i'm a blogger, wordpress designer, and momma living in southeastern pennsylvania. i've got a serious penchant for handmade goods, telling stories, solving problems, and connecting people.
“I truly, truly, truly enjoy what I do,” says Stephanie Longo of Recession Proof.
I truly enjoy what Stephanie does, too! Her clothes are stylish but extremely comfortable. As a work-at-home mom, I love the idea of being able to throw on comfy pieces in the morning and be able to run all over town looking great – without changing clothes! I had to know more.
When did you begin sewing? Designing clothes?
I started sewing at a pretty young age. I don’t remember exactly how old, but I was still in middle school. My grandmother very patiently introduced me to her sewing machine. She also showed me how to cut out my first Simplicity sewing pattern (a long linen skirt with a drawstring waistband!). I wanted to learn to sew so that I could make my own clothes. I come from a very crafty and artistic family, and curiosity about how things are made seemed very natural.
My curiosity continued to develop during years of ballet training. I became obsessed with the effortless way that dancers layered and deconstructed their clothing. Whether in or outside the studio, there was a chic to their style that was both subtle and forward. This is also how I became obsessed with movement and comfort. It has never occured to me that to dress stylishly, you should have to be uncomfortable. In fact, I can’t imagine one without the other!
From there I studied Fashion Design in college, where I learned the more technical aspects of my trade. Draping, patternmaking, sketching, and sewing – I was taken by it all!
Are you a full-time designer?
I am now officially a full-time designer, working 100% for myself! This feels like quite an accomplishment, as all I have wanted is to own my own business. Since college, I have worked in almost every segment of the fashion and apparel industry, from pre-production and production, to visual merchandising and buying.
These experiences have made me a better designer. As a buyer I became a better editor of my own ideas. From visual merchandising I learned to tell a story and think about how a garment relates to the way that you live. My experiences outside of design always manage to shape the kind of designer I continue to become.
Where you do find inspiration for your pieces?
I find inspiration in dance to this day. I still love going to the ballet, and I’ve been so happy to see dance gain a more mainstream audience through recent television exposure. I’m also a magazine junkie. Lucky, Vogue, W, Nylon, InStyle, Marie Claire – I pour over the pages each month and absorb as much as I can of the silhouettes, color stories, and trends. I can’t say that I follow trends, either in my personal wardrobe or my work, but it’s so important to me to be aware of what’s happening out there. Lastly, living in a big city, I get to people watch all the time! I love seeing how people take a garment and make it their own.
Personal style is a huge part of what inspires me!
Why the emphasis on knits? What appeals to you about them?
Knits have always been my passion. I’m sure this goes back to my dancer past. I secretly am in love with spandex, but don’t expect to see any in my etsy shop any time soon! I’ll stick to silky, sumptuous jerseys for now. I love the ease and freedom you experience in a knit garment. And it breaks my heart that knits are so often relegated to our workout gear! The contrast of taking a casual fabric and giving it a more tailored shape is wonderful to me. I’m always telling myself to walk away from the knits for awhile and get reacquainted with cotton gauze and silk dupioni and vintage lace, but I get drawn back in to knits time and time again!
originally posted on handmade in pa, may 2009.
