• Something Is Rotten in the State of Fashion,  Colin McDowell's Business of Fashion column about fashion's general direction is truth-time for the industry.  We're beginning to have a vacuum from which a new business model will emerge -- exciting times.

• Rising cost of clothes could signal end to 'cheap chic' , also from London -- THE fashion capital these days -- comes another warning of shifting sands in big, permanent ways.  In this one, cheap chic is losing it's cheap.  Hence, we will acquire Good Clothes by default -- there will be no alternative.  Happily so, but they will cost a lot more and we'll only shop twice a year, spring and fall.

• Alexa Chung, the Making of Fashions Latest It Girl   -- "It" is being completely nonchalant while thrift shopping with a laser eye. She stars in a new series on the thrift hunt, the latest way for those in the next generation with great taste and little money to learn about value -- just like we did! It's back to the future. 

• New California Law -- the effects of this law will be big. In just five months time, on January 1, 2012, the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act will go into effect. This will require large retailers and manufacturers doing business in California to disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their product supply chains. It will affect over 3,000 companies world wide.  Between the rising cost of labor, the weather effects on cotton crops and new social justice laws, just to name a few influences, the price of clothing will go up in 2012. Sew more, a lot more. 

• And now for a substantiated rumor and prediction:  The luxury market in China is slowing up -- for instance, Burberry is down 27% -- on fears that the Asian boom is ending.  Prediction: That if luxury slows up, designs will turn classic and more conservative with much returning to the past (i.e. small bags) and -- the big change -- if you can't buy it, you can still choose it. The concept of 'taste' as an indicator of social status will return and will mean more than price or brand, which means that the 'look' will count more than the piece.  Choose carefully; the subtleties will count a lot. 

This one has lots of detail about and why you place the tape -- and many diagrams for both men & women.

New Fashions has children's and women's suits with layouts showing exactly what pattern pieces to place on which part of re-cut men's suits -- genius!

There are lots of simple but complex looking bias designs here, each with detailed cutting diagrams with the pattern of the fabric shown, so you can see the bias effect and how it happens.

Solid sewing how-to shown in a fun layout with clever examples and clear detail -- notice the little stick figure acting out the names of the seams!  It all helps a beginner remember the lessons.

• Harry Simon's Complete Course in 24 Lessons, Drafting Men's Work Garments
• Harry Simon's Drafting Men's Shirts and Underwear
• Make and Mend, the companion to New Fashions From Old  

For your patience, you get to watch this video of wartime England keeping a stiff upper lip and proper dressing at all times.

Make Do And Mend

• Now that NY Fashion Week has wrapped and all is known -- here is Cathy Horyn's list of the best -- not the best pieces in the week but the people who consistently deliver with new cutting concepts and true style.  One key thing these days, tailoring is enjoying new respect.  Tailored clothing always gives one what is known as 'agency', that is, looking like you know what you're doing.  It's the core concept behind Good Clothes.