IMBOLC FASHION: LIGHT BLUE DRESS (PERFECTED)

  The curse of being a perfectionist is, that while generally pleased with how things lay in life, you constantly keep looking for ways to make everything even better.
  That´s what I did with this dress.

Originally I made this look last year. But now I´ve fallen in love with this dress pattern, and rank it way higher than the one I used last time, how could I resist? Luckily they still had the same exact fabric left at the store. =) The fabric is rather thick, so it doesn´t drape as well as most. But apparently in this particular shape it actually does the look right, resembling more of a cartoon caracter´s dress (like the one in a beautiful film Arrietty).

I simply love an hourglass figure on women, because it is the feature that separates us from men.(To be honest, I´m surprised mine recovered this well from two pregnancies with enormous stomach. I`m not one of those ladies who get a "cute little bump". Even my own mother felt bad for me, saying that a belly that big must hurt! But gladly it did not.) Sadly a show-off waistline has not been fashionable, in street wear at least, for over ten years. But who cares, I do what pleases my aesthetic eye! And that´s what  I encourage everyone to do. A great motto I learned long ago, that applies to so many things, is: "It´s not right, it´s not wrong. It´s different."

Can you guess where the colors of this look are drawn from? Yes, those beautiful sunny Imbolc days with baby blue sky and shimmering white snow covering the ground.

I like to match makeup with clothes. To this look I used baby blue eye shadow on the inner lid, and shimmering dark grey on the outer. Must be careful not to overdo with repeating the same color, and giving thought on the overall appearance staying sleek. Because the blue eye shadow is so dominant, I kept everything else nude. Beige blush and clear lipgloss.

   Music is an important factor for me when sewing and creating overall. While making this dress I listened happy Japanese anime music. I like all sorts of musical genres, variety is the key.

IMBOLC FASHION: SNOWFLAKES

  When I pulled out my Imbolc garderobe last week, I noticed, for my own surprise, that it was one outfit short. A slight setback, since I thought I had covered it all last year. Oh well, now I got to let my imagination fly again, and here´s the result:

A loose-fitting, light blue stretch jersey dress. I see Imbolc mainly in light blue and grey, so this outfit nails the essence of it, snowflakes and all.

These snowflakes I made three years ago, when expecting our daughter. Back then I still had the time and peace to work on something as time consuming and detailed as these. They are just right for this freezing wintery weather, turning cold into beauty. The dress fabric is quite thick and up close actually looks a bit like quilt material. =)

For once the makeup is showing! I repeated the cool light blue in my eyeshadow, binding the whole look together. Besides the eyeshadow the makeup is very natural. Only nude tones are used on the face, light beige on the cheeks and clear glittery gloss on the lips.

  It was a lot of fun creating and making this outfit. Now I´m kinda glad I was one outfit short!  =)

YULE FASHION: GINGERBREAD DRESS

  Gingerbread cookies are not on my menu (I rather eat it as dough =), but are now in my wardrobe. When thinking of Yule, gingerbread comes to my mind as an important factor of making the spirit bright. So in honor of the traditional treat, I made myself this Yule dress:

Dark brown knit dress with white accentuates. I didn´t plan to use a fabric with print on it, but this was the only proper dark brown I could find with some structure in it. After a little configuration, I came to the conclusion that this might even be better, less obvious, than a solid color. I went ahead and followed my original vision otherwise, including the white zig-zag ribbons at the hem resembling the icing used in cookies. To prevent appearing costume-ish, I accessorized the neck hole with a self-made necklace rather than adding zig-zag there too.

The white accessories bind the look to the snowy surrounding nature.

Natural makeup reflects the colors of the clothes, with mainly browns and off-white used. Earrings are light grey and white aromatherapy ones, in which I apply a Yule-scented combination of essential oils including cinnamon, pine, cardamom, and cloves.

SAMHAIN FASHION: THE GOTH

  Deep purple is a color of high spirituality and wisdom. I´m not sure I possess either quality, but I wanted the color in my Samhain collection. Even if only to pretend my capabilities are greater than in reality... =)

  Gothic style is undoubtedly beautiful and magnificent. Needless to say, it suits Samhain perfectly, and I wanted a piece of it in my collection too. But boy, what a challenging task to tone it down to fit everyday life while still preserving it´s spirit.

A basic dress with modern print on it. The dress itself is not festive, and it makes the whole just right to be worn at work. All the accessories are old, excessive, and I like them a lot. So I knew the dress would have to be more on the plain side to avoid a party look.

A bow on the head adds a touch of femininity and opulence, which is needed in goth.

The pattern I used to make this dress is the same one I used for my funeral- and Romania dresses. It´s a rare pleasure to find a good new pattern!

