Mary Blair

Sartorial Saturday…On a Wednesday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part Six

It’s only been a week, but I already have my Rare Dirndl custom dirndl in hand for a fitting, so here’s an early look at how it’s coming along!

It definitely needs some tweaks…the skirt on the dress I’m having it made from wasn’t straight (which wasn’t entirely a surprise to me in retrospect), so that’s going to need to be adjusted, and may end up being shorter than the dirndls I normally wear, so I’ll have to decide if I’m comfortable with that or if I want to add a border to it. The colors Erika picked are gorgeous, and the apron is especially lovely…I wanted something sheer enough to let the butterfly pattern of the dress show through, and she found just what I had in mind!

I’ll be sending it back so she can work on it some more…stay tuned for the next update!

Sartorial Saturday…On a Wednesday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part Five

I got a little glimpse at how my custom dirndl from Rare Dirndl is coming together and I’m so excited I wanted to share!

Sartorial Saturday…on a Wednesday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part Four

My custom dirndl is off to be sewn! Check out the amazing butterfly-print fabric Erika found for the lining!

Sartorial Saturday…on a Wednesday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part Three

Erika followed up on the sketches she made for my custom dirndl very quickly, and I had the swatches in the mail yesterday!

It was so exciting to see the fabric and trim bits she had chosen, and just like the sketches, they were exactly what I had in mind, from the bold yellow for the bodice to the sheer green of the apron, which will allow the pattern to peek through. I also love that she included two options for the pink trim…it’s so nice to have choices! I’m so excited to see it all come together!!!

Sartorial Saturday…on a Sunday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part Two

This weekend I have a bonus Sartorial Saturday (on a Sunday), because I’m so excited to already have an update on my custom dirndl experience with Rare Dirndl!

Less than a week after she received the Mary Blair dress I sent her, Erika put together three sketches of potential transformations based on the conversation we had:

I was expecting there to be some back and forth to hammer out the details, but when I looked at the very first sketch she sent me, I realized that was going to be unnecessary, because she had drawn EXACTLY what I wanted. I actually cried, it’s so perfect. Some details were things we had discussed…I had mentioned an interest in a yellow bodice for the dress, and a somewhat sheer fabric for the apron so that the butterfly print would still be visually present. But she picked precisely the shade of green for the apron I had imagined, and added some pink braid trim to the bodice, which I also had in mind. I hadn’t brought up all of these small details, because I couldn’t actually picture how they would look in my mind, and I wanted to see what Erika would come up with because I really trust her fashion and design instincts. As it turns out, she understands the vision I have for this project just as well, if not better, than I do!

Next Erika is going to be sourcing fabrics and trim and sending me swatches…I hope what she finds is as gorgeous as the sketches she drew!

Sartorial Saturday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part One

Did you know Rare Dirndl makes custom dirndls? In addition to bridal dirndls, Erika will create a completely new look for you that represents something important in your life, or she’ll transform an old dirndl that is no longer in style into something more modern, or a regular (or not-so-regular) dress with sentimental meaning into a new creation. I’ve been mulling this over for a couple of years, and then spent some time on the waitlist (you have to fill out a form, and if your project is accepted, wait for your turn to come up), and today I had my custom dirndl kick-off meeting with Erika on Zoom!

I’ve spent a lot of time considering what kind of custom dirndl would best reflect me. As I pondered this while saving my money (custom fashion isn’t cheap!), I knew that it would have to be something truly special, and for a long time, I couldn’t actually think of anything that would be worth the time, money, and effort. And then in the early spring (actually, during Mary Blair March), it hit me! I could have an old dress with a style that I never really liked that features illustrations by Mary Blair that I absolutely love turned into the dirndl of my dreams! What better way to honor my favorite artist who is famous for designing “It’s a Small World” than by having a dress with her art turned into national dress like you might see on the ride?!?

