TRANSITION OF ARMOR

Iowa tends to stay cool during the first portion of Spring, creating an opportunity to embrace 2 seasons at 1 time: Winter + Spring.  

This is my transition of ARMOR from Winter to Spring through layering + draping on to a simple black velvet dress.  This item of clothing was a staple for this past Winter season.  I transitioned it with colors + textiles I associate with warmer times.  I enjoy pieces that I can evolve, depending on the days thoughts.  The morning becomes a layering ritual for the day's tasks with weather being an important factor.  This is a creative warm-up, beginning the day with a wearable composition.  

These LADYFITS compositions are created from a materials list......veggie steamer, wall decoratives, grandmother's collection, recovered threads, scrapped hemlines, found objects, etc.  Most of the objects on the list are being altered from its original definition of use, broken down to be wearable.

COMPOSITION OF THOUGHTS

I start with a word or theme for most of my LADYFITS explanations.  Then, I compile different objects together to form the idea in my head.  It continues to evolve further and further as I explore deeper into the themes + begin to create.  This particular composition is for the theme of ARMOR, a finale/celebratory end on the themes explored during this winter season_survival_pattern of dress_levels of function_material.

DRESS PATTERN

This is my LADYFIT for the day.  I layered + draped these textile elements to my dress.  This is an act I've been doing all week_drape textiles + objects into forms of dress.  It's my way of saying goodbye to my winter black velvet dresses and an intro into the spring season.  It's also a creative exercise to compose my wear with thoughts being funneled into a certain time frame to complete. 

I ARMOR myself for the day, allowing it to only be for that time.  Tomorrow, it's on to something else.  This LADYFIT action is genuine to how I feel in the moment of dressing_the daily ritual to compose my expression by explaining things through dress.  For this day, it is to futher explore my folk dress. 

LADYFIT

This LADYFIT features elements from folk dress, mainly emphasizing the sleeves.  I've been breaking down the shapes that make up Czech folk dress.  The V- lace inset on the chest is another example of shapes taken from Czech folk dress.  I owe a lot to a book by Vaclavik, referenced in previous posts on my exploration into folk elements.  This LADYFIT is at the beginning stage of what is to be applied, explored and evolved into this project.  It's in the winter state of dress_dorment in elaboration + color.  

black + white image descriptions:

top image - Hana costume

middle image - Holiday costume from vicinity of Kojetin

bottom image - Holiday costume from vicinity of Hluk

ARMOR THY SELF FOR WINTER

Curatorial Goodbye to Winter_Sweaters_MATERIAL USE

Sweaters become a skirt become a scarf become a skirt again.  This single object has changed its use definition since April 2010 (part of Sustainable fashion programming in the Cedar Rapids area_Eco Fest + Solid Waste Agency of Linn County).  I composed this skirt from a pile of sweaters that I was aesthetically drawn to.  I plan to change it again for Spring.

Curatorial Goodbye to Winter

Over the next few weeks, I'm curating LADYFITS as an homage/Goodbye to Winter.  This first composition begins to sum up the themes behind this winter season, definition through dress_ARMOR_LAYERS_PATTERN OF DRESS_MATERIAL USE.

The bottom half of the garment was once a sweater dress that became a skirt (pictured above).  It becomes a composed dress again through the layering of the top half.  I've mentioned before, this fascination with dress becomes something becomes something again_dress becomes body becomes dress.

I did manage to wear this out over the Iowa Winter season_boots + pinned up the hemline as I walked through the snow.  I wore around 5 layers with this: 2 skirts, 3 tops (layered tops not shown).

LADYFITS_ARMOR (WINTER SERIES)

WINTER WARRIORS_ARMOR thy self for Winter explores our daily dress for survival.  It is part of our daily ritual to dress for the day’s tasks.  We are cognitive about our choices as well as ritualistic in our dress layers.  ARMOR is our defense against the elements of weather.  It can also serve as our ARMOR of expression.  LADYFITS will explore the ARMOR themes through definition and function_in issues 3-5.