"Lady" Lydia's designer "line" of clothing - MERGE

[docmom]

Yes, Lady Lydia is insulting the memory of Laura Ashley. :(

People were big on matching mother/daughter dresses back in the 70s too, at least in the UK. This is a fun page of memories and photos. Laura Ashley fans are certainly loyal and the clothes wore extremely well.

http://www.museumofcostume.co.uk/exhibi ... ories.aspx

That really brought back memories. My sisters and I wore non-matching Laura Ashley dresses as bridesmaids at our Aunty's wedding. Mine was purple with small flowers, high necked with a long flowing skirt that with yards of material- great fun to spin around in. I still have it. My daughter wore it for a "colonial" days project at her school. I doubt Lady Lydia's creations would last 30+ years.

[DGayle]

The dresses are ugly, but she gets a point for her own clothing "line." Clever play on that. I don't think any of us saw that coming.

[Lisa]

Once again, Lydia demonstrates her complete lack of taste or artistic sense. Nothing will convince her that not everybody looks good in eye-searing pink. I guess if don't have a penis you have no business wearing blue, or red, or - shudder - a neutral. God hates taupe, apparently.

Also, does it count as designing if you take a store-bought pattern and raise the neckline? If so, call me Mizrahi and throw me your money.

[Hane]

That is somewhat standard Mennonite wear, esp. the puffed sleeves, except that usually we couldn't have flowers bigger than a quarter. Which was a big struggle for some girls. :lol:

Yes, indeed--when I was last in Lancaster County, I saw many "black-car Mennonite" girls and women wearing dresses like these, often with matching bonnets.

[ButterscotchEquinox]

The blog reads as if she's been sneaking episodes of Project Runway. It seems so earnest. I feel a little bit bad snarking on it, but gosh, those dresses are legit ugly. It isn't even the cut (which I do recognize from my days with Mennonite influences) but rather, the awful fabric prints. And oh! Those contrasting green buttons! My eyes are burning. :shifty:

[Phoenix]

Will she be offering coordinating couch covers? That is about the only place I would want to see the floral prints she is using.

[Lisa]

I can see the prints in a nice plastic lawn chair, or maybe a giveaway grocery bag.

[Sobeknofret]

I think she's making these dresses for her daughter and granddaughter. Maybe she's trying to sell them to the ladies at her church? I cannot imagine anyone wearing them though. Mennonite-lite is not a realistic style for selling, unless you have a Mennonite clientele in the first place.

I have to say, Lydia was my gateway fundie and I absolutely love her utter ridiculousness.

[Convicted Blossom]

Lady Lydia was my gateway fundie so I have a really soft spot for her especially as she is such a whack-job. She makes no bones about being completely crazy, she writes on four or five different topics in every post, she buys the worst kitsch and she is proud of it. The only thing I don't understand is why she hangs curtains between her trees.

[nelliebelle1197]

Once again, Lydia demonstrates her complete lack of taste or artistic sense. Nothing will convince her that not everybody looks good in eye-searing pink. I guess if don't have a penis you have no business wearing blue, or red, or - shudder - a neutral. God hates taupe, apparently.

Also, does it count as designing if you take a store-bought pattern and raise the neckline? If so, call me Mizrahi and throw me your money.

She and Steve Maxwell would have a huge doctrinal disagreement over taupe.

[DGayle]

Lady Lydia was my gateway fundie so I have a really soft spot for her especially as she is such a whack-job. She makes no bones about being completely crazy, she writes on four or five different topics in every post, she buys the worst kitsch and she is proud of it. The only thing I don't understand is why she hangs curtains between her trees.

I actually like that. There's a gate there, and that's what the curtain is covering.

[Coco]

i hope they live out in the privacy of the country, because i'd worry if i was her neighbor and saw her setting that up, taking photos of it and then drinking tea out there alone. If a grandkid was with her though it would be cute, though.

