Yearly Archives: 2021

……………………………July 2012 was all about TRANSITIONING from summer to early fall. The clothes had to be wearable in late summer through Oct or later depending where you live. The further south the longer the wearing period. In some southern states these were clothes to wear all year. Starting at the top right was a fabulous and extremely successful suit. It looked like linen and even felt like a linen/rayon blend but it wasn’t linen at all. The yarn was a high twist bi-color and was in a fine herringbone weave. It came in two colors …Stone with a fine black twist yarn, and Pale Olive with the same fine high twist black yarn. The button front blazer had a very relaxed European Armani look. It had three patch pockets with buttoned flaps and a side panel which gave it a gentle shape….. The buttons were in a pale horn as you can see in the photo. They were tinted in the stone and pale olive leaving the dark markings.The trouser zip front pant was relaxed too, and had trouser pockets. The pants became great separate pants to wear with many other things including every top in this July delivery……The suit did extremely well and was a reorder consideration, but when we found out the fabric mill wanted a lot more money we had to pass it…. The little Safari Shirt/Jacket was in a new Rayon/Nylon blend. It had a texture that gave it a casual look. It was very light weight which made it perfect to wear alone as a shirt….It had all of the details….epaulets….roll-up sleeves with tabs and buttons…..two top pockets with button flaps, and the pockets had invert pleats in the center. The self fabric belt had multi rows of top stitching. It came in Straw and Chili Pepper which was the introduction to this new color….Even the reorder Boho skirt came in the new Chili Pepper color to wear with the shirt……..The dress was a WOW. The silhouette was simple in the poly/rayon span. It had a v-neck, and an elbow sleeve. Down the center front were tucks to create a very controlled ruched effect. However, it was the print that gave it the WOW factor. The colors were Chili Pepper, Stone, and Peacock. It fit perfectly….Was it for everyone…..NO…..but those that bought it loved it and the print is so Iconic and the style so simple that it will always be “IN STYLE”……….The next two pieces were in an incredible engineered border print on a silky georgette. The top was a caftan style with a separate tank, and the skirt was a flowy A-Line wrap skirt. It had a cascade circular ruffle down on side of the wrap. The skirt had a fabulous border with the scattered paisleys on the entire skirt. Both pieces came in a Straw. Pale Olive and Chili Pepper. The skirt looked wonderful with the herringbone jackets and the caftan top with the herringbone pant……These were very special pieces in a very SPECIAL PRINT. They looked like they came right out of Europe.

…………….These suits were all about their relaxed European attitude, and the wonderful Herringbone languid fabric that had the look of LINEN……….They worded with so many other Linea pieces. They were very popular and sold incredibly well. The fabric price rose to the point that I was never able to use it again, and I could never find a suitable substitute……..This became a one of a kind suit in the Stone and Pale Olive.

……………………….The engineered border print, on a silky georgette, came in three beautiful color combinations…..Pale Olive, Chili Pepper and Straw. They coordinated with the rayon/nylon shirt/jacket in straw and chili pepper, the reorder Boho skirt and the Herringbone suits in Pale Olive and Stone…….The caftan top worn with the side ruffle skirt gave new meaning to a “Dress Look” .

……………………..CHILI PEPPER was to become a very popular color that I used repeatedly…….The new Safari rayon/nylon blend shirt/jacket in Chili Pepper and the Boho in the same color made for a wonderful outfit. The color was definitely spicy, and from nature, but never too bright. With a little imagination you could discover how well it mixed with other colors like the Pale Olive cotton Kate shirt above. The new Mocha Boho looked great with the Stone Herringbone suit…..All you had to do was PLAY!

……………………………For May 2012 there were three unique additional pieces………Starting at the top right was a “Lace” tunic which wasn’t actual lace at all……It was a polyester yarn knitted into this open stitch pattern that represented a big lace pattern. It had swirling paisley shapes in it. It was the perfect beach cover up because it was cool to wear. It was appropriate to walk off the beach and into a beach side restaurant. You could also wear it with a tank and any skirt or pant, and wear it out to dinner. I liked the black with a white tank so you could really see the pattern, and a white bottom. It came in Black, White and Olive. We may have sold it with a matching knit jersey tank, but I’m not sure……….I loved the SHORT CAFTAN SHIRT DRESS. The top dress was in a crepe georgette, and the under tank dress was in a polyester knit. It came in Black, Bright Blue and Red. I remember wanting the georgette to be more sheer and diaphanous, and I also wanted the sides straighter, and not so shaped, but everyone thought it was too extreme for the QVC customer. There are some battles just not worth fighting…………..The next dress had a name, but I’m not sure what it was……SAMBA????……..I have to say I was nervous about this dress from the start. When ever I gave a sketch of a draped dress, that NEEDED to be fit close to the body on on the taunt side for it to fit and drape properly, I knew there would be lots of “discussions” on how it should be done. This dress worked out perfectly!!!! The bands around the armholes fit perfectly. The “modesty piece allowed me to really PLUNGE the V neckline into the ruched and shaped waist band. The pleat front skirt gave great movement and flow to the skirt. The dress to my delight sold very well and it’s still a great dress nine years later! It came in Violet and Dark Peacock………Samba the night away.