Bloomers To That. It's Just Capri Pants

Back in April this year I originally shared on Facebook(see photo below) my mock up of a capri pant design I wanted to produce. There's a lot of these knocking about so I wanted to be a little different, to put my own stamp on them, so to speak. I knew from experience I wanted them to be a slim fit and below the knee to give the most flattering look to the shape of the leg. They needed to be ruffled. Well, I have a small ruffle addiction which I tend to need to nurture here and there ;-) And lace. Lace had to be featured. I just so happen to have a small stock of a gorgeous antique style lace which is the perfect shade of champagne to give a lovely vintage feel to anything. This led to a double ruffle. Now when I say ruffle, this is actually a circular flounce cut from one whole piece of fabric, without seams. This type of flounce reduces the bulk at the top of the 'ruffle' but is full around the bottom with lots of movement. This combined with graduating the flounce from front to back and short to long, goes a long way to emphasising a shapely leg.

So here is the original mock up from April, cute but not quite there

More tweaking of flounces required! So I made them bigger. Eats up the fabric this way, but I think you'll agree, the end result is worth it. I've listed them on Etsy as a made to order item in a choice of fabrics, sizes and with the option to have a standard waistband or a low rise waistband.

Steampunk Swashbuckler Capri Bloomers on Etsy

Golden Jubillee Sale at Vaudeville Gypsy

Over the Bank Holiday for HM Golden Jubilee I shall be running a sale over at Vaudeville Gypsy on Etsy. My shop has a range of Tribal Fusion and Steampunk inspired costume and accessories. Many if not most of my pieces are OOAK, unique and made using a combination of Vintage and Antique treasures for the Belly Dance community and beyond. They are all handmade by me using good quality materials and with care and attention to detail.

Some pieces have rare pieces of Antique french jet or beautiful bullion braid, dating from the Victorian period. I love the 1920s and have produced flapper headdresses from these treasures.

1920s Flapper style headdress with beautiful Antique French Jet and Bullion Braid

Orchid & Poppy 20s Flapper headdress with Vintage treasures in Gold, Black and Pink

Also included in the sale will be several Gypsy Twist skirts, my asymmetrical take on the hip accent, overskirt or hip wrap. These can be worn in several different ways, worn down, tied up one or both sides, or even as a poncho style shoulder wrap. Great for covering tums and bums!

Gypsy Twist Tribal Fusion Skirt Hip Wrap for Belly Dance in Gold Black Lurex

Not forgetting my Ruffle N Bustle skirts. These are great fun. They too can be worn in several ways because of the incorporated channels. All up they make a great bustle skirt.

OOAK Ruffle N Bustle Tribal Bellydance Skirt in Lace

The Jubilee Sale starts on Friday 1st June and runs until close of play Monday 4th June. 

Visit: 

VAUDEVILLE GYPSY 

SALE ends Midnight Tonight (30/04/12) on ALL Hair Jewels

Get 25% off all Hair Jewels in my Etsy Shop until midnight tonight. Prices start at just £3.75 for Vintage Button Bobby Pins. Included are Tribal Fusion Headdresses, Bridal Hair Ornaments and sparkling diamante Hair Combs. Like most of my creations these have beautiful antique and vintage elements for a special and unique look.

Visit Vaudeville Gypsy on Etsy

An Heirloom for the Future

For the past few weeks I have been quietly working on a tribal fusion bellydance belt. It's been a labour of love from the start. I was lucky enough to discover a stunning piece of Art Nouveau fabric from what must have been a heartbreakingly beautiful dress. The fragment from the past formed the idea in my head for a deluxe piece of tribal fusion art.

It takes time, patience and a fair bit of disposable cash to find treasures to adorn a deluxe belt. I was lucky enough to have been given some Victorian gold metal bullion braid by my mother. It has the most exquisite metal thread work and sequins hand embroidered onto purple velvet. My mother was initially horrified I'd cut a piece for the belt! thankfully now she's seen the finished piece she loves it, phew!

The belt has a true feel of Orientalism about it and a touch of Egyptian Revival. The colours are based on black with blues, purples and various shades of gold weaved through the design. Many of the sequins are iridescent which creates fabulous movement. Several vintage and antique buttons in glass and brass have been dotted around the piece to further catch the light. Art Deco jewels are centred at the back. Vintage Japan glass chain forms a fringe along with beaded tassels.

It's a treasure trove of historical delights waiting to adorn a belly dancer wanting to be transported back to a bygone age.

OOAK Dark Fusion Flapper Belt

These are a few of my favourite things...on Etsy

It doesn't take long to get throughly addicted to looking at all the beautiful things people make on Etsy. If you have even a passing interest in bellydance you can find some of the most talented artists all in one place. So to share a handful of them I made a little treasury...

