Re-Inventing the Shirt Dress

One of my favorite things is to re-invent classic items. Preferably classic items that I wouldn't be seen dead in. I have a theory that with the exception of skorts, g-strings, and tartan leggings, there is no  irredeemable item of clothing, just badly designed pieces waiting for the perfect cut. Hell, even a gimp mask is an improvement on some people!

So here enter the shirt dress. (or shirt-waister) My grandmother wore shirt dresses. Mid-calf length tubes of polyester with some elastic at the back of the waist and a fabric tie belt. Perfect on an 80 year old granny, pretty heinous on the rest of us as demonstrated by thousands of thrift store clad hipsters who are, unbeknownst to them, wearing something that someone's granny died in.

I had always considered the shirt dress as a glorified maid's overall or nurse's uniform since that is the most common version of them, and as a result, the mere thought of a shirt dress caused granny and uniform resultant nausea.
So. Many years later I decided to do something about the problem by designing a shirt dress that was not only comfortable and wearable, but also interesting and flattering. After nearly a year in designing and prototyping, I think that I succeeded!

Our Ramshorn  and Pussy-bow shirt-dresses are lightly fitted at the waist and sculpted over the bust and hips, so that they make the most of a woman's body. Not a scrawny teenager, someone with boobs and hips and thighs!  The biggest complaint that I and most other women that I had spoken to about shirt-dresses had, is that they are just two rectangles with a bunch of (plastic) buttons down the front . Ours are also, in trademark Arwen Garmentry style, subtly paneled and gored for fit and shape. Not a rectangle in sight!  Not surprisingly, they have become instant best sellers in a variety of colours and fabrics from psychedelic island botanicals to painterly modern florals, from leopard print to liberty prints or,  if you're feeling more subdued, even in basic grey, chocolate or black.
 I love a dress wardrobe and shirt dresses are so adaptable. A change of sleeve or collar makes an entirely new item, so you can have a whole wardrobe of them without ever feeling like you are wearing the same thing.

We have made day, work and eveningwear versions in a huge variety of fabrics including cotton voiles, peachskin, grosgrain and wool with mother of pearl, Czech glass, bone and Swarovski crystal buttons.
And, the best thing is that there are so many ways to wear them - layer them up over a floaty skirt,slim fitting pants or as a light coat. Change the look completely from day to night with the addition of a pair of fascinating heels and bright lipstick, Super short and cute, sophisticated knee-length or even a striking floor length with a train for an unusual wedding-dress.  A shirt dress is an item that knows it's own practicality and so doesn't take itself too seriously, which means that you certainly should.

the etiquette of the SMS

SMS is a wonderful invention, it allows you to stay in touch with family members that you don't particularly like and is great for sending out invitations to a party that is not formal enough to warrant printed ones.
I seem to be rather old fashioned in this way, but I do not welcome SMS in the proffessional environment. A number of years ago I enlisted a landline for my business and changed my cell number. The reason been is that people think that if they have your private number they can call you at any time of the day or night including 3am or on a sunday evening to ask about their job.

To all of those who get irate and offended when I refuse to give out my mobile number, here's how it works: If you cannot get hold of me on the landline, I am out of the office (and more than likely on my bike in which case I would not answer the phone anyway.) I cannot help you as I am not in the factory and do not know how your job is going. If you ask me to do changes at this point I will forget what they are and I do not carry my diary when I go out, so I cannot make you an appointment. If I am in the office, I will gladly help you with any and all of the above!

Now, that said. People who SMS to find out about their job or make an appointment are pretty low. the only ones lower are those who SMS me to ask me to phone them back - especially if I have never met them before. I don't understand why it is so difficult to just call, but I suppose that in the same way that advanced mathamatics is beyond me, the little green 'call' button alludes others.

Two things happened yesterday that spurred this rant on. The first was I got an SMS (on the landline!) from a chicky stating that she is a "fashion designer." She would like to meet with me and I should phone her back immedietly. Really. I get about ten calls and mails mails a week from people asking if they can intern or apprentice - people who really want to learn, and although I seldom take on interns, It does take guts to ask and I respect that. They are people who will go far. Someone who is so arrogant that she expects a business owner to bow down to her whims is not going to last in this industry.

The second was an SMS from an aquaintence  asking me to dress her for some party, which is not something that I generally do. No, I do not get advertising or anything else out of it, I have never got a job from one of these loans either from the person borrowing or indirectly from someone at one of these fuctions. The only thing that I get out of it is more cheapskates with an exagerated view of their own importance asking for free stuff and damaged clothing that I can only sell for a fraction of it's worth on the Kist Sale at the end of the year from the person who wore it.
I choose ambassadors for my brand carefully, People who behave like a porn star in public are not the type that I will lend to and expecting clothing because I have done you the favour before is a good way to ensure that I never lend you anything again.

Those messages were to me rude and unproffessional. You are expecting someone to give you a helping hand, give them the courtesy of a phonecall.


As has been said before many times, these are hard times, and people love to plead poverty under these circumstances, however:

1) The clothing my company makes can be classed as luxury goods, If you can't afford the R5 for the phone call, how do you think you can afford what I make.

and the jist of this entire rant:

2) If I am not worth a phone-call to you, you are certainly not worth a reply to me.