New Blog!

Okay- so here's the new site for Fine and Dandy dressmaking - everything from 2012 onwards,

www.fineanddandydressmaking.blogspot.com

Happy New year!

Hi everyone, just wanted to say happy 2012!

I'm still doing alterations and dressmaking as well as my little fashion label Love Love Lorelei.

I will be making a new blog site for Fine and Dandy, the dressmaking/alterations side of things so watch this space for a link to it.

I'm making lots of infinity/ convertible dresses this wedding season for bridesmaids dresses. Above is a pic of some I made last year.

Get in touch with me at Lovelovelorelei@gmail.com for any dressmaking or alterations no matter how small.

Its ball season!

Its that time of year for school balls again!
Shopping for a dress designer or vintage is exciting and fun but getting a dress made tailored to you is also a great option - you get a dress that you know no one else will be wearing on the night and it can be a really affordable option if your design is not too complicated or you have a store bought pattern to work with. I usually make a few ball dresses each season and love to work with clients to make their perfect dress. The most affordable way to go is to get a pattern made up to fit you perfectly - most designs can be made up for $150- $250 ( + fabrics, zip ect..) Simple design elements can be altered and you get it fitted perfectly to you. I can also make up your own unique design from a picture or idea you have. If you still haven't found your perfect dress maybe I can help! My usual time frame if you are in a hurry is two weeks but if you need it even sooner it never hurts to ask :) email me at Lovelovelorelei@gmail.com

Basic Price guide

Here are some prices for basic jobs,

Pants/Jeans hem : $14
Blind hem ( by hand) : $20
Skirt hems :$12- $18
Mend hole e.g in jeans : $5- $10 per hole
Take in jeans to make skinny fit : $25
Sew on buttons : $2.50 per button ( $5 minimum charge)

Other alterations and dressmaking/pattern making are charged at an hourly rate of $26. I am located in Devon street, Aro valley for drop off but am also in Cuba street two days a week. Please email for more information or call/txt me on 021 1505 291 if you need something in a hurry!
lovelovelorelei@gmail.com

HEY!

"LORELEI" IS NOW IN STORE AT JUNIPER GALLERY IN RINTOUL STREET IN NEWTOWN, WELLINGTON.
A LOVELY LITTLE STORE WITH FLOWERS, ALL KINDS OF CRAFTY GOODIES AND CHILDREN'S AND ADULTS CLOTHING. YOU CAN FIND BOTH MY LABELS - "LORELEI" AND "FINE AND DANDY" THERE. NEW STOCK IN STORE TODAY INCLUDES CUTE TARTAN PARTY DRESSES AND SUPER WEARABLE - AND BEAUTIFUL SMOCK DRESSES AND TOPS, LOOSE AND COMFY THEY ARE VERY FLATTERING WHEN WORN WITH A BELT. THE PIECES ARE MAINLY ONE-OFFS AND RANGE FROM SIZE 6 TO 16. YAY FOR DIVERSITY!

JUNIPER GALLERY IS SITUATED AT 14 RINTOUL STREET, NEWTOWN - NEXT TO THE SALVATION ARMY.

woo hoo!

Woo hoo! music on my blog!
Go to the very bottom of this page to see my playlist...
Prince, Kate Bush, Cocteau twins even - with my namesake Lorelei song.

I just finished painstakingly copying out all the code myself and Im proud! Sam (my sweet boyfriend) has just started comp science at uni and Iv'e been becoming a bit more familiar with the whole thing, but thats the first thing like that I've done. It feels good to learn how to do computer stuff- even if it is laughably basic. Usually I just copy/ paste code for links and stuff like that but somehow I couldnt do that here- I wouldn't be surprised if i just couldn't find the right place to do it - but anyhow...

Music inspires me quite a lot as a designer- not in any direct way like movies or seeing someone who looks amazing on the street does but in a more inward kind of spiritual way.. its like music can reconnect you to inspiration and excitement of life in general and for me being a big daydreamer and fantasy part-taker some songs can really get me going- slipping into those beautiful places where image and energy and sexuality and emotion take over.

dont miss craft 2.0 this saturday!

Craft time! Come shopping and get inspired this Saturday at the New Dowse. Craft 2.0 is held twice a year and showcases loads of fantastic work by local designers, artists and crafters. To find out more visit the website- see the weblinks list to the lower left. I will be there with some cute bags and purses, and my new "Fine and Dandy" kids clothing.

fine and dandy kids!

New sweet 100% cotton skirts for the wee ones - In sizes 1 to 6.
Come check them out and more cute childrens clothing at Craft 2.0 this saturday the 19th July at the New Dowse art gallery.

New cocktail dresses on Felt

New dresses for sale on Felt.
Go to www.fineanddandy.felt.co.nz.

Black babydoll bow dress $110.

Red tulip dress $150

Fine and dandy brides and bridesmaids

From time to time I do very special custom orders for individuals, for balls and for weddings. Here are some pictures of some of the custom designs I have made for very special occasions. I love to work with clients to create their perfect design, so if you have something special coming up and want something unique (and still affordable) please email me for more information.

fine & dandy is now on felt!

This is a great new website, check it out for all kinds of goodness, and see listings from Lorelei under the user name "fineanddandy" Just click on the image above to go straight to the site or see my Fineanddandy shop on felt by clicking on "shop fine and dandy on felt" in the links list on the left of this blog page.

before we go- Olaf, designer knitwear !

