some fresh new items
I made this dress the night before Easter, the top came from the bottom of a nightgown looking dress and the bottom of the dress came from another dress I bought from Family Thrift that was too big. It was an Easter hit.
little apron I made from a dress from my aunt Vicky
close up of apron pattern
I made this dress for a dance film I'm collaborating on, hopefully shoots next week, can't wait!
we secretly had her boyfriend fly in for the occasion to add an extra surprise!
Couple of videos I recently made.
I dropped into Clothes Optional last week to bring in a few new spring items. I also learned a few items sold including these:
Blue Shimmer Dress
Blk Wht Eye
B&B Dress
For Christmas MJ got me a Kodak play/sport video camera. I once owed a hand held video camera and tragically left it in the glove compartment of a rental car which the company denied seeing it after we gave it back…jerks. So I was thrilled and surprised to open this high tech HD camera. I like having film to look back on as documentation of memories. My new little camera has been traveling a lot with me since, it’s water proof too so it will come in extra handy when I’m fishing and tubing down rivers in Wisconsin this year. With that said, I’m no filmmaker either and have been learning everything as I go along. But here is a video I documented from a show called “The Little Things” last month. The idea behind the “performance gallery” was teaming visual artists up with performance artists to collaborate on a piece about the little things in life that get us by. I constructed the coffee color sweater 
Fast Forward to the Good Times from Maggie Dianovsky on Vimeo.
Two new pieces for Peggy Davis!
Both can be found at Le Thrift
Recently realized that Le Thrift has a facebook page and a blog! AND they posted a little bit from the Peggy Davis site/blog!
There were also some photos from Le Thrift photo shoots on their FB page
Triangular Patter Dress - sleeves came from a tank top that was sewn into a blouse I thrifed, the bodice material came from a high necked 3/4 sleeve top from a clothing swap, the skirt came from a thirfted skirt.
Triangular Pattern Dress
Triangular Patter Dress - look at that twirl!
Tori Racer Back Halter Top - Pink/Floral made from a dress donated by my Aunt Victoria. Thanks!
Tori Racer Back Halter Top - Pink/Floral
There is always at least one blooper in the photo shoot with Matilda. I believe she really likes to model.
Blooper!
A big thank you to Michael for photographing this series. It’s so much fun getting to work with him
The Triangular Pattern Dress is now for sale at Le Thrift!
The material came from a skirt my mom's friend and co-worker donated to the reupholster collection. It has transformed into a great night out dress and pairs well with a belt. Thanks Lynn!
The wool coat shell was once almost ankle length and rather boring, it's been hanging around for many years. I chopped a good 5 inches or more off, added vintage buttons, and added a real fur collar. The fur was originally on a suit my sister's boyfriends mom, Babara, donated to the reupholster collection. The suit traveled home with me after our recent visit to the east coast and will be reupholstered into something new soon! Thanks Barbara!
love my jack russell!
Really excited about these new looks and even more excited that Michael photographed! Love the blown out spotlight look we’ve been working with for our past couple shoots.
During one of the shots Matilda ran in… blooper!
Blooper!
The masquerade was a blast. From the masks, music and dance performances the event drew in many characters!
Such great talents and creativity in one room. Members of Laboratory Dancers custom decorated masks for each guest. Guests listed off a couple words to describe themselves and mask makers used that as inspiration. We had an extreme range of materials to decorate, I think they were a hit. The masks were cut individually by Ally, Haley, and I out of black foam.
My darling Michael Jarecki captured moments from the night and the characters that filled the intimate space of 914 gallery space perfectly.
I was so happy to have the support of so many friends. There was a great crowd and some people got really dressed up which was great to see.
The money from the fundraiser goes toward producing our next event at the Fulton Street Collective the weekend of April 20th, 2012. We are hoping to raise funds through the support of our friends and family. Any amount of contribution is greatly appreciated through our Laboratory Dancers Fractured Atlas donation page.
Laboratory Dancers is getting ready for our biggest season. We are at the beginning stages planning our next big show in April. Rehearsals are in full swing, minus holidays, and it feels great to dance with my company again. Last year I had to “stand in the wings” which is our way of saying not dancing with the company. My year of surgery and recovery is in the past and it’s been a long time since I’ve performed in our annual big show.