Dance Like There's Nobody Watching

January Sale at Vaudeville Gypsy

OOAK Ruffle N Bustle Steampunk Bellydance Skirt

Here's to 2012 being a great year for everyone, full of happiness and fulfillment. It has started off well as I am working on an exciting costume project for a Suffolk dancer. I look forward to being able to show you photos in due course. As I am concentrating on this costume, there will be a very limited selection of new items in the Vaudeville Gypsy Etsy store during January. However I am having a January sale. You can receive a 20% discount off any of the  items currently listed by entering the code JAN12 at checkout.

Visit my Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/VaudevilleGypsy

Tribal Fusion Feather & Flower Hair Ornament

Steampunk White Lace Ruffle Cuffs

Sale this Weekend at Vaudeville Gypsy on Etsy

All this weekend(12/13 November '11), I am having a sale on lace fingerless glove, gauntlets and ruffle cuffs. There are various colours and styles available. They make a beautiful finishing touch to an outfit or costume for Tribal Bellydance, Steampunk, Renaissance Faires, Weddings or just a super Romantic look.

Each pair has been listed with 30% off the usual price. So Ruffle Cuffs are down from £15 to £10.50 and gloves/gauntlets are down from £10 to £7.50.  All are made with beautiful stretch lace, in a variety of vintage style patterns.

Full details can be found in this section of my shop on Etsy: Vaudeville Gypsy Tribal Bellydance

Here are a few examples...click the photo caption to go to the listing

SALE Tribal Bellydance Black Lace Ruffled Wrist Cuffs Steampunk Victorian Gothic

SALE Steampunk Tribal Bellydance White Lace Ruffle Cuffs

SALE Lace Fingerless Gloves White with Black Delicate Design

SALE Magenta and Purple Lace Fingerless Gloves

New Gypsy Twist Skirt Design Completed for ArtFire

I finally have gotten round to finishing, photographing and listing my new skirt design at Vaudeville Gypsy. I'm so pleased with how it's turned out. It really has a gorgeous shape when worn, is extremely flattering and moves beautifully. I wish I had been able to get more of this printed fabric but this is going to be a complete one off with this combination of elements. I think I've achieved a good balance in fusing style elements from Victorian/Edwardian and early 1920s Flappers. It's asymmetrical, ruched, gathered, swagged and made with lots of love! One side is open to thigh high to allow ease of movement when dancing. I hope you like it!

Click HERE to be taken to my ArtFire shop

Studio Sale @ Vaudeville Gypsy on ArtFire

I'm spreading the love this Valentines by holding a studio-wide sale on ArtFire. I have a nice selection of hair jewels from bobby pins to headbands to glamorous fascinators. Great for a mysterious evening assignation! My hair ornaments are heavily influenced by Vintage aesthetics and use beautiful elements including Vintage jewellery, feathers and millinery flowers. Also in the studio you can find other handmade jewellery and accessories, tribal costuming and signed Vintage pieces.

Visit Vaudeville Gypsy's 20% off SALE

So if you'd like to find something unique for a loved one, or even to treat yourself, please take a look whilst my Sale is on

Swagged Gypsy Twist Tribal Fusion Skirt

Managed to take a couple of photos of the swagged Gypsy Twist  hip accent skirt. It has a deep swag front and back and it really accentuates curves and hip movements, perfect for all those shimmies and omis!

21st Century Vamps, Tribal Goddesses and Ruffles ahoy...

I've been putting this off for some time now, but spurred on by my friend Anna and her newly started blog annamaltoys I've taken the plunge and created my very own blog. I suppose I ought to introduce myself and what I'm about.

Vaudeville Gypsy is born of my love of Tribal Fusion and ATS Belly Dance, the Silent Film era, Art Deco and Victorian Vaudeville. These things all go to influence my designs. I originally trained as a jeweller and also went on to train/work in costume and props. Vaudeville Gypsy is my outlet for my creative ideas, be they jewellery, costume or accessories. I like to make beautiful things to adorn 21st century vamps and tribal goddesses.

Autumn Rose Gold Feather Fascinator

 

 

I collect vintage jewellery and I also like to re-use and re-vamp vintage and antique jewels and textiles within the pieces I make. From Sari fabrics to Victorian applique; from Art Deco dress clips to Atomic age brooches, I like to take forgotten pieces and give them a new lease of life so they may be treasured and loved once more.

Vintage Diamanté & Feather Fascinator

I've been poorly this last week and have lots of work to catch up on, so I won't write much more today. I was supposed to be going in to hospital for a small op but ironically have not been well enough to do so! I'm trying to muster the energy to make some Gypsy Twist skirts and a bra/matching skirt combo as I have an event this weekend coming, To The Beat Of The Drum 2 - A Day and Night of Arabic Dance where I shall be offering up some of my creations.

My latest toys are some new feet for my vintage Elna SU62 sewing machine. I can't even start to tell you how ridiculously excited I am about them: a gathering foot and a RUFFLER foot, oh the joy! I will let you know how I get along with them next time and hopefully post some photos too.