Makes me think of this:

[anniebgood]

You know she's not an old lady. She's only 61, their home is on the property that the church he pastors at owns. I don't know if they live off tithes or if he gets a salary. If she's never worked, she won't get social security unless he paid it into, pastors have different rules in IRS land.

She just seems sad. Today she said if the pink pumpkins at the farmers market are too high, she'll just be satisfied with the one she made out of the same pink material she made the jackets from. Personally it looks like a bunch of boobs with gold stickers.

[DGayle]

I was a kid in the country where anything remotely pretty could be hard to find when it comes to old houses that need so much work to look nice and feminine that it was usual for people to set up bistro sets somewhere quieter to go read and have a mental break from the dirt and work of country-living. I'm not exactly a Lady Lydia fan, but for people like her, a nice little spot like this may be all she can claim as her own. Where else do you carve out something of your own when your house is supposed to be shared with a bajillion people?

[16strong]

I hate pink. That was the first time I'd ever visited Lady Lydia's blog. It was hell.

[Convicted Blossom]

Lydia's fall line has been released. homeliving.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-day-in-he-life-of-homemaker.html

Make sure you have your sunglasses on.

[Mango]

I'm not a pink lover, but it looks like she's got some fun gradient fabric going there.

I think there's lots to snark about with Lady Lydia but well... eh. It's not any weirder than a lot of stuff on etsy.

[Peas n carrots]

I hate pink. That was the first time I'd ever visited Lady Lydia's blog. It was hell.

Whenever I visit her page, the words of Raphie's dad in The Christmas Story ring in my ears - It's a PINK NIGHTMARE.

That is what my "line" of clothing is for: home living. At home, they are worn with aprons that coordinate with the colors, and when making a trip to the market, can be removed (or not: sometimes I forget and go shopping with my apron). These dresses are "mommy" dresses for mother and daughter and can be worn at home, shopping and even to church.

OMG as a child my mother always wanted to do matching mother/daughter, and there was no more abhorrent thing in the world to me than dressing like my mother. This would be my own personal nightmare*.

*My style and my mom's style are radically different, and I don't feel is very flattering on her!

[jozina]

I love imagining what her neighbours must think of her.

The nautical line looks great. What size 10 boy wouldn't want a shirt that was supposedly all the rage in the 1800s AND which matched his mother and sister? Though (GASP!) the delicate female attire in that range isn't pink! I guess the blue is okay if it's to match something worn by a penis-bearer.

[salex]

I'm not a pink lover, but it looks like she's got some fun gradient fabric going there.

I think there's lots to snark about with Lady Lydia but well... eh. It's not any weirder than a lot of stuff on etsy.

the pink things on the line are her towels.... i thought it was hand dyed fabric at first, but -- no

That is a lot of pink to live with--I just can't imagine it for myself and my husband.

[Rebelwife]

I find her so funny and snarkable, but at the same time so sad. I can't help but imagine her life - no real friends and a whole community of people who are just humoring her and then making the crazy sign as she leaves. :cray-cray:

[Peas n carrots]

I found this old post on Lady Lydia's blog...I'm sure it's probably been snarked over here before, but this had me lol'ing and worth bringing up again. This is LL's list of 30 things ladies need to think about before working outside the home. They are all super important folks!

1. Do you have a morning routine in the house? Drink coffee, work out, shower, go to work!

2. Are your dishes washed and put away? - Likely not. My husband is the primary dishwasher in the HH, so he'll do them before he goes to work.

3. Is your cabinet top clear? Eh? What is that? My counter - um, like appliances or just stuff? Either way, likely not.

4. Is your table clear, when not dining, and do you have a centepiece? - Hell no. My dining room table is where my mail and books collect! Centerpiece...the giant f'ing bowl in the center of the table that holds papers and loose change? Yes, I suppose then.

5. Have you cleaned your cupboards and storage areas and fridge in the last 3 months? Cleaned the fridge last week...cupboards, umm perhaps a year ago?

