I recently found myself in a situation wherein I did not have quite enough cash to dress up for going out on the town in the style I wanted and deserved. I realized I needed about a million dollars a year, so I had to come up with a creative solution!
I started to go down to holt and some designer shops in yale town and take pictures of the new lines of clothing as they came out. I would go on line, check out spring, summer, whatever, and only then would I hit the streets to actually go shopping – at DRESSEW and SALLY ANN and CONSIGNMENT and second hand shops and then... I started MAKING my own clothes!!!
Believe me, its not that difficult for me – I just sew a little piece here or there, take in hems on a ten dollar skirts from sally ann, put together a fur shawl that I got the materials from dresssew, etc. The only thing I spend the big bucks on is – PANTY HOSE!! And shoes and bag if I can swing it, I get those from consignment high end stores on the west side! What a laugh eh? Well, it works like a charm…often my friends and art colleagues exclaim loudly “Oh SUSI!! Where oh WHERE did you pick up such a beautiful ensemble", and I small demurely and say “well, actually, I made it myself” and they just FREAK OUT, they LOVE IT!!
Check out this image attached attachment – this is me standing in my living room before going out to an exhibit opening at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
From the top down: hair – I cut myself my bangs! I think they look great, and easy to maintain
Pearl earrings that match the pearl bracelet Daryl gave me for Solstice last year...and the Beautiful necklace that he gave me this past Solstice.
Arms – pair of “upcycled” expensive pantyhose from holt – seriously! I cut a hole at the top and the feet out and put it on…looking awesome I'd say!
Bracelets. Real silver gorgeous stuff by First Nations - I bought at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre on E Hastings.
Black camisole, extra long, from holt
Leather skirt with fringe – I cut up a pair of Danier Leather pants that had served their time as pants - one leg each made one skirt, VERRRRY sexy! One for work (knee length with just a straight cut no fringe) and one for party – this one here, with hand cut fringe. I used heavy duty fabric tape on the inside to keep everything in place and one cannot see it all.
Expensive hose on legs from holt
Boots! My god, did I ever score on this. I was cleaning out cupboards, emptying old storage boxes back in January – low and behold, these boots fell out, well they were well wrapped and preserved . I must have had it together when I was packing them up – back in 1988! yes, 1988. I remember buying them, they are BOULETs and it was just at the end of eighties and I was getting sick of the look I was into at that time, and had decided that I had bought these boots in haste and that they were too “over the top” . The Western Town store would not give me cash return. So, I actually had the wherewithall to pack them up and store them for future use. I wear them a lot now and I have to say - to copy that overused by very truthful observation – if I had a dollar for every compliment/comment I have received lately on those boots – I WOULD be a millionaire!!! I'd probably even have enough for my clothing budget :)
Here's another example of Suster Fashion "At the Club"
And "At the Luncheon"
Photo credit here: Mr. Ron Sombilon
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