Hello, and Thanks.....

[Retro-Fitted Clothing]

For all of your really sweet comments!

(beware this is long winded)

I'm really touched that everyone likes my stuff so much! It really means a lot to know that so many wonderfully sweet, not to mention beautiful, women like what I'm doing here.

I wanted to introduce myself and tell you a little more about Retro-Fitted. Like I've said, Retro-Fitted combines my love of vintage clothing and my love of sewing in one place.

Vintage clothing became an obsession for me when I was 14 or 15. I grew up in hand-me-down clothing, so wearing dresses that had belonged to someone else never phased me. In junior high and early high school I was obsessed with the '60s and collected all the clothes I could get my hands on, including some really gawd awful caftan dresses (thankfully these were returned to thrift store racks long ago). When I was sixteen I moved to a small college town not far from where I'd grown up, on the main street of that town was a store that would forever change my life, Time After Time Vintage Thrift. I totally idolized the girls who worked there, they were all beautiful rockabilly girls who had great style and were more then happy to pass on ideas to me. Here my obsession with the 30s-50s truly formed as I stocked up on vintage house dresses, old swing dresses, beaded gowns, and kitchy tourist gift kimonos.

My love of sewing began when I was a small kid. My mother sewed almost everything I wore when I was really little and a lot of what I wore straight through junior high. I wanted to sew from the time I was old enough to understand what material and a machine were. I vividly remember tracing a sketchy chalk outline of myself on my mother's calico and cutting it out to make a "dress".. My mother taught me a little, gifting me her beautiful 1960s singer sewing machine when I moved to that little college town.

Over the years, through trial and error I've taught myself the rest. Never had a single formal sewing lesson or taken a fashion design or pattern making class. I've never had any interest in haute couture and I could pass Calvin Klein on the street and never know I'd done it.


When I moved to the desert six years ago I took up swing dancing avidly. It took a huge toll on my vintage collection. Face it, 60 year old dresses are beautiful but a night on the dance floor will leave it's mark if you do it enough. Not wanting to completely total my hard found collection, I started hunting for reproductions. I found some, some beautiful wonderful pieces ... That I could hardly afford, or couldn't try on first, or were too campy or costume-ish for what I wanted. During this time I started finding vintage patterns on places like Ebay and I thought I'd give making my own clothing a try, starting slow, a tropical lounge suit here, a pair of high waisted pants there, a 1930s dress this month.... Eventually I was making as much clothing as I was buying and I was buying more and more vintage patterns. During this time I also started making clothing for friends.

Few things make me happier then making something for someone that I know they will love. Seeing someone hit the dance floor in a dress they adore makes me really happy. Being able to craft something for some one that they've dreamed of but couldn't find makes my whole day.

With much prodding from many many wonderful friends who were great guinea pigs as I practiced drafting, altering and grading I've started Retro-Fitted.

[Poppy Fields]

You've got great style; definitely keep with where you're going.
One of things I'm loving about PL is meeting all the people with similar background and "Evolution" stories :)

[Dani Dawn]

Awww, that is so cool!! I wish I could sew. I can picture outfits and pieces in my head, fabric and all, but I can't do anything with it. I am trying to get my Mom to help me, but she lives 3 hours away. Anyway, it is so cool that you are doing what you love and making people happy!! I really like your work and can't wait to see more!! Keep at it, you are gifted!!