Mr. L and I in our Filipino traditional outfits |
Anyhow, when we got invited to his mate's wedding, I immediately announced that that would be a chance for him to wear his barong tagalog again... not much resistance from him but with the proviso that I should wear a Philippine outfit, too. That's the story behind my Mestiza dress sewing project.
Closer shots of the dress:
Pink cotton peplum dress with orchid lace panel |
Mestiza dresses are traditionally made of expensive materials, such as silks and/or laces, or materials indigenous to the Philippines, like pineapple, jusi or banana fabric. Since I had no access to indigenous fabrics, was on a budget, strapped for time and didn't want too much attention, I decided to make it relatively casual and added a peplum to make it a bit up-to-date. The lace panel was an afterthought as the pinkiness overwhelmed me.
The characteristic flat sleeves of a Mestiza dress |
Needless to say, I was pleased with this creation... still am - I feel a surge of happiness every time I look at these photos. Although a bit more practice, especially on the sleeve construction, would greatly help.
Give credit where credit is due... heartfelt thanks to Rhonda of Rhonda's Creative Life for her help with those flat sleeves. She's an angel.