Delightful Dress Forms!

Walk into any shabby chic or french boutique

and you'll see a dress form in one way, shape or form!

Dress forms are made of so many different materials, they make

versatile display pieces. Scanning through my photo album over the last year, I realized I photographed many creative dress forms and I thought I'd share!

 At first glance this looks like a tumbleweed! I spotted this outside a dress shop in Biloxi, Mississippi. The dress shop owner said after Hurricane Katrina, this dress form appeared on the front lawn of the shop! The owner felt if it landed there, it was meant to be there, so she stood it up and it has welcomed her customers since then!

Some dress forms are actually working forms seamstresses 

can adjust to the size of the person they are creating a garment for -

and its my experience many shabby chic lovers do not care what condition they are in
- the shabbier the better!

Many a dress form grace shop windows to draw in customers and spark conversations.

A friend and I were window shopping in St. Helena, CA when we passed by this window -

the top half was like metal armor pieced together and the bottom skirt was made from  burlap and linen fabric pieced together!

One of the most unusual dress forms I have encountered was this striking 'mermaid' form!

The texture of the wicker top half is a great contrast to the grassy ruffled skirt, and I love how the bodice is cinched together. Seeing this form from a distance grabbed my attention and made me cross a street to check it out much closer - AND I ventured into the shop where it welcomed me!

Natural materials were also used for this 'angel' dress form 

seen outside a florist shop during the holiday season!

This shabby angel is an artistic assemblage welcoming visitors to Magnolia Pearl's space
 in Round Top, Texas.  With so many unusual details in this piece of artwork, it draws you in closer to check them out!

I love how this satin blouse is a stark contrast to the rough burlap skirt!

Dress forms are used by museums to display historical attire . . .
and 'haute couture' from all eras!

The peacock feathered skirt on this dress form takes the cake!

 
 Seen in Benicia Antique Mall,
 it's all tied up with a big red bow!

 This is one of the most beautiful draped dress forms I've seen!
Spotted in Anthropologie's window, whoever created this. . .

was an expert at draping fabric and using quilter's pins!
I just love how the pins follow the contour of the dress for
and create a design that becomes the focal point.

From elaborate dresses and high fashion to simple uses for display.
dress forms are essential to retailers, dress makers, and designers.This dress form displays multiple brooches at Cobwebs Antiques, in Bishop, CA

And sometimes they are just another cherished treasure in your home!

Whispering Pines Antiques - Amarillo, Texas

 Once we entered Texas on Route 66 while on our road trip,  I quickly checked the back of my Romantic Homes Magazine to see if any shops were close by. Little did I know I was about to find a fellow blogger and a place I want to get back to soon!

 Lucky for me, nestled between a row of antique shops on 6th  Street, in the Historic San Jacinto District of Amarillo, Texas, I found a unique home decor shop,Whispering Pines Antiques.  

After being on the road a while, and then entering this shop with its welcoming country prairie theme, the homey atmosphere made me want to just settle in for the day.  I have a particular fondness for all things bee related, so when one of the first accessories I saw was the bee skip atop this cupboard, I knew I had found a kindred spirit in shop keeper Angie Mitchell. Angie was so welcoming and gave me all kinds of information about where to shop in the area.

Then I looked down and saw the checkered floor - similar to Melange's, but not set on the diagonal - another sign!   I was in awe over the way Angie layered her linens on the twin bed in the middle of the shop - there was burlap, and leopard, grain sacks and linen and it all worked beautifully together.  

 

 A fireplace sits center stage and even though my visit landed in the dog days of summer,  it seemed to call you in to stay a while.

This tabletop display shows how Angie brings the outside in by incorporating pine cones, greenery, antlers and lots of pine wood to carry on the cabin feel.

Surprises pop up in smaller vignettes - here a vintage pair of ladies lace up boots sits perched alongside a vintage bottle and vanilla scented candle.

A pine bough wraps itself around vintage crib springs - a pair of shutters tucked away behind while a gorgeous carved chair presents itself in front.

Angie has a second twin bed dressed in the second room. I love the way the white linens were layered with the earth tone floral giving it a pop of crispness.  A breakfast tray sits on the bed complete with plates and napkins.  At this end of the bed, two busts sit with another serving of dishes - perhaps company is coming?

Heading back into the main room I looked up and there was a full size canoe suspended from the ceiling!  The pine paneling throughout the main room provides a honey hued glow and serves as a perfect backdrop for displaying forest greens, warm reds and even a shabby piece or two.

Good lighting makes an impact without being obvious and Angie has it down.  Lamps cast soft glows to accent various pieces such as on this vignette of a salvaged grate,  a bowl of vintage photographs and a couple big Texan seashells.

The natural light cast on this dress form sporting a garden apron makes you think she's going to grab the basket and head out into the crisp morning to gather flowers or pick the daily vegetables in the garden.

The shabby porch railing was one of my favorite pieces in her shop.  The ghost and green pumpkins filling up the pull cart next to it left nothing to imagine - it was easy to picture it on my own front porch. As I thought about Whispering Pines Antiques, it is that which makes it such a beautiful escape - anyone can walk into this store and see a use for the merchandise. So stop by whenever you are in Amarillo!  
There are 17 antique shops and malls next to Whispering Pines Antiques
located at 2727 SW 6th Ave - a quick jaunt off Interstate 40 on historic Route 66. 
And if you can't get there right away - visit Angie's blog www.whisperingpinecottage.net - you can't get much better than a virtual coffee break with Angie and her gorgeous shop!

Corn Husks and Fur Stoles

One pastime I cherish is shopping for treasures! Finding a special piece at a incredible price gives me a great sense of accomplishment. Doing this with my sister or with friends makes this pastime all the more sweeter. I love to refinish old furniture, create one of a kind gift items or repurpose my treasures for my home or to sell in my space at Melange, a unique vintage store in Historic Folsom, California.

Out by myself one day, I ventured into the back room of a furniture store and spied this bust. Dress forms and busts are a hot commodity at Melange and whenever we get them in, they fly out the door, especially unusual or vintage ones. But my heartstrings were tugging at me to get this even though at the time I didn't know why - there was something about this one that I did not want to give up! A past season accessory, it was on sale!

This bust was covered with corn husks, and me being a farmer's wife, the raw earthiness of it appealed to me. Unfortunately, there was black mold growing underneath the husks so I decided to strip them off. Armed with a spray bottle of water, I attacked it for days, peeling and scraping. After three days I only got about half off! So I decided to soak the whole bust in my laundry tub!
After two days of soaking, I managed to get off all the husks, but now the bust was filled with water - there were hairline cracks in the fiberglass form so I maneuvered the bust into position in the sink to drain the water. If someone had peeked in my laundry room window they would have wondered what kind of sick experiment I must have been doing with this body in my sink! Every time I walked into the laundry room, the bust surprised me, just as if there was someone in a room that you didn't expect!
With so much time invested now, this bust had to take a special place in my home - but where?

There was a knock on the door - it was my friend returning my grandmother's black stole she had borrowed for a costume party. The glamorous accessory popular in the 1930s and 40's, is not one which can be worn often and it's scale looked about perfect. I draped it around the bust's shoulders and tied a square knot in the front, then draped a set of pearls around the neck. As I looked at the assemblage, I thought of my grandmother and all the places she must have worn this stole. Its funny how things work out sometimes - there could not have been a better match! Destiny brought that bust to me. As I gaze at it all dressed, my mind races thinking of my stylish grandmother in that stole - cherish memories.

Dress Form and Stole - Brought together by destiny!