It's that time of year again for the latest additions to the CAPSHAW COLLECTION OF FIESTA ATTIRE, SQUAW DRESSES AND MEXICAN AND SPANISH FIESTAWEAR

THIS IS A SPECIAL EDITION THIS YEAR BECAUSE I AM INCLUDING A SECTION FROM OUR SPRINGTIME TRIP TO SEVILLA, SPAIN FOR THE FIESTAS DE LA PRIMAVERA....

 This home-made  two-piece mid-weight cotton bi-tone squaw dress is trimmed with tourquoise and silver metallic ric-rac and white, turquoise and silver braid.  It is very well broomsticked (pleated) and is a bit more generous in it's proportions than many of the older dresses.  Rating of **** (four stars out of a possible highest rating of five stars.  Only the true squaw dresses are rated.)

Our newest and most precious model--Renata--channels Frieda Khalo at only one month old to celebrate The Day of the Dead in this European folk dress that suits the Mexican Modernist period quite nicely.  She has a co-ordinating rebozo.

 This home-made two piece cotton raincloth squaw dress is a bi-tone that features gold and copper ric-rac and braid and a boater neckline.  I am wearing it with beaded tewa moccasins for Indian Market. Because of a lack of originality, I rate it ***.

 Miss Chiara models this white with red piping Spanish Dancing dress that belonged to the late Dolly Shelley who delighted Santa Fiesta goers for many years by dancing on the bandstand for Fiesta.  Kiki teamed the dress with a gaucho hat and Spanish shawl.

 This is a heavy cotton Mexican style two-piece dress by "Shirley Originals from Old Albuquerque".  It is trimmed with bands of brown cotton; black, red, yellow and gold rid-rac; and red, blue, green, orange, and brown braid. I teamed it with a Mexican woven belt and embellished sombrero for the VIVA MEXICO FESTIVAL at El Rancho de las Golondrinas.

 This beauty is a gift from Kate Collins and it is a light cotton, two-piece, paisley bandanna print squaw dress with white lace trim and silver buttons.  It is amazingly vibrant in color for such an old dress and I got so many compliments when I wore it to Spanish Market, I am determined to dry clean and not launder it to keep the vibrancy.  Sylvia teamed the dress with silver jewelry and a bright red rose.  For sentimental reasons, full Five star rating *****.

 This is a lovely bi-tone "Jeanette Originals of Albuquerque" medium weight cotton two-piece squaw dress. It sports mauve.metallic gold, purple, turquoise and burgundy ric rac and mauve, green and red braid.  This style of dress is more interesting in person because there is invariable braided trim down the sleeves that does not show up in photos.  The dress was meticulously made with great care to work with so many bands of tiny ric-rac.  However,  the waistband was eliminated for a more generous fit and the lovely broomsticking usually found in this style by Jeanette has been lost.  Rating ***

 Well, our favorite model. little Renata, got bigger as the year progressed and here she is at about three months in a cotton Mexican embroidered dress.

 Posing at the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas, NM, I am wearing a tri-tone medium weight cotton squaw dress with gold and copper ric-rac.  The super flared skirt does a good job of hiding my big boot for my broken ankle.  ****

 Bianca models a truly unique plaid squaw dress by "Jeanette's 'Originals of Albuquerque'".  The light cotton tri-color dress is beautifully broomsticked and is trimmed with red, black and gold ric-rac and red and gold braid.  For all the originality and craftsmanship, a full five-star rating *****

 At the ruins at the Pecos National Monument, I'm modelling a very full light cotton bandanna paisley skirt with an embroidered Mexican peasant blouse and a straw sombrero.

 And still she grows, Renata models perfect Pet Parade watching clothes--an embroidered Mexican blouse and her own tiny huraches with a bolero jacket.

 A lovely hand-painted Mexican heavy cotton circle skirt by "Mexicolor Made by Hand" teamed with a yellow peasant blouse and woven sash--all "hecho en Mexico".  The hat is the creation of Santa Fean John Boulton.

 Bianca models a gorgeous silk tapestry brocade provincial costume by "Galas de Novia, Valencia, Espana".  This is the traditional costume of the province, and in 1971, I bought a doll for my Godmother, Josephine, in Valencia and the doll was dressed just like this--and held a huge platter of paella.  I believe it is 18th century attire.

 This close-up with the mantilla off shows parts of the costume not apparent in the first photo.  It has three golden metal combs--I'm sure that the two smaller ones are to accommodate a period hair-do.  It also came with a necklace, earrings and matching hair pins (not being modeled).

 A classic Mexican China Poblana outfit.  The skirt is heavily sequined and so sturdily constructed, I wonder if it could have been one of the outfits that were available to rent for Fiesta by costume trucks that came to town for Fiesta in the 40s and early 50s.

 Side view features a gentleman dancer possible doing the Mexican Hat Dance.

 Back view features the Aztec Calendar.

 Other side, the lady dancer--unfortunately her face is hidden in the folds of the skirt.

 And now the young lady who will be the PERFECT China Poblana in the years to come...she is modeling a cotton crocheted Mexican dress with coordinating ribbon trim..

 Looking like a vintage postcard, Chiara, also at the Pecos ruins, models a Mexican hand-painted skirt with lots of gold ric-rac.  She topped it with gold jewelry and a gold-trimmed sombrero.

