Texture: Quilting

Since writing my post about smocking, I’ve been thinking about texture. My wardrobe tends to be on the plain side, but I think that texture is a great way to add interest without being flashy, and apparently I’m right in line with this season’s styles, according to this article.

A few weeks ago there was a post on Apartment Therapy about bedside tables, but i really fell in love with the quilt in one of the photos. While I think it’s great as an actual quilt, I also thought it would be fantastic as a dress or some other clothing item. Funnily enough, after thinking about all this on Friday, I found out that this past Saturday was national quilting day, so it fits right in!

Doing a little research didn’t turn up much in the way of quilted clothing, besides the ubiquitous quilted jacket, but I did turn up a few things which managed to bring a classic technique more up to date in terms of fashion. Thinking back to the fact that I started a little mini-quilt when I was about eight, and it still sits unfinished in with all my material may mean that I will never attempt anything of this sort, but it’s fun to look at.

A few high-end pieces to start with:

This dress by Zac Posen is on the more simple side, but is stunning.

Getting more 3-dimensional with Lanvin (photo from style.com via The Girl in the Check Scarf).

I figured Etsy would be a good place to look for quilted fashion, and I was able to turn up a few there as well:

While the quilting is really minimal on this dress by jenfashion, I think it’s a really modern take.

This dress by LoveInTheAfternoon reminds me of the Lanvin dress, at a much smaller price tag ($260 vs. an original price of $2,255, but on sale for $789).

How do you feel about quilting? Should it stay firmly on the bed, or can it migrate over to fashion?