I guess in every era there are those lemons that people look back at and cringe about (70s, anyone?) And then people nowadays try to revive them. Aaack! But there were a lot of really nice ideas in every era, also. I'm partial to the styles of the Victorian era, but not the really frilly, elabourate ones.

This dress (the right-hand side) is one that I made, when I was working at a historic attraction. I found the pattern at Fort Steele, a different heritage site, and paid the ruinous price of $25 dollars for it. (Well, it was ruinous then, and yes, well, it is still ruinous now ) My friends recommended that I do the closure with velcro and just put the buttons on as decorations. Would I listen? Oh no, I wouldn't. 20 tiny buttons and buttonholes later...

IlF, I'm afraid that my worst wardrobe choices were post-8 years old, that is, ones I picked myself--I tell you, I had no fashion sense! And I didn't care, either, at the time. Most of the clothes we had were passed down to us, by older cousins and friends, and were set aside until we grew into them. We had a running joke about our basement--someone would say, "Oh, what a nice outfit, where did you get it?" Our answer? "Oh, I don't know, it came out of the basement."

Melty, that skirt looks quite comfy. Do you like to wear things until they're only fit for the rag bag? I know I do. Things go from being good clothes, to casual, to farm clothes, and at last to, "Can I possibly mend this one more time?"

Something I like pondering about is what fashions will look like in ten or twenty years. It's easy to discern a marked difference between the fashions of the 90s, or even the early 2000s, as compared to today's popular apparel, and it makes you wonder how future fashion will look distinctly different.

Oh, I know! You don't really see it at the time, but once there's a bit of time between now and then it's easy to see. And it's fun to see what people 100 years ago thought fashion would look like today. (In one case, it was actually disappointing because we would have looked like 1600s pirate ladies. I wish I remembered where I saw that set of images, because I bet y'all would enjoy it too. )

Do you like to wear things until they're only fit for the rag bag? I know I do.

Absolutely. Except I took a bunch of almost good stuff out of circulation on the speculation that I could turn them into a scrap quilt instead.

The puffed sleeves on the left-hand side of the pattern make me think of Anne of Green Gables. I bet your dress looks (looked?) really nice.

Thank you for sharing that pattern, aileth! It's lovely! My favorite is the one on the left... that pattern in a lovely gingham fabric would make for one very happy Rose.

Oh, I know! You don't really see it at the time, but once there's a bit of time between now and then it's easy to see. And it's fun to see what people 100 years ago thought fashion would look like today. (In one case, it was actually disappointing because we would have looked like 1600s pirate ladies. I wish I remembered where I saw that set of images, because I bet y'all would enjoy it too. )

Oh my goodness, now THAT is a shame. I want to go to the alternate universe where that prediction came to pass.

I remember seeing a news reel from the 30s about future fashion... ooooh, found it! A head lamp? Really? Though I will say that the container for candy on the man's outfit is a very good idea.

Based on the accuracy of past predictions, it's probably safe to assume that future fashions will not be anything like what we'd expect and probably slightly disappointing as well.

The puffed sleeves on the left-hand side of the pattern make me think of Anne of Green Gables.

I thought of the same thing! Anne and I have always shared a fondness for puff sleeves.

Thanks to Google, I found it. Future Dictates of Fashion

We can be very glad some of these did not happen.

Nice for fancy-dress parties. Only problem is, who goes to those anymore. Maybe someone saw that 1978 example--doesn't that smack of bellbottom pants. Or horrors! the 1983 hideosity.

Based on the accuracy of past predictions, it's probably safe to assume that future fashions will not be anything like what we'd expect and probably slightly disappointing as well.

We can only hope Those platform shoes look awfully familiar though. That and the daring cut of the dresses. These days they're comparatively covering, but at the time they would have been quite shocking.

Oh my goodness, Meltintalle. Some of those are downright dreadful. I feel like whoever does the costume design for the people living in the Capitol in The Hunger Games could draw a lot of inspiration from those sketches. That said, I do think that 1912 is pretty and princessy, if a bit weird. The one on the right in 1940 is interesting, though I have no idea what's on her head. I rather like the shepherdess details in some of them, too.

We can only hope Those platform shoes look awfully familiar though. That and the daring cut of the dresses. These days they're comparatively covering, but at the time they would have been quite shocking.

(Betsy-Rose is such a cute nickname! )

Indeed! I'd say those two elements are about the only things they got right in that reel.

I just saw this dress over at ModCloth. Love the print!! Sometimes I wish they would get into the fabric-selling business.

@aileth I love victorian style clothing. I like a victorian style jackets with skinny jeans. I won't got the full thing or someone would think I am going to a costume party.

@rose I look pale not matter what I wear because I am just pale, I like it however. I would look terrible with a tan, especially on my face.

I never wear hills, I mean never. I own a nice 60's style pair but I am too scared and I always fill way more comfortable with my feet flat on the ground. I always say if all else fails wear a pair of converse(chucks).

Lol, I know what you mean about heels, IlF. They scare me a bit, too, and they can really hurt as well. Luckily, I'm pretty tall and I don't really "need" to wear them, but sometimes they can look very pretty and really accentuate an outfit. I'm especially fond of high-heeled mary janes; they're so cute.

Annnd now I'm looking at shoes on ModCloth. I couldn't help it, my fingers typed in the web address of their own accord...

These are so pretty. I love the bow detail, and the color.
D'aww, these kitten heels are too cute! I really like the colors and the vintage flair.
These mary janes!! The color!!
I really love the shape of this shoe, and the heel looks sturdy, too.
Okay, just one more.