Strong makeup is a must. Samhain is such a dark time of year, in every aspect, that dark makeup is allowed, fine, and a nice change to the usual natural look. Here I applied shimmering medium grey eyeshadow all over the eyes, upper and lower lids and across the crease and fading towards eyebrows. Then to further deepen and "open up" them I applied shimmering dark purple to the outer third of the moving lid and out towards the brow bone, blending well. Blush is actually just a bronzer, didn´t want cheerful cheeks, merely sculpted ones. On the lips purple of course. 

  Overall an important marriage of the garment and accessories. Alone neither would meet the desired result, but together create a gratifying whole.

P.S.  This outfit actually replaces the goth from last year. The shirt proved to be too sweaty in the long run, and since I had enough pant-based outfits in this collection, I decided to switch to a dress. Thank goodness for evolution! =)

SAMHAIN FASHION: THE HOBO

  This outfit I actually started making last year already, and only now got finished:

The modern-day hobo. A look inspired by old-times silver screen and particularly Charlie Chaplin´s movies.

  Check out the whole story and more pictures on my column Nelland Living on PaganPages!

MABON FASHION: TURNING LEAVES

  The fifth outfit in my Mabon collection is inspired by the magnificent natural change of color in leaves in the fall. On a sunny day, when sunshine hits the beautiful yellow, orange, and red trees, it is probably the most gorgeous landscape over the course of a year.

This picture is from a couple of weeks back. By now nearly all leaves have fallen off, so it was about time got finished with this last outfit. =)

This color combo hits the nail to the head. Dark, murky green pants coupled with an earth-toned warm yellow shirt repeat the colors of nature around Mabon. I made the pants really wide (could I go any more against the grain of fashion? =) and the top snug to show off the female figure and balance each other.

 Considering that my Mabon begins in the first half of September and lasts through the later half of October, the 3/4 length sleeves are handy. In the beginning it can be still very warm, and in the end, like today, it can be below freezing and first snow flakes dance from the sky. The beads I´m excited about. I´m new to using wire in beading, and love to surprise myself on how each necklace turns out.

The trick of this outfit is actually the connection between the necklace and makeup. I used copper and green in both.

A snug top does not mean skin-tight to me. But it needs to sit well, while still leave some room to move in. This is my all time favorite basic shirt pattern, which I´ve used for nearly a decade (still in the same size too =).

Makeup: light shimmery green on the inner 2/3 of the eyelid, shimmery copper on the outer 1/3, and black mascara on curled lashes. On the cheeks I added medium beige blush (which in reality is actually a bronzer for darker skin tones) and on the lips coppery lipstick. The same colors as in the necklace. The leaf-shaped aromatherapy earrings are like cherry on the cake, unfolding the whole idea behind this outfit.

  

MABON FASHION: ROMANIA

  Once I was able to travel around Romania in fall, and it was breathtakingly beautiful! The tour took me through the capital Bucharest to the countryside, where I visited monasteries and local homes, and of course awed the gorgeous Carpathian Mountains. 
  What struck me the most was that most houses had numerous apple trees in their yards, and the size of the fruit was unbelievable. So large, great in number, and deliciously perfect-looking. They also commonly grew other foods too, like corn, and many houses had a cow and a horse. Horse carriages were a more common sight than cars in the countryside.
  And the people! So confidently stylish in their old-fashioned clothes. I watched them with admiration. The women wore floral dresses and a scarf around their hair, and the men had on straight pants, a collar shirt, and a type of hat, like a mini-stetson. It felt like I had rolled back in time about seventy years. Awesome!

  Romania left such an impression on me, that ever since I have longed for a similar dress to what the women there wore. And now the time has come. Here´s my tribute to Romania:

I made my dress way more streamlined than theirs, but we live in different cultures too. The fabric is rather busy with all the flowers around it, so I kept everything else to a minimum. No collars, buttons, or pockets. Nor big show-off pieces of jewelry.

The pattern is new, and this dress is the first one I´ve ever made with it. The style is more loose than in my earlier patterns, and that´s the reason I wanted to try this. For years now fashion has been exaggeratedly wide on tops, so I figured I´d give this a try for a change. Time will tell how it works, but so far it feels good, and is a nice change to my dresses.

Makeup is natural, only using different shades of brown. While the real Romanian belles might have chosen bright red for their lips, I opted for nude beige lipgloss. But I chose bright red for my earrings. Red roses with white pearls are such a classic over decades, that they complement this traditional look well.

  Thank you, Romania, for inspiration, showing me your beauty, and teaching me your way of life! What an awesome experience.

P.S. The pattern I used to make the dress is from here (number 14).

MABON FASHION: SCOTTISH PLAIDS

  Alike all of my outfits, this one also comes from my imagination. It is an image that has formed in my head over the years as a result of all the things I´ve seen so far.

