Otakon 2012 and the future

Hello everyone!

 Hopefully you haven't been missing me too much. I'm rather bad at blogging. I always say I'm going to keep up with this better, and I know how annoying that is. What really seems to be happening is that I'm posting more often on the I Do Declare facebook page and forgetting about the blog!So If you're hankering for info and I've been lazy here. . Make sure to check the IDD facebook page!

Moving on to what everyone really wants: pictures!

You've all seem mot of the the pieces from this show before. . but the last two looks are the brand new I Do Declare print! It's a collaboration with the fantastic blog and accessory brand Moss Marchen. The print is  inspired by medieval reliquaries, momento mori artwork and Victorian dolls.

Moss Marchen made the most gorgeous accessories to match the print. The girls are both wearing necklaces and hair clips/broaches!

The print needs a few little corrections before I release it, but it will be coming soon!

Here are a few little detail shots of the print. I drew the print myself! Finally putting that visual arts training to good use.

First three photos are credited to Moss Marchen And forgive me for the instagram on the last two! (But if you want you can follow me there as Aldhelm)

Don't forget about the I Do Declare facebook page!

Dances of Vice: ROCKABILLY Night Market

 

Hey everyone! I hope we'll see you tonight at the DOV: ROCKABILLY Night Market! 

I Do Declare will have a booth selling all kinds of frilly goodness. We'll also be sharing a booth with Sci-Fly Cosmetics! I can't wait to see what Bianca has in store for us with her hand blended mineral make-ups. 

Fancy news too, IDD will be able to accept credit cards!

<3

Mention this post and get $10 off your purchase with IDD~!

The Perfect Shoe

Now most of you know I normally only post strictly I do Declare content, but today I'm breaking from that tradition to share something fabulous~!

Would you look at that gorgeousness? These are the upcoming Pompadour shoes from American Duchess. I'll let you all in on a little secret, I'm currently working on a pile of new 18th century inspired pieces that would go perfectly with these fantastic shoes~!

You can find them available for pre-order at http://www.american-duchess.com/

I know for certain that I'm investing in a pair!

I Do Declare summer 2012 collection

Inspired by the film Picnic at Hanging Rock, this collection is without a doubt my favorite.  I'm so pleased with how all of the pieces came out. The quality is top-notch and I love the unity in color!

My first full dandy suit! I love seersucker, especially with a look like this~! 

 This piece is from the Winter collection but now re-styled for summer.

The blouse is a very light cotton swiss-dot and the pinafore is the same seersucker as the suit.

I wanted to do a really childlike look, so this buttons all the way down the back, like a real Victorian pinafore.

 

 This style is one I like best, a princess dress with a yoke collar. I've made a pile of variations, but this is one of my favorites.

 A regency inspired dress. This one is trimmed with vintage lace, and has pockets!

 Bustles are something you don't see everyday. I paired this seersucker bustle skirt with my favorite I Do Declare chiffon blouse.

This pale peach dress is made from a super soft cotton and rayon blend. It's so light and floaty~! The skirt was made in two layers, the first with band of lace inset and the second supporting the ruffle. 

This gown draws it's inspiration from natrual-kei. It buttons all the way down the front and has registers of gathering and ruffles. It's a very light tea-dyed cotton so perfect for summer lounging~!

And last but not least, a wedding gown. I've always wanted to make one and doing an entire collection in cream and white was the perfect excuse. Made in a lustrous silk dupioni, it has a wide square neckline and is trimmed with opulent gathering and lace ruffles. 

I hope you all liked this latest collection~! I'll be working hard to get the pieces up for sale in the next few days.

Many thanks to all my gorgeous models including Martha of Moss Marchen (formerly Moss Garden) and Koda of Perianth, and to Zoh of Morrigan for organizing the event~!

A Victorian Sucess~!

Thank you so much to all the wonderful people who participated in and attended yesterdays show~! I've never been more pleased with a collection before~! I've posted a few more photos on the IDD facebook page~! More here soon!

I Do Declare Spring/Summer 2012 Sneek peek

You guys know how much I love stripes right?

19th Century Society: Steampunk and Neo-Victorian fashion show

Hi everyone! I hope your schedules are clear for next weekend! The New York 19th Century Society (founded by Zoh of Morrigan NYC) is throwing an Extravaganza~! The weekend is going to include all kinds of fun tours, demonstrations and activities, as well as a Neo-Victorian fashion show which I Do Declare will be part of.

I've been working overtime to create some fantastic new pieces for the show, so I hope all of you lovely ladies and gentlemen in the NYC area will drop by on the 29th to see the show!

I'm thrilled to be showing along side some very talented designers including Kambriel,  Purevile and Berít New York!

Model recruiting!

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen!

I Do Declare is looking for a few good people in the NYC area to model for us in a fashion show at the end of April! All sizes and genders are welcome.

