The episode where we diss on JOANN Fabrics (RIP) and share our favorite places and tips for shopping for fabric & notions online. The Charm Studio is in a very small city - we have to drive at least 90 minutes to touch fancy fabrics, too!

Links & Images

• Charm Patterns & books mentioned include:
  • The Betty Dress
  • Gertie's Charmed Sewing Studio book
• Andrea's crouton recipe comes from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America's Test Kitchen
• Come visit the NY Garment District - do you have nearby turkey sandwich recommendations?
• Maybe Happy Ending musical on Broadway
• Our favorite thread is Mettler Metrosene
• CorsetMaking.com is where we buy spiral steel boning & corsetry supplies and Wawak.com is where we buy lots of notions
• Salmon Gros de Londre fabric with rose dots
• The obscenely expensive black lace used on Gretchen's favorite Charm make to date (which will be revealed on the cover of the Fall issue of Vintage by Gertie magazine, coming out Sept 15)
• Fabric for Fashion swatch book with the pink cover
• Silkbaron.com's Lesbian Sunset and other Pride fabrics
• The inexpensive rayon challis we use for drapey muslins
• The inexpensive ITY jersey we use for jersey knit muslins (and knit linings)

For more vintage-inspired sewing patterns in sizes 2-34 (with A-H bust cups), check out us out at Charm Patterns.

Come join us for a laughter-filled chat with one of our favorite models and Charm team members, Susie Dahl. She's been with us for over seven years and she knows ALL of our secrets!

Links & Images

• Charm Patterns (great for burlesque!) mentioned include:
  • The Vargas Panties
  • The Hollywood Dress and Robe
  • The Wanda Pencil Skirt with secret thigh slit zipper
  • The Bryant Gown
• Susie Dahl's Instagram page (NSFW): https://www.instagram.com/brwnpaperdolli
• Nyx Cosmetics Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner: https://www.nyxcosmetics.com/eye/eyeliner/epic-ink-waterproof-liquid-eyeliner/NYX_409.html
• Trixie Cosmetics Red Scare lipstick: https://trixiecosmetics.com/products/lipstick-red-scare-1
• Pat McGrath Labs lipstick: https://www.patmcgrath.com/collections/lips
• Fab Scrap shop for fabric by the pound: https://shopfabscrap.org

For more vintage-inspired sewing patterns in sizes 2-34 (with A-H bust cups), check out us out at Charm Patterns.

Why are caftans/kaftans so popular among Hollywood icons from the golden age as well as the queer community? In this solo episode, Gertie discusses the fashion (and cultural) history of this gender-free garment, spanning from ancient Egypt through to the modern day.

Links & Images

• Charm Patterns mentioned include:
  • The Elizabeth Caftan
  • The Pride Caftan
• Elizabeth Taylor swanning down the stairs in 1974's That's Entertainment
• Elizabeth Taylor's website archive
• See 17-year-old Elizabeth Taylor cinched in A Place in the Sun
• See her less cinched (and barely covered!) in Cleopatra
• The Elizabeth Taylor Collection auctioned by Christie's
• Vanity Fair article about Taylor's AIDS work
• Another article (in The Guardian) about her AIDS work
• Provincetown, MA (P-Town) fabulousness
• Palm Springs, CA Hollywood history and queer history
• Trina Turk's modern caftans
• Non-gendered designs by Rudi Gernreich (with more photos in this Vogue article)
• The caftan-like designs of Paul Poiret and the Balenciaga Sack Dress
• The Chiffon Trenches book by Andre Leon Talley

For more vintage-inspired sewing patterns in sizes 2-34 (with A-H bust cups), check out us out at Charm Patterns.