Summer Updates!

Hello my darlings. It seems it's been a month since I last wrote a blog post - this is because I have spent the entire time either working or being drunk at festivals! I'm utterly exhausted.

I'll write a different post every day about all the stuff I've been doing, there's so much to cover. I'll start over a month ago, when Clare (from whom I have stolen a couple of these pictures) and I did a stall at the Bolton Tattoo Bazaar (they also run the Manchester Tattoo Tea party).

Here's our stall! I was just helping really so had a space for my hats on the end.

I saw my gorgeous friend Kitten! I'm wearing a dress I made and a lovely flower by Dolly Cool.

One of my hats graced the cover of Tattoo Revolution Magazine, on the beautiful head of my good friend Rachel Baldwin. She's pictured in her wedding gown, and the hat I made for her Las Vegas wedding! She married fellow amazing Tattooist Nick Baldwin, and their gorgeous work along with pictures of the ceremony were featured in the magazine. I'm so proud of her, she's been through a lot recently but shows such strength and puts so much love into her art. I'm also wearing new glasses! You can't see how beautifully green they are here, I'll get a better picture of them in all their Dame Edna glory.

I got new business cards! With my face on, because I'm vain, and my Twitter, facebook and blogspot address because I'm trying not to be such a huge technophobe. Please follow me!

I bought new eyeball colours for my Psychobilly Mini Top Hats! Also a marvellous Hillbilly Moon Explosion vinyl EP, but more about them in a post later this week!

That'll do for today, I need to ease myself back into blogging after such a long break! Coming up during the rest of this week: great bands you should know and love, fun at festivals, lots of pictures of me looking ridiculous and/or drunk, amazing leopard print capri pants sewing, vintage knitting, Aerospace Boyfriend's graduation!

Read More

Sewing plans: Wartime dress, and swimwear!

Spring is definitely up and springing around here, despite a small flurry of snow today (it was 7 degrees celsius! Where did snow come from?!) Anyway... this has prompted me to think about some Spring sewing. A couple of my Winter sewing projects fell by the wayside semi-completed, so I will need to finish those too, but I have been wearing the Winter items I did complete non-stop, and it is now time to contemplate some warmer weather designs.


The first thing I will be making is this dress, Vogue 8936 from 1941 - a quintessentially WWII design, although rationing didn't begin until 1942 in the US, so this pattern still has frills and isn't marked as a utility design. This dress would have been illegal to make in the UK!


I picked this pattern up on etsy last year and was a bit scared of using it due to its fragility, but the pattern pieces are in good shape, it's just the envelope and instructions which are falling to bits, I keep the envelope safely inside its plastic wallet so I will just have to be very careful with the instruction sheet when making the dress.


Here is the fabric I'll be using. I'm going to make view B, pictured in red on the envelope, but with the patch pockets from view A - no frilled trimmings though! The collar and cuffs will be in contrasting yellow, and I picked up these large yellow buttons for a bargainous 19p each.


I also procured these vintage early plastic belt buckles on ebay, and will be using the yellow one for a self-fabric belt for the dress. I'll also be making a fabulous straw hat with flowers and leftover fabric trim to match the dress!


My next project after the dress will be a new frontier for me... swimwear! I swim most weeks, and my current suit is getting very worn out. It's a plain black three-piece of bra, tankini top and shorts which I've had for eight years - very much the swimsuit of someone who is trying to blend into the background. The elastane has deteriorated and it's now saggy and partially see-through - not a good look!


This is the fabric I'll be using for my new suit.

I have looked all over for a swimming costume I like and which will be supportive enough in the bust, but so far the cheapest option I've found are these Esther Williams suits at nearly £60! Sainsbury's had a fabulous red and white spot tankini, but they've sold out of my size and failed to restock it for a number of weeks now.


I'll be using the Esther Williams suit as inspiration, but trying to incorporate proper underwired cups inside, under a draped front.

Read More

Kalandra Jane Designs Magazine Feature!

A couple of weeks ago I took some of my hats along to collaborate on a fashion photoshoot for Chimp Magazine, Manchester's leading arts, fashion, gigs and culture guide. I got my copies in the post today, and we have made the front cover (and the front page of their website)!

More great news, the photos have been so well received that the editors have decided to spread the shoot over two issues - double the magazine exposure, and two separate seven-page spreads of beautiful Harajuku-inspired fashion deliciousness featuring my hats! I'm so proud to have my work featured in the magazine, alongside some wonderfully talented people who worked on the shoot.

Here are the pictures from this issue! There are loads more to come. All hats by Kalandra Jane Designs, and if you're not a facebook fan yet please follow me here!








