Vintage Simplicity 7332

My love of all things 70's strikes again.  Another little ebay purchase from 2016. I really liked the look of the V neck strap. I was even considering trying the stripe version with the material I was using but didn't want to risk mucking around and maybe making a complete hash of it. 

I bought this lovely light cotton linen blend from Spotlight. I think it was part of their clearance fabrics.  I'm not sure why because the fabric is just perfect.  It's that right summer blend for fabric and the combo of linen and cotton actually means a very low crush factor.  Why oh why can't there be more of these fabrics around.  I even tried to buy some more of this fabric recently on a trip to Spotlight but darn it, they only had about 1m left. 

Soooo back to the pattern.  This was a very easy pattern to work with.  I decided however, not to use the nice bias cut skirt section because it just used up too much material.  Even though these 70's style of dress are great you do need quite a lot more fabric when cutting on the bias.  Anyoldhow, I used the skirt section from one of my other 70's patterns and, in fact, I'll probably get better use out of  my other 70's patterns if I do that. 

This is also another of those smart patterns that has you attach the back bodice and back skirt together, then put in zip before attaching the front to the back. This makes inserting a zip so much easier as you don't have all that extra material to be worrying about, which might get caught up underneath when you are sewing in the zip. I absolutely love this dress. It's so comfortable and cool.  I think the pattern of the material looks fabulous.  So very happy with the end result. A perfect storm of fabric and pattern.  Hooray.  

MTM RIP

Mary Tyler Moore, what can I say.  She was an icon, an inspiration, a role model.  I can safely say, Mary Richards is one of my favourite television characters of all time.  Even though I was a little girl when the Mary Tyler Moore Show was was first on tv, I always knew it was something very special that I was watching. Undoubtedly it was an well written, entertaining sitcom, but overall it was a groundbreaking television program. I was completely in love with the time period, of course the wonderful 70's fashions.  However, when you re-watch the episodes as a woman you realise what a brilliant inspiring character Mary Richards was.  Here was a woman in her 30's, unmarried, living alone, trying to have a career in a male dominated field.  The episodes didn't concentrate on her romantic life and a desire to get married, and her job was just something she did until she met Mr Right.  No, she was more concerned about being taken seriously at work and fighting for equal rights with regard to pay and promotion within her job.  When you think about it, the way Mary looked, she should have been a character in front of the camera, but instead she was a woman who was working behind the scenes in a less glamour field, a news room.  

I only mention my love of Mary Tyler Moore in my blog because she is without a doubt my all time favourite fashion icon.  Maybe when I was in my early 20's I could pull off some of her wonderful fashions. But alas I'd have to work very hard to achieve that super svelte physique. I remember how much I loved re-watching this show, particularly for the fashion.  I now own the complete series so I shall be spending many a weekend catching up on the series and enjoying it all over again.  I started watching season 3 this weekend and no matter how many episodes I watch in a row, I never can skip the opening theme song. Again, that theme song is most possibly the best theme song any television show has had (though Rockford Files comes a close second).  And one of my favourite bands, Husker Du, did a wonderful version of Love is All Around . Who can turn your world on with a smile, Mary Tyler Moore that's who!!!

  

The most interesting thing about her passing is how many women have been inspired by her.  It didn't matter if they weren't an attractive, skinny, middle class white girl, she was an inspiration to all women and what they could achieve. I'm sure many a young girl or woman watched this show and realised that  women finally had a place in the workforce.  As a person, and as her character she broke a glass ceiling which all women should be grateful for. 

As the Mary Tyler Moore Show came to it's conclusion in 1977, another icon was being born. It was a princess from a galaxy far far away who was going to be a role model for another generation of women for decades to come. 

So sad you are gone, so glad you left us with some brilliant television.