Entering the 3rd year of degree...

I was so excited to go back to uni after what seemed like a really long summer. I wanted to get going and get creative! The first lesson back we were shown some previous 3rd year's work to show what they expect us to do this year. I found it very helpful to see an example of good work and to inspire me into getting on with it and enjoying it. It also daunted me a bit too, I am really nervous about the amount of time we have to do everything and how important each thing is. Everything is so much bigger this year (as it's expected to be), dissertation, final major project, everything! I don't know how I am going to fit it all in and do everything to the best of my ability.

My favourite work shown by the post graduates was by Deimante Meilune. She has used techniques I am mostly interested in like knit, embroidery and print and the way she had used these techniques were really inspiring. She had used her culture of  Lithuania's National costume to create garment shapes and inspire the prints and knits too.

 

 

 

The embroidery and concept is lovely and everything she has done you can tell was done with great love and attention. I want my work to turn out that way, I want to enjoy it all, especially as I won't get the chance to do my final year again and I want to leave knowing that I done my best and I truly love everything I have done. I have felt like in the past that I have never put my whole heart and soul into something and when I haven't the results haven't been great. So this just proves I need to do things I love and enjoy! 

Inspiration... Downton Abbey...

I've taken a week off blogging because I felt like it was taking over my life. Instead of just doing it to enjoy it and help me with my journey through my final year, I felt like I was using technology too much and not concentrating on what I needed to get done. Everything I post I have a meaning behind, it's something that inspires me but I felt like I needed to find inspiration all the time and maybe not enjoy it as much as I could have.

Well I'm back and part of my absence has been due to that I've become totally obssessed with Downton Abbey! I had heard so many good things about it but I am the type of person to let the hype die down and see if things are good with a clear mind instead of watching something expecting it to be amazing and then to be let down, (ahem 'The Hangover' and 'Avatar'.) So with a clear head and maybe two years later than everyone else I sat down to watch it. I was hooked straight away. With my designer head on and my historical story head on I wanted to take everything in. I think I watched 5 episodes in 1 day!

I love the costumes and the hair, how glamouress they were, even the servants are well turned out. The building and the sets are gorgeous so I've decided to look at this time period for inspiration for my first project back at uni as a starting point. Hopefully it will all link up but here are some of the images I have been looking at:

 

 

Teal dress with silver embroidery 1911

 

Worth House, 1913

 

Evening Dress by Jean-Philippe Worth, 1900

 

1911 photo inscribed "Shel and I roamin' about the Congress Park."

 

1914 Dress by Lucile via Whitaker Auctions

 

Abito da ballo orientale. Mosca, Russia, 1913