Sewing retro!

I came across these Japanese sewing pattern books at ebay:

"Dresses from the 60's Movies" was my first purchase.
My plan was an Audrey Hepburn dress, but when the kids laughed at my chosen fabric (white with grey Parisian buildings and red poppies) .I lost my nerve, and instead raided the suitcase in the attic for this possibly 1960's, possibly African cotton, and made a gorgeous little shell top a la Catherine Deneuve:

The buttons on the back are from granny's button box, and are bronze coloured flowers with some sort of shell shining through the filigree design. The overall effect is very retro - even when worn with a long vest and jeans underneath as I did the other night at the North Atlantic Fiddle Convention concert "Celtic Crossings"!

What I love about this pattern is the off-the-shoulder neckline and the subtle shaping, which makes this top hang so beautifully. here is what it looks like in the book:

There will definitely be more of these tops in my life!

Meantime I have ordered some stone cotton / linen mix and some white ribbon and lace-striped cotton to make some of the "natural" items in the second book. Delicate smocks, striking tunics and simple wide-legged trousers are beckoning to me!