Everyone is a fashion designer these days, right? Or are they?

I finally was able to watch the movie titled Valentino-The Last Emperor, last weekend. Now THERE is a designer!  In 2008, Valentino celebrated 45 years of fashion designing. He was able to design fabulous couture fashions for many famous women over these last 5 decades. And after his big anniversary celebration, he decided to retire in his late seventies. This film follows his every move, and really shows you how he created beautiful fashion, and how he lived, and lives, which is very well. He owns 6 homes around the world. Pure elegance. Incredible design. And a film worth watching, if you have any interest in real couture fashion. It is out on DVD. Rent it!

It is SPOOKY this time of the year, at Satin Stitches! WHY?

The NBA season starts this week. We have been preparing sassy new outfits for the Portland Trailblazer Blazer Dancers, Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks City Dancers. It is Show Time! Not to mention all of our HS Dance Teams needing their new competition costumes and Show Choirs getting outfited for their upcoming season!

Oh, but there is a holiday right around the corner. Oh yes, it is Halloween!

Being the head designer of a custom design costume manufacturer, you would think that my kids and myself must have had incredible Halloween costumes, right? Well, not so much. As the saying goes, the shoemakers children usually go barefoot. I usually do not have much time for spending on personal, family Halloween costumes.

We are into our busiest, most stressful 4-weeks of our year RIGHT NOW. So there is usually not very much time to devote to what most people think about in late October. But there have been a few glitzy-bright spots! Read more to find out.

You want THE PERFECT SOLO COSTUME for your next dance performance. You have not been happy with your last custom costume experience.

Where do you turn?
Who should you entrust with your vision?

You do not feel you have the talent and expertise to handle it yourself. Maybe you have never commissioned a custom garment.

What do you need to consider?

I was watching a show giving tips to brides, for planning their wedding. The term CLASSIC came up, when discussing wedding gown designs, hairstyles and the design of the wedding cake.

What is the meaning of CLASSIC?

Timeless, ageless, traditional, archetypal, standard, superior, masterpiece, excellent, consummate were various words that popped up when I checked my Thesaurus.

During the wedding tips, it was mentioned that a bride should choose a CLASSIC hairstyle and dress, noting that lots of 80s brides are now, NOT thrilled with their obviously 80s dresses and hairstyles. Giant puffy sleeves and bangs were mentioned! They may be wishing that they had chosen more CLASSIC styles, to now show their children and grandchildren!

One of the more popular television programs that showcases CLASSIC 1960s style, is MAD MEN on AMC. It has won awards for its acting and directing, and is a visual treat as well.

Being a costume designer, programs such as MAD MEN, always catch my eye. I have mentioned many times, in my Blogs, that inspiration for new dance costume designs can come from many influences, including all types of television shows.

ProDance was last week in Houston. It was the 10th anniversary of this fine convention for professional sports-team, cheerleaders and dancers. Also attending, were some prestigious college dance teams. A big shout-out to Texas A-and-M!!

Rosalyn Jones is the founder and director of this venture. Rosalyn was the choreographer and director of the NBAs San Antonio Spurs for many years, and runs Cheers Cheerleading and Dance Studio in her Texas hometown of San Antonio.

It was a little smaller this year, not out of line with other dance and cheer events held during this recession, but worthwhile, non-the-less. Rosalyn was not able to bring in the biggest national choreographers this year. Tabitha and Napoleon, with their huge popularity from So You Think You Can Dance were absent, but their clothing line made it!

OMG, its my birthday today! After a challenging day at Satin Stitches, I had to stop at the Post Office to drop off some eBay packages before I could come home, change and go out with my husband, to my favorite Minneapolis restaurant for dinner. The restaurant is called Erte, after one of my favorite graphic and costume designers of all time, and they have great food!

We had a really good dinner, but the best is yet to come! With my remote control handy, and my tape in the recorder, I am settled down to watch some exciting television! I just caught the last few minutes of American Idol to see my fav-Adam sing, while now switching it back to see Lady GaGa performing in a fun, funky one-legged unitard with, dare I say-huge shoulder pads and a 3-D zippered butterfly on Dancing With the Stars, of course!

Since I have not been able to be two places at once, and I do not have a screen in screen television, I will now concentrate on the Finals.

Then, just to make it more difficult, a new musical drama is premiering today-right now, in fact. Glee, is a show about Show Choir!-A MUST watch. I will replay my tape of that show, after I watch American Idol sometime.

Whew! I am sure there is a serious drought coming this summer, for television excitement, but it does NOT get much better than this. Yes, I know I will enjoy-So You Think You Can Dance, but I have to check the listings to see when it will be on.

I am enjoying seeing all the contestants from this season on DWTS, reprise their dances. It seems so long ago, that it started! So many dances and so many glitz costumes! It was a fun season, so lets get on with last nights costume critique, before we find out tonights winner!

It is the Semi-finals on Dancing With the Stars this week. When you look at dancing skills, you know that we are missing one of the best couples with Lil Kim and Derek being voted off. But by now, we know that Reality television shows are popularity contests, after all.

This week has been recapping the highs and lows, and especially the best dances, both Ballroom and Latin, for all 4 semi-finalists. It was a nice chance to see some of my favorite and least favorite costumes!

This weeks 8 costumes were fun to see, as usual. Randall and his crew do an incredible job, yet another week!

It was godet night for the Ballroom dancers. Do you know what a godet is? According to the dictionary, it is a triangular shaped piece of fabric that is inserted into a garment to create extra fullness. Actually, it can be a rectangle or a half circle, not just a triangle. Take note of the sectioned-in pieces of black and white print, inserted between the black sequins in Melissas Quickstep dress that added flair. Also, the sections of fabric in Cheryls elegant, traditional white feathered and rhinestoned Waltz gown, and the godets in Chelsies minty-aqua Viennese Waltz gown. The godet is a very versatile pattern piece that I love to work with.