Black Lace for Brown Ladies

When I was in highschool, I was given tickets to a local community theater play. I don't remember it, it was a frothy little comedy, trendy at the time but not a classic. I do remember that towards the end of the play one of the actresses made a big entrance wearing a black lace dress and it blew my mind. It was so elegant! That dress became a goal, the way I envisioned myself as an adult. I soon discovered though, that black lace dresses were only made for white women, with built in linings that were flesh toned only for them. That elegance was beyond my grasp.

I tried over the years to learn to sew but my skills never really developed. Partly because I just didn't have time to learn, I was busy with career and family. And also because I didn't have the budget for good materials and equipment for a very long time. I gave up on this particular dream.

In 2019 I had reached a point in my life where I was able to make another of my dreams come true, and that was to travel. I had simplified my living situation, gotten rid of my car and all my money went into my travel fund. I planned a seven week trip that included New York, London, South Africa and India. In each city I visited fabric stores, but didn't really buy much. I just didn't have the sewing skills to make anything with what I bought. But in Mumbai, I was shopping on Linking Road when I saw a beautiful window display of textile art. I went in to discover a sewing school that offered a basic sewing class that was well within my budget. I signed up for the very next day and was directed to several fabric and notion markets to buy supplies for the class.

Two hours later I was standing at a crossroads of six intersecting streets, holding my breath, afraid to step into the fray to enter the market. Each lane was filled with cars, tuk tuks, motorcycles and scooters, goats, cattle, trucks and I was terrified to cross the street. Finally an Indian gentleman took pity on me, told me to take his elbow and he walked me through the traffic to the market. Finally on the other side he asked me where I was going and walked with me. He was also a tailor heading to the market. He asked me what I wanted to sew once I learned how and without hesitation I said, "I want to make a black lace dress with a liner that matches my own skin tone." He got it, he wished me well, put his hands together, smiled and bowed and disappeared into the crowd. In the markets I found the plain white cotton that I needed for class, a black and white floral print that I thought would make a good nightgown, and a lightweight polyester satin that matched my skin. I didn't know if I would learn enough to do anything with it but I was going to have it ready just in case. I also bought thread, buttons, zippers, a seam ripper and a pair of Fiskars shears and pinking shears. I was ready to start making an old dream come true.

The next morning I was up bright and early with my supplies, boarding the train with other commuters and students, ready to go to class. We spent the first day cutting my fabric into 8 inch squares which I sewed together using 12 different types of seams. The next day I spent learning 4 different kinds of hems and focused on several hand sewing techniques. The day after that we learned how to pleat and gather waistlines. The next day we focused on necklines, how to set a sleeve and how to put in a dart. And on my last day we put in zippers and buttonholes over and over until I could do them in my sleep.

On my way home, I spent a few days in Los Angeles where I found a slightly stretchy black lace for $2 a yard and bought 5 yards to play with. At this point I had not sewn anything but these small white pieces of fabric but I was going to give it a try.

Three months after I returned home, the Covid pandemic began and I was locked down with a small pile of fabric from all over the world, a borrowed sewing machine, my shears from India and nothing to do but find out if what I had learned had made me into a sewer.

First I made that nightgown, using an old one of my own as a pattern. Then a huge pile of potholders with material from South Africa. Three maxi dresses, again copied from dresses I already owned. A couple of retro 50's style day dresses from the Simplicity Vintage line of patterns. Finally, cobbling together a bodice from one pattern, a sleeve from another I fashioned a black lace empire-waist dress that just screamed casual elegance. And that skin toned satin that I bought in India finally made it out of the suitcase as I made a simple shift slip with a bound neckline with skinny straps.

Of course, I had nowhere to wear it until after I was vaccinated and able to visit my sister in Honolulu. We went socially distant bar hopping and I felt like I was floating on air in my lace dress. Several people asked me where I got it and all of them were women with dark skin. Since then I've made a black lace A-line skirt, a scoop necked tunic and I'm working on a dress that is a little more formal and fitted.

And the next time I go to India, my shears will come with me as I go back to the sewing school to learn more skills, back to the market to buy more fabric, but this time, I'll take a taxi directly to the market entrance! I can't count on my guardian angel tailor to be there to help me cross the road again.