  Why I associate green plaids with the Scots, I do not know, but this style suits Mabon so well, that I need the look in my collection:

A dark green kilt-like mini-skirt with a tweed top.

I was sooo tempted to make a miniature beret of the skirt fabric, and attach it to a headband or something, but it would have made the look too costume-like. So instead I opted for a regular woolen dark brown beret, which repeats the color of the pants nicely binding the whole together.

The outfit consists of several smallish pieces, the shirt, mini-skirt, and pants, so I added only earrings as accessory. And remotely imitating a kilt, it is also somewhat masculine, so loads of jewelry did not seem appropriate.

Makeup is surprisingly colorful (which once again does not show properly in the pic, but take my word for it =) to balance the muted brown in the tweed-like jersey top. I added bright light green on the inner 2/3 of the moving lid to repeat the green of the skirt. It is of different hue, but green nonetheless. Then the rest of the face is accentuated with different types of brown. Medium brown on the outer 1/3 of the moving lid, beige blush on the cheeks, and beige lipgloss. The earrings are, naturally, my own aromatherapy ones made of coppery metal and white wool.

  This outfit replaces the kilt one I made a couple of years ago. The skirt back then ended up twisting around me as I moved, being a drag to wear. What I´ve done different this time is sewn the skirt straight on to the waist of the pants, so it is impossible for it to twist and move around.

LAMMAS FASHION: LINEN & PEACH

  This is an update to my already existing outfit. What´s new is the top, which is a bit warmer than the original one, and a bit more colorful. As my Lammas Collection has taken form, I noticed there is quite a lot of beige in it, so adding a touch of color was a good idea. The original top will still be stored and worn annually, but now I have a choice in case of a cool day.

Peach is a color only suitable for Lammas. It is so warm and delicate, and resembles the dry fading hays in nature.

The pants are made of linen-like fabric, but they do not wrinkle like real linen does. The fabric was a good find back then, years ago. And since I only wear each of my fashion collections for approx. six weeks a year, the garments stay well for ages. These pants are a living proof, and I´m still happy to wear them. Combining a peachy top with the brown bottom livens up the look, and adds variety to the nude-toned Lammas collection altogether. Big baggy pants combined with a snug top simply looks good as a silhouette, always.

Jewelry pops right out, and brightens up the area around the face. True to my style, I kept the colors subtle and natural also in makeup.

The shirt fabric is synthetic something, but it breathes well and feels warm to the skin. Not all days of Lammas are exhaustingly hot, so I need to be prepared for slight chills too, especially towards the end of the season.

LAMMAS FASHION: ANIMAL PRINT DRESS

  Animal print is a newcomer in my interests. Never until now have I thought it was for me, or for everyday wear. But when I saw this fabric in the shop earlier this summer, I just knew I had to include it in my Lammas collection somehow. Here´s how:

Tiger print is more interesting, and less seen, as the usual leopard, and it is also lighter colored. Two reasons I fell for the fabric. Plus it drapes beautifully and is cool in hot weather. But making the look casual enough for everyday wear was tricky. I did it by choosing a loose and simple pattern for the silhouette, and kept accessories in control. At my work I may meet people from all social classes, from the homeless to the president, all in one day. That sets an impossible challenge for a girl to dress properly to the occasion. So I just go with whatever I like, since I´m dressed wrong no matter.  =)

Ahh, I love these late summer/early fall warm days! I felt like a cat on a hot tin roof (quite literally in fact =).

Golden accessories are a must. The belt is important for creating, or showing, the feminine waistline, which is the key to all of my looks. That´s what separates us women from men, regardless of weight. I mean, men can even have boobs, but not a waist like us women. Let´s celebrate our femininity by showing it off!

Another important key to keeping the look casual is wearing minimal makeup. This classy lady does not look like she´s off hunting for men, does she? (And I´m not yet in cougar age either, so no worries there  =). My aromatherapy earrings here add to the exotic and oriental feeling, and if ylang ylang essential oil was used, the outcome would be quite tempting...

  Animal print goes well during Lammas because now the weather is at it´s warmest, and closest to the natural habitat of tigers and leopards and the kind. At first I was tempted to add a touch of safari style too, but found it too masculine after all. I feel very feminine in this outfit, and in a different and new kind of way. I´m so glad life is for learning and evolving, at all ages!

MAKEUP IN THE NUDE

  A.k.a. the no-makeup makeup, which I think is perfect for this time of year.

  By now the sun has worked it´s magic on my skin, tanning it to it´s natural peak. I don´t deliberately bathe in sunlight to get brown, and do wear strong sunblock, but nonetheless just looking at my face reveals it is Lammas.  =)
  Nude makeup suits a tanned face and this relaxed late summer mood.

See the full diy guide on my column on PaganPages.

  Beautiful Lammas everyone!

