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Paint your Town Red on National Go Red Day

Slow Southern Syle is celebrating National Wear Red Day by participating in Go Red For Women.


Did you know that heart disease is the #1 killer of women?  According to the American Heart Association, more women die of heart disease than all forms of cancer combined. There are 8,000,000 women in this country alone that are suffering from heart disease! The sad reality is that 90% of women have at least one risk factor for developing heart disease, yet only 1 in 6 thinks it is a threat.


By wearing red today you can help raise awareness, so find your favorite lipstick, grab your trusty ol’ skirt,and paint your town red today. Since I look abysmal in any shade of crimson I asked for some help in celebrating. Why can I pull off red lips but not a red dress beats me.


Amber

My favorite red outfit is my go to DVF wrap dress, perfect for almost any NOLA function. And my favorite accessory is classic red nail polish.

For information on how to stay healthy, or how to donate please visit the American Heart Association’s website. So how are you celebrating today?

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costumes DIY mardi gras new orleans

Making Mardi Gras: A Quasi DIY Part Two

If you missed Part One check it out here.

So that sequined jacket I bought for my husband might be passable for other holidays, but for Fat Tuesday it’s a downright plain piece of clothing. A good base for sure, but let’s be real- the gaudier the better for Mardi Gras is my rule.

 I initially wanted to hand sew feathers onto the lapel and front flap pockets, but after sanity set in I realized that a few factors were working against me.

1. If it rains, all of my handiwork is destroyed
2. Sewing feathers is about as fun as getting a root canal.

So I decided on a combination of fringe and marabou to add some over the top details. Remember it’s not about having to start from scratch, just make it look like you did. First up was this great fringe that I bought. Not only is it hot pink, but there are sequins in there as well! Talk about going overboard, right?

Last year I transformed a woman’s sequined blouse into a sleeveless shirt. I vowed not to run sequins through my sewing machine again this year, so my only option was to hand stitch. It’s a good skill to practice anyway. 

Marabou feathers stay put on a cord, just like a feather boa. It’s much easier to sew through the cotton cord then hand stitch individual shafts down. While the effect is different, for my purposes this was just fine. I just needed something fluffy and fun vs. elegant. And you can’t do a flamingo costume without feathers, right?


Next week: tiny top hats for plush animals

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brandy gaspard etsy internship lafayette louisiana southern fashion designer

Such A Doll

Do you love bold accessories? Have a love of feathers?  Then I have an Etsy shop you have to check out.  I had the pleasure of interviewing Jessica Reeves Tullos of Automatic Doll. Automatic Doll is an Etsy shop that sells unique hand-made accessories that are made in Lafayette, Louisiana.  Jessica’s accessories are absolutely adorable and will have you feeling like a doll!  Check out her interview below and then go to her Etsy shop by clicking here.
Tell us how you got into designing your unique accessories.

It all started with my desire to have beautiful accessories to wear, even though I could not afford to buy them in stores. I started making myself flower crowns resembling the ones I loved at Rouge Pony, an Etsy store owned by the beautiful and talented Karin Kirsten. When I wore them to festivals or outdoor events, people loved them. It got to the point where every time I wore any of my handmade pieces, I would find myself explaining to people that I only made it for myself and that they were not sold in stores. So, finally, I decided to create my own Etsy store.
  
You feature a lot of feathers in your pieces, what type of feathers do you use?

I use mainly rooster tail feathers in my neck pieces and epaulettes, but in my headdresses I use pheasant, peacock, or ostrich feathers as well. The pheasant feathers have beautiful stripes in them, and of course there is nothing as beautiful as a peacock tail feather!


What are your most popular items?

My most popular items are definitely the feather epaulettes. They are meant to be worn either as a pair, or as a single piece worn on one shoulder. They are bright, large, and have a tendency to become the focal point of any outfit. People love them because it instantly transforms the article of clothing you are wearing into a bold, and dare I say, costume piece for the everyday!
Since you are an Etsy shop and you don’t mass-produce your items do you sometimes tweak the colors if the customer request certain colors?

Absolutely! The beauty of hand-making everything by myself lets me give each person who buys a piece from Automatic Doll a unique and distinct wearable work of art. Since it is Mardi Gras season right now in Louisiana, I get special requests from buyers who want feather pieces in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. I love to think I was able to help some one to create her own one of a kind Mardi Gras costume!


Describe the woman that would wear your accessories.

The woman who wears Automatic Doll  is an individual who likes to stand apart from everyone else in a crowd. She is bold, yet whimsical, and wants her look to make that statement. She approaches her personal style with a sense of adventure – ultimately, she is the girl who asks herself before dressing for any occasion, “What costume will I wear today?” 


Since your pieces are so unique do you have any muses?

Yes, I have so many! I have always been in awe of the designs of indigenous cultures. I love the color palettes, patterns, and jewelry made by Mesoamerican, Native American, and African cultures. I love the idea of ritual and ceremonial objects. These sacred objects are aesthetically beautiful, and though the pieces I create are by no means sacred in any way, they are inspired by such objects. Also, Karin Kirsten, the designer behind Rouge Pony, is a huge inspiration to me in terms of my floral headpieces. Her work is effervescent! Lastly, but perhaps in the largest sense, my work is a product of the sort of women Tennessee Williams wrote about. They are women who are full of passion and color, beauty and spunk, innocence and rage. They are the essence of what it means to be an Automatic Doll, and I imagine many of those women would have worn such accessories.
What is your future plans for Automatic Doll?

At this time, I am in the process of making lots of pieces in order to have a portfolio to show to local boutiques and merchants in the hopes of putting my accessories into actual stores. I will be selling Automatic Doll pieces at bazaars and festivals in the upcoming months, and I am excited to see how my work is received. For now I will keep blogging and selling on Esty. 
-Brandy Gaspard
All images via Automatic Doll


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