Zoya Faye Review try 2

Apparently the great blogger outage is only going to repair certain posts ... I would choose the day before the outage to upload four posts of information.


I thought Zoya Faye was going to be my color from the collection. A beautiful plum with gold glitter,  just perfect.   However,  it just does not grab my eye.  I'm not sure how a semi-translucent base with gold glitter smorgasbord can be boring, but this Zoya Sunshine certainly fits the definition in my case.  I've even tossed Apple into the donate pile.  It is almost like they made a collection, didn't like it, and tossed in glitter to liven it up.  But not enough. 

 

Additionally, it is as slow drying as everyone says. I have never had a Zoya dry so slowly. Even with 15 minutes between coats, I banged up two nails after a quick drying topcoat was added.

In the light of the setting sun.


I guess we should have realized, if Zoya was putting this brand-new superduper set of collections on discount sale, something about the formula was going to be crappy.

Base coat - Nubar NuNails
two layers lacquer
quick drying topcoat - Nubar Diamont (old formula)

In the shade.



Too many issues - it is not worth it.

There is a minor bit of VNL present in certain lighting conditions, but I'm surprised that bothers anybody. It is hardly noticeable at two coats.

It has held up quite well to five days of abuse, with chipping only along peeling nail layers.  Minor tip wear.

Regardless, I prefer Zoya Pru,  and will be gifting Zoya Faye to another.

Morgana Cryptoria Lipstick Swatches 2 (the warmer side)

Top Left to Right: Cocoa, Clay Bakin', Apple Plum
Second Left to Right: 24K Pumpkin, Pumpkin Eater

In bright sunlight.

In the shade.

Cocoa is almost a my lip shade color, peachy beige, fairly easy to apply.  But I'm really not looking for a nude lip.

Clay Bakin' is a bit darker and a bit pinker than Cocoa.  Also fairly easy to apply.  

Apple Plum is almost a warmed berry color.  A bit too pink for me to be comfortable.  Not too dark, but not too light.  

24K Pumpkin is a beautiful orange shade that is a bit deeper and more toned down than Pumpkin Eater.  This is one shade I may purchase.  It is a reddened orange.

Pumpkin Eater is the only full size Morgana shade I own, but it is too bright for me to be very comfortable.  It is a metallic red-orange.  The most unusual shade I've ever seen.  And very bright!

Morgana Cryptoria lipstick swatches

I do have far too many lipsticks.  But I wear most of them.  Not that I will ever hit the base of a lipstick, but I'm getting close with a couple of my Korres Mangos.

Korres lipsticks are usually very light, and very natural looking.  But every once in a while, I want a lipstick with more pigment.  I have a couple Laura Mercier, Stila Long Wears, and Primitives.  I'm always on the lookout for my perfect lip color.

So I ordered a bunch of samples from Morgana's last sale, hoping to find a perfect plum, a gorgeous red/orange, and an exceptional peach.  Of course, any browns that work will also be welcome.

And I have finally come to a conclusion.  Morgana Cryptoria has really nice lipsticks that don't make me feel pretty.  And, really, it is not her schtick.  The company is a "goth" brand that makes gorgeously weird colors.  But they are not for me.  All of her lippies scream "look at me" and that in not the person I am.

So I won't purchase any MC lipsticks, and will stick with her pigments.  But don't let my experience deter you.  If you have cool coloring, or want to stick out, check out Morgana Cryptoria.

The sample containers are clam shells with differing amounts of product.  But all contain at least enough for a week's worth of sampling.

First Row (left to right) Goldrush, Peach Daquiri, Sunset Peach
Second Row (left to right) Plum Crazy, Plumeria, Shrieking Violet
Third Row (left and right) Mocha Blast, Guilded Brown


I applied all of these with a lip brush to my bare hand.

Shade was the game for the day.

Though I did catch the occasional ray of sun.

A second sun picture.

First Row (left to right) Goldrush, Peach Daquiri
Second Row (left to right) Plum Crazy, Plumeria
Third Row (left and right) Mocha Blast

First Row (left to right) Peach Daquiri, Sunset Peach
Second Row (left to right) Plumeria, Shrieking Violet
Third Row (left and right) Gilded Brown


Goldrush - A warm gold with red and green microglitter.  It had good coverage with a lip brush.

Peach Daquiri - A very light and warmish pink.  It has red microglitter and good coverage.  This left a day long stain behind on my hand.

Sunset Peach - An orange base, so much warmer than Peach Daquiri, it also has red microglitter.  Less pigmented and patchy coverage, so you need to take greater care with application.

Plum Crazy - This reads mauvey brown to me.  Not much plum.  It also had patchy coverage, so care needs to be taken with application.

Plumeria - A red-violet with blue glitter.  Not as dark as Shrieking Violet, with more red.  It has patchy coverage, take care with application.

Shrieking Violet- This is a medium red-violet creme without any glitter.   It is darker and more blue than Plumeria.  It is extraordinarily patchy, so I would call it a wash of color, but fairly pigmented.  Perhaps a good starter color, though it will read very different depending on the shade of your lips.  On my pale skin and pigmented lips, this turns a dark, cyanotic purple.  It is overwhelming on my pale features.

Mocha Blast - A medium cool brown with red microglitter.  It had fairly nice coverage.

