Spring Forecast: Pink and Black

One of my favorite color combinations for Spring is pink and black.  Here are two restyled Ashton Drake costumes modeled by the elegant film star Gene Marshall.

"Little Blessings"

What a difference a belt makes!  This Vince Nowell jacket from the 2001 "Little Blessings" costume  takes on a completely different look when belted with a black leather belt and paired with the fabulous black skirt from "Fashion Plot".  I love the shaping of the skirt hemline.  The belt was borrowed from the "Spotted In the Park" dress.   Shoes are from Integrity's "Marceline" and umbrella from Fashion Blvd.  "On The Avenue" Gene Marshall is my model/muse.

Here's looking at you kid!  A closer view of the jacket belted.  The hat is original to the "Little Blessings" costume.  The gloves and earrings are from Ashton Drake.  The pearl bracelet is from Integrity.

"Rain Song"

Gene models the 1998 "Rain Song" costume designed by Doug James.  I removed the detachable hood and added a black and cream dotted jabot at the neckline.  The hat was a flea market find that I spruced up with additional trim.  The ankle boots are from "A Lady Knows" costume and the handbag is from "A Woman of Means" ensemble by Greene and Lam.  My model/muse is a restyled platinum Simply Gene from Ashton Drake.

Additional Credits:
Backdrop wall is from RaiHing
Flooring is a black shiny poster board
Table is the glass top from Gene's Patio Set placed on top of a black candle stand
Floral arrangement found at a gift shop

Bandolier Morado

Bandolier Morado is a sumptuous silk, color-blocked cocktail suit created by Sandra Stillwell exclusively for her Golden Gate Glamour event that was held last year in San Francisco.  The event celebrated the iconic fashions of Balenciaga.  Although I wasn't able to attend, I was able to snag this stunning ensemble.  Here are two ways I styled the suit modeled by Integrity's Star Entrance Gene Marshall.

I created this look with a mixture of accessories original to the outfit and OOAK pieces.  The fabulous shoes, fur wrap, and gloves are original to Bandolier Morado.  The hat is from Bogue's Vogues, earrings and cigarette holder are from The Couture Touch, evening clutch from Dressmaker Details, and the "corsage" was made from the floral hat that was included with Ashton Drake's "Little Black Dress" costume.  Not shown from the original accessories are the floral scarf and pleated bandeau hat.

I added the little black bows to the front of the jacket with tiny silk pins.  These pre-made bows are readily available at fabric or craft stores and come in several colors. 

Gene becomes a woman of mystery with a simple change of accessories.  Hat with attached scarf and fur muff are from Ashton Drake's "Dark Desire" costume, suede gauntlet gloves from The Couture Touch, and the pin is from Integrity's "Suited with Fur" ensemble.  "Diamond" bracelet from Ashton Drake.

Don't be afraid to mix and match accessories and wardrobe pieces from different outfits.  The possibilities are endless!  And be sure to visit Sandra Stillwell Presents to view and purchase goodies still available from her previous events. 

Fur Trimmed and Fabulous!

"Easy To Take"

Gene Marshall (Ashton Drake's "On the Avenue") in the velvet and fur-trimmed dress and capelet given as a souvenir at the 2004 Hollywood Memories Gene Convention.  It is a recreation of a costume worn by Marsha Hunt in the 1936 film "Easy To Take".  Shoes are borrowed from Integrity's "Marceline" Gene.  The OOAK hat and cigarette holder are from The Couture Touch.

"Business Class"

Madra Lord (a restyled "Siren in the Night" by Ashton Drake) in D.A.E. Originals "Business Class", a leopard fur-trimmed suit ensemble, circa 1940's.  Embroidered gloves, shoes, and earrings are from Ashton Drake.  The OOAK hat is from The Couture Touch.

"Feather in Her Hat"

Metropolitan Madra Lord in "Feather in Her Hat" suit ensemble from The Ann Harper Collection by Robert Tonner.  Circa 1940's.  Love the unusual sleeve treatment of contrast fabric accented with bands of fur trim.  The fur muff from Ashton Drake's "Jackpot" and gloves from "Lotta Moola" Madra costumes are the perfect compliment to this stylish suit.  Earrings from The Couture Touch and bracelet from Facets by Marcia

Additional Credits:
CED Table
Phone and fan from Ashton Drake's "A Hot Day in Hollywood" Accessory Set
Leopard "statue" is actually a trinket box collectible from Hobby Lobby
Salon chair from Haute Doll
Backdrop from RaiHing

The Personal Style of Gene Marshall & Madra Lord

In the Golden Age of Hollywood, a star dressed like a star on and off the screen.  The two famous stars of Monolithic Studios are no exception.  Here we focus on two early styles from Gene Marshall's and Madra Lord's personal wardrobe:  Ashton Drake's  "Coffee Klatch" and "The Perfect Gift"  suit ensembles.

"Coffee Klatch"

The always glamorous Madra Lord makes her grand entrance at the exclusive club, Silver Samovar, just off Hollywood Boulevard, for her weekly coffee klatch.  The circa 1943 navy and butter crepe suit ensemble was designed by Dolly Cipolla.  The handbag, gloves, and shoes are original to the outfit.  The jewelry is from PD Root, and the marvelous hat is borrowed from Madame Alexander's "Aunt Amanda Fairchild" costume.  I replaced the original belt with navy Ultrasuede, and added 4 goldtone "buttons" to the jacket. Modeled by Integrity's "Flame" Madra Lord from the Stepping High Collection.

