Hippy Chic.....

 

Little Madame is half way through this school year, as a matter of fact we are in the third school term already! Down South, little peeps start school later than little peeps elsewhere in the world, 7 years old being the average age! The thinking is that they are more emotionally equipped to handle the huge year that is Grade 1  It has been an epic year for us, I say US because I have also had to get use to not having her around, I home schooled Little Madame until 2 years ago...... and even then took her out of school when ever I wanted to! When ever I needed her!  But 'BIG " school is a different ball game! Little Madame LOVES school( Thank the good Lord above!) there have been no difficulties at all.

Now I must give credit where it is due...... The school we chose for her to attend is a well known school in the fishing village, an all girls school ( LSO insisted) very disciplined and although I hesitate to use the word...... Strict!  But it was exactly what we were looking for in a school! HOWEVER it is a nurturing and VERY family orientated school, with plenty of parent occasions! I am getting to the point....... Not only is it an epic year for Little Madame, it is also an epic year for the school - this year Fatima Dominican Convent School turns 60!  In the coming weeks there are all sorts of fun festivities lined up for the girls, both past and present!  A choir evening, a parade through the streets of our neighbourhood, a huge founders day, netball matches against past pupils and my favourite and the whole topic of today's post - A dress up Sixty's Day

Now for those of you that know me..... you will know that my eyes lit up with sheer joy and delight! There is nothing I LOVE more than a dress up day! SO little Madame and I had a chat about it and it was so very evident that our ideas were rather a long way from each other...... She was insisting it was neon and legwarmers and I was sure it was caftans and bell bottoms! So we turned to the trusty world wide web! The only thing I could think of to google was Woodstock, however all that "love and substance" might not be appropriate to show a 7 year old! Then it stuck me  - A movie I saw many years ago yet loved and still do HAIR! Little Madame sat enthralled as we watched  very grainy yet beautiful renditions of Good Morning Star Shine, Let The Sunshine In, I Got Life and the Iconic Aquarius!   

When the moon is in the seventh house
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius, Aquarius

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the minds true liberation

Aquarius, Aquarius

When the moon is in the seventh house
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius, Aquarius, Aquarius
Aquarius, Aquarius

Let the sunshine
Let the sunshine in
The sunshine in.....

What an amazing time in our history - and somehow really significant to the time we are in right now! Maybe we should all take up the MAKE LOVE NOT WAR motto again! Right, I am getting off my little soap box right now!

So an outfit was decided on (I had to veto the bikini top and bell bottoms - not sure it would have gone down well with the Nuns and Father Des) and I got to work...... I really wasn't sure I would be able to find fabric that reflected the sixty's but I did, I was really surprised!

I also was on the look out for a Peace sign, not knowing where was I going to find one but as I left the very first shop I had walked into , there it was a Peace sign (a very blingy peace sign, not sure Janis Joplin would have approved but I loved it!)
 

I was having a really great shopping day, a few bangles and a bag of feathers and I was ready to make a hippy out of Little Madame

I think it is important to have a go-to-pattern. A pattern that you can adapt  to make anything you want. I have found a MacCall's pattern that works for anything! This pattern has, a dress, pants and a peasant top! (M6613) So I used the peasant top and cut out wide bell sleeves, it was done in no time at all!

To this we added a pair of denim shorts with the US flag on them (a recent flea market purchase, a crochet bolero ( an crochet top of mine, which is long on Little Madame) Said peace sign, bangles, a flower wreath for her hair and boots!

Little Madame makes a very good hippy - all that flowing hair, and twirling(yes she still twirls everywhere) and looks really CUTE! I even taught her the Peace Sign, the hand one,  you know the one I mean, the one that when turned around means a whole different thing? Well I have had to correct her a few time and eventually had to explain to her it was rude to turn your hand around! Thankfully she was horrified so I don't have to worry about her saying "Peace Out Father Des" and using the wrong sign..... maybe that was not such a clever thing for me to do....... Oh Well, one can only hope! Peace out Beautiful Peeps...... xxx 

PS:: I had to add the collage, as I have just returned from dropping Little Madame off at school! Today I  wished I was back at school - in particular this school! ..... The Head Mistress and teachers were outside dressed up and wishing everyone Peace and Love, the Matric and Std ( girls were on all the street corners leading up to the school, dancing playing Tambourine's and singing, welcoming everyone at drop off, even the moms doing drop off got in on the action, what an amazing and special time for all the little girls! Happy Birthday Fatima!