Dresses for little girls 7 to 14

Test driving a sample.

So, surely no parent wants their little girl to grow up too quickly? But at the same time, no 7 year old wants to wear the same outfit as a 3 year old.

At least that is my theory.

And little girls want to run around, get messy, have fun in swooshy dresses that just have a hint of what it might feel like to be a grown up.

But, just a hint.

It is a tricky age group to design for.

This is trending

My mood board is back up. It is a weird mix of 70's surfer chic and haute couture. In my head, this makes sense.

I find inspiration all over the place.
                                     

 This book cover caught my eye on the weekend. How hard could that be to bead by hand?

Another source of inspiration last week was Garance Dore's behind the scenes at Valentino film.

In fact, Garance Dore has a lot to answer for. I can loose hours reading her blog and watching her This is Trending and Pardon My French videos.

But I now have a deadline to work to.

I have 5 weeks to get a small range finished and photographed for youngrepublic.com

So enough of the daydreaming, and being distracted by this.

Let the madness begin!

My one and a half hour working week.

 Back to business. 

I've finally found time to sit down and start sketching my new range of party dresses for little girls 7-14

It's 3.30 in the afternoon on a Friday, and happy hour at our local pop up park is due to start in about an hour.

Typical.

I get all inspired at the most inconvenient times.

I hope your week was more productive......

Can't blog.......too busy.....

The good news is I finally have a cutting table in my little workroom. 

No more kitchen table cutting!

The bad news is I can't use it yet

It is lost under my 'to do' pile

I've got too much going on all at once

I still only have one sample made for the new range

We are still working on the website

And a possible pop up shop for the end of the year

I've also taken on a new project involving kids and nutrition

So I'm now spending my days researching that

when I should be sewing

Aaargh!!!

Somehow it will all come together beautifully.

And make sweet, perfect sense.

Fingers crossed.

Buy Less, Choose Well

Limited edition 'Miranda' dress.

Made to order 

Contact us at sunshineanddaydreams123@gmail.com

I don't always follow my own advice. I'm often tempted to buy cheep chain store pieces, especially for my little girl, but they fall apart so quickly!! Its just not economical in the long run, and is so bad for our planet!

So, as one of my new years resolutions, I'm going to try and resist the impulse to buy cheap disposable fashion.

And my other big resolution, to get our OFFICIAL WEBSITE  and ONLINE BOUTIQUE up and running in six months, and a bricks and mortar shop to follow soon after.

You will be able to purchase both Sunshine & Daydreams and Cicciolina. Demi couture and limited edition dresses for little and big girls that can be worn, passed on or re sold.

And all pieces are guaranteed not to fall apart after 3 washes.

What are you waiting for?

click here to see the directors cut of Gwen Stefani's What are you waiting for'.

This was to be my inspiration for my seven year old's school concert costume.

Luckily I had some baby blue tweed on hand

And meters of black ribbon and lace

The trick was making something she liked and making it age appropriate

So watch out Gwen Stefani, and Ms Vivienne Westwood. 

I think we did okay?

Anyway, it was all good practice, and proved my hunch that designing for 7 to 14 year olds will be a tough gig.

Miss Moneypenny's Office Christmas Party Dress.

Tis the season of the dreaded office Christmas party.

And what to wear to take you from professional non drunk person seamlessly into staggering slurring mess dancing with your boss to 'I'm Sexy and I know it',is a tricky one.

I have never worked in an office and never will. 

It is quite ironic then that as a child I loved playing 'offices'. I loved sitting at my Dads desk and shuffling bits of paper,stamping them, and filing.

His 'NOT NEGOTIABLE' stamp still takes pride of place on my desk in my studio.

And because I was always interested in fashion I had a strong idea of how I would look when I finally landed that office job. 

Something like Dolly Parton in Nine to Five. 

So I don't actually have any experience in office to drinks dressing.

When making this dress for Jennie, my inspiration was Maggie Gyllenhall in Secretary crossed with Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny from the early Bond films.


And despite all of that....Jennie seems pleased with her Cicciolina 'Miss Moneypenny' dress. 

I'd probably team it up with bright yellow pumps and a bright blue clutch, and she would be ready to Gangnam style it up with the rest of the office.

Oh, and take no offence if your invoice from Sunshine & Daydreams or Cicciolina  has Not Negotiable stamped all over it. 

It's just my inner office manager trying to escape.