Custom Cool - T Skirts & a Poncho

I have had the profound pleasure of making three custom garments for two very cool clients lately and I really want to share the results with you!  

A repeat client sent me a box of the most amazing collection of Star Wars T shirts you can ever imagine.  It took a few days before I was brave enough to cut them up.  

Chopping up Chewie???  Couldn't bear it.  And the Jedi mind trick, "These are not the droids you are looking for"!  Gasp.  

Black Skirt Number 1:

Gah!  Vader!    Asymmetrical draping and hemline is key to the flattering fit.

These skirts are going to Comic-Con!!

The back.

And my favorite, the Blue & Grey combo, Skirt #2:

Again, lots of angles and draping. 

In true eco fashion - the waistband was swiped from a pair of boxers:-)

 

 

I do custom skirts in this short 17" mini skirt length and a longer midi length on the Etsy site.  When you have enough skirts, send them a long and we'll collaborate on the perfect eco skirt for you! It usually takes about 14 panels for a mini and about 20 for a midi. (You can alternate solid/graphic as seen in these, or do them with all panels as slices of the graphics). I use the blank backs of shirts for the underskirt and waistbands, thus reducing fabric waste.  

Custom Order Smashing Success #3 - A rockstar Poncho:

This client sent along a stash of awesome concert T's, some of which featured her husband's band.  The "I am Your Tin God" is her own artwork for his band - how cool is that? I studded the appliques as usual and the poncho can be worn asymmetrically off shoulder or with neck line centered. I thought her color choices were brilliant and come on - Amelia Earthart + Johnny Cash - fantastic!

The back when worn symmetrically.

Amelia with studded star appliqué. 

Neckline

Details are EVERYTHING.

Send me your shirts!  

(Your kids' sport shirts, Concert T's, Sports Team T's, Race T's, Travel T's - they make great wearable art - a site more stunning than a memory quilt, eh?!)

Summer Music Festival Schedule! COMPLETE!

This has got to be the most comprehensive summer music festival list - evah!   JamBase has them all.

Anyone up for Founder's Fest - A Celebration of Beer & Music in Grand Rapids, MI, my old stomping grounds;  who knew?  Or maybe Bluegrass & Beer in Keystone, CO, another stomping ground?

Suds & 'Grass (a ha ha ha) not your scene (mine either)?  How about Groovelink Family Funktion - just the name alone makes me want to get down.   Perhaps, For the Funk of It Music Festival in Belden, CA, with bands like Mojo Green, Groovincible and Big Sticky Mess!   

Surely you can find a fest you can attend.  And when you do - don't forget to wear a special one-of-a-kind Jag & Nevie summer tube or for cool, high mountain festival evenings - a poncho!  

Tube Tops & Halters Here 

Ponchos/Capes Here

We will even make an extra special CUSTOM ORDER poncho out of your own beloved concert t-shirts if you need one.  Just email cheriemarie@jagandnevie.biz or purchase immediately on Etsy and send over 6-8 shirts - DONE!

"Trash" Art cum Fashion

Thanks to Pinterest, I just found the amazing artist and designer, Luis Valenzuela whom has invented a stunning collection of gowns constructed from a vast array of discards which he calls EcoArtFashion®.   

An excerpt from his bio outlines why he's now one of my heroes:

"...It was his love for all natural creations that inspired his“green art philosophy” and led him to found the first “green art community” in Florida, where his primary objective has been to actively engage the community in environmental issues. He is the founder of GreenArt USA©, EarthDayMiami™, EcoArtFashion© and created the first EcoArtFashion Week™** in the world, which has become a platform to express the present state of the ethical and new sustainable fashion world."

plastic bags

discarded soccer balls and flags from around the globe

Luis can be reached at shop@luisvalenzuelausa.com   and on Twitter  @valenzuelausa and http://artsyproductionsusa.com

**EcoArt Fashion Week is now called The Art of Fashion.  The 2014 schedule is not posted but you can see snaps from 2013 here.   'Looks like a smashing time by me!  

Announcing. . . U Pick U Design

How do you follow up the delicious, smoldering Edward?  How indeed.  Decidedly not possible; but you can wear him at any rate. . . 
We have created a new category in our Custom Order line - the U Pick U Design group.  We show the shirt and you chose whether you want it cut as a Tube Top or a Halter Top.  To your specific measurements, of course.

To begin with... here are a few of the shirts:

Pain & Suffering in Various Countries - back

Summer Dresses

We are featuring the summer dresses this week.  From StrapHappy to FlapHappy, they're all here!  Each one is thoughtfully designed to flatter the body with careful color placement and asymmetry.   You can custom order one in just your size!

