Why things take so long (or, my name is Julia and I am a perfectionist)

I suffer from perfectionism in a fairly extreme way...this can be a good thing when wanting to be in fashion, particularly in design and production. However, it does mean that sometimes things can take ALOT longer than they need too! I tend to include design features in my pieces that require alot of attention to detail. Before I get on with my sewing for the day (and I really mean it this time ), here is an insight into why things often take me so long.

Toile of palazzo suit pants...waaay to wide...there's palazzo and then there's just crazy.

Fitting the jacket....I wanted a really fitted look but it was made more complicated and time consuming because of all the design lines.

Jacket placket width had to perfect! It is a faux placket but still needs to be exact.

Cutting out long bias strips at home can be annoying...oh for a big huge pattern table....pretty please Jon?

Again, our dining room table just isn't quite big enough. Our lounge/dining room area is full of light though and is lovely to work in.

Design for mini kaftan in golden orange silk cotton blend...each 1mm (0.5cm) knife pleat has to be indivually pressed and sewn in...

My beloved domestic iron passed on to me from mum...definietly not as good as an industrial but it is great for pressing these tiny seams.

It took ALOT of experimentation before finally perfecting my current technique to get these knife pleats straight and perfect. And alot of practise. And alot of fabric, equalling more $. But you cant put a price on perfectionism! : )

My chaotic sewing room!

In a nutshell...

/// How fabulous is this?

/// GUCCI

/// GUESS

/// GUCCI

/// ULTIMATE RUNWAY!

/// HOT!

Two weeks to go! I've taken a break from my sewing machine to get on my blog. My last entry was a bit schmultzy. I'm going to take this entry in a much more fashion focused direction. I got a second wind with my whole collection and feel really strongly about the direction I am taking now, and perhaps into the future.
Procrastinating when I'm stressed and under the pump is somthing I do extaordinarily well! I've put together a collection of images that I find inspiring.

Enjoy

///Audrey Hepburn has been an idol of mine from about the age of 10 when I first saw My Fair Lady. I love Alexa Chung, she is so effortlessly chic. Nicole Richie, as much as I hate to say it, is a current style icon of mine. She has come a long way since 'The Simple Life' with Paris Hilton. I love her Winter Kate line and am envious of her vintage Halston pieces! She has my wardrobe!

///I took inspiration from the colours, style and culture of St Tropez in the south of France for my collection. Originally it played a key role in my design process which wasn't going to have swimwear but obviously has evolved from that because I now have four swimsuit pieces in the collection.

/// I just adore Halston! I never really knew much about him and what he achieved in the 70's. So many of the sillouettes for dresses used in contemporary design are taken from his bias draped, revealing disco gowns. He unashamedly designed for the 'beautiful people' as he called them...at the time women like Bianca Jagger and Lauren Hutton. I have a newfound love for the 70's since starting my collection, in fact, I've become rather obsessed! So much of it fashion wise was awful but SO much of it was so chic and pure sex...Love it!

/// LOVE TOM FORD. LOVE HIS CAMPAIGNS>BIG IINSPIRATION FOR KEY LOOK AND PHOTOGRAPHY SHOOT

///I have already featured Abby Lee in an earlier blog but these images are from the Vogue story that really began it all for me. Big big inspiration. (Australian Vogue, March 2010)

Family, Friends and Fashion

Live Well

Laugh Much

Love Often

I have regretably been a rather neglectful blogger through this crazy process. I have managed to keep in check with my timeline on all the other aspects of my collection. Well, c'est la vie! Im blogging now (she types with a grin on her face) and although I only have a few weeks till parade, this is by far the most exciting (and insane) bit so best to be blogging now anyway!

In this post I have decided to acknowledge what makes me, well, me! No doubt anyone who knows me will know that I have a slight love affair with being the centre of attention...not in a precocious way (I hope!) but rather, in a fabulous way...I am a fashion student after all!

In high school I was a drama student and from childhood I always wanted to be an actress. I had many obsessions...I believe at age 11 I wanted to be a dog breeder...at 16 I wanted to be a back-up dancer for Janet Jackson. At 18 I moved to the US to work as an Au Pair in America where I lived in Connecticut and New York for over a year. At 22 I moved to London to work in a pub and travel around Europe. You could say I have long been a drifter. The one thing that has remained a constant in my life however has been fashion.

For as long as I can remember having conscience thought I have loved fashion. As a child my mum tells me it was quite common for me to have up to 4, even 5 outfit changes in a day. I would style my dolls, my friends...even my mum...who has little fashion sense (and this doesn't seem to bother her?!)

I cant imagine a world without fashion!

This is me with my Nanna when I was 6. Even now at age 92 she always takes the time to look her best. She taught me to always match my handbag and shoes and to blot my lip stick on a tissue. She would paint my nails in a clear polish as a special treat - my mum didn't like me to wear nail polish!

Showing off my party dress for my 7th Birthday. This remains perhaps one of my most favourite dresses ever! For me there is somthing magical about putting on a new dress! My birthday is in April and always a little cool...I remeber thinking there couldn't be a more perfect dress in all the world! This one had three layers of petticoats and a beautiful silk satin black sash...divine!

Even bush walking in 1989 was done with flair and style. The ubiquitous 1980's Ra Ra dress and matching coloured shoe laces seems a little over the top for bush walking but I guess that sum's me up really...a young woman with a sense of adventure and a sense of style! : ) My brother (complete in this picture with plastic sword to cut through the path - a must when bush walking in the late 80's) has, thankfully, moved on from puff paint T Shirts.

By the time I was 14 I was very aware of the fact that my small allowance would not handle my need for clothes. Thus I started working at McDonalds as early as federal law would allow. By 16 I was able to go on my first shopping trip to Melbourne. It was 1999 and Kookai wasn't even in Adelaide! My best friend worked at Hungry Jacks and though I cant believe it now, our parents allowed us to go by ourselves! We saved our penny's and paid for our own flights, accomodation and of course shopping! I still love to display all my purchases on my bed to look over fondly after a really great shopping trip!

Since 2007 I have been with my wonderful partner in life Jon. We both share a love of the ocean and a keen sense of adventure. We have a deep connection with the South Australian coast line and an ongoing love affair with the beautiful island of Bali. Although Jon loves cars and I love couture, I think it's our opposites that keep each other balanced!

Relaxing on a quiet beach in northern Bali...far away from Kuta Beach!!

This is a favourite picture of mine - Jon and his two best mates after a surf up in Indonesia.

As I have gotten older, traveled, changed jobs, made new friends and lost old ones, I have learnt that it is just so important to make the most of everyday and to be grateful for what I have been blessed with. That sounds rather poncy and spiritual but it is just so true! I wont pretend to not be a 'drama queen' on occasion (okay, rather frequently) but I think I balance that out with a well earned lust for life. Im not a hippy, I'm just a girl whose grateful for what she's got!

I keep this quote on my fridge:

Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart

-Unknown