Mukilteo woman hopes costume gets her on 'Roadshow'

Joan Hemm is betting on the power of the costume.If she wins this bet, she'll get to appear on television on the PBS program, "Antiques Roadshow."But even more important to Hemm than the TV spot, she hopes that two precious dress patterns -- dating back to the 1880s -- that she has protected for the last 25 years will finally be appraised.It's not that she wants to cash them in for the money. Hemm wants to know the value of these two patterns, which have never been opened, to help her decide where to donate them."I don't want them in the Smithsonian where they will lie in a drawer," Hemm said. "I really want them to be treasured for what they are -- a piece of fashion history at an incredibly detailed level, which is totally lost these days."Before we get to Hemm's "costume" and "Antiques Roadshow," let's go back about 25 years.
In 1987, Hemm's uncle, an antiques dealer, was in Pennsylvania at an outdoor auction when he came upon two dress patterns. They were "dead stock" patterns, never opened, never used, from 1880 and 1881."He grabbed these thinking, 'Joan will make these,' but they are actually well beyond my sewing skill level," Hemm said.Hemm is a historical costumer and has been sewing costumes since high school. Hemm also started a women's history group in Colorado when she lived there and now belongs to the Seattle historical costumer group, Somewhere in Time, Unlimited.As an appreciator of historical things and the importance of preserving them, Hemm "couldn't think of cutting up patterns that are 130 years old." So her uncle's gift went into storage.
Hemm and her husband had left Colorado and moved to Mukilteo. While settling into her new home, Hemm uncovered the two dress patterns. That rekindled her desire to find the right spot for them."My plan is to give them to either the Fashion Institute in L.A. or New York, where they can be studied and preserved, but first, I'd really like to know what they are worth," Hemm said. "What if they are the only ones in existence?"
She started to investigate on her own but got nowhere.Hemm figured she'd have to be on "Antiques Roadshow" to get an answer.So she tried to get tickets. Just 2,000 tickets are allotted for each location of the "Roadshow's" filming. For five years, she tried to get one.When the show announced it would be in Seattle, she had a friend of hers sign up for the ticket lottery. That friend's uncle is on the show. Hemm finally got her tickets.Hemm then thought about how she could help guarantee an appraisal.

Stunning Hogwarts-themed dresses are high fashion magic

Why don dress robes for a Hogwarts ball when you can dazzle your fellow witches and wizards with a showstopping gown? Costume designer Cavalyn exercises the Muggle magic of clothing design with these four gowns, each inspired by one of the Harry Potter Hogwarts houses.Cavalyn, who is known as ~DistantDream on deviantART, used the house animals and characteristics as a launching point for each of her gowns. The Slytherin dress is sleek and rich with a serpentine pattern. The lion-fringed Gryffindor resembles an adventurer's traveling cloak. The Hufflepuff dress, with badger fur capped sleeves, is fashion-forward without being showy, while the Ravenclaw dress is dramatic with its feather-like fabric and unexpected geometry.
Given that Cavalyn sews as well as sketches dresses, perhaps we'll be seeing physical versions of her designs some time in the future. In the meantime, you can see larger versions of the individual dresses in addition to her other fashion designs at deviantART.A deepening drought in the nation's farm states has cut further into this fall's harvest, with farmers now expected to pull from their fields the lowest corn yield in more than a decade.Modern Manners + Etiquette: Hipster Wedding Dress Codes + More.But American farmers are still expected to produce their eighth-largest harvest ever, and while there's sure to be a rise in prices at the grocery stores, there's little risk of a failed harvest that would lead to shortages on the shelves.The U.S. Agriculture Department predicted the nation's biggest harvest ever in the spring, when farmers planted 96.4 million acres of corn - the most since 1937. But it cut its estimate a month ago and again Friday, saying it now expects the nation to produce 10.8 billion bushels, the least since 2006.
If that estimate holds, the federal government says it will be enough to meet the world's needs and ensure there are no shortages. But experts say food prices will almost certainly climb as corn is a widely used ingredient found in everything from cosmetics to cereal, colas and candy bars.The drought stretching across the U.S. from Ohio west to California is deepest in the middle of the country, and major farm states like Iowa and Illinois are seeing conditions get worse each week. Farmers credit advances in seed technology that have produced hardier, more drought-tolerant corn for any harvest at all.The USDA's latest estimate predicts corn farmers will average 123.4 bushels per acre, down 24 bushels from last year in what would be the lowest average yield in 17 years. But the yield would still be as good as nearly a decade ago, when the average was about 129 bushels in a year without drought.

