Erika! Great post -- and I love shorts. I'm originally from Florida (live in LA) and have so many shorts I have to store them at different times. I concur with your analysis we Americans need to dress better - I love flying Virgin because I perceive the men dress better (they all have leather shoes!). And, it is slightly close-minded to think that clothes can't inspire us (they do me!) to do things and attend events that may not normally come to mind. I mean, come on, you do live (I think) in B'ham -- and there is tons going on. I'm on my way to Mood this afternoon! Thanks for the thoughtful post!

Another Great outfit on you. You give so much inspiration to those of us who "used to sew" yet we still cannot dust off the ole Singer.

You are so right! Don't focus on the negative comments people say. My great grandmother used to say, "you can't please everyone all the time, so just please yourself." The clothes you make are fabulous and you dictate where and when you want to wear them. You look simply amazing and keep doing what you do, you fans love it. Oh and by the way, I saw The Coalition on Netflix and you did an amazing job with the clothes. Thanks for sharing all that you do, some of us really do appreciate all your hard work.

I'm in two minds about commenting here, but will for the sake of debate. I thought much the same thing as your commenter wrote when I first saw that pattern advertised (not your version, I hasten to add). So whilst I think your white dress is 100% great, I'm inclined to agree that I wouldn't know where to wear it (hence why I've never bought the pattern, although liking the style). That being said, I might have voiced my opinion in a different way if I had decided to make an actual comment along those lines. Maybe it was a comment made on the spur of the moment without thinking how it might be misconstrued? Like it's saying, "man, awesome to have a situation to wear this", sometimes being able to apply a design to our lives is a skill in itself...so perhaps the offending comment was actually a back-handed compliment?! ;-) Whatever the case, you like it, the dress looks awesome and that's all that matters. phew! Longest comment ever.

Love the look. You look great. Werq. On your "questionable garment post"......wow. I don't understand why some folks can't let others lead the life that they represent best. If you are a sweats and t-shirt kinda gal....why be degrading to the gal that loves to rock stilettos and pearls. Just do you!!! I mean come on. Be bold. Be Fabulous. Be You!

www.fashionfab.onsugar.com

**SIGH** Oh well...I feel so sorry for the person who has such a limited life that there would NEVER be an occasion to wear a gorgeous maxi. And you even made a point of saying that you put a belt on so that you could wear flats. Which means you can also wear it with heel for an evening out. folks need to expand their horizons. To the best of my knowledge, we only get one life, might as well look good and have fun!

I believe if you have/make/find the outfit, the occasion will come. In fact, if I don't have something fabulous in my closet (that currently fits just right) I start to get nervous. I hope your white dress gets invited to Greece, or something equally terrific!

I'm with you. I want fall to be here and be here NOW! It's been in the 100's here and I am not only eager for cooler weather but for cooler weather clothes, too. I just bought a BUNCH of heavy knits (all black/dark brown/taupe) and I want to sew them, but more importantly wear them, which I can't in this hot weather.

Here's wishing for the cool of autumn and fabulous sewing!

If I looked as good as you do in that dress, I'd probably wear it everywhere!

I get comments all the time about how I'm too well-groomed. I think I'm a reproach to the slobs--they'd rather try to bring me down than to go to ANY effort to clean themselves up.

I especially appreciate you as a woman of a certain age who hasn't given up, like so many do. You're a great role model showing people that you don't have to be 20 and stick-thin to look wonderful!

Cool. Nice.

How funny, I would not expect a maxi dress to inspire that reaction and I am not so fashionable. I saw that dress and marked it for the future since it's already cold up here! I'm a Southern girl transplanted up North and I am always astonished that fall starts so early here!!

I've actually taken to dressing up when I'm working from home. It makes me happy to look nice 'just for myself' and I think that mood translates to the rest of my life too.

By the way, I really appreciate it when you write about your thought process on choosing the types of fabric and bra information. It's helpful to a newbie seamstress like me.

Girl you hit the nail on the head! Enough said. And that dress ....hummm you could wear it on a date night with your husband..... you can wear it to a jazz club.... you can wear it to a Show.... you can wear it any where you want cause you Fly like that!! OK

WoW! Your outfit is very refreshing. About the comment being condescending, I
agree. I love clothing and because I do sewing helps me to be able to wear whatever I want whenever I want! Snide comments have always come out when I'm out and about..even from ladies at churches!!! Bored, envious and jealous people don't have a clue about their own style or self-worth.

