The Capshaw Collection--Part 2

Fiesta Dresses and attire--and a few Squaw Dresses and Patio Dresses

http://cieloazulhappenings.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html

For The Capshaw Collection, Part I: 

 Last year I posted an inventory of my fiesta costume collection that was limited to Squaw Dresses only.  This year I am featuring all the other types of dresses--Mexican, Spanish and Indian.  Most of the modeling was done when the girls were here earlier in the summer, but for some outfits, I am using older photos.  Only the new Squaw Dresses will be rated.  This outfit is a full length Mexican cotton and lace handmade dress in icy blue.  It is modeled with a mantilla and comb.

 The models have arrived............

 And the fashion critics too.

 This fabulous outfit from Bianca's own collection is a handmade ensemble with a ""Handmade by Julia Page" label in it.  The heavily embellished creme cotton skirt features a very high waist and silver. gold and black ric-rac and black, silver and gold braid.  It is meticulously hand pleated and has a one-shouldered top with matching embellishment.

 It also has a matching jacket with silver buttons.  This is one of the finest dresses of it's kind we have ever seen.  Rating:  *****

 Sisi is modelling a classic Mexican one-piece dress with placards in black with white embroidery.......

 Kiki is modeling a really cute "Lab-Mex" two-piece dress from Mexico with Zozobra-like embroidery on the blouse and slash pockets.  It is one of our favorites........

Here the Zozobra blouse is teamed with a southwest skirt by Carin with a bevy of New York girls.....

 This is a very unique "Jeanette of Albuquerque" bi tone cotton three piece dress with green, gold and brown ric-rac and braid on the totally embellished pockets on the blouse and apron border......

 This back view shows how the green underskirt peeks out from the gold apron.  For it's originality and the fact that it is a very generous gift from the Dale family, the rating is:  *****

Here Sisi models a Mexican one-piece cotton dress with banded navy blue cotton and white cotton lace...........

 In an older photo, Baby Binks models a similarly styled lavender dress.  Dwight is attired in a typical Fiesta Ribbon shirt.

 In another old photo, I am wearing a fuchsia version.....

 And Sisi is wearing a yellow version.........

 This picture is so old (2006) that I forgot that I ever had red hair!  This is a black version over a copper liner.  Binks is wearing one of her favorite skirts from a two-piece squaw dress with a summer top........

 "Jeanette's Southwest" version of a Mexican style in two colors--cotton fabric and black cotton lace.  These would be cute with black boots..........

 A lovely seniorita!--Miss Binks in a lace top and cotton skirt with lots of intricate black braid and ric-rac and a Spanish mantilla and comb............

 A really cheerful hand painted Mexican fabric on a short skirt--worn at the hip.  Keeks is wearing a black top with an attached black rose.........

 A white Spanish comb with another embellished cotton muslin skirt--on Bianca..........

 Sisi is wearing an Indian print full skirt with the peasant blouse..........

In an older photo, Chiara is wearing the same skirt as a dress with a belt and bright blue shawl..........

 And Bink's creates a shorter version with a cinch-waist drindle..............

 Another fiesta--another skirt turned into a dress--Miss Keeks..........

 Now, this is an especially darling painted Mexican skirt.........

 Each hand painted senorita has her own three-dimensional skirt complete with pantaloons and petticoats...........

A summery combination--a bi-tone salmon and green skirt and a peasant blouse on Miss Sylvia......

 One of my favorite shots--Bianca in a bi tone embellished skirt with the matching ric-rac belt worn with a peasant blouse with generous deep lace ruffles.  This is a newer home-made skirt and in addition to the ususal embellishments, it also has borders of fancy stitching made by one of those faancy embroidery sewing machines.........

 A new cotton squaw-dress since last summer.  I like this dress with it's purple ric-rac and braid because of the full circle skirt and sweetheart neckline.  Rating: ****

 Sisi mixes an oxblood velvet skirt with a bright pink silk ruffled blouse.......

 I love this skirt because my beloved neighbor Aurora gave it to me when she moved to Las Cruces.  Here I am wearing it with a multi-colored embroidered peasant blouse..........

 Binks modeling a black Mexican skirt with silver sequins and a white peasant blouse....

 I am wearing a pink version of the same skirt--also with silver sequins..........

