In Love With Clema W.

Wearing my "So Betty" Clema W. Dress 

I was recently contacted by Erin of Clema W. , on Instagram asking if I would represent her company and help promote via my blog and other social media accounts, and after checking out her web site and spotting the beauty above, how could I say no?! Erin helped me figure out sizing, and we determined I would size up and then have my local alterations place take in the upper half for me as I was between sizes, this is not unusual for me and as I was receiving the dress as a gift for promotion it for her, paying out a small fee to get a custom fit, was not a problem.  It was not too long after I received the beautiful dress... I was instantly impressed.

I receive clothing on a pretty regular basis, for promotional purposes, and some, well some, are not nearly the quality as the dresses that Erin creates. The fabric is of a beautiful weight, and to top it off she goes so far as to line the dresses, a nice added touch. It zips up the back, which I prefer to the under the arm zipper, so I could step right into it and it was low enough I could zip it myself. Because I sized up, it was roomy, but not too much in the waist and the skirt being a bit fuller cut ( as her slogan says " Retro Inspired, Modern Fit" ) it fit nicely through my hips.That being said, the skirts line is a bit more narrow than the full circle skirts I typically wear, being a bit more late 1950's to early 1960's in style. It still very much falls into my style pocket, so that was ok with me.    The length was modest, as a retro dress should be, but not too long. The first day I wore it, I actually fit in a petticoat, but it was not needed...I just wanted to try it out. The stitching was perfection, nice and even as was the bottom line of the skirt. The darts and pleats added really nice detail to a basic fuller skirt shift dress. I really liked the waist band as well which helped create a bit of a blousing effect to the bodice. The best part?? Well, yes, the print, but the dress, as all Clema W. dresses have, is the pockets! Who does not like pockets??  Like I said overall I was very impressed and given the chance I would be happy to purchase another one of her creations. Erin has plenty of fabric choices and though all the dresses are similar in style, the fabrics really change the look and feel of each one. From kitschy to classic there is a print for everyone, and you do not have to be a retro gal like myself to enjoy wearing one of her creations. 

The weight of the fabric is heavier, but not so much that it weighs you down,
even lined, but heavy enough that it gives a lovely drape. 

The "So Betty" print, running dangerously low

I asked Erin to give me a brief bio/background about herself and her company, but she is a bit shy, preferring to stay behind the scenes and the sewing machine, so she in her own words, " paid...ok begged" her friend Kate to do it for her. That made me giggle, as my middle daughter, the creator/artist and true owner of Housewife Chic By Ruby also enjoys being the "wizard behind the curtain", so find below the brief below, then I shall share all the fun photos I took on location at Big Trees National Park. 

"Although there’s nothing Erin won’t try her hand at sewing — past projects include countless ice-skating costumes, RV curtains and cushions, Halloween costumes and a travel surfboard bag — the Clema W. dress line recalls her roots as a seamstress. The original Clema was Erin’s grandmother — and her inspiration.

Erin learned to sew in grade school, starting with Barbie clothes. By the time she entered high school, she was sewing her own clothes and, as a sophomore, she took her first commissioned job and hasn’t stopped since. Then, she shared one sewing machine with her mother and her sister. Now, she owns five that she doesn’t have to share with anyone, and she uses them to sew each Clema W. original dress.

Clema W. dresses project a fun attitude, with a retro, rockabilly flair in both their design and their fabric. The original patterns are designed to be crisp, clean and simple — and the whimsical fabrics compliment that style.

The Juliee is waisted pattern, gathered at the bust and available in standard sizes from 2 to 14. The Shannon, with its solid front, is available in standard sizes from 2 to 22. Both dresses have wonderful deep pockets that are necessity for all dresses in Erin’s opinion."

Now The Photos....

Even with this view, the Clema W. dress
stands out! 

Scoping out good photo locations 

Big Trees National Park is the perfect place to spend a Summer day, and this dress from Clema W. is the perfect dress to wear while doing so! 

Helping some "tourists" Just like Clema W.'s slogan of "retro meets modern..".
the same is true for this photo.

Just to show what it looks like with a petticoat....

My Current Favorite Fabrics on Clema W.

subject to change as some sell out and others become available.

Time for lemonaid

Vintage Garden

You can find Clema W. on FB ...Click HERE.

and Instagram...HERE

Photos of dresses where I am not wearing them and Logo are all property and used with permission of Clema W.