LITHA FASHION: THE PIRATE

 The classic, positive, non-throat-cutting one that is. My pirate inspired outfit for Litha is definitely a must in my garderobe. It is a happy outfit, especially good for sunny days.

  This is no ode to the real pirates of today, or the past for that matter, but for the imaginary characters we´ve all read about and seen on screen since childhood. The ones that always seek glorious treasure chests, fight with swords, and make tales fun and exciting!

With a little imagination (or too much rum) I can just feel the ocean breeze in my face wearing this!  =)

Back to reality... The only trick in this outfit really is the cropped length of the pants. A pirate often strolls in shallow water, and she needs to keep her clothes dry.

Unlike in the design, I left out the white stripes at leg hems. They would have been too cartoon-ish in real life.

"Ahoy there! Any signs of riches yet?"

This look is all about pure classic style. Nothing more is needed.

Makeup is fresh and classicly feminine with the bright red lipgloss. Initially I wanted big golden "basketball wife´s" hoop earrings, but I have not yet found the perfect pair. So I opted for these happy bow earrings. Why not wear cool eucalyptus essential oil with them to set the right energetic mood for pirating?!

  My pirate look is a more friendly one that what is often seen on screen. After all, I do not want kids to run away screaming when they see me. I rather go for the kind seen in Pippi Longstocking in the South Seas (in 1974). What great summer fun!

BELTANE FASHION: LILAC BUTTERFLIES

The fifth outfit for my Beltane wardrobe is inspired by butterflies and the color lilac. Why lilac, I do not know, but the feeling of it is strong, and has remained so since year 2000. Here´s to the wonder of early summer with all of it´s fluttering beauties:

A snug top with strongly cropped sleeves combined with really loose and wide-legged pants. Beltane is tricky, because in the beginning (mid/late April) it can be freezing cold, and in the end (early June) very hot. Therefore I compromised with the length of the sleeves. These pants are my modern, and practical, version of the ever-so-lovely pioneer skirts. (I do not understand how the ladies managed it with them piles of fabric down to their toes back then, but they sure were stylish!)

The sketch. This is probably the best place to see the makeup. It hardly ever shows well in my photos, but it is there, I swear, and even in lively colors. First soft, light green eyeshadow all over the moving lid plus all around the eyes, fading towards the eyebrow. Second to the lids, I apply purple to the outer 1/3 of the moving lid creating depth and giving definition to my otherwise light eyes. On the cheeks I dust muted, dark pink slightly to give a youthful glow, and then finish it all up with a coat of nude beige lipgloss.

It is important that the legs reach all the way, nearly, to the ground to give my legs length. An important little trick to perfect proportions...  =)

On the back there is an almost invisible, huge butterfly stitched straight onto the fabric with matching lilac thread. Yes, I know, it does not show at all in this picture. But this is just to show how subtle it is.

Here´s a better view of the butterfly. For some odd reason I had a big urge to apply it, and in maximum size. So I did, but muted the outlines to keep it more sophisticated. I think it makes a nice surprise for anyone who catches it. The shape of the butterfly comes from the earrings I wear with this outfit. I simply eyeballed the earrings when drawing their big "sister".

The butterflies in the front are more childlike, adding the feeling of wonder I experience each year seeing the world  burst into life on Beltane!

BELTANE FASHION: APPLE BLOSSOM DRESS

  This dress finished only two days before the ultimate deadline, of schools ending for the summer, last weekend. But I did make it, and was so happy to wear it for the occasion!

How classic is this?! A floral print dress with a feminine ruffle across the hemline. I believe that in our modern society these days, it actually takes some guts and a good self-esteem to pull this off. That´s what "equality" between men and women has done... (Plus if asked of the men at my work, they´d say they really are equal to women - they get paid like women! Ha ha...)

When designing this dress, all I had written down for the fabric was "nature print". I found this floral jersey, which surprisingly resembles apple blossoms when glanced at quickly. Very suitable for Beltane. The tone is quite cool, but it matches the tones of a cloudy early summer day.

There is a bolero hidden in all the flowers. Totally handy during Beltane (in my calendar from mid April to early June), when on one day it is hot and on the next nearly freezing cold. I can take it or leave it according to the weather.

The dress fabric is so busy with all of it´s blossoms, that I wanted to leave the rest to the minimum. Makeup is cool-toned to match the dress of course. I used light olive green and blue-ish dark green eyeshadows and cool pink lipgloss. The only warmer color applied here is the muted earth-toned dark pink blush. I pulled my hair up for simplicity´s sake and for the 1940´s feeling I inevitably get from this look.

Can´t live without my aromatherapy earrings, so I chose these drop-shaped silvery ones for the look. Bows with pearls were also tempting, but too traditional for the dress. I don´t want to look like a grandma (yet =).

There is a resemblance to the real deal.

Holy moly do the blossoms smell nice!