Dandy is closing down in two weeks time, but before we leave, dandy brings you Olaf knitwear again. Many of you may remember we have stocked this great quality label in the past, and now we have past seasons stock at heavily reduced prices, some up to 50% off! PRICED FROM $130 -$190 .Come to Dandylion , check out the range of 100% N.Z merino wool sweaters, but hurry- Sat the 15th March is the last day of trading. DANDYLION IS OPEN TUES, FRI AND SAT 11AM TILL 5 PM.

goodbye ! but not for good!

Sadly, the time has come to say Goodbye,
yep- Dandylion is closing down. Oh No! you say, what ever will we do?
Well you can keep visiting this website to check out what I am up to and to buy Lorelei dresses and more online!
I (Lorene) am keeping on sewing for my Lorelei label, and dressmaking to order, and while there will no longer a place you can drop in all the time for locally and ethically made fashion, I will be making regular appearances at local craft fairs like craft 2.0,- this month! the 22nd march at the dowse, and others.
So keep an eye out on this site! If anyone would like to contact me about dressmaking or alterations please call or txt. 021 1505 291.

new from lorelei

                                                       Picnic tie front dress $130
                      Paper bag skirt $90 and tee by Lekker $60, pendant by Selah $45

                        

                       Silver tie top $80 and purple/silver paper bag puff skirt $120

New from lorelei

 Peach singlet $80 and pendant by Adorn $35, blue floral skirt $90 and  Captain tee $50

Ships paper bag skirt $90 with yellow bow top by Kristin Sullivan and horse bag $45

                     Summer bubble dress $130

lovely new things

            Brooches and patch by "In my backyard" $8 - $9
  Wallets by Jo Sweeney $45 and the 2008 Kiwi diary $26

Vote for Dandylion! in this years Awas

Yay! Dandylion has been nominated as one of the best clothing stores in Wellington by the fine folk at the Wellingtonista website. Its all part of this years Awa awards. If you love Dandy please go to www.wellingtonista.com and vote for us by the 4 December.

Heres what they had to say about Dandylion....

Dandylion is tucked away in the Left Back near that anarchist hotbed Oblong. Lorene Harris's shop is big on the kind of individuality that will help you fit in on Cuba St. To get your indie on, or to dress appropriately for a big trip to Dunedin float on down to Dandylion. A lot of the clothes and accessories are made from recycled materials, there are second-hand shoes, hand-selected op-shop finery for hire and a goodly range of zines. Lorene's own zine is easy to spot; pink and adorned with cherries, filled with poetry and sketches, handmade on beautiful paper with the pages sewn together. Nice, very nice.

But we digress, this category is about being best dressed after all. Everything you need to be well put together is here - bags, belts, shoes, badges and the old craft fair favourite; hand-knitted fingerless gloves. If you want to keep in real in the down to earth NZ socially responsible style without tipping over into feral territory I recommend that you let Loren's sewing machine do the sewing, leaving you more time for activism and gardening, both of which are worthy pursuits.

To check out the other nominees and lots more great categories visit www.wellingtonista.com and vote now! Voting closes on the 4 Dec.

say what is this all about!??? Heres more info on the event itself......Its Awesome!!!



The Wellingtonista and Public Address, in association with Freeview and Ponoko proudly present

THERE IS NO DEPRESSION IN WELLINGTON

It's a quiz show! It's awards for the best bits of our fair city! It's BLAM BLAM BLAM!

Mighty Mighty, Thursday 6 December. Doors open at 6pm. $15 and donation to Downtown Community Ministry encouraged.

First up the clever people of Public Address Radio and the Down Low Concept will bring you It Doesn't Give My Opponents Much Time Either, a quiz show in which various celebrity contestants party like Muldoon is still Prime Minister and Russell Brown asks the tricky retro questions.

Then, for the second year in the row, the Wellingtonista will tell you who you've voted for as the best of Wellington. Voting is open at The Wellingtonista until December 4. What's the best drink in town, who's the hottest hospitality worker who'll serve you that drink, and where will you eat away the hangover the next morning? Who will win the sexyass trophies Dan Emery designed and Ponoko made?

You decide, and when you cast your vote and attend the awards, you'll go into the draw to win some choice prizes from Wanda Harland, Super Very and more. In exchange, the Wellingtonista hope that you will make a donation to the Downtown Community Mission, for the following reasons:

We love this city, right? And so therefore, it is important that we actually do good things for it, as well as talking about it all the time.
We eat and drink to excess, and it's awesome that we celebrate that, but it might be nice if we think about the people who have difficulty eating, or who have problems with drinking.
Blanket Man was voted Wellingtonian of the year last year at the Wellingtonista Awards. How about we give some attention to the not-so-visible homeless people?
But the good times don't stop there, because we also happen to have lined up one of the greatest New Zealand bands of all time to bring their special kind of magic to the event. Don't fight it, Marsha, because it's bigger than the both of us. That's right - we're pants-wettingly excited to announce that Blam Blam Blam will be playing after the awards.

And if all that gets to be a bit too much for you, your attendance gives you the chance to win one of two Freeview decoders (with satellite install if required , so in the future you'll be able to just stay at home with crystal-clear television reception. Hurray!

dandylion at craft 2.0

Come see Dandylion at craft 2.0 and get 20 - 40 % off Lorelei clothing + see the lovely new range of cards, undies, brooches, purses , zines and other Handmade with love little items perfect for Christmas gifts!  Sunday December 16 at the Dowse.  + see heaps of other great craft stalls.  Its a really fun day and a great chance to do some socially responsible Christmas shopping that'll have everyone impressed with your savvy nic nac ferreting abilities.  

springtime