Photo shoot for Chimp Magazine www.chimpmagazine.co.uk
Photographer – Shirlaine Forrest www.shirlainephotos.co.uk
Hair and Make Up Artists - Clare Ardern www.harryjon.com
Jennifer Perry www.jenniferperrymakeupartistry.com
Lauren Coombes www.cheshiremakeup.com
Models – Amy Gee, Olivia Stappleton and Tom Walker at Boss Model Management www.bossmodelmanagement.co.uk
Clothing - Tokyo Royale www.harajukustyle.co.uk
Handbags - Helen Rochfort www.helenrochfort.com
Millinery – Kalandra Jane www.kalandrajanedesigns.com
Accessories – Extreme Largeness www.extremelargeness.com
Photographers Assistant – Danny Thornley
Shot on location with thanks to Phil Thornley, Sophie Mullan, Amanda, Fry, Frank and Paul.

Chimp Magazine is available at WH Smith and all good Mancunian newsagents!

Read More

Giveaway winner!

As promised, but later than planned due to computer issues, here is the winner of my 100 followers giveaway!

I used the random.org number generator, and included everyone who commented on the original post.

The winner is (I don't know how to put the graphic in so I just copied the text, argh!)...

Min: 1
Max: 18
Result: 8
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Cheri Pinktrix! Congratulations Cheri, please drop me a line at your_zombie_sweetheart (at) hotmail.co.uk to let me know your address and choice of trim colour and I will send your fascinator off on its journey to Canada!

Read More

100 followers giveaway!

As promised, I'm hosting a giveaway to celebrate reaching 100 followers - I'm now on 102 actually!

Here it is! I'm going to give away one of my gorgeous Kalandra Jane Designs leopard satin fascinators! The winner will be able to choose from black or red trim on the hat, and I will post worldwide.


To enter, you need to be a follower of the blog and leave a comment below. For additional entries, post about this on your own blog, mention it on facebook or twitter and leave me a separate comment with a link to it (that way we all get to cross-promote!)

Good luck everyone! I'll announce the winner in two weeks' time, on the first of November.

Read More

1940s Turban Headpiece Tutorial

This is a great vintage way to cover up a hairdo that's past its best or a head full of rollers or pincurls while they dry! I was inspired by the Carmen Miranda look while creating this turban.

My head full of rollers! You can of course just do this style on tied or pinned up hair, and it'll work with or without a fringe (bangs).


Take a large scarf or square of fabric, mine was about 30", and fold it diagonally into a triangle. Place it so the long side is at your neckline, scoop forward covering your hair and tie the long ends at the front of your head as pictured, over rather than behind the ears, tucking the sides in as you tie.


Fold the point to the back of your head, and push in a couple of bobby pins to secure it in position to your hair. Double knot the long ends over the top, or the turban will work loose over time.


Take a long scarf, fold it in half, then fold into an 's' shape as pictured. Grasp all layers of the 's' at the centre.


Place the folded second scarf on top of the knot of the first scarf, and knot again to secure it.


Fluff and fan out the folded looped sections of the second scarf.


Bring the back point and loose ends of the first scarf up, tucking them in wherever you think looks best, I used the black ends to create more loops to contrast with the green.


Arrange the loops however you like, and add a flower or fruit clip or jewelled brooch for extra 40s flair! For an authentic 40s look, contrasting plain coloured scarves or a plain one mixed with a wartime or floral print would look great.

Read More

Queen of Hearts

I've been working on a couple of fabulous made-to-order hats for bridal customers recently. This design is for the bride to wear at her wedding reception, and is based on the scene in Disney's Alice in Wonderland where the cards are painting all the white roses in the Queen's garden with red paint, lest they lose their heads!


I popped it on to model the design, and was rather enamoured of it. It's a red satin heart-shaped pillbox style embellished with hand painted roses, foliage, playing cards and paintbrushes. By the way, this is what my hair looks like if it is allowed to dry naturally - a cross between Doc Brown from 'Back to the Future' and some outcast from A Flock of Seagulls.

Read More

Holiday Sale!

I'm heading to Rebellion Punk Festival on the 4th of August, and need some extra funds. This is the only holiday we ever take, so support us on our trip to smelly old Blackpool by buying one of my glorious designs with 15% off! Sale starts at 6.30pm BST tonight.

Kalandra Jane Designs eBay Shop Here! All these beauties and many more are in the sale. You can also 'like' my business page on facebook!

Read More

Beautiful things!

A bit of shameless self-promotion here. I've got back rent and bills to pay, thus necessitating a sale in my eBay shop to raise funds quickly. The faster you all buy my creations, the faster I can pay off my personal debts, then invest in a fabulous new website and bring out glorious new designs! There is 15% off almost every item.

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Kalandra-Jane-Burlesque-and-Retro

So, do have a look. Here are just a few of the things on sale:







http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Kalandra-Jane-Burlesque-and-Retro

(Sailor Photo by Wicked Heart Photography, Modelled by Anna Fur Laxis and Betty D'Light, Corstery by Boom! Boom! Baby! / Cupcakes Photo by LadyCake Photography, Modelled by Hollie Swain, now signed to Boss Models.)

Read More