developing a "signature look"

It is the last week of PRP and we are all to submit our "signature look".  I love sewing children's clothes and when I first started, it was anything "easy".  Then, I started sewing any pattern that sort of caught my eye.  They were definitely a hodge podge of styles and I had no "signature look" to my projects.

But as I look back into my sewing, I can see that I am starting to have a signature style.  I don't think it is fully developed but here are some things I think are frequently part of my kid-clothes repertoire:

cowl neck, leather sleeves, embroidery, banded hem, and circle skirt

• impractical and precious baby dresses
• very practical play-clothes basics for kids
• lots of hoodies
• use of embroidery to add character
• clean, or at least cleaner lines
• modest, age appropriate designs with a fun/funky edge

I actually really like to incorporate a modern fashion twist on a classic, age appropriate outfit.  I want my kids to be able to move, jump, and play without worry.  I don't want to worry about the outfit being ruined or that they look like a teenager who was shrunk.  (I am personally aghast at some of the children's styles these days.  I simply do not want my children to look like a pop star.)

I designed a three piece outfit for this week.  Because of issues with my serger, only two were finished, but they are pretty cute.

running around the yard

Remember the Green Week?  I had a second men's henley for $1 that I cut to pieces and made this very cool cowl neck T-shirt.  Abi and I brainstormed together and we decided on a mermaid theme for the outfit as a whole.  The shirt thus has the loose ripply effect of the cowl neckline, a mermaid embroidery (http://www.urbanthreads.com/), and scalely leather on the sleeves.  The leather cap sleeves were something new and experimental for us.  We were at a flee market and a person had a bunch of scrap leather pieces that were purportedly all organically died.  So I bought a couple funky pieces Abi picked out.  One of them has just the right colors in iridescent shades for this outfit. This would be the "edgy" part of the outfit.  It also is going to be great to protect her shoulders from the sun.  I test washed a scrap, and it turned out great so it still should be wash-n-wear.

Abi wanted a circle skirt from the very moment she saw Isa's the first week of PRP.  So I made her one with a more grown up version of bloomers.  And, we added a "wave" feature to the back.

 a peak at her crazy striped bloomers

The outfit turned out great.  Unfortunately my pictures did not.  So, the pictures here just don't do it justice.  Oh well, I am a sewist, not photographer.