6. Is your porch clean and the entry way cheerful for visitors or people who see it from the road? I have no porch, so I have no cheerful entry portal for visitors. Suck it guests!

7. Are your carpets clean? Hard wood!

8. Is your floor clean? Well, if you mean no large chucks or dust bunnies...it's probably a 4 out of 5 stars.

9. Is your living room ready for company? WTH does this mean?

10. Is your laundry washed, folded, ironed and put away? (Keep in mind, I am not saying you have to do this. I am only listing it in case you think you have time to bring in another income!) LOLOL. As long as it's clean I'm not bothered!

11. Is your mending and button replacement caught up? Who is losing that many buttons?

12. Do you bake bread? (Once again, no one HAS to do it, but if a woman is bored, maybe she should bake her bread. It takes more time. It smells wonderful. It has far greater effects than can be listed here, both emotionally and physically or even involving childhood memory) Ok serious LULZ. :lol: I love how she's really stretching here.

13. Is your bathroom shining clean and does it smell nice? Smelling "nice"? I imagine LL buys poo-pouri by the truckload

14. Does your house smell nice? - Well it doesn't smell bad at least!

15. Have you re-decorated or re-arranged in the last 3 years? (You need not do it, but if you think you need to go to work or take on extra work earning money at home, why not put the time into re-beautifying your house?) How freaking long would this take at most...a couple weeks? Why don't you get a job so you could have the extra ca$h to spend on redecorating!

16. Are your beds made? Are your sheets and bedding fresh? I haven't made my bed since I moved out of my mom's house. That is over 15 years ago!

17. Do you hang your clothes on the line? (You needn't, but it takes more time, and is good for your health and it actually increases the life of your sheets and clothes, as opposed to the dryer) - On delicates I'll put on drying racks, but no clothes lines...

18. Do you grow a garden, or even a tomato in a pot? - Nope, once again apartment living

19. Are your drawers and storage areas organized? It's not a disaster at least

20. Are your photos organized? - WTF?

21. Are your computer files organized? - WTF??

22. Is your correspondence caught up? - WTF???

23. Do you make any of your own clothes? -Trade off...I work so I have cash to buy clothes

24. Does your husband ever have to ask for an ironed shirt? - I don't think my husband even knows what one is.

25. ARe your books organized? - IT's a bookshelf, not a library

26. Do you go through your things regularly for garage sales? - How much crap does she own?

27. Are your windows clean? - I can see out of them at least

28. Do you cook regular meals from basic ingredients? Trade off again

29. Have you had anyone over for tea in the last month? Da fuq? :? I've had people over for games and a cold one, does that count?

30. Do you read at least one good book or learn something new within the year, or learned any new skill? A positive of riding public transit to work daily - I have plenty of time to read. But it's pretty sad if you are working towards learning 1 new thing in a year.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I read "centrepiece" in number 4 as centipede.

[jozina]

Handy as it is I have a partner who can do all those things too! My poor emasculated partner, expected to share womanly chores. :nenner:

...And a tomato in a pot? Oh no, I haven't grown a tomato in a pot. Time to give up work and the income I make so I can save $0.50 by growing my own tomato in a pot.

[alba]

Quite a few of the things on that list don't apply to me because I live in a flat. You know why I live in a flat? Because until recently I wasn't working and we can't afford a house on one income. No need to tidy the dining table when there's no room for one or make the front porch welcoming when it's nonexistent.

I do, however, line dry my clothes (we have shared lines outside), bake my own bread, and cook meals from scratch. I used to keep my books organised back in my teens when I had more shelf space than books, but now they live wherever they fit (like the dining table and porch, this is a "problem" solved by continuing to work hard at my job so we can afford a house; it's impeded by space, not time). My books are arranged in separate piles based on whether they're mine or the library's and whether or not I've read them; does that count as organised? :P