When I am an old women I shall wear purple and a red hat
This morning while grooming this ensemble, shown in the 2003
Fashion Show called Designing Women curated by Linda Schmidt and held in Santa Clara, CA. at the Pacific International Quilt Show, the image of my daugther, Mandi,
modeling this piece blossomed in my mind, as she did while wearing it.
She had the audience spellbound with her beauty as she modeled this
piece, hamming up the humorous aspects in Jenny Joseph's poem entitled
"Warning," on which this garment was based.
Mandi's long reddish blonde hair burst out from under the red hat and her eyes are as blue as this woman's painted on the back of the cocoon coat. It's now been 4 years since I made this piece and today I'm taking it to the Network for Wearable Art in Vacaville CA.
Unfortunately, Mandi's not here this morning to model for photographs, so instead, these photos were taken in my front room with the ensemble draped down and over a chair and footstool.
The purple fabrics are hand-dyed rayons, cottons and silks and the red fabric is chiffon. The entire cocoon coat was bound with red chiffon.
For the painted face I used fabric paint and some acrylic. The cocoon coat pattern came from Sandra Betzina's Power Sewing book, the pants are adaptations of the Ginger Pants pattern (I've used this pattern umpteen dozen times and still love it!). Ginger Pants pattern may be out of print — I searched for a link on the web and didn't find one, sorry....
The shirt is an original design as is the painted image. The design of this entire ensemble fits into the 1913 - 1920 fashions that I drool over.
Mandi's long reddish blonde hair burst out from under the red hat and her eyes are as blue as this woman's painted on the back of the cocoon coat. It's now been 4 years since I made this piece and today I'm taking it to the Network for Wearable Art in Vacaville CA.
Unfortunately, Mandi's not here this morning to model for photographs, so instead, these photos were taken in my front room with the ensemble draped down and over a chair and footstool.
The purple fabrics are hand-dyed rayons, cottons and silks and the red fabric is chiffon. The entire cocoon coat was bound with red chiffon.
For the painted face I used fabric paint and some acrylic. The cocoon coat pattern came from Sandra Betzina's Power Sewing book, the pants are adaptations of the Ginger Pants pattern (I've used this pattern umpteen dozen times and still love it!). Ginger Pants pattern may be out of print — I searched for a link on the web and didn't find one, sorry....
The shirt is an original design as is the painted image. The design of this entire ensemble fits into the 1913 - 1920 fashions that I drool over.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, I served as a volunteer in the non-profit Napa Valley Symphony League, and at times, Wearable Art was a topic of conversation. The President of the League asked if I would present a program; I agreed. I asked fellow Wearable Artists if they would like to send garments to be part of this presentation; many did, one of whom was Nancy Cornelius from Carmichael, CA. She sent her rendition of the "Warning" poem by Jenny Joseph. During the presentation of the garments, in this Wearable Art Fashion Show entitled Visual Music, I read the poem while Nancy's garment was being modeled. The audience loved this poem and the garment. It even got mention in the League's subsequent newsletter. The poem follows:
Warning
When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandlas, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
Thanks Mom, It is amazing the feeling you get from being blessed with a talented artist in your family. Even more the pride of being chosen to share and wear(in my case) the art. I felt so proud and beautiful wearing this piece. Yes it's true i captivated the audience that day but believe me when I say it was the art that gave me the confidence to do so. For any of you out there that may ever have the chance to wear Purple and a Red hat "DO IT" it is a empowerment for all women.
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