Little frock on the prairie

Woo hoo it’s Friday which means it’s time for Make Me Pretty Shop's #fridaysfrock!

Every week, we select a must-have genuine vintage dress to showcase. This week, it's a high ruffle neck, balloon sleeve, 1970s prairie-style dress by Paragi.

Prairie dresses are the epitome of ‘innocence and fun’ – think the wholesome Ingalls children from American drama TV series Little House on the Prairie.

While these dresses for women tend to offer a sweet and summery look, this little number has a rich autumnal palette of deep purple with blue and pink flowers.

Prairie dresses naturally followed the Peasant look (Yves St Laurent 1976) and were introduced to fashion by Ralph Lauren in his 1978 western themed collection. 

Traditionally, the skirts would have been full and flouncy, but like many vintage dresses, Prairie dresses have evolved over time to suit the modern woman. 

In the 70s clothing become multifunctional, and today’s #fridaysfrock is no exception. 

While perfect for summer days, this Paragi Prairie dress is a great capsule wardrobe staple. 

To transform your look from day to night, swap knitted tights, a fur gilet and carved bangles for bold wedges, a statement necklace and a stylish clutch, voila!

Enjoy x

Crafty Rolls gets crafting

Phew what a day it's been, I've been crafting since 12:30pm.

Last night I was struck by inspiration, and quite a few baby bump kicks, for some new necklace designs for Make Me Pretty Shop. So after a spot of brekkie, feeding the cats and checking my Facebook page, I jumped into my car and headed to Hobbycraft to stock up on supplies.

Two hours in store and £60 pounds lighter - no I hadn't given birth while I was there - I left pleased as punch with my haul and sped off home to start turning my late-night craft fantasies into reality. Plus, a few extra ideas that came to me after spending so much time looking round many beautiful things.

While initially apprehensive about how to actually make what I had in mind, I have to say I am feeling pretty smug about my creations, unfortunately this means once again I am already contemplating keeping half of them - well a girl can never have enough jewellery can she?

In total I made 11 necklaces, 21 bobby pins, 3 rings and 1 pair of earrings. That's right my name's Lisa-Marie Nelson and I am officially a crafty addict.

The item I am most proud of is a statement bib/collar necklace of sumptuous pink, purple and red paper roses on maroon felt, topped off with a ribbon and bead tie - perfect for autumn / fall.

I made other vintage-inspired necklaces too using paper roses and wooden beads, as well as some cameo ones using super cute cat cabochons, mounted on antique bronze and resin settings.

The additional purchases I made included some cool ice cream cone and spooky cat embellishments, which I turned into retro bobby pins, perfect for securing vintage hair-dos or for Halloween.

While it's been a joy to craft and blog, I now have to get on with adding all my new lines to my shop!

So remember to respect style, respect vintage and handmade crafts, I am off to Etsy to list.

Toodles XOXO