Speaking of fashion websites to browse... are you familiar with Cabbages and Roses? I don't know if I like the clothes or just the photoshoot styling, but I like just about everything from Autumn/Winter 2012...

(Pssst, hey Valia! 42 in Spring/Summer 2014 reminds me of the girl in The 39 Steps... )

Oh, heels! The one time I tried them--they were Mom's--they were far too big and I wobbled like crazy. Haven't tried them since. Well, that's not quite true. I tried those same shoes a few months back; they were too small and I still wobbled. And we're not talking about 6 inch stilettos, either. I am tall as well (5'9) and the only benefit to wearing heels is for the relief of wearing flats afterwards

Sorry, Rosie, I should ask before coming up with extra nicknames. After all, you might not have liked it. Note to self: do not post i)when tired, ii)late at night, iii)in a hurry. The strangest things come out.

That Autumn 2012 collection is amazing, Melty. I feel a story coming on just looking at it. Oh no, I didn't need more story ideas. Now how am I going to tie them all together? Hmm...

(Oooh, it does, Mel! How cool!)

I went shopping a couple weeks ago, and actually found several new pairs of shoes (which is super exciting because my feet are hard to fit and then there aren't very many options when I do find shoes in my size ). I got a pair of flat brown sandals (I don't usually like backless shoes because of the gap between heel and shoe that is created when I walk, but this pair actually stays on really well and only a tiny gap occurs), a pair of wedge brown sandals (I almost never get heels and think wedges usually look pretty ridiculous, but again these are pretty comfortable and the wedge actually looks decent; I haven't figured out an outfit to wear with them yet though...I'm not sure blue and light brown go together so well?), and then a pair of black boots (I'm looking forward to wearing these when it gets cooler!).

I really need to sort through my wardrobe and get rid of stuff that I don't wear or that's worn out. I like the idea of repurposing/refashioning/remaking clothes but have never done it and am not good at figuring out what looks good. Has anyone else refashioned clothes?

Blue and light brown go together awesomely. I have a navy blue lace dress that I wear with a thin brown belt and oxford-style heels and it's super cute.

Speaking of fashion websites to browse... are you familiar with Cabbages and Roses? I don't know if I like the clothes or just the photoshoot styling, but I like just about everything from Autumn/Winter 2012...

Oooh! Those are lovely photographs. I love ensemble with the plaid skirt and the dark gray sweater; it looks so cozy and the hairstyle they paired it with is just adorable. The picture of the girl with the single braid wearing a beret reminds me a little bit of Jill Pole; perhaps what she'd look like at the beginning of The Silver Chair. I think it's the expression and color palette; that outfit looks as though it would fit nicely with a "dull autumn day".

Sorry, Rosie, I should ask before coming up with extra nicknames. After all, you might not have liked it. Note to self: do not post i)when tired, ii)late at night, iii)in a hurry. The strangest things come out.

No worries, I love nicknames! Receiving them and giving them.

Those brown sandals look so cute and comfortable, Valia! I love the style of the boots, too. They look like they would go really well with some nice leggings or a pair of colored tights and a skirt. Perfect for fall and winter!

I really need to sort through my wardrobe and get rid of stuff that I don't wear or that's worn out. I like the idea of repurposing/refashioning/remaking clothes but have never done it and am not good at figuring out what looks good. Has anyone else refashioned clothes?

Lol, usually when I re-purpose clothes, it means that I've turned them into pajamas. Over-cloroxing things is about the closest I get to remaking stuff. Sometimes I run denim through with a little clorox on the first wash after I buy it to keep the dye from leeching everywhere; one time I forgot that I was soaking a pair of shorts and they stayed in the clorox solution all night. They're kind of pinto-colored now, like a horse, and I think I actually like them better: I call them my "don't care" shorts. They're a fashion statement, to be sure.

Blue and light brown go together awesomely. I have a navy blue lace dress that I wear with a thin brown belt and oxford-style heels and it's super cute.

I concur on the topic of blue and light brown! I love that color combo. If you ever get a picture of that outfit, you should post it on here.

That Autumn 2012 collection is amazing, Melty. I feel a story coming on just looking at it. Oh no, I didn't need more story ideas. Now how am I going to tie them all together? Hmm...

*hangs over aileth's shoulder to get a peek* That'd be a cool story, I'm sure.

Gymmie, you should post a picture. That sounds like a lovely outfit.

Has anyone else refashioned clothes?

Yes. I cut down some old skirts of my mom's and made a couple dresses and a skirt for my little sister. I have two more waiting for the same treatment. I've also got a man's suit coat that I want to cut down into a lady's blazer, but that project has been sitting around for a couple of years now so it doesn't count yet.

I've also got a man's suit coat that I want to cut down into a lady's blazer, but that project has been sitting around for a couple of years now so it doesn't count yet.

Glad to know that I'm not the only one who does that. We had a box of "mending" that got moved three times over 6 years, and I finally opened it up and went through it, discarding most of the stuff in it. I mean, if you haven't even seen it for fifteen years, you probably aren't going to get to it. I have this bad habit of taking things apart to alter, and then never quite getting them back together. (I love seam-ripping, provided it's not the fifth time I'm taking out the seam I just sewed )

Thank you for sharing that pattern, aileth! It's lovely! My favorite is the one on the left... that pattern in a lovely gingham fabric would make for one very happy Rose

The dress I have in mind (and the material in the closet) will use the bodice from that pattern, but with short sleeves and a square-cut neck. Black on black, with a bright yellow under the chiffony layer for the skirt. I do still have the first dress I made from that pattern; I rarely wear it. It is quite hot, and though I can still get into things I made when I was 16, they don't really fit anymore