I missed your earlier posts but went back to read...much truth in both. Americans have become numb to dressing themselves which may be the cause of some younger girls dressing inappropriately if they have anything on at all!!!

Keep doing you and I promise I will keep sewing and doing me way past these 58 years off mine! ALL your garments are lovely and fit you well, keep wearing them Mrs. Bunker!¡! BTW congrats on the featured photo in Redbook!

Whatever, Erica, I love the way you dress. You always are so polished and pulled together, and the stuff you make is amazing. Bonus for you (and the rest of us lurking the pictures!) that you don't restrict the fancier stuff for fancier occasions - if you want to wear something pretty, that's occasion enough.

I wish fall would hurry up here, but as someone who is also in the south... maybe it'll cool off in November :P haha! I'm trying to find the middle ground here by sewing things in fall colorways, but warm-weather appropriate fabrics. Really dying to dive into my wool stash, though!

I totally love this look! I obsess about those amazing gladiator sandals. They've got all the attitude of boots!

I love my clothes and cheers to you! Keep posting that stuff. Alot of us have things to do and places to go! How dare they upset my option for learning and inspiration! LOL!

The "no-style" people who make comments about your clothing are most probably those who everyday pull on their track pants and tee and think they look great, that is their "uniform" does not matter whether it is a day at home, in the kitchen or out shopping.

For those who follow you I just love the inspriation and have learnt lots of tips from you. Love your wardrobe of shoes and bags and as for the bling - WOW.... Keep up the good work you must enjoy what you do it shows on your face. xxx

I think the white dress is lovely, but I also think the comment (Fun to sew, fun to have, sure, but wear it when….?) is pretty innocuous. I think offence was taken when none was intended .. just to preempting, it wasn't me that said it. I think maybe a follow up on where you may have worn it or that is an easy wear, easy care dress suitable for all occasions could have been helpful. Maybe the person just couldn't see where it would be suitable, maybe they live in a small town and it would be too wow for that town. Who knows. I don't read it as any attack on you or your style or that they need to be attacked for being a track pants wearing lowlife who has no style - I think that's a bit unfair. That's just how I read it.

Hey Erica!
I LOVED that dress so much, I bought the pattern and plan to make one for myself! As for where I will wear it...where ever I feel like it! :)
Love your style! You inspire me!!!

Erica, you dress so beautifully. I love coming to your blog for ideas, and I hope that one day I the clothes I sew can be as well-made and stylish as yours. If what you wear suits your life and makes you feel lovely, then carry on.

Also, am I the only one who will occasionally buy/make the outfit first and figure out where to wear it later? Sometimes, it works out really well and I end up doing things (going to the opera or a party or a nice restaurant or out on a picnic) that I might not have otherwise, because I have just the thing to wear to that...

I promise you the banter on this post is and has always been one of the reasons I initially kept my sewing to myself sometimes...I have a little modest blog that I am hesitant to share things all the time because I'm beyond tired of people actually feeling some kind of way about how someone else chooses to dress...and to pour salt in the wound per say, there is always someone else ready to pounce on any post to try and sound "objective" about the subject in an effort to disguise their unwarranted resentment....Le sigh....I love your blog Erica B. and one of the main reasons is you actually do wear the clothes you sew; just like myself....Thank you so much for sharing....

I'm still trying to get over the fact that someone actually wrote that to you?! Obviously if you sew it, you wear it. I don't know too many people who take the time to sew their garments and not wear them?

The white dress, is one that you could dress up or down, " called versatile" its kool to sew those. Me personally i wear whatever the f*** i want to wear long as I like it. No standards here.

PS. I don't wear pants, jeans, or shorts only dresses and skirts so I really adore the dress.

Erica, I'm counting on you wearing what you make, and not just for the photo shoot. I love it when you've made a piece and say you wear it often. It inspires me and reminds me...of my mom and aunt who were ALWAYS photo ready, even going to the grocery store, of EVERY Thursday night without fail, Mommy gave herself a manicure and pedicure. I NEVER saw her without manicured hands and feet, yet she raised three kids and always kept our house immaculate, even scrubbing her kitchen floors on her hands and knees...Your blog reminds me that I come from a long line of sewists that made their time behind the sewing machine count and were always perfectly turned out.

