Thursday, October 25, 2012

Film Petit #4: Classic Hitchcock



Admittedly, I was not a Hitchcock fan before Kristin and Jessica wanted to do  a special Hitchcock edition of FP for Halloween. I just hadn't watched any of it before. But now I get it. I've been eating up episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents all week long. Such a strange and interesting genius, and completely entertaining storyteller. 




If you haven't seen it, The Birds is the tale of Meredith Daniels who follows near stranger Mitch Brenner into the town of Bodega Bay, California. And then birds start randomly attacking everyone. They flock the town, join forces across species, and just cause general mayhem and confusion. The movie is vague until the very end about why this is all happening, which really just adds to the charming Hitchcock creepiness. 








I was inspired by the Daniels character, played by Tippi Hedren. She's beautiful, she's blonde, and she is the best kind of 1960's overdramatic. The way Hitchcock scenes all end with those horrified expressions and fingertips in the mouth- she perfected it.  I just love the minty green suit she wears through most of the movie and I wanted to create a modern kid version of it for Elsie. 




The coat and the skirt are both made with light green fashion suiting from Joann and a Kokka Trefle Japanese print called County Fair that I got at Whipstitch in Atlanta over the summer. It's absolutely the perfect lining with that green color, and also a small nod to another Hitchcock film- Strangers on a Train. 






For the coat I used the Dear My Kids Stylish Coat pattern, which was great. I made a size 2, but cut about an inch and half off the bottom, and it fits perfectly. I added the black piping, which adds such a great pop to the muted green. I always say, piping makes everything better. I also added a layer of flannel for interlining, just to make it a little warmer. 




The skirt is the Oliver & S Sailboat skirt. Why haven't I made this before? I love it, it will be so cute with tights this fall. (It was 80 here yesterday when I took these pictures!) The suiting is a little flimsy so you can see the front facing through it, but I still love the shape and the peeks of that fair print on the side panels. 



 In one of the most memorable scenes, Tippi is caught in a phone booth while the town is under bird attack. They are diving and pecking at her and the cheesy effects are just fantastic.





 They are swarming... Can the different species really be flocking together?



How will I ever get out of this death box? 







Run for it little Tippi! 



I had a more creepy feel in mind for this photo shoot, but my girl wouldn't stop smiling the whole time! Can't complain too much about that cheesy grin though. We'll work on her Tippi faces. 

Kristin's photos this time around nail the creepy/cute combination for sure. Her post is SO much fun and you can't miss her tribute to Psycho. 

And Jessica from Running With Scissors knocks it out as our guest this time. She does her take on the Birds with a boy outfit, and her RJ is quite the little actor. You have to go see!

You can find past installments of Film Petit here:



Lastly, don't forget to add any movie-inspired kids clothes and costumes to our Film Petit Flickr group



(p.s. thank you Nick for the awesome pictures and Nathan for the camera!)


37 comments:

  1. Love the outfit! The Birds was the first Hitchcock movie I watched all the way through. I'll never look at a bunch of birds hanging out together the same!

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  2. Did you notice Alfred in any of the movies you watched? He makes an appearance in every one of them (not a major character though so its always fun to try and spot him). Cute outfit and that county fair fabric is so fun!

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  3. I effing love this and kinda want that outfit in my size. :)

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  4. So awesome! I love the piping and the kokka really makes it unusual on the interior! Rachael told me it was hot hot hot over there! holy smokes. It was 45 here...

    Great tribute. I love that the phone booth still exists, but there isn't a phone inside.

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  5. Too much cuteness! I love that outfit and the model is WAY too cute and the pictures? Perfect! P.S.- I live 30 minutes from Bodega Bay, how cool would it have been to take the pics there!?!

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  6. The black piping is awesome and I love the little skirt! It's been so fun sewing with you and Kristin and I love the nod to Strangers on A Train, which gets a little crazy with the whole merry go round scene at the end, so I'm glad it had some representation!

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  7. This turned out soooooo perfectly!!! I'm just in love with the minty green and black piping, love the Strangers on a Train reference, love the Sailboat Skirt, love her ringlets. Fantastic job on the photos once again, Nick!!

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  8. I love this little suit! So perfect. I always like the linings that add a pop of color and interest.

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  9. too too cute!! it's all perfect!! especially the phone booth photo shoot!!!

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  10. The color choice and patterns used was spot on and the shoes... oh dear... it's just too-too cute. I am seriously lovin' your Film Petit projects. I gotta try it...

    Fun, creative, inspiring... COOL.

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  11. I love this entire outfit! So very mod looking, and the color is so great. Your daughter looks so adorably cute in it!

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  12. Darling outfit! I love that green and black. And I've never seen a hitchcock film either. Going to now though.

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  13. Oh and that lining! And your photos. Lovely each.

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  14. Such an adorable mini "Melanie"!! The suit is amazing!!

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  15. That is SO cute! Oh my goodness. I love it. Awesome work!

    Cheri

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  16. OH. MY. GOSH. I want to make that coat right now. You did everything perfectly here from the color choice to that piping. I just love it, Jessica!

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  17. That is seriously fabulous!!! Great job! The piping and the buttons are perfection! I love that movie!

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  18. You finally made the double breasted coat! It's so cute, the colors and styling are adorable!

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  19. Love love love! Elsie is such a doll! The mint green suit is so perfect. And yes, I'm learning. Piping does make everything better. :)This FP might be one of my faves.

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  20. You are the most clever person EVER!!! have I said that to you before? You just keep being amazing!

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  21. Omg I la la LOVE it!!!it's mint and piping awesomeness!!

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  22. Jess, This is genius beautiful in every way, great clothes, precious granddaughter and brilliant pictures. Love it so much,Mom

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  23. I hope you guys tackle a Gondry film soooooon!

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  24. This is so cute/cool Jessica! and fabulous photos, as always. Love it!

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  25. That little suit is just too awesome! I definitely need to make one of those coats for Abby this year. Loved this post!!

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  26. well yes, she is way too cute to be scary, especially in that little coat! that's the coolest lining EVER. and those photos - amazing!!

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  27. so great! I think she did a fantastic job modeling for the shoot. Your outfit came out really cute. I love the fabric you chose for the jacket lining too! And who knew there were still phone booths anymore??

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  28. Hee hee - didn't Elsie get the memo that she's supposed to look terrified, not adorable!? This is so cute! I love the jacket! The piping, the lining - so awesome! I have yet to try the O+S Sailboat pattern even though I've had it for months already. The skirt looks great! LOVE this installment - hilarious though that you hadn't watched Hitchcock before this! Your posts have got me itching to revisit some of my favorites. Perfect for Halloween!

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  29. Its so cute!
    You do know the scene with her arm being picked was real? He made her do that! Nutter.

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  30. Love the outfit and the photo shoot!

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  31. I love that you even had a red phone booth for the photo shoot! That lining so fantastic. Love all of it!

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  32. What an amazing outfit. The coat is gorgeous and I love the lining. Elsie is absolutely adorable and the photos are wonderful.

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  33. this is so beautiful and i agree piping does make everything better. the jacket is the perfect color. you are so talented my dear!

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  34. The outfit is amazeballs, and little E is just the cutest. I don't blame her for her non-Tippi faces. She's just too sweet!

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  35. Beautiful clothes, and a darling model :). I heard/wrote a while ago that 'The Birds' was based on real events, birds going mad. And probably is/was the cause a sickness in mussel or oisters, enflaming the brain. And that in times no telephoneboxes were available.... creepy!

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