Welcome to Sock Club.

The first rule of Sock Club is: You do not talk about Sock Club.

The second rule of Sock Club is: You do not talk about Sock Club.

Third rule of Sock Club: You have to wear socks.

And the fourth rule: If this is your first night at Sock Club, you have to wear mismatched socks.

I must admit things have changed since then, but the idea of the sock never has. The Greek made them from animal skin, the Romans (who basically have stolen everything from the Greeks, with some assumptions here and there) weaved them from fabrics and manufactured them with felt so they were more comfortable.

The Egyptians on the other hand went for wool. A tradition that later would be unfold again in 1589 with the invention of the knitting machine by William Lee (although, for some unknown reason, people prefered to knit by hand and dear Willam died as a poor man. After his death of course people accepted the new technology).

In the 17^th century another kind of knitting machine arrived. Now it was possible to not only make socks, but also stockings with the same machine.

The first sock-knitting ateliers arised in the 18^th century in England. There even became a developement on factories where only socks would be produced.

After 1800 most socks were created mechanically in silk, cotton or wool. In 1864 William Cotton invented the full-fashioned machine. At the same time the circular knitting machine came on the market. However this circular wonder only could knit straight up. As a result socks would hang loosely around your leg.

The invention of nylon in 1940 meant a revolution. Nylon can be brought into the wanted shape by heating and is easy to dye. For the first time in history socks were colourful and elastic. Due to this, they became popular as a fashion statement (perfect example: The 60's with Mary Quant's stockings and naturally Michael Jackson and his moonwalking pair). 

Since then it all has gone upwards with socks and I'm a big fan. Not a day I go without wearing or at least touching a sock. I've got an elaborate collection to be proud of. And I most definately will advice you to put them on your “Basics-List”, they are great! 

Love,
Dominique

Sources: Picture 1/Picture 2

I just love tv-detectives. One of my favourite is the classic Murder, She Wrote with Angela Lansbury as Jessica B. Fletcher. Jessica is a former English teacher who writes detectivenovels. Not only does she writes about it, it does not matter where she goes, there will be a dead person somewhere along the way (a bit suspicious I must say). She of course cleverly solves the case and goes off into the sunset, waiting for another one to bite the dust.

Fun fact:

Cabot Cove, the fictional hometown of Jessica, had a population of 3500. Jessica was solving five cases a year in Cabot Cove. That equals a death rate of 1490 per million, which makes Cabot Cove the most murderous place in television crime drama.

Angela Lansbury portrayed Jessica as innocent, clever and sometimes even pedantic without making her aloof or boring. Her acting is very mimical, with big eyes and pouty mouth. But the most striking thing for me is her dress sense. Jessica wears very slick clothes with the allure of spare-time Hollywood having an 80's affair.”Timeless elegance with a touch of the frivolous”, one can say.

So, how to be JB Fletcher chic? A standard look is a combination of a white/cobalt blue cable jumper, black/grey/khaki trousers, flat shoes and a silk scarf.

For a more sophisticated look you could go for a bow-front blouse (worn by Jessica in different shades and patterns), a pencil skirt (also often worn in different shades and patterns), a jacket (you know the drill), high heels and to finish the look: a brooch.

Jessica also wears some fantastic one-off dresses, mostly combined with some fine pearl necklaces.

So everytime you don't know what to wear or you've been called to solve a murder-mystery, just think “What would Jessica do?” and success is guaranteed!

Love,

Dominique

Sources: Picture 1/Picture 2/Picture 3/Picture 4/Piture 5/Picture 6

There are approximately millions, if not billions, of blogs out here in the digital world. So why not add another one? It can't harm anymore... or atleast I don't think so.

As long as I have had access to the internet, I have wanted a blog. However thinking about it and actually “having” a blog are two entirely different things. So I have made a small step for man, one giant leap for mankind, and decided to just “do it”. And here I am, a new blogger with already delusions of grandeur.

Where does “Fashioned by Pluche” origins from? Well, It all started back in the 90's when my mom decided to violently pop out two children. Two lovely girls who self evidently ought to get dressed. And so she did. Whole collections she made, like her mother had done before her (who of course enthousiasticly helped her along the way dressing the new generation).

As a graduate from a Fashion Vocational School in Amsterdam, she wanted to give her collections some extra grace. Naturally she came up with the name Pluche (based on the wild curly hair of my older sibling). Though her target was small scaled, she provided every piece with a handmade tag that said “Fashioned by Pluche”.

And indeed, after all these years, I have adapted the name and turned it into a blog: An ode to my mother and lately deceased grandmother. Thank you for making my world turn around and I will never forget the love we have shared.

So yeah, welcome to my blog...

Love,

Dominique