The one thing about the dress that I actually do like is the twirl of the skirt. It’s a bit too long for my liking, but it has a spin like no other. That was one of the primary things I was hoping to carry forward into the project, and Erika said that she should be able to make that work for me! While I love my dirndl collection, I’m really excited about having one special one with a full skirt like my retro wardrobe, brining my love of two different types of fashion together in one piece.

We talked about styles, like whether I’d prefer the bodice to have a square or sweetheart neckline, colors (especially important because color styling was arguably the thing for which Mary Blair was best known), and small details like trim and lacing. Once we had all the preliminary ideas hammered out, I dropped the dress in the mail, and I’m looking forward to seeing sketches and receiving swatches of fabric that will be part of my new dress.

This will be an ongoing project that will last several months, and I can’t wait to share the next step of the custom dirndl process…stay tuned!

Sartorial Saturday–The Happiest Dress that Ever Twirled

“It’s a world of laughter
A world of tears
It’s a world of hopes
And a world of fears
There’s so much that we share
That it’s time we’re aware
It’s a small world after all.”

I think by now, my love of all things Mary Blair and especially “It’s a Small World” is pretty evident, so you won’t be surprised to know that as soon as I learned that a twirly dress with a print that reflects the children of the world showcased in the ride was coming to the Disney Store, I put it on my wishlist.

Puff sleeves aren’t usually a style I embrace, because I prefer not to draw attention to my upper arms, but these puffs are so extreme, I find that I don’t mind the extra attention, because that’s kind of the point!

Did I mention the matching ears? I’m dreaming of wearing them to Disney World in a few years, when Ladybug and I hope to take a trip together!

Besides the ears, I accessorized with a stack of Splendette Duchess Bangles, an Erstwilder brooch, and a Crislu necklace that features the clock face from the ride!

I love the blue background of the dress, and I really love the way the print pops against it!

There are so many lovely colors, the options for accessorizing are endless…I decided to wear a purple belt this time, and I really like how it looks.

There is also a matching Dooney & Bourke handbag. I don’t normally go in for designer bags, but this one was too good to pass up!

It is absolutely the perfect outfit for me!

I love Disney’s special collections…they’re so well-designed, and there’s truly something for everybody!

60 Years of “It’s a Small World”

Did you know that on this date in 1964, “It’s a Small World,” designed and color-styled by the inimitable Mary Blair at the request of Walt Disney himself, opened at the 1964 New York World’s Fair? The Disney Store currently has ears and a dress just in time for the happiest celebration on earth!

Following its 18-month run at the fair, where the ride raised money for UNICEF, it was dismantled at rebuilt at Disneyland. Due to its popularity, similar rides have been installed at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Park in Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. In addition to the holiday overlay that is featured annually at Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland will be debuting a special “It’s a Small World with Groot” overlay in 2025, celebrating characters from the Marvel universe. The iconic song, which was written by the legendary Sherman brothers, charmed Walt Disney and resulted in the name of the attraction being changed from “Children of the World” to the famous title we know today. It truly is “The Happiest Cruise that Ever Sailed!”

Mani Monday

In honor of Mary Blair March, I decided to do a mani that mimics her extraordinary use of color. I went with two of the shades from the Holo Taco “Retro Movie Night” collection…the yellow “Hi-Def” and the purple “Anti-Hero.” I think I captured the spirit of her color theory pretty well!

A New Take on Mary Blair March

In the past, I’ve shared makeup, jewelry, books, and of course clothing illustrated or inspired by Mary Blair. This year, I’m taking a look at something completely different, an “It’s a Small World” Scentsy warmer!

Let me preface this by saying I’m not into Scentsy at all. I don’t buy or sell Scentsy stuff, and I don’t even use this warmer to heat wax for the, well, scent. But I saw this adorable warmer last fall, with a rotating shade that depicts Mary Blair-inspired scenes, and I fell in love with it. My mom gave it to me for Christmas, and it sits on my nightstand, where it offers a lovely, gentle glow in the evening:

I love taking Mary Blair March from my wardrobe to home decor!