Dress Of The Day with Angela

 I have several blouses and jackets with shoulder pads. They were the fashion years ago. They went away in the next decades, although they stayed in vintage items, and they periodically return. The latest reports from April 2025 say shoulder pads are making a comeback, creating the big, broad-shouldered powerful look. Meanwhile, what about old-time shoulder pads? Some of them have a new life. But, unfortunately, and unexpectedly, others have reached the end of their useful life. I considered removing the pads from old jackets. Some are attached by a single linking thread, sometimes plaited to make it stronger. Others are sewn in firmly with a line of central stitching, making them harder to remove. I have tried removing those which were easy to extract, by cutting off the linking thread, or by removing the sponge filling. Once I tried snipping the thread. Easy. I gaily cut off one pad. I smugly tried on the jacket.  Disaster! Horror! The shoulder was now too wide. Not only did...

  Angela Lansbury in blue outfit, TU dress. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Beautiful blue outfit with blue embroidered jacket. Photo edited by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. Blue Thai Silk Jacket The jacket is thick silk in a lovely almost vibrant royal blue. The label says Thai Silk 100%, and Made in Thailand. The washing instructions are hand wash at 30 degrees, cool iron, no tumbling. Beautiful Blue Buttons Ten buttons, yes, ten middle-sized buttons, covered in the same colour blue fabric, are down the jacket front from the neck. The buttons are fastened by semi circular stiff fabric loops. Buttons in the same fabric as the jacket look expensive. The matching buttons create a unified, elegant look. But also sleek, svelte, subtle. DIY Covered Buttons You can buy templates for fabric covered buttons for making buttons to match your own hand-made clothes. The button bases have clip on lids with four or more gripping teeth. You cut a small piece of circular fabric, large enough to cover the t...