it puts quite a damper on any sort of regular schedule, so while I have quite a few partially-completed post in the works, I haven't been able to put the finishing touches on them yet!  But in the meantime, it's that time for some celebration...

Mode de Lis is officially a grand 3 Years Old!

To do something a bit different, I thought it would be fun to share (according to my handy blogger stats) the Official Top Ten Most Popular Posts!

These are all solely listed by number of views; it has nothing to do with my personal favorites and everything to do with what is the most visited!  If you haven't read these posts yet, be sure to see what all the fuss is about! ;-)

#1- Working Class Attire · 1770s Style
While I agree that this is a major personal favorite, I do find it amusing that this very, very simple outfit is the one to be the top of the top! (a solid 25% higher than the next few on the list)

#2- Vintage Travel Party!

I'm so pleased this is a frequent favorite- it didn't take off very well at first as far as stats go, but it's fared pretty well due to Pinterest!

#3- Kathryn's 1940s Print Dress

Since Kathryn is responsible for the great photography on here, it's only fitting that one of her dresses graces the Top 3!

#4- Deepest Coral 1930s Dress

Still a favorite of mine, especially when paired with fur!

#5- 18th century Robe a l'Anglaise

My very first 18th century gown!

#6- Deck the Halls Skirt Tutorial

A tutorial for making your very own Christmas novelty circle skirt!

#6- Embracing Stereotypes

This is a new one, but boy did it shoot up to the top fast and it continues to creep up the top 10!

#8- 1780s Chemise Dress

When my hair (wig) is this big, it makes my waist look teeny!  Maybe that's why it's so popular... ;-)

#9- My Very Own White Regency Dress

Understated detailing and a perfect base for accessorizing!

#10- Pink 1770s Round Gown

Pink and 18th century just go together like strawberries and cream, right??

And for a little something different, here are my very own Top Five Favorite Newbie Posts, back from my first year of blogging.  In fact, if you dig back into my first month or two, there are lots of other favorites- just barely any photos in each post!  We've come a long way in our photoshoot game. ;-)

#1- Titanic-Inspired Coat

#2- Sofonisba Anguissola Dresses



#3- Mid-1500s Flemish Working-Class



#4- Block-Printed Jacket



#5- 1950s Sari Dress

As always, thanks SO much for visiting, commenting, sharing, etc!  You all make this process so fun and rewarding- thanks for stopping by! :-)  I'm so excited to see what the next year holds! :-)

· All photography by Kathryn! ·

· Simple Summer Whites ·

This past winter, we were the fortunate recipients of a plethora of vintage items from the estate of a distant relative.  While several were vintage dresses, suits, and skirts that remarkably fit me (!!), there were also quite a few vintage fabrics!  This length of cotton seemed perfect for a simple summer dress and I tried to take cues from all the real-vintage dresses I've seen lately and keep it super simple.

I tend to over-think everything, so it really was a stretch to keep this bare-bones!  I think I succeeded pretty well, and I'm certainly happy with the result.

Since this was such a basic dress, I was glad that it had stripes to play around with!  Making sure all the pattern pieces would fit on my yardage with matched stripes added a nice challenge and then I got to play around with the tiny scraps to come up with a pocket detail.

The fabric is a lightweight, finely woven cotton with stripes of alternating light blue and violet woven in.  It's not a color combination I'm naturally drawn to, so it was fun to break outside my usual. ;-)

I ended up having the perfect number of buttons in the correct color already in my stash, so this dress was essentially free- hooray!

This project was a fun exercise in fabric conservation- I started out with a limited amount of fabric and since it's vintage- of course it's narrow. ;-P  It limited my options for pattern style, but ended up being the perfect excuse for another use for my beloved Butterick 5920, my previous version is here. As before, I extended the shoulders of the sleeveless version into kimono sleeves.

We picked up quite a few vintage scarves at estate sales last year and I was pleased that this hand painted scarf was just the right shade of blue!  Since this is my first summer with short hair, I have been relying on scarves as my back-up in case of emergency.  You know- Curl-crippling humidity. Late nights/early mornings that leave not *quite* enough time for a sturdy curl. Etc.
  

The dress has lots of shoulder and neck coverage, which- Hooray! means less sunscreen. ;-)

· Photos by Kathryn! ·

· Shoe sale! ·

· EDITED TO UPDATE ·

The shoes have been going fast, just 2 pairs left!

I've been posting quite a bit lately about my de-cluttering efforts and I'm far from done...  Up for sale this week are various shoes in sz 6.5-9.5.  We have a mix of vintage and historical styles- take a look!

All shoes will come shipped in shoes boxes.  Only styles specified will come with original box.

Shipping NOT included in any of these prices. Payment by PayPal, payment within 24 hrs of invoicing before passing to the next in line.

To Reserve:

- Email me at modedelis (at) gmail (dot) com

(comments for this post have been turned off- please only contact me by email!)

- Include your zip code and country

- Include the number/titles/letters (as applicable) of the items from the description

Remix "Carmen" brown crocodile shoes

sz 8.5, $45 + shipping

These show wear on the soles and have 2 scuffs on the back of the right heel, as shown.  They have cushions added in for comfier dancing!  There are a few flaws on the inside seam on the heels- shown in photos.  Great price on a wonderful reproduction brand!

Steve Madden "Trouser" Oxfords

SOLD

Let me know if you have any questions!

