I'm Back, and I'm a College Grad! Part One - Catch Up Time: My Sewing Completions Since February

As usual guys, apologies for my long absence!

These past few months I was thoroughly wrapped up in my Senior year at Fashion Institute of Technology, and as of Thursday, May 23rd, 2013...

I'M AN OFFICIAL COLLEGE GRADUATE!

It's been a very long and arduous time at FIT. The past 4 years were enriching, yet brutal. I learned so much, but at the same time sacrificed a lot of my life and free time. Being a Fashion Design major is a double edged sword in that sense, but I'll never regret doing it. Fashion Design is my calling, my lifestyle, and what I've wanted to do since I was nine years of age. I've been doing it for so long, I just had to keep running with it. 

Fashion Design is not easy. It's not like what you see on TV. It takes hard work, dedication, and talent. It's the farthest thing from glamorous. Being a designer doesn't always mean you want to be the next big thing in fashion or have your garments strutting the runway on Fashion Week―at least for me it isn't.

I found my true calling as a Children's Wear Designer before I realized it. When I designed Women's Wear, not only were they highly alternative (mostly Lolita inspired, Street Fashion inspired, Vintage, etc.), but they were very youthful. My professors told me that they couldn't really see the garments I designed on women. I fretted about it at first, and tried to change my aesthetics to fit a more mature demographic, but then I thought 

"Why am I trying to be someone I'm not?"

Then it hit me. All along I've been doing the wrong thing. I can design alternative fashion for youth. I can be a Children's Wear designer.

Yes, I do still make clothing for adults. I make lolita dresses to fit women. I do edgy and punky styled garments now and again for women too, and enjoy it very much, but more so like a hobby. 

For a career? I can do Children's garments forever. 

I love designing frilly little party dresses, play clothes, streetwear, dancewear, and even sometimes active wear for kids. However, Party/Special Occasion dresses are my downright specialty. 

Okay this post has gotten a bit lengthy, so let me get to the point! 

I know you're all here for photos after all! 

In our senior year, all Senior fashion design students are hard at work on their Senior Thesis, which is creating garments to be submitted for judging to get into our school fashion show, you can read more about this here and here if you would like. 

There are different specializations, Children's Wear, Evening Wear, Intimate Apparel, Knitwear, and Sportswear. Everyone worked hard sewing their garments in hopes of it being chosen for the show. 

You can also watch the fashion show in its entirety here.

Or starting from Children's Wear on my Tumblr page.

I was also chosen as the official blogger for the Children's Wear Specialization on the school's Fashion Show coverage blog, Future of Fashion!

You can see all the posts I made in my tag! 

There you can also see some of my fellow classmates work that I showcased!

Thus what I'd been working on since February.

Lets start out with the theme I chose, Baroque Romance.

This was a great season trend and I found it to be relavent, therefore I was certain to use it. Baroque is a beautiful aesthetic that I've always admired. 

And I made a Blue and Black Silk Brocade Dress in Size 5. It has a Sparkle and Dot Tulle yoke, flared hem, and a dramatic bow at the back with sparkle tulle trim.

I was ecstatic when it was chosen for the fashion show. I truly felt like all my hard work paid off.

Photo via Fashionista.com!

Link to my Tumblr Post

Then for class we were to have two other looks that were cohesive to our theme. One was supposed to be a cotton piece for the Cotton Inc. contest that every design student could participate. I decided not to submit mines however. 

This simple pale blue cotton shift dress with gilded lace was the result. 

It also had a matching blue velveteen peplum jacket which sadly failed in its construction. I've thus discarded it. It sounds dismal, but as a designer, we do have failures from time to time. It's all part of the learning experience. Never take them to heart, just pick up the pieces and move along.

Lastly, for my third garment, I created an adorable Deep Purple Cotton Dress with a Jacquard-esque print. I made this dress in a very short amount of time, so I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

It features a ruffled neckline, elastic ruched straps, black lace trim, and black satin sash. 

Now for some artsy fartsy photos of my two favorite dresses of the three together...

So there you have it for part one of my catch up! 

There's a little bit more left to see, so look out for:

• My Process Film: Documenting My Creative Process through Filmography
• My First Photo Shoot: Feeling Like a True Professional
• What's Next: My Plans for the Future

Four part blog series!

I couldn't cram everything into one post, and I'm still waiting on the edited images from my photo shoot!

Then it'll back to your regularly scheduled programming. I have to finish that Midnight Pastoral JSK (yea, I never started it, though I've led everyone to believe that I had, my apologies. Nothing holds me back anymore so expect an amazing Lolita completion soon, and sale of said JSK! Not keeping it!)