I'm in Ecuador this week, and yet I cannot tear myself away from the joy that is indie. In fact, I'm super-excited to go check out some of the handmade goodies that await me at the markets here. But it's still very early in the a.m. so I can't go yet.
I'll be back to reviewing the slew of awesome designers who responded to last week's request when I return to the States on Monday.
In the meantime, I want to share some of the delicious dresses that I've made recently, one of which I just made available on my ETSY page, Miss Mignonette!
As you might have read about in an earlier post, I love me some wrap dresses. I love how easy they are to wear, I love how the wrap and tie
feature hides my tummy roll, I love how they instantly give you a waist, I love them I love them I love them! I could wax inarticulately rhapsodic about them for hours, but instead I would like to brag on a few of the ones I've designed, including my personal favorite, the Strawberry Dress.
What I love most about this stretchy cotton wonder is not just how cute it is, but also the wearability of it. When I started designing it I was really pining for a good wrap dress that would not fall into that dreaded "old lady dress" trap that so many wraps are prey to. A lot of my customers were pining for something that they could just throw on, 
preferably in a fun color, and most importantly in a fabric that didn't have to be babied.
I searched online for good polka-dot jersey and came up with this gorgeous mid-weight jersey blend with dime-sized polka dots. After modifying the pattern for the Andrea Dress to include a higher neckline and fuller skirt, I added a ruched keyhole back, closed it with some mother-of-pearl buttons, found a 2-inch contrasting grosgrain sash that could be made into a huge, flattering bow, and Voila! The Strawberry Dress!
Whenever I make a new batch of these dresses for craft fairs, they are usually gone within the first hour. Girls (and ladies) love that the sleeveless design is still wide enough to hide a bra, and that the modified sweetheart neckline is still high enough to prevent any slippage.
The tulip skirt and slightly Mandarin collar also provide enough interesting effects to take this dress from cute to *wow*.
I like making and wearing and sharing this so much that I've decided to put it on my Etsy page, Miss Mignonette, . I hope you'll check it out. It's a very versatile dress - now that I'm moving to a slightly chilly climate (silly SF! Don't you know you're in CALIFORNIA?) I plan to wear mine with a little cardigan and some pearls or one of my necklaces from Luka Designs, and of course some sky-high Minnie Mouse heels with a big bow. What would you wear yours with?