Again, To Reserve:

- Email me at modedelis (at) gmail (dot) com

(comments for this post have been turned off- please only contact me by email!)

- Include your zip code and country

- Include the number/titles/letters (as applicable) of the items from the description

· A Few of My Favorite Things.... ·

This is definitely a post that includes all of my current favorites!  Favorite vintage hat of the year (so versatile, so comfortably "me"), favorite fabric (that I finally found a use for!), favorite new shoes (love!!), and favorite new dress pattern (Butterick 8038- already have another dress made from it!).

We had a local friend and former neighbor gift us her mother's collection of sewing patterns last year.  Most of them fell in the 1960s/70s range, but the two 1950s patterns were absolute STUNNERS.  *And* in my size.

I love, love, love how unique and flattering this pattern is and after mulling it over for a while, I remembered that the hand-printed Indian muslin that I've had for ages would be a perfect combination!

The bodice is quite unique with the side fronts extending above the bust to cross over and pleat into the opposite shoulder while the center front piece invisibly extends up behind.

When the preview for these 'Sergi' shoes popped up on Royal Vintage's instagram, I quite literally squealed with delight!  I had quite a few Rewards points burning a hole in my pocket, so it was a no-brainer.  They are just as beautiful in real life, too!

My only caveat for these is the sizing.  This is my first pair of Chelsea Crew shoes, and they come in European sizes.  I'm a true sz 8 in American sizing but I flip-flop between needing a 38 and a 39 in European sizing, depending on both the brand and the style of shoe.  I went ahead with the 39s thinking that a touch too big was preferable to a touch too small.  They are on the big side, but certainly not warranting a whole size smaller and a simple heel grip is enough to make them just right. :-)

The soft gold color of these is just gorgeous and the heel height is right in my comfort zone, making these an effortless choice!  The soles are comfortable for walking, but also have enough slickness that I was able to wear them for an evening of dancing without having any difficulties.

They're the perfect style and shape for 1920s and 30s (and I have a few dresses just waiting to be showcased with them!), but I couldn't resist pairing them with this 1950s dress, either. :-)

* Disclaimer- I received these shoes at a discount in exchange for posting about them and this post contains affiliate links ('cause I'd like any excuse I can find to purchase more shoes! ;-))*

Pattern Matching Obsession.  Spot the seams! ;-)

Also, I really love the vintage idea to insert back zippers below the neckline.  Works well and also eliminates the headache of trying to achieve an flawless neckline finish- my nemesis!

I love the design element of extending the center front panel into the skirt!

4" deep hem- because I can!
Also, I should do a post about this new crinoline sometime- it's pretty much the best thing EVER.
· edited to add- I have a post about crinolines here now! ·

As always- a pocket!



I've always really liked this fabric and I got it a long time ago from Heritage Trading on eBay and it was originally intended for an 18th century gown.  As time passed, I realized how little I actually needed another 18th c. gown fabric (still having at least 3 fabrics earmarked for that purpose...) and I eventually became dissatisfied with its suitability for that era.  There are a great many flaws in the printing of the fabric, which, while it is entirely forgivable due to the nature of being hand block-printed (and inexpensive) made me wary of using it for an entire 18th c. dress.  Granted, not all printed cottons were well-executed and high quality (lots of evidence to the contrary!), but the research I've done made me hesitant to use it in such large quantities!  Also, in that period it was impossible to achieve a color-fast green dye, so any printed fabrics with green were made by printing in yellow and then hand-painting the desired areas with blue- the color combination achieving the desired green.  Consequently, it is a more expensive option and was saved for quality chintzes.  My fabric is obviously not high-end, so the more I read, the less I felt comfortable using it...

Thankfully the love of the exotic never goes out of style, so there are lots of examples of 20th century clothing utilizing ethnic fabrics! :-)  The fabric is a lovely choice for summer- lightweight and easy to care for while still being a nice quality and suitable for dressy occasions.  Currently, it is solely a church/wedding dress, but with the right accessories it would make a great sundress, too!

· Photos by Kathryn ·

· 1950s Strawberry Dress ·

Remember all my ideas for vintage strawberry fashions?  Well I can finally share the result!  When I saw Emily Hayes' Shabby Strawberry line of fabrics I knew they were just the ticket for a perfectly summery dress and my sister made the perfect model.

(and as a side note- how amazingly well does this dress coordinate with my blog??)

I compiled a Pinterest board of strawberry-themed fashions from the 1940s and 50s to get some inspiration, and in the end I decided to keep the dress fairly simple to allow the fabric to have center stage.

Cotton dresses are perfect for summer and the boatneck and sleeveless bodice are so quintessentially 1950s. :-)  The neck and armholes are both bound in narrow bias tape and finished by hand. A micro polka dot fabric worked as the perfect accent touch!

At first, I was a little wary of how blue the foliage was rather than being a true green, but now I think it's perfect!  So very retro, and in the best way! :-)  Added bonus- it looks right at home in our aqua/red kitchen!

I used a vintage pattern from the 1950s and followed the suggestion to add contrasting fabric in bands along the skirt.  The skirt is made according to the pattern- 3 whole widths of fabric!  It gives such a great shape and I love how tightly gathered it is. :-)

Thanks Penny Rose for such wonderful fabric!

· Photos by Kathryn! ·