too much applique?

[walela49]

OK, I've been noticing a new trend down here in southern powwows....cloth (tab style) dresses with HUGE applique designs covering most if not all of the sleeves and hem. So I propose the question, how much applique on cloth dresses is too much? Do you think you can never have too much decoration? Let's have some opinions here people (plus we really need some more threads in this forum). :Chatter
So what do you think? Who's super-loud-overly-decorated dress do ya love? Who's plain-ole-plain-ole dress do ya love? C'mon people...talk, talk, talk (cuz we really need some new threads in this forum...did I mention that before?) :D

[ndngirl73]

hey y'all this is my first post to this site ever but i love to read all the threads!!!! i am a northern traditional dancer crow/salish mix so i dress both styles. but since i turned 30 i am considering going back to fancy or trying jingle...gotta use it before i lose it!!!

i am super old school about dresses and stuff like that. anymore i think theres TOO much applique going on. i keep seeing all these crazy colors mixed together!!sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt. i was always taught that you can have too much decoration--that women were to show the BEST of what they had in the classiest manner possible--not the most. I love a beautiful outfit like the Top Sky sisters whitney and elizabeth, who fancy dance--their outfits are beautiful but not over done. tarissa spoonhunter--her stuffs classy not busy. freddie hunter is elegant. i love crow style because its the same way. i believe its about showing the best of ourselves as women so people appreciate us as a whole not just see our dresses.
i think there can be too much so ladies--when you think about adding that 11th color to your outfit--just say no!!!just kidding...
well i guess that was 5 cents worth for my first time out...
take care all of you

[Gah-Gah!]

Originally posted by ndngirl73

i think there can be too much so ladies--when you think about adding that 11th color to your outfit--just say no!!!just kidding...

lmnao!!

[walela49]

Originally posted by ndngirl73
i was always taught that you can have too much decoration--that women were to show the BEST of what they had in the classiest manner possible--not the most.

Well said.

[Beth]

applique

Some of it is over powering. Because you have the dress but done forget the shawl that has just as much on it as the dress. It is like ribbonwork. The small 23 row is beautiful work but move it from in front of your face and all you see are about three colors and the pattern gets lost.

[wazi]

I agree that with too much something gets lost. but then I just made my first entire dress (almost, still need to make leggin's) and it's probably all wrong by somebody's standards somewhere. Cause it's T-style, open sleeves, I made a 3 layer ribbon for bottom of everything. It's not the style of either of my tribes so I know already some Powwow Police who will not be pleased.

and I don't wear a breastplate but do dance Northern style, and I only wear a choker to honor my cousin back home who gave it to me. So Maybe I'm not wearing the fanciest stuff, but I am there to dance, not win a "Prettiest" contest. Just having bought the cloth and made it from scratch is the most important to me because when I grew up my grandma sewed all my outfits (all Southern, this was in Okla back when I never had even HEARD a northern drum). I feel I dishonored her when I stopped dancing and started drinking. I am so proud now to dance sober and make my own dress...so maybe I look under-outfitted to some people, but I believe that my Gramma is looking down on me with pride, cause she always told me that "Pretty is as pretty does", meaning that it is the way I carry my 'self' that says the most about who I am. I am proud to have sewn something myself, no matter how simple. maybe when I retire I can get fancy too, who knows...

[ndngirl73]

i totally agree. i guess in a way that is what i was trying to say too. its the best of what you have and that a person is proud of it. i make my own stuff, for my boyfriend, his family, our kids everybody and its not about what fancy fabric i have or whatever its about honoring that we are grateful for whatever is it that we have and behave that way. i was PROUD of the first dress i ever made( you know what, the powwow regalia police are a fickle bunch--first they'll talk smack about it, then next summer you'll see them wearing it). and about the "pretty is as pretty does" i wish more dancers, and quite honestly, more female dancers, remembered that. :Angel2 because there seem to be alot of women who do look down at those of us who still where calico or the more simple stuff--not that i personally care but its seems pretty contrary to all of our purposes out there. anyway to all of you
take care

[wazi]

Uhn. uh huh....true...well we keep on dancin with hope in our hearts ennit.....

[walela49]

Originally posted by ndngirl73
...because there seem to be alot of women who do look down at those of us who still where calico or the more simple stuff

True, there are some women who act like this and I usually feel embarrassed for them (but natives discriminating their own for any reason is an issue better addressed in a new thread, so I won't get on my soapbox here!:36: ).

I too prefer my dresses simpler and less ornate, mainly because I like my beadwork to be the focal point of my tradish clothes. I say leave the metallic-sequin-neon fabric for fancy dancers.

Nice understated ribbonwork and applique is more my style. I really love tone-on-tone applique...like light and medium blue on dark blue with no opposite or clashing colors. In fact, my next dress is going to be a plain-ole red T dress with red on red applique on the hem and across the sleeves. This way I have a dress that I can wear with all 4 sets of beadwork (one set is rainbow-colored, one set is missing anything blue, one set is missing anything yellow, and one set is missing anything green...but I always have red accents...hmmmm).

None of my other dresses even have applique on them...all ribbonwork, so I'm really going out on a limb here (albeit a conservative limb)!:Angel2

[ojibway_jingle]

too much applique

Very well said, wazi..............thanks I've learned a lot just from your words!

[wazi]

Re: too much applique

Originally posted by ojibway_jingle
Very well said, wazi..............thanks I've learned a lot just from your words!

glad I said something helpful....reminds me of something my Blackfeet friend said to me a while back:
"Yeah, when we get old, we grow up." HA! soooo true!.....;)

[WolfTears]

Very well put ..Wear what makes your heart happy

[Robin_1]

I like the southern designs...but I think that alot of new dancers who want to dance might be intimadated by some dancers who have really fancy designs.

I tell you I have seen some people look down on those whose outfits are not as fancy as theirs. I think that is wrong. We should encourge people who want to dance to try. Not to shame people not to dance.

[mnxmistress]

Well i myself have designs that cover most of my dresses..N i do not look down on nobody...reason bein..i myself have started out wit very little...N i understand some of tha comments bout keepin it simple..But then again..i make my dresses..the way i want them to look..N i am very proud of my hardwork that i put into makin my dresses..N the designs i put on my dresses do not come from anybody else but myself..I have also gotten ALOT of comments on my dresses..All good ones too...usually they like tha different style or they want ta order outfits..SOOOO...i say if ya make it yurself n looks good n yur proud of it..WHO CARES...MORE POWER TO U GURL:Thumbs



~:o Alwayz b Jammin ta MidNiteXpress:o~

[Robin_1]

If your creative I say try it.