I am Cher hear me roar or my last make of 2013 - The Shoop Shoop dress

Hello darlings,

How are we all?  I imagine if you're anything like me you're in the limbo period that is recovering from the Christmas excess and mulling over the year just passed.  Learning from the losses, celebrating the wins and laughing about the mayhem of life.

As has become custom in the House of Demeanour since it all began in 2011 the last make of the year is always my New Year's Eve outfit.  The first year I was wrapped in gold stretch as Marilyn Monroe and then 2012 I graced B-town in my purple velvet Prince inspired Let's Party Like It's 1999 dress.

 2011 - giving it blonde ambition as Marilyn.

 2012 - Purple power in my second Elisalex

 Not to disappoint I'm sticking with a strong famous theme :)  This year I went off to kick up my heels with the girls at Komedia for a Hollywood Mashup where you could come as a film character of your choice.

 

New Year at the movies

I thought long and hard about who I wanted to be as I've got so many favourite heroines - Pam Grier as Foxy Brown, Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace, Molly Ringwald as anyone to name but a few.  Then like all good outfits ideas in my world it was triggered by a song on the radio....

Cher - The Shoop Shoop song

It was obvious of course!  I had to go as Mrs Flax from Mermaids in her too die for polka dot dress topped off with a hair as big as her attitude she is literally what we're all about at the House of Demeanour.  As well as part from her aging disgracefully as all my favourite people do I always say when the chips are down life will offer you two choices sink or Cher.  I will always choose Cher :)  This year has been a bit of a merry go round of woes and wins but I like to think that I faced it all with a killer outfit and hair to match like all my heroines.  So without further I do I present to you the Shoop Shoop dress.

I didn't keep strictly to the original as Cher's is baby pink and that shade and I clash more than the 70s ;)

She’s a marriage of the skirt from Vogue 8766 and the bodice of the Gertie wiggle dress with shaped pockets drafted using Casey's excellent tutorial.  I’ve recently taken the Lynda Maynard Perfect Fit class on craftsy, which gives you 8766 for free to work on during the class.  I’ve spent the last few weeks on and off fitting the pattern and I’ve used it to make my Little Red Corvette dress, which needs hemming and then blogging.  It’s a fab course and I highly recommend it if you want to get to grips with fitting our fantastically unique forms.  The Gertie I knew fitted me as I used it to make my Club Tropicana dress back in May and it was just a matter of slicing the bodice from that and by adding a little lace, some me made black satin piping and a hefty back combing session I was Cher :)

I had a fabulous night with the girls dancing until dawn and yesterday was spent in heavy recovery. My biggest achievement after leaving my bed was to make bacon rolls to enjoy with Sherlock and that was absolutely fine by me.

As I say this year has been a real mixed bag both in sewing and in life but I’ve learned a lot and that includes how to lassoo a hula, which I for one feel is a real life skill and what is life if not for learning.

Without doubt though it’s the people who have made this year for me. The ones who read me, believed in me, cried with me, danced with me, laughed with me, had that one last drink with me and who loved me. You know who you all are and I love your more words can say. Thank you for everything and I can't wait to do it all again in even more fabulous fashion.

Before I go I’ll leave with you one last Cher song.  It’s the one I belt out standing on the sofa gin in hand when all hell has broken loose.

I totes recommend following her on twitter she's so wonderfully indiscreet.

Happy 2014 to you all I hope it’s as fabulous as you are.

Love always,

Miss D

xxx