'Mary II Painting' Pyjamas

I've based this design on a dress from a painting of Mary II. The painting that I based this on is actually a copy of one by Sir Peter Lely. In the original she is wearing an reddish-orange dress, but in the copy I based this on, her dress is blue.

Detail of the pyjama top

These pyjamas take the colours of the dress from the painting. They have slit sleeves with another cream sleeve underneath. The slit is then joined by a small piece of ribbon with a teardrop shape hanging from it. The slit sleeves were inspired by the sleeves on Mary II's dress. The pyjamas also have embroidery round the neckline which mimics the shapes of Mary II's pearl beads in the painting.

I hope you liked this design, it is part of my 'Designs Inspired by History' project. For more designs check back here next week or visit my special-occasion-wear blog at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk 

Pyjamas Design and Images © Bronzedale Designs

'The Sunne in Splendour' Tunic

I have recently read The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman for the first time, and absolutely loved it. So I decided to use that for my Design Inspired by Literature this week.

This design uses Edward IV's sunne in splendour badge as a motif on the embroidered front panel. The panel uses the motif three times, one on each shoulder and one in the centre of the tunic. This embroidered panel then attaches to a brown tie-belt, which ties at the back of the tunic. The tunic is sleeveless, but in this drawing it is shown worn over a plain cream shirt. The tunic's armholes are edged with the same brown colour as the belt. The rest of the tunic is left plain to draw attention to the embroidered panel.

I hope you liked this design, it is part of my 'Designs Inspired by Literature' project. For more designs check back here next week or visit my special-occasion-wear blog at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk 

Tunic Design and Images © Bronzedale Designs

'Calligraphy' Swimwear

I wasn't sure what to call this - I felt a bikini implied something slightly more skimpy than this, but I didn't think it was a tankini either. In the end I just decided on swimwear. It is inspired by a piece of calligraphy by a calligrapher called Renate Fuhrmann which was done using wood tar on a black background. The letters look a sort of golden colour against it. The words were in German, but translate as something like 'I will be who I am.' I used some of the letters from the German words for this design. The top half uses half of an 'I' and a 'C' and the bottom half uses a 'W' The design is intended to be made out of a lightweight wetsuit neoprene, with the letters appliqued on. The top half would fasten with a zip at the back.

I hope you liked this design, it is part of my 'Designs Inspired by Art' project. For more designs check back here next week or visit my special-occasion-wear blog at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk 

Swimsuit Design and Image © Bronzedale Designs

'Wheat' Shorts

I realised that I'd never posted a design for a pair of shorts on this blog, so I decided to design these shorts, after having found a picture of wheat from the internet.

These shorts are intended to be made out of a light blue cotton, with the wheat motifs embroidered across the legs of the shorts. Decorative lines of stitches in the wheat colour and in a darker blue are used around the pockets, and around the edges of the blue material. The shorts have a brown elasticated waistband (the two buttons on the front are only decorative) and matching brown cuffs.

I hope you liked this design, it is part of my 'Designs Inspired by Nature' project. For more designs check back here next week or visit my special-occasion-wear blog at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk 

Shorts Design and Images © Bronzedale Designs

'1950s Car' Raincoat

Before I write this post, I must confess to knowing absolutely nothing about cars of any sort. But I recently saw a photograph of a place I knew as it was in 1950, and the cars looked different enough to really stand out to me.

This design took quite a long time as it was difficult to create the right reflection on the plastic of the raincoat. The raincoat is flared, has a wide collar and slim, straight sleeves. It has white edging around the corners of the coat, an off-white belt and white button feature on the shoulders. The raincoat is knee-length and would fasten with snaps.

I hope you liked this design, it is part of my 'Designs Inspired by History' project. For more designs check back here next week or visit my special-occasion-wear blog at www.bronzedalebridaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk 

Raincoat Design and Image © Bronzedale Designs