In these days of everyone wearing the same drab, faded, rough dried clothes straight from the dryer, throwing on the same North Face fleece and calling themselves dressed up, I would be offended if you went to the fabric store, picked out a Vogue pattern and fabric, and you ended up sewing something you could get from Walmart. That would be a waste of your time...and mine.

If Naomi can wear gowns for her community service, surely you can wear your maxi wherever you want to. I think that comment reeked of someone who dresses down daily and just thinks you're too fancy. People can try to make it sound better or innocuous all they want.

I'm glad you are like the rest of us at home - ordinary style!! I put a lot of that on my blog, doesn't make for such inspired photos!

Isn't it funny how one thinks ahead - we are entering summer here, but I'm already thinking about the following winter. And you do have to plan and sew ahead.

I remember reading that post and thought the person was being a little nasty...but what do I know. Your blog is one of the first ones I started following and I think your sewing is impeccable and that it why I keep reading. I just turned 57 years old on yesterday and am learning that people use blogs and other social avenues to let off steam because they just don't feel that good about themselves....Keep doing you Erica...you have many followers who love your stye and are inspired by it.

All of the barbs going back and forth on this are somewhat sad to me - "bored", "low life" "jealous", "slob" and so on - from both sides. Its unfortunate that we are going back to the playground to get our points across. I remember seeing this dress when it was posted and thinking it was nice, but if I ever made it I'd have to change colors, as I'd dirty up white in a second. Your blog and Mimi's do always encourage me to expand my palette and try new styles, but white and I just can't get it right!

Erica, were you able to tell from the post if this commenter frequently visits the blog? I ask because that dress seemed well within your style and not out of the ordinary for you. I wonder if someone who frequently saw your posts would question that, as they'd have seen you out and about in your fashions over time. I wonder if they had seen enough posts to reach that same conclusion.

I'm not trying to justify those comments at all. But I would ask those who have called this person a slob, a lowlife, bored, etc took even a second to think of where they might be coming from. Again it is hard to know without seeing the whole post from the original commenter, but could it also be that they just don't know "better"? And if you don't know better you can't do better. I think more of someone in What Not to Wear or How Do I Look, that for whatever reason hasn't delved deeply into personal style for whatever reason and is maybe dipping their toe in the waters here. Ultimately none of us are responsible for helping this person get to the root of any of that (if that is even the case here), but these comments just read mean to me. Disagree, that's fine, but casting aspersions on the commenter, however well intentioned, may only stoke the flames.

Blame it on the nerd in me - I can't help but grimace at ad hominem attacks!

I, too, have a husband that will take me out and show me off. I also wear what I want and get sidelong glances at work or out and about for errands. I just decided, whatever, I'll dress how I like.

I don't know, I'm kind of wondering where you wore the dress as well. Mind you, I'm not wondering IF you actually wore it, just WHERE. The context of the shot isn't clear; the columns in the photo are so PERFECT for the dress that it does make me wonder if you just happened to be there while you were wearing it or if you went there to photograph it because it worked so well. That said, I'm sure you wore it somewhere and looked fantastic all the while. I really love your blog and I appreciate how much effort it takes to keep it up AND sew amazing clothing. Keep it up!

You look nice. You always look nice. I wouldn't wear alot of the clothing you wear because I am pretty much a classic clothing person. I really do not enjoy pushing the envelope, so to speak :) People should dress to feel good about themselves, whatever that style might be.

Hi 5! Go on being our living life role model. Some people just have to place their lacking into your life. To the dungeon with them! Real life includes tanks and athletic shorts but why can't dreamy Grecian dresses and leather and lace be a part of it too?

You were my introduction into this blogging world (the first blog I EVER started following) and you will remain at the top not only because of what and how you wear what you make but the JOY you have in doing so.

Keep doing what you're doing. I know you appreciate it (and so do we)!

Lol.. sorry to be so nosy! I live in nyc, so I ride the subaways a lot and a white maxi would be a dirt magnet, but you were smart to make it a washable cotton. I say make all the fancy clothes you like and I'll keep watching in awe. Your blog comes closest to the types of patterns that I want to make so I look forward to every new garment post.

