La Belle Époque

Remember in the 80's, when fashion regurgitated much of the Edwardian era's concepts and threw them up (or out) into the mainstream? As a child, my Easter outfits came complete with a parasol, bonnet, gloves and dainty laced socks. I don't know if it's from growing up in the 80's, but the Belle Epoque look has become dated. In recent years we've worked to streamline everything from our homes to our shoes to our fashion.

Beautiful things like lace, doilies, shawls, bed jackets...they've all been quietly stored in linen closets. Except for weddings. I guess because weddings can always be a bit over the top in terms of accoutrements.

Source

I still feel the overall excessiveness of La Belle Époque is dated. In our current economy, walking to the grocery store dressed to the nines would be insulting to some, and confusing to most. A mink stole would seem bizarre, even at the opera.

All of that said, part of me is studying this era with an appreciative eye. I think the lines are unique and underused. The layering these women employed creates a stunning effect. Also meaning their heaters could run a little less come early fall.

Lace stoles are still lovingly hand-knit by incredibly talented fiber artists. The cost of quality, luxury yarn pushes the value of these garments into the heirloom category. They still capture the essence of past golden ages.

Some women from this era still appear quite fashionable by today's standards, proving that in our postmodern sensibilities there is room for a little of every past. Carefree beauty is timeless and forever de rigueur. Also often elusively French...

Have you ever purchased patterns from the Decades of Style pattern company? I purchased two a few weeks ago. One is the Girl Friday blouse, a highly stylized 50's beauty that everyone I know has swooned over. The other is a 1920's tunic shirt. I am excited about it, and adore examples women have made on Pattern Review. My friends, the hubs and kids all seem less enthused. Last weekend my sister just stared at the pattern drawing. Blankly.

Which left me wondering if my home sewing mind had stepped too far away from mainstream fashion. Or if I cared.

This led me to wander aimlessly through the inter webs for these beautiful images. The pictures don't make it magically 'ok' to dress in this particular vintage fashion. They don't nullify our societal norms, making me suddenly more or less normal. I don't even think they validate my pattern choice.

Perhaps this is presumptive, but these snapshots create an emotion, don't they? Feelings can't exactly be bottled. Though I think they can be channeled as inspiration. That's where I'm at with la belle epoque.

Year-End Self Inventory

Human nature seems to insist we annually take stock of our progress. I'm a classic under-finisher. Let me explain: for me the creative process of becoming or making far outweighs the finished product. Meaning there are many in-process ideas, projects and goals hanging around the corners of my house. Once something is complete, the 'art' of it is done for me.

This makes me concerned emotionally that I seldom complete anything of value. Sometimes I surprise myself when I look back over a year, though. I see that, in spite of the remaining incomplete things, I manage to get a whale of a lotta stuff done.

Sewing

I hound bookstores, trolling over the craft sections for new sewing books. I know that, technically, I must be hitting my stride because suddenly all those how-to books look the same. How many aprons, draw-string bags or stadium blankets does any given person really have rise to make in a single lifetime?

Into next year, I want to continue learning more couture sewing techniques and terms.

Organizationally, I joined patternreview.com and stored all of my patterns by category. No more digging through boxes to see what patterns I own, or realizing I now own 2 copies of a favorite pattern.

The hubs gifted me with a dress form for my birthday, so really I think I'm all set with tools and bells & whistles.

Production-wise, I completed fewer garments this year than in any of the last six. But they are projects I took my time with and worked hard to complete well. It feels better to finish well than to work at a mad dash, doesn't it?

Sewing is a part of our history, and it's one I want to see preserved and passed on to future generations. For our family, I want to be a small part of that.

Food

Culturally, this is something we women give ourselves permission to obsess about way. too. much. The hubs and I have been vegetarians for about a year and a half now. Switching to vegan is something I hope to accomplish for about 70 to 80% of meals. We're nowhere near that yet.

It takes some discipline to make lifestyle changes. While reaching my goal health-wise may be years off, it feels good to take steps that direction. Eating wholesome foods is somehow physically relaxing. They are calming to the system.

Hooping

I don't look awesome hooping. But I do have fun with it. Probably enough said.

We've made our own hoops out of irrigation tubing and electrical tape. My favorite one is filled with water and covered in a grip for a tennis racket.

Hooping is fun for everybody.

Travel

You literally would not believe

A: how many miles we put on our car each month

B: how familiar my children are with hotels

C: how much energy it takes to complete a day trip

D: how joyful it is to hear discovery from the back seat

E: all of the above

From Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation. Love this movie, and James Stewart. Of course.

One of my priorities in life is to show my kids the world. As much of it as possible. Local stuff. Far-away stuff. Foreign stuff. History. Arts. Geography. It all overlaps out there on the road.

We've gone far. But not too far:

Self Worth

This is a risky topic, with several inherent flaws. I don't care all that much about a big path to self-actualization. However, significance and value are both important. As a mom, it's hard to remember that.

I have a degree in psychology, so I think about my life often. Analyzing is fun. I just feel that life is more fulfilling when a person is able to lift others up instead of themselves. It's not easy. Nor is it human nature. Within a family, it is absolutely essential.

People write blogs for many reasons. Some are commercial, some for self-aggrandizement, some for exploration, and others for journaling. The motivations are probably limitless in breadth. So why am I writing, sporadically at best?

This blog isn't overly personal. It doesn't delve into heavy topics. The Refinery exists to remind me that life can be beautiful in simple, seemingly mundane ways. Is it full of meaning of life stuff? No. The posts remind me that accomplishing little things can bring unexpected joy.

Looking back over a year or two is like seeing tiny markers that allow my memory to be pricked. I smile remembering what I was doing last January, or how I felt the day I created a profile on Blogger.

Not that this defines my contentment. It affirms it. That's very satisfying.