Modern Manners + Etiquette: Hipster Wedding Dress Codes + More

Go with your curious instinct. Unconsciously, our voices affect or influence how we're judged. For instance, scientists in a recent study found the quality of your voice—its volume, pitch, timbre, cadence, and speed—invariably determines factors in your degree of success, both socially and professionally. How slowly or quickly you speak and how you modulate pitch and loudness can also be huge factors in how others judge your character and state of mind.When dating online get to the phone call stage as soon as possible, as soon as your attraction toward each other becomes obvious. Nonetheless, be forewarned, that first conversation could be immediate buzz kill. Not necessarily because of any unpleasantness, but just by what you hear in his voice. For instance, overtones can make the voice sound sweet, while varieties of raspiness can randomly sound sexy, mean or even harsh or cold. On the other hand, if the voice on the other end of the phone quickly elevates the chemistry to the next level, you'll be happy you asked him to call.
The goal of being a hipster is to look as though you're not trying. Hipsters make what's old hat new again. Dressing like a hipster means wearing something from a vintage boutique, thrift shop or secondhand store, such as a beaded cardigan sweater (although too hot for August), a patent leather belt, shoes or clutch bag (patent leather is the hipster fashion equivalent of vinyl albums). Or look for a vintage jacket, scarf, shawl or bag that is floral, paisley, or lace and is soft and beautiful. Dresses are perfect (and I personally love chiffon), preferably floral and vintage for dancing. Wearing things that don't match perfectly are so hipster. You want that "I can't be bothered look" that actually takes planning by wearing, say, a large flower headband, neon nail polish, an insect or animal pin, a bright-colored patent leather belt, or a decorative bird or floral necklace.
Also, look for ideas at hipster magazines online, such as Vice (hipster dos and don'ts), AnOther Magazine (current fashion), and Wallpaper (current design). If there are no vintage or second hand clothing stores in your area, look online for Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, H&M, ASOS (the UK's largest online store for 16-34 year old men and women), and CobraSnake—all well known to the hipster fashion scene and most don't charge for shipping.Green is the new black, but you might want to stay away from accessorizing with preppy pink. Look for shades of blue like a French blue or turquoise when accessorizing with pastel green. Lastly, no occasion calls for a lovely hat, or decorative headband (fascinator), more than an afternoon wedding.