If you are interested please send an email with a picture, your height, measurements, and shoe size to I_dodeclare@hotmail.com

Thank you
~Kelsey

For my Sweets: MERINGUExGOLD

Just three more looks from the show left~! Here is one of my personal favorites. A white matte/satin stripe dress trimmed with gold lace and chiffon ruffles and (my number one piece in the show) a white chiffon blouse with fantastic billowy sleeves and a removable jabot.



The front and back of the dress bodice are cut in chevrons again, much like the yellow dress. There are eight yards of six inch wide gold lace and seven yards of gold braid along the ruffles and neckline of this dress. I really love white and gold together. I'm hoping to add more blouses like this to future collections.

I hope you all liked this look too~!

For my Sweets: PEPPERMINTxSTRIPE

Hello lovelies~! Here is another look from the Dances of Vice show in December! For once I finally did some boystyle. If you know me in everyday life you'll know that I ADORE menswear. I love button down shirts, menswear fabrics, and above all else I love bow ties~! This particular look was originally supposed to be worn by a man. . but sadly it had to be switched at the last second. The lovely Koda of Perinath stepped up the the plate and wore this look for me.

The salopette is made in a very fine black wool with red pinstripes and it's lined in red as well. The shirt is a men's style peter-pan collar shirt with red and taupe stripes.


I love salopettes because they are so comfortable! And i love the practicality. I made this one with roomy pockets for everything you need to carry!




The bow tie, hat, and shoes are all vintage, but in the summer collection I'm hoping to make my own bow ties! I hope you all liked this look!

For my Sweets: SUGARxCAKE

This look was inspired by fancy frosted layer cakes! I picked this satin and matte stripe to look a little like the layers themselves.

The blouse is made from the most delicate white swiss-dotted cotton with a matching jabot and bow in her hair. I really love making blouses like this. It has a small peterpan collar that was designed to be worn with a bow tie! At the last minute I decided I liked the little jabot better then a yellow bowtie.


The hem is scalloped and trimmed with this adorable vintage Venice lace. It makes me think of delicate piped frosting designs.


The front and back of the bodice are cut so that the striped in the material come together in chevrons. haha I love making bodices like this! I'm sure it's clear by now since whenever I work with striped material I always manage to work chevrons into the front or the back of bodies!
I hope you guys liked this look too~!

For my Sweets: CREMExDExMENTHE

Mint is one of my favorite flavors. I love mint Ice cream, and mint gum and mint anything really~! So when I decided to make a mint dress I thought I might as well make it with all the elements I love in dresses.



It's a super soft cotton velvet with long full sleeves, a dropped waist, pleated skirt, and a lace yoke collar. haha It's not to much is it?


I really love the luster this fabric has and yet in person it's not shiny at all and just reads as a really beautiful rich green. I think deep rich colors like this are gorgeous with lolita styles. The color and the fabric make it seem so luxurious!



I hope you guys like it~! I also added a few of the items form the show to the etsy shop! I'm sorry I'm being so slow with everything.

For my Sweets: REDxGOLD

Red and gold is possibly my favorite color combination. It's elegant, vibrant and it can read as something military in a flashy 18th century sort of way.

Can you guess what sort of sweet she is? A Napoleon! I know it doesn't really look like a napoleon at all but I really love making things with a military style. And I just had to do something with this fantastic gold brocade. Under the jacket the dress has a very low scoop neck that is just perfect for setting off your favorite blouse.



The blouse is one of my favorites. The ruffle at the neck frames the face is such a delicate way, and the ruffles cuffs make hands look so dainty! I like the very feminine blouse with the more severe dress and jacket too.

The Jacket is a very fine 100% wool twill and is lined with silk. My obsession with peplums is showing again here. I love those elegant 18th century riding suits. I was hoping to bring something like that to mind with this outfit.



I hope you guys like this outfit too~!

For my Sweets: LAVENDERxCREAM

The next piece from the show I'd like to share is another of the first ones I made. The theme for this outfit was a lavender petit four. I just adore those dainty little tea cakes!


This look started out as something that was supposed to look very regency. . and without the jacket and the bonnet I think it does! Sadly I forgot to get pictures of just the dress! With the brocade jacet and bonnet I think the look moves more into an 1830s-ish style. I know a lot of people find that decade rather unfortunate for women's clothing but I find it so charming!



The model is Victoria of Parfait Doll! She's such a sweetheart to model for me again. I really think the lavender floral pattern in the jacket and the bonnet suits her. I really love working with heavy fabrics like brocades, so jackets and winter weight dresses are some of my favorite things to make.



This was my first time making a buckram base bonnet instead of a straw summer bonnet. This one didn't come out exactly as I wanted it to. I may still add more lace and a ruffle around the face, but all in all it came out petty well for my first try.


The back of the jacket has a split peplum. I'm a big fan of peplums on jackets worn with lolita. I think it adds that little bit of extra femininity without going to far over the top. The lace used on the hem (and sleeves and collar) of the dress is a fantastic vintage lace I found. I wish I'd bought all of it when I found it! I split what I had between this dress and a commission I was working on at the same time. It looks like stylized leaves. It's so perfect for romantic looks.




I hope you guys liked this look~!