"The Perfect Gift"

Gene Marshall looking smart in a hunter green shantung suit on a recent trip to New York City to spend a day with a dear, childhood friend.  This circa 1947 suit was designed by Regina Ganem, Young Designer of America.  Those fabulous oxford shoes are from Integrity.  I added a scarf made from a vintage blouse to fill in the neckline.  I also made a matching Ultrasuede tilt topper to replace the original floral bandeau hat.  The hat is trimmed with some of the flowers and veiling from the original hat, and the corsage was filled in a bit.  Modeled by Ashton Drake's "Filigree" Gene Marshall enhanced with an Integrity articulated body.

Additional Credits:
CED Table
Table fan from Ashton Drake's "A Hot Day in Hollywood" Accessory Set
Leopard "statue" is a trinket collectible found at Hobby Lobby
Backdrop from RaiHing

A New Hat from Aunt Amanda

I don't know why I have been in such a hat making mode lately, but there is no better way to refresh an outfit than with a new hat!   Madame Alexander's "Aunt Amanda Fairchild" fashion doll wears a navy tweed suit that is made from the exact fabric used in Ashton Drake's "Travel In Tweed" Gene Marshall suit ensemble.  As I never liked the fit or the quality of the fabric used in the collar and cuffs of the "Aunt Amanda" jacket, I decided to make a hat out of the jacket to match Gene's "Travel in Tweed costume.

Ashton Drake's Violet Waters models my "new" Travel in Tweed costume shown with the skirt from the "Aunt Amanda Fairchild" ensemble.  I like the longer length and slimmer lines for a change. 

I covered a buckram shape with fabric taken from the back of the jacket keeping the princess seaming in place.  Unfortunately the seaming is hard to see in the photo.  Vintage berries and lots of veiling fashioned in a "birdcage" effect complete this circa 1944 hat.

Chocolate Truffle

"The woman who knows how to change the trimming on a hat or make a new one can always have smart millinery to go with her newest costumes or accessories.  From fabric left from a garment she can re-cover an old hat or cover a new shape to make a hat to match."   Excerpt from The Complete Book of Sewing by Constance Talbot, 1943.

Most sewing books at the time included chapters on restyling and remaking garments and accessories.  You could even take an at-home course in hat making.  One of my favorite vintage finds is a book called "How to Make and Trim Your Own Hats" by Vee Powell.  It is soft covered and originally cost $1.00 to purchase in 1944.  Included is a chapter on rejuvenating, re-trimming, and remaking last year's favorite hat.

So where is all of this leading to, and what does it have to do with a Chocolate Truffle?  A recent post at The Studio Commissary had me searching for the 2001 Ashton Drake Madra Lord costume called "Chocolate Truffle" to see if the hat had changed color.  It had.  Not that there was anything wrong with the new color, a dusty slate blue, but I felt this chic outfit needed the more vibrant, jewel-tone, shade of teal.  Well I'm sure you know what happens next.......

Integrity's Deep Rose Madra Lord looks smashing in this rarely seen costume designed by Jim Howard.  The new hat color picks up the color of the tiny teal dots in the dress print.  The fur muff is from PD Root.

Madra's new silk hat utilizes the tip (top portion) of her original hat.  For the sides, I used a new piece of buckram cut to the measurements of the original.  I was lucky to have the perfect color already in my fabric stash.  The hat is trimmed with a simple but elegant fringed, self-fabric bow.

What the Stars are Wearing

Chic Gene Marshall pairs the fabulous leopard plastron and gloves from D.A.E. Original's "Charmed Traveler" ensemble with the black crepe dress from Ashton Drake's "Dark Desire".   Note the elegant color combination of black and brown.  The fur muff is from PD Root, bracelet from Facets by Marcia, and shoes are from Integrity.  Miss Marshall's hat, belt, and earrings were made exclusively for her by The Couture Touch.

Jose Ferrand, one of the designer's at Monolithic Studios, created this striking suit for the new film "She Went To Reno" starring Madra Lord.  Director Ivy Jordan wears the circa 1940's striped suit with a dramatic fur cape from Dimitha.  The handbag is from Integrity and the OOAK hat and gloves are from The Couture Touch.  Suit is from Ashton Drake's "Top This".

Monolithic star Madra Lord proves she can pull off the menswear look just as well as Dietrich and Hepburn in this classic wool plaid pantsuit from Ashton Drake's Star Wardrobe Collection.  Her striped shirt is borrowed from Robert Tonner's Brenda Starr "Just My Type" suit ensemble.  Shoes and cigarette holder are from Integrity.  Black velvet beret and earrings are from Ashton Drake.

Additional Credits:

Table from CED.
Phone from Ashton Drake's "A Hot Day in Hollywood" accessory set.
Salon chair from Haute Doll.

The models:

Gene Marshall is Ashton Drake's "A Lady Knows" with her bangs removed and enhanced with an Integrity articulated body,  Ivy Jordan is "Moss Rose" Ivy Jordan from Integrity, and Madra Lord is "Metropolitan Madra" from Metro Dolls.