Jennifer Aniston dresses like a prostitute for new movie and creates a buzz

Thursday, Jennifer Aniston was seen on the set of "We're the Millers" dressed like a prostitute for the role, a fan took a photo of her look and the news has created an Internet buzz Friday because of how convincing the actress looks. Aniston is known for her roles in movies and television playing a "good girl," but the role she plays in this upcoming movie completely breaks from her old roles.Aniston, 43, was seen on the set of the movie in Wilmington, North Carolina; she was wearing very short ripped shorts, and a revealing white tank top. The movie follows a pot dealer who attempts to smuggle a shipment of pot into the United States, and he creates a fake family in order to help his disguise. Aniston plays the pot dealer's wife in the movie. Also starring in the movie is actress Emma Roberts who recently tweeted: "Dream come true to work with Jennifer Aniston!"
There are sheer dresses that play it safe with linings and other back-up plans in order to avoid a serious wardrobe malfunction. And then there are those that rely on miracles.Rebecca Romijn's frock from Thursday night's Carmen Steffens' flagship store opening in Hollywood seems to fall into the latter category. The 39-year-old actress and mom of two slipped into a sexy all-black look paired with some fun white flowered heels, but what we most noticed about her ensemble was the criss-crossing neckline that accentuated a sheer tummy panel.The store has purchased more clothes for high school students.Kind of like upside-down cleavage? One wrong move, and we suspect things would have gotten a little embarrassing. (In other Creative Cleavage news this week, see Katy Perry's diamond-shaped braless look.)
Romijn, a former model and "House of Style" host, is currently wearing some very racy costumes onstage as well, starring as Swedish babe Ulla in a Hollywood production of "The Producers." We're sure her wardrobe team is keeping a LOT of outfit tape on hand.She might be most famous for her role in TV series Shameless, but on Saturday in New York Emmy Rossum showed that when it comes to fashion, she's anything but.The 25-year-old actress looked effortlessly stylish as she stepped out in the Big Apple wearing a strapless white dress. The low-key star opted for sexy tousled hair and paired her cute dress with a large string of beads, an oversized bag and flip flops which added up to a pretty but casual outfit.  Topping off her stylish ensemble was Emmy's winning smile as she left her hotel in the city's Soho district. It was a second day of winning fashion for Rossum who showed off her credentials in a pretty  multi-coloured dress on Friday.The demure sleeveless outfit with a high neckline suited the pretty brunette although her choice of accessories left a little to be desired.

Tom Ford Dresses James Bond, Will Debut First Menswear Collection in London

The world's most dapper dressed designer and has joined forces with the world's most famous secret agent. Today, fashion trade journal WWD announced that Tom Ford has exclusively designed all of delicious Daniel Craig's wardrobe in the new James Bond film, Skyfall. To keep up with the momentum, Ford will also show his menswear collection in London for the first time in January to coincide with his first British boutique opening. Dude is on a roll!Although it hasn't been determined if the designer will show his collection on a runway or in a super exclusive presentation setting, I'm sure that the guest list will feature a who's who of both the fashion world and Hollywood.
Newly Discovered Goya Going to Auction: A religious painting by Goya from the late-1770s, when he was an unknown 30-something designing wall hangings for palaces, is headed to the auction block in September at Zurich's Koller Auctions. The painting depicting Lot and his daughters was only recently confirmed to be a Goya, and though his works from this period typically only fetch a fraction of the value of later pieces, the "new" painting is expected to fetch between 600,000-800,000 Swiss Francs ($613,000-817,000). Archaeological Findings Push Stone Age Back 20,000 Years: Artifacts discovered in a cave in South Africa indicate that the late Stone Age started earlier than originally thought, a conclusion drawn from the bone tools, pigments, and poisons created by people living in the area 44,000 years before, filling the void between 40,000 and 20,000 years ago that previously existed in the history of South Africa. Researcher Paola Villa, a curator at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, said in a statement that this would set the Later Stone Age at "about the same time as the arrival of modern humans in Europe," or at Europe's Upper Paleolithic Period.
Women's Museum Opens in Dubai: Some of the United Arab Emirates art world's most powerful figures, despite the predominant patriarchal culture, are women, and though scholar, psychiatrist, and former Arabian Gulf University president Rafia Obaid Ghubash doesn't wield as hefty a purse as Sheikha Mayassa Al Thani, she has just opened the Women's Museum of the United Arab Emirates in Dubai's Deira neighborhood — after turning down a free site in the official heritage district of Bastakya. Her new three-story institution aims to connect the work of contemporary Emirati women with their historical predecessors: "Part of the tradition is kind to women," she says. "But part is very negative. Those who are not educated just utilise the negative part."