 Sisi models a hand-painted Mexican skirt with copper-colored sequins...........

 This skirt is not a full circle, nor is it hand painted, however, it has illustrations of half the history of Mexico on it--very colorful!

 An old Fiesta shot of myself in a gold sequined Mexican skirt...............

 This is the queen of all the painted sequin skirts--a fabulous display of red iris!  Binks wears it with a ruffled blouse...........

 But a the pet Parade, she fashioned a top out of a criss-crossed peasant shawl........

 Another Aztec inspired hand painted sequined skirt with a velvet blouse................

 This is another of my new favorites, a vintage (1950s) Mexican one-piece dress with hand gilted and glittered gold roses--shown here with silver accents...........

But it can also be worn with gold accents and Toledo black and gold jewelry and a hat for Spanish Market..............

 Sisi accents a silver ric-rac skirt with an embroidered shawl........

 In an older photo, I am wearing a shawl-inspired dress with a very elaborate Mexican sombrero.  Keeks  wearing a skirt stained with Abiqu clay colors and Francesca has her Fiesta Tee and Zozobra earrings................

 Bianca dresses up a lace skirt with a peasant shawl...............

 I am wearing a tortoise comb with s creme satin pleated skirt with an embroidered mini-shawl.......

 Sisi is wearing an embroidered shawl that I brought back from Spain in 1971.  It had long beautiful fringe, but I cut it all short after getting tangled in numerous metal folding chairs and dragging them about the dance floor..........

 A few years back I attempted to recreate the classic Santa Fe Fiesta look of the late 20s with the draped shawl and marcelled hair.  I never got it quite right..........

 This is a creme colored Spanish lace dress with a shiny shawl and Spanish comb..........

 I've already shown this outfit, but I loved both shots, so here's another...........

 Last year Sisi let me choose a dress from her collection and I picked this black cotton two-piece with gold ric-rac and braid.  It has an embellished pointed collar and four bands of trim on the complete circle shirt.  It is a Desert Flower Original.  In this shot, we are sitting for a portrait that Chiara painted of us for Christmas.  Rating *****

 Aunt Belle in the identical dress in the 1960s..........

Chiara in a multi ruffle Mexican blouse in blue lace with a pleated silk skirt.  The collection features this blouse in Red, black and Green as well.................

 Bianca models a Navajo-inspired velvet outfit with silver buttons and a small tortoise shell comb..........

 Sisi sports a gold concha belt on a purple velvet skirt........

 Another Navajo style velvet outfit.  The cavalry style top sports silver buttons.  The top does have a matching skirt, but this crushed velvet skirt is not it............

 A new bi-tone hand maid cotton raincloth two piece squaw dress in turquoise and creme with silver ric-rac and braid.  Because this is a pretty common pattern, it is rated:  ***

 From Chiara's own collection, a two-piece Jeanette of Albuquerque cotton pleated dress.  It features told ric-rac and multicolored trim including at the waistband.  Rating:  ****

Keeks wearing the skirt with a crop top and shortie boots  at a later Fiesta.....

 This is a one-piece bi-tone dress from "Solidad of Arizona" in shades of chartreuse and Navy with gold and navy ric-rac and braid.  It is of cotton raincloth with a full-circle pleated skirt.  Because of fitting problems with one-piece dresses, rating:  ***

 Another from my red-headed days--a creme cotton Mexican lace hostess dress with multiple colored embroidered banding.  Binks is mixing Squaw skirts and summer tops.............

 Sisi rocks a turquoise and silver tattersal print full-circle skirt with a peasant blouse...........

 As you can probably guess, we are getting down to the odds and ends of the collection.  Here Binks comes up with a fun mix of a bandanna print skirt and a velvet top..........

 From a few years back, this is the same lace skirt Binks modeled, but with a red liner below.  Modeled with a woven Indian belt, Indian jewelry and a matching woven shawl.....

 Hot pink Mexican banded lace full length dress with a turquoise mantilla and Spanish comb.......

 So folks, you have a few weeks before Fiesta to search about for your own Festive Fiesta attire......

And you too can play "dress up" and enjoy another Fiesta de Santa Fe.
VIVA LA FIESTA!
For THE CAPSHAW COLLECTION ADDENDUM III follow the link:
           http://cieloazulhappenings.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-capshaw-collection-addendum-three.html