Erica B, I love the way you dress. I love that you wear cool, interesting, modern, sophisticated outfits with a lot of care and attention to the styling (and as a long-time reader, I would say you have become ever more sophisticated and fashion forward over the years). I love that you do it and you don't live in NY or LA. Even more so that you make your clothes! That has been an inspiration to me, as well as a resource - I feel like you PR reviews are invaluable.

I like to dress well myself - for me, generally dresses or skirts. And while I find that most people who comment seem to like the outfits I wear and the care I put into them, every one in a while someone can't seem to help making a snide comment, along the lines of the one sent to you. I always feel like those people are lacking in imagination - like they can't make the leap in their minds from wearing t-shirts and yoga pants (or whatever their uniform - not that there's anything wrong with it) to wanting anything else. Ignore them.

PS - As a mom of two little children, I love the fact that the white dress is both sophisticated and washable!

Let's put it all to rest!!!! Mrs. Bunker is Socialite, for those that don't Know! She is a Home State Ladyas well. My final take is that she blogs, shares her creativity with each of us. STOP visiting and throwing insults, innuendos (she lives the life like that)! Bothered? Stop looking. Intrigued? Ask questions BUT don't assume everyone lives in a bubble. Each of us live our lives whether we're comfortable with it or not! But this continual banter, which is delving, is totally unnessary! To hurl insults and later come back offering glimmers of comràdie is sheepish!

Sorry, Mrs. Bunker. This is not my blog but enough of the foolishness! Keep doing you!!!!!!!!!

I frequently think the same about many garment I see here and in various places and in magazines, fun to sew but where would I wear it etc.

This is an observation I have about your blog Erica. I think this blog, because of the quality of photography and accessorizing, has crossed over from a personal fashion blog to an expert's blog. I'm sure you don't feel that was because these are your clothes and they are very personal to you and reflect your personal and private life.

I recall someone asking you of a ring in a photograph was a real St Laurant (or something) which would be an intrusive personal question for sure. And your response was that she should do her own research. Fair enough response to an inappropriate personal question.....however, I would see you as an expert to go to for reseach.

That is the delimma I see with your blog actually. Most blogs of this quality are not filled with personal wardrobe items nor are they written with your level of expertise. You straddle between expert and personal.

Some comments are not appropriate on a personal level, but they are comments an expert could expect and could probably answer in a helpful manner. On project runway, designers are frequently asked, where is your model going, and the designer is expected to answer.

Not commenting on the context of the question, just that because of your skills I'd expected questions to be answered from an expert point of view. However, you may have a different view of the purpose of your blog.

Something to think about anyway.

Your clothes do inspire me to get a life!

Well, I certainly won't ask inappropriate personal quesions about your personal garments, accessories or lifestyle. I just see you as someone who would have the answer to a ring's origins or suggestions as to what is approprite to wear somewhere.

Being seen as an expert just happens to you sometimes whether you like it or not!

Well, I retained it as I am quite good at sewing, selecting fabric and patterns, but lousey at accessorizing what I sew. You accessorize patterns I have sewn myself. That is why I pop by your blog, for inspiration on accessorizing mostly.

I agree, it was not an appropriate question to ask someone personally. Glad you keep blogging and taking photos anyway. I have an envelope clutch now because of this site and love it!

I chose to retain that exchange because it got me thinking about the position personal bloggers who have expertise are put in when asked questions that could be appropriate or inappropriate depending on if they are perceived or perceive themselves as experts or personal bloggers.

I agree Erica, if I like it enough to make it, you bet you will see me out about in it! I am definitely a woman who likes dressing up every chance she gets! That's why I like your blog too!

Wow, quite the conversation going on around here :-) Erica (non that you need my validation at all, lol) - you are gorgeous, make beautiful clothes, and I live vicariously through you ... I plan to keep enjoying the fabulous garments you make/wear (and how you style them) as long as you keep sharing them with us ...

As a person who lives in the tropics, I can think of a ton of places to wear a white cotton maxi - lunch with the girls, walks along the beach with family at dusk (the longer, the better - keeps the biting sandflies off my legs), strolls along the esplanade. Gosh, even joining my husband for a gin & tonic on the deck around the pool in the backyard. The first time I saw this, I thought it was a classic daytime to evening, casual to dressy kind of number for a gal like me living in the tropics. We do white (and bright colours) so well here!