The store has purchased more clothes for high school students

"If parents don't have what they need, the schools should be there to get them what they need," Wells said. "The schools should expect parents to come in and have questions and to look for help."Stores in the area have adjusted to the changing EVSC policy and have bulked up their selection for parents.At Kohl's on the East side, manager Kara Rose has seen more parents coming in and asking for help to make sure they are prepared for the new school year."We had to get to the buying offices and change those things and get more uniforms because we weren't ready," Rose said.
For Susan Barrick, the service manager at Old Navy in Eastland Mall, the change in policy also required a change in the store's buying strategy. The store has been working for years to be able to provide students with the right clothes.With parents looking for different clothes, Barrick said she has seen a shift in sales. Parents are moving away from the T-shirts, shorts and jeans that used to fill back-to-school carts."There's a trade-off of course," Barrick said. "Luckily, we have enough of a market in surrounding areas, and parents buy clothes for students' afternoon activities."Some stores have welcomed the policy switch with open arms.This summer, twice as many EVSC parents have come into Artex School Uniforms on Royal Avenue looking for uniforms, according to store manager Kimberly Marsh.
To meet the needs, the store has purchased more clothes for high school students, since the store was primarily serving students in elementary and middle schools.Marsh said Artex has a leg up on the competitors because the company was already suited to dress EVSC students."I just hope the larger department stores don't catch on," Marsh said. "Still, we offer these things year-round and not just at the beginning of the school year."Polo shirts range in price from $10 to $15 and khakis can range from $15 to $25. To help out parents, Wells suggested that schools apply for grants to receive clothes for students who can't afford uniforms.Concept clothing would give you pollution-fighting super powers.In the end, Wells said, principals and students alike will see the benefits of the dress code."If we dress like we expect respect, we'll receive respect," Wells said. "The expectation for learning is going to be there."
When 'Bachelorette' star Emily Maynard received the proposal from Jef Holm, she hesitated for about 10 seconds before accepting the ring. She had questioned whether she would accept the proposal earlier in the day, because she didn't want to rush into anything, especially since this is her third engagement. But after the couple got engaged, it seems to have been anything but slow. Not only has the couple been doing lots of interviews, but Emily has also been planning her wedding and finding wedding dresses.

Concept clothing would give you pollution-fighting super powers

No superhero worth their salt would go out without a super suit — complete with powers that render their foes helpless. If you are an eco-warrior then pollution is your sworn enemy, and fortunately futurist-designers Nieuwe Heren are ready with your suit.Okay, so it's a parka instead of a spandex bodysuit, but really the intent is the same. The parka will alert you and keep you safe from your enemy — pollution.At its basic level, the Aegis Parka alerts you to dangers from pollution in the environment. It contains and integrated MQ-135 air pollution sensor that detects ammonia, nitrogen oxides, alcohol, benzene, smoke and carbon dioxide. If any of those items is detected the parka's integrated LED lights will light up.
The higher the concentration of the pollutant, the 40 special "extra bright" LEDs will warn you of the added danger.This parka isn't just a warning device — it's also a weapon to protect you from the pollution. The makers have added a respirator to the design that filters out nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, hydrocarbons, asbestos dust, diesel emissions, road dust and pollen. Clearly the designers aren't kidding in their mission to keep the wearer safe once alerted to danger.Finally, the parka is treated with titanium dioxide — a photocatalyst compound that has sterilizing properties when exposed to UV light. With this added to the parka's arsenal, it renders the garment resistant to dirt, mold, bacteria and other airborne pollutants.
Essentially, it cleans itself.With all this fruit you'd be expecting to come out looking like a character from the Avengers, but the parka itself is relatively mild-mannered in appearance. It has a modern vibe to it, but looks well cut and isn't so off putting that it would be relegated to the back of the closet.Sure, we haven't seen what it looks like with the LED sensors on, but frankly I'm not sure that they would detract from the appeal. After all we've reported on dresses and jewelry integrated with LEDs — so why not a parka? This isn't the first time we've heard of Nieuwe Heren. We reported on their ahead-of-its-time keyboard pants. Clearly they are a creative bunch.They humbly call their prototype parka the Aegis, a reference to the shield and breastplate belonging to Zeus and Athena — two pretty powerful lofty and powerful immortals. Clearly the inference is that this parka is the bad-ass enemy of pollution.