 Perched on the Rosario Street Bridge, I am modeling a cotton raincloth "Faye Creations 'Patio Fashions' Tuscon, Arizona" two-piece squaw dress with silver and white ric-rac and white and silver braid.  Although I love the color, the dress is pretty average fare, ***.

 The lovely Miss Banquita is modeling a Santa Fe treasure.  This very small purple light-weight cotton squaw dress is trimmed with Mexican cotton crocheted lace and lavender velvet ribbon.  It is expertly broomsticked and has a lined matching shawl.  This dress was made for the late Cordelia Padilla and came with matching trim and fabric that could be used for a bolero or a different style top.  A very special dress *****

In the bar at La Placita Restaurant in Albuquerque Old Town (Mural by Harry Miller) I am wearing a dress that is intricately fashioned with much care, but sadly with little pizzazz.  The cotton calico two piece squaw dress by "Pins and Needles, Custom Made Clothes, Santa Fe, NM" features a blue velvet placard on the blouse and along the sleeves.  It is decorated with pale blue ric-rac.  It has home-made cloth knotted buttons and a self stitched sash with boning to keep it full width.  The Navajo style three tired skirt is perfectly broomsticked.  All of the tailoring is impeccable, but most of the work is invisible.  I am wearing the sash in the photo, and I defy you to see the ric-rac and fabulous buttons!  Apparently, the dress was made for a customer more demure than myself.  For craftsmanship alone--****  This ends the Santa Fe portion of the addendum, but this year we have a special Fiesta treat.....

Because this spring Chiara and I visited Sevilla, Spain for THEIR fiesta:  Fiestas de la Primavera also known as Feria de Abril.  (Although that may refer to the carnival portion next to the fairgrounds.)

 I had looked on line at photos of their fiesta and noticed that the ladies wore flamenco style dresses with shawls.  I thought we could get by with these lovely Passamenterie pieces that formed my travel wardrobe:  Here Kiki on the terrace of our hotel, models an Adelita blouse with a Baile Con Migo skirt that she teamed with a flameco hat.

 At the fairgrounds, I thought my Spanish pineta, shawl and Passamentrie Santa Fe dress would pass muster, but nooooo....

 The locals of Sevilla all wore the Flamenco silhouette and that means everybody!  I was so pleased to see that almost everybody at the fair was dressed for Fiesta, but we were disapproved of by the other ladies....

 This nice man took pity on we misfits and asked us to pose with his daughter....

 Next day, we are determined to fit in--Chiara chooses a skirt with a slimmer silhouette and she moved closer to the local custom of affixing one giant flower to the middle of the head. Photos taken on the staircase of our Sevilla Hotel.

I also tried to team my Passamentrie Santa Fe dress with a matching skirt underneath for more flounce.....

But again, we just didn't have it right!

Chiara even overheard one displeased young woman remark about her:  "She must be from Tijuana!"  (Keeks said that she would take that as a compliment, but she knew it was not meant as such.)

I must admit that I was jealous of this group of ladies--most about my age, and all of them dressed for the fiesta in varying sizes of flamenco attire.  They even sang Fiesta songs as they enjoyed their meal.  I would love to meet up with just such a group of friends at OUR fiesta--all of us dressed for fun!  Well, Keeks and I--being confronted with our problem of not fitting in, met it head-on and as  all good Americans would do.....

 WE WENT SHOPPING!  Here we are in the dressing rooms of the best  Department Store in Sevilla--that had HUNDREDS of flamenco dresses to choose from.....

 Kiki looked smashing in this yellow number, but she wouldn't let me buy it for her.  She said she didn't have any occasion to wear it to.......

 Before the Feria, the next day, Keeks wears this Baille Conmigo skirt with a silver belt and a gaucho hat, but that's not what we're wearing to the fairgrounds......

 As we leave the hotel, I finally have the Sevilla sillouhette!  This is my Micaela Villa Original dress I bought at the Corte Ingles.....note the one big rose atop the middle of my head....

 Since Chiara wouldn't let me buy her a dress, she borrowed my trusty Victor Costa Original satin gown that she teamed with a turquoise shawl...

 Now we fit in with the other girls at the Feria....

 Chiara seems to have won the approval of the locals...

 And I feel worthy of a carriage ride around the fairgrounds....(although, seriously, I don't think I could sit down very comfortably in that tight dress)

We are so pleased with ourselves, that we do what all good Americans would do--we take a "selfie"....

 But, of course, we aren't the only ones doing it!

 I posted this picture to illustrate one of the coolest aspects of my phenomenal dress:  The material is two-sided and it is polka dotted on the underside!  Check out the sleeve on my hand that is against the wall.  When the skirt is flounced, the ruffles have the same effect.

 Of course, one special little model got her own flamenco dress, comb and rose from Sevilla....

 One aspect of the Sevilla Fiesta look that I found most charming is that the most important view of the outfit is from the back...

And the ladies, of all ages, drape their shawls so as too look as memorable from the back as from the front....(By the way, these tented pavilions are "casetas" that families, companies, and organizations stock with food, libations and music for a constant "party".  Unfortunately, you need a invitation to be allowed inside.)

 And by golly, I think I've got it!

Thank you for reading this enormous post.  Follow the link to Addendum Nine, 2019 of the Capshaw Collection:  https://cieloazulhappenings.blogspot.com/2019/08/