Challenge #4: ‘Hats off to You’ FIN

A little more than 12 hours later, I am done. How do I feel? Wiped. Good. Wish I had a bigger budget and 2 hours more time. Would I do it again? Yes.

When I started sketching this morning I knew I wanted to create something Tim Burton-esque, dark, brooding but with a hint of whimsy. Oh yes, I typed it, WHIMSY.

I hit the fabric store with $75 and a pretty good idea of the color palate I was going for: acrid green, sallow yellow, moonless sky navy, oil slick green/brown, and dark as my soul black. While I was fabric shopping I picked up some fabric markers to create my own pattern, since all of my fabrics were solid.

I started to tackle the cape first, which was really the only thing I sketched that came out the way I had originally planned, with one exception, I wasn’t able to get any leather. My budget was so small (I believe the Project Runway contestants received $200 on this challenge) I couldn’t afford a medium to heavy weight leather. Instead I had to buy a thin polyester version, which doesn't have the drape or weight I was looking for, but one gets the idea of my design. I cut leaf/feather shapes out of the fabric using an Exacto knife. I was hoping to give a wink and a nod to the feathers in the hat, as well as give some nice movement in the garment, also a wink and a nod to the hat. Wow, I have been winking and nodding all day.

Now on to the dress. Oh wait, in the sketch it was a dress. What happened? I’ll tell you what happened. I made a dress and did not like the fit. I knew I wanted the bottom half of the dress to look like a modern 1950’s skirt, with lots of fullness and swing. The dress ended up looked like a sausage that was left on the grill too long and the middle exploded, which I don’t care how smoking your body is, it isn't flattering!

What did I do? I ate the exploded sausage and ripped the dress apart. Since I spent so much time making the print on the bottom portion of the dress, I ba-blammed it into a skirt, complete with horsehair braid to fill out and shape the hemline. I love the print I made, and would rock this skirt, you know why? Because it has pockets!!!

By the time I was done with the re-design I only had an hour left and whipped out this cute little tank. All together I think it is pretty successful, and would wear really well with the ‘Winged Toque’ hat. Picture this outfit with platform shoes, white lacy ankle socks in a wickedly-cool photo shoot… what? You don’t have a good imagination? Well guess what? We are going to make this photo shoot happen for you.

LUCKY YOU!!!

Oh wait… before I forget… was I successful? Did I end up in the bottom 3? Did I sneak by in the middle of the group? Or, gasp, did I win this challenge?