The night before Thanksgiving we had rehearsal which led into a photoshoot with the talented Bjorn Kavanaugh.
Laboratory Dancers is also having a masquerade party this Saturday! Having trouble picking out a winning party dress. We’ll be making personalized masquerade masks for guests, plus music and dance performances and raffle prizes. Michael is donating one of my favorite street photography photos to the raffle. Should be a fun filled evening.
so I don’t have any of the details about the magazine yet, but I will update as soon as I do.
These photos are from a shoot for a new Chicago fashion magazine coming out soon. The top featured in the photos is a Peggy Davis original and is currently being sold at Le Thrift.
Photographer: Dean Paul Stylist: Joshua (not sure of last name yet)
Photographer: Dean Paul Stylist: Joshua
Photographer: Dean Paul Stylist: Joshua
Block Sweater Dress
Block Sweater Dress
Block Sweater Dress
Structure Dress
Structure Dress
Structure Tie Top
Structure Vest over Structure Dress
Structure Vest
So thankful MJ helped me out with this shoot. He is talented at getting the lighting just right. I enjoyed just getting to play model/stylist, and not having to jump in back of the camera. So thankful for that man, he also made me perfect cheesy scrambled eggs right before our shoot
The “Structure” series comes from this beautiful dark textured fabric my mom passed on to me. It makes me think structure because it has an urban city feel to it and yet the fabric does stretch a little and hug the body, the garments still have their own structure that comes through. The maroon fabric I used for the neck, bow, back, and sleeves came from the reverse fabric from a bridesmaid shawl. The black boots were passed on to me from my girl Erica when she moved to Boulder, CO.
The Block Sweater Dress is a new love of mine. I made it a size or two bigger so it doesn’t quiet hug my body in the way I envision. The material stretches to adjust. I love the asymmetrical color blocking. The turquoise fabric came from a cardigan that belonged to my mom. The mustard fabric is actually the reverse plaid fabric from a shrug top. The trim on the arms and hem came from a shirt that used to belong to my dad.
I am extremely excited to announce that Peggy Davis will be featured in a fashion show! Saturday, November 12 @ Beauty Bar in Chicago. More details to follow. But this weekend is the casting call for models, hopefully they will inspire me about what pieces to have walk the runway. I don’t know how I will edit down to only 6 looks! ekk!
Two of my pieces at Le Trift will be showing up in a Chicago fashion magazine soon! Can’t wait to share the photos.
the “baabe!” Sweater
I made this from a sweater that belonged to Michael. It became the sweater I would throw on early chilly winter mornings. I got my share of wear out of it, onto the next! I deconstructed the sweater and used the reverse side to give it more texture and pattern to play with.
Cropped Red Vest over Sweater Dress
T-Shirt Fancy
Midnight Panel Vest - Front
Midnight Panel Vest - Back
Lace Over Skirt
This “over skirt” is meant to be layered over dresses and skirts to bring new texture and dynamic to clothes you already have. Totally inspired by a dress my Portland home girl wore to Friendsgiving last year.
Day After BDay Dress/Top
I literally made this the day after my birthday this week. MJ took me to the Frank Lloyd Wright house and studio in Oak Park, it might have influenced my creative juices.
This “dress/top” can be long enough as a dress for some… but for those of us with long torsos it can easily transition over pants.
Day After BDay Dress/Top - Back
The back has two black satin triangles…brings a little surprise when you turn around!
Day After BDay Dress/Top
the “m&m love-dress jean-dress”
constructed from jean scraps from pants Michael and I either turned into scraps or scrapped all together. I call it our “love dress” because it’s made from a little bit of each other.
the top bodice is constructed from a black stretchy denim jean pant I believe I bought from Express many moons ago.
there are two different gray denim scraps, that both came from Michael’s pants, which I used for the skirt section.
the design is rather simple, but it fits like a glove and is made completely from scraps so I had a very limited amount of eat jean color.
the side zipper is something I’m starting to play with more and I like the way it added a small block of color and went with the a-symmetrical lines.
the yellow apron is another new recent making of mine. everything I make goes right to the stores, I rarely hang onto or make something just for myself. I made this yellow apron for keeps. It’s perfect.
Mitten Paw Tunic
Ann T Dress
Black & Purple Shirt
Branch Out Top
Side vies of Threads Vest
Back view Threads Vest
