I love clothes. Always have, always will. I spent a happy couple of hours on Wednesday in the Fashion Gallery at Snibston Museum with a school group, looking at frocks, frock coats, shoes, suits, corsets and crinolines. For a short while, it was like my old life, working at the V&A. Lovely. After the main teaching sessions were done, I offered to take a group of anyone interested around the fashion gallery to explore some more. About 8 little girls signed up & we had a happy 30 mins pottering around, looking at 18th & 19th century clothes. It was such a treat for me to do that, I really enjoyed it. I really wanted to nurture those wee girls with a love of old frocks, because that was me, 30 years ago, nose pressed to the glass, fascinated by the patterns, textures, shapes…

I’ve working with Snibston Fashion Gallery for the last year with four schools and I am delighted to be getting to know the fashion displays properly. They really are fantastically well done – great selection of clothes from 18th century to 21st and really nicely displayed with posh mannequins and good labels. They do a free-entry deal on a Wednesday afternoon too, which is well worth it. Hmm. Maybe I should organise a trip. Anyone local fancy it?

I’m in the midst of a really busy week with much too much happening workwise and personally, but I have been carving out late evening hours to work on a dress to wear to my friend’s wedding on Sunday. I am ridiculously excited by this dress and have loved making it. It is still only tacked together & no doubt more tweaks will happen, but it looks pretty convincing in the (blurry) photo.

Full details of the design & making once it is finished!