StrapHappy

Grafitti Applique

Grafitti Applique & FlapHappy

FlapHappy

Details, details: Studs!

More Cool Textile Recycling Facts

Here's why we should NEVER forget to donate cast-off clothing!

It pays off; it really, really does.  The Council for Textile Recycling has a terrific graphic demonstrating just how successful textile recycling can be. Click here to see in better detail.

No one has ever accused me of being a numbers person... BUT data like these make my pulse race:
* Every 1000 lbs of donated textiles when recycled generates 2 man days of labor!
* Only 5% of textiles that are recycled ends up as waste!  5%!  That's amazing considering that according to the EPA 5% of landfill is clothing:-/

Halt(er) in the Name of the Law!

Have you seen the new Custom Order Halters?

Send us your favorite concert T, school spirit T, race T, etc., and we will happily upcycle it into a fantastic halter top just in time for the heatwave sure to hit us soon.

Order a Halter in the Name of the Law Here

Carefully designed for good side coverage

Fit considerations:  Halter in the Name of the Law is carefully designed to reduce the dreaded "side boob" problem, has an adjustable waist fit and neckline that can be draped several ways depending on your mood.  Enjoy!

Fantasy vs. Reality - yuck.

Thank you, Ecouterre for these brilliant wake-up-calls

The sensible way to avoid these horrendous aspects of the (current, but hopefully changing?) international garment industry is to buy ORGANIC, Upcycled, MADE IN THE USA.

You didn't think we'd miss a segue into self-promotion here did you?  Not on your life:-)
How about this instead -

Jag & Nevie custom - use YOUR own shirt! Halter

CLEARance Out the Closets - Make Way for the NEW

This week we're clearing out the Little Girl/Tween Upcycled TSkirts on Etsy!  There are just a few left if you need one.  On SALE, of course!  Sizes 7/8 through 11/12.

They are perfect as dance skirts, over leggings or shorts and with just about any t shirt combo your young one can dream up as the girls demonstrate with such aplomb below:

NEW FlapHappy Skirts are Posted Now!

Spring's sprung, mostly, and here are two new sartorial choices for your daily adventures.
The FlapHappy Midi and FlapHappy Short Skirt are all constructed from 8-20 upcycled t shirts and are carefully designed to flatter a woman's body.  Each one is, as always, one-of-a-kind and individually draped on a dress form before construction.
Available in two colorways - solid black and black+sweatshirt grey. Completely made-to-measure for a perfect fit.      

A windy day for photos!

Back hem. On Etsy Here.

Asymmetrical layers and hemlines always compliment female curves.                
                                                      

Black+Sweatshirt Grey

                                                       

Textile Waste No More - Buy Upcycled!

This infographic posted on Ecouterre is precisely why we do what we do, i.e. upcycle unloved t shirts into fabulous new goodies.  Have you seen the new tubes yet?

Why so chere, ma chéri?

People often ask why Eco Fashion is more expensive.  In our case we would answer that it's because we make everything one-at-a-time.  Mass production techniques aren't possible when you do this.  We can't cut, for example, 10 panels for a T shirt Scarf in bulk because they are from individual t shirts, not bolts of fabric.  A lot of Eco Fashion is "Slow Fashion" in this manner.
Aside from that, there are multitude reasons that explain the expense, and this article sheds light if you're curious:

MagnifECO article

Newtral* Poncho

* 'Just can't resist faux clever spellings:-/ 

Today I just posted a single layer poncho in a different color combination and I'm very happy with it.  Stone and tan colors are so lovely when juxtaposed.  Note the studs and extra fringe-y detailing.  Rather fond of the Mountain Mutt w/ his waggy tail too.

The top left shows a Kentucky Derby shirt listing 133 winners

Mountain Mutt is from Lake Tahoe/Reno area

The Importance of Supporting Small Designers - Like Us:-)

This morning THE Cut ran a good article on shopping ethically for presents this year.  They advocate spending on better quality and supporting US makers - Jag & Nevie, perhaps? :-)  Exerpt:


"...That means going local in our shopping. For example, you can purchase your holiday gifts from crafters like Jenine Bressner, who sold and showcased her wares at Maker Faire this year. When I spoke to Bressner and other craftivists like Church of Craft's Callie Janoff, it was clear their DIY wasn't just Portlandia-ish kook. They do tend to have ideals.* They aren’t creating a mass-production line that can lead to exploitation and dangerous corner-cutting. Buying and selling from real people and being able to make everything they need: These were some rationales for all that knitting, felting, and decoupaging."
* Three cheers for ideals.

Everybody needs a fun new scarf for Christmas