Gilded Brown - This is a deep orange bronze metallic.  It has great coverage, and makes me look like an extra on a sci-fi show.


These lipsticks have a good to great coverage, with some needing more care than others.  They don't overwhelm my sense of smell, although they do have a slight scent.  It is not bothersome.

I caved, OPI "Take the Stage" Swatch

After my high dungeon speech about OPI turning on its customers and requiring full price sales only, I was inundated by Burlesque swatches.

I was grabbed and shaken about by "Take the Stage" a strongly red copper almost glass flecked shimmer.  Being that I also came across a sale, I purchased it ... and perhaps "Rising Star" and "Tease-y Does it!" came along as well.

Now that I have applied "Take the Stage" I cannot understand all the gushing OPI love I keep reading for Burlesque.  This thing is almost a nightmare to work with.  It doesn't have enough pigment and the first coat is a streaky, smeary mess.  The followup with a second coat just reveals all the cuticle drag and bare spots from the first coat. 

Take the Stage is basically a heavy micro glitter in clear coat.  As such, the streakyness is very bothersome to me.  I do not see it so much in photographs, but in person the problems are obvious.  In the photograph, the outer edge of my pointer finger has a long streak (left side in the picture).

It probably needs a third coat, but I don't have that much patience.  Especially since this dries really, really slowly.  It is not as bad as an Orly for me, but it is close.  I ended up having to redo two nails after 30 minutes of drying resulted in severe smudging.  I don't know what I caught them on, but they looked horrid.

So even though the color is spectacular, the formula is horrendous.  Just not worth it.

AND, obvious VNL at two coats.

Tossed into my give away pile.

Luckily, very little from the "Texas" collection is calling to me.  I feel a slight need to defend the state against such a poorly thought out color story.  I will only say that it is obvious a native was NOT consulted.  We would never have given approval.

Additionally, OPI's "Smok'n in Havana" re-release keeps whispering to me.  But everytime it "pssts" in my ear, I look back to my Take the Stage photos and think, "Naah."



I still haven't tried "Rising Star."  I figure it will have the same issues as "Take the Stage."  Luckily, "Tease-y Does It!" has a pigmented base, making the wearing experience far more satisfying than "Take the Stage."  Weather did not co-operate for photographs.  Next time.

Conclusion, OPI really lets the warm toned down collection after collection.  It is either nothing but bad colors, or a good color with a craptastic formula.  Hey, Zoya, whaddya got goin' on?

McCall's 4249 - Indian Salwar Kameez

Since Halloween fell on a weekend in 2010, AND it was Renaissance months at the Texas Renaissance Fair (it runs for about two months in the Fall), I needed something fun to wear to our Sunday fun day at the Renaissance for the 31st of October.

The festival, as most of them seem to be these days, is a chest fest.  You've never seen so many pecs and so much cleavage in your life!  A cell biologist would be in heaven ... there's cleavage here and cleavage there and cleavage everywhere ... Oh, geologists would like it too ... cleavage, cleavage, cleavage.

So I pulled out my costume patterns, unearthed the carnival patterns from my Burda World of Fashion, and started planning out a typical Renaissance Fair Gown.  But then reality intruded and I thought, "Where will I ever wear this?"  If it will be useless to me after one wear, I don't have a great deal of urge to complete the project.

Another pattern lurking in my costume collection is McCall's 4249, it contains a "belly dancing" costume and a Salwar Kameez costume.

Granted, I couldn't see wearing the Salwar portion of the costume, the pants, anywhere else.  BUT, I could see wearing the Kameez over other pants for work.  So began a long search through Indian and Pakistani modern dress sites and runway shots.  I came to the conclusion that both pieces of the suit come in a vast array of styles.  There are short or tight versions of the salwar available.  And kameez come in lengths from mid-calf to tunic (mid-hip).  I could do anything I wanted and still have a fairly authentic Indian costume.

Then I had to start looking through the stash. 

I chose two pieces of rayon, one embossed and one plain woven, to complement each other.  The top went together in two days, and the pants were completed even more quickly.

Pushing a size 16/18 in patterns for pants, the 12 was waaay too small.  I enlarged the pattern a bit, but not enough.  They were still a touch tight at the lower thigh when sitting.  And I felt that they were far too large at the ankle, but my calves kept me from narrowing the lower leg anymore.  I suspect some strategic pinning in the photography examples on the pattern front.

I actually put a wide black rayon spandex waistband in these, to reduce bulk and make it more comfortable.  Except for the pulling when sitting, the pants were remarkably comfortable.  Now I know why it is the chosen style of dress for a large portion of the world. 

The kameez is a nice pattern with a gusset, first time I've ever used a gusset before.  And I loved it.  I had such range of motion.  Definitely something more of my clothing should have.

Considering how much I have to lengthen bodices (two inches), I often feel the necklines are too high.  And I did feel this one was a touch too high, but better than adding to the cleavage population at the Festival.  Besides, I plan to wear this to work, where such displays are distracting.

The bodice was self-lined and I slit the top fairly high, making pockets easily reachable.  Even in a 12 (I measure to a 14), the bodice is too big, and I will take it in (mostly at bodice front) should I make it again. 

I was stopped on our way out by a lady who commented, "I love your outfit.  It looks so comfortable."  And it was.  Nothing was binding, no body parts had to be hiked into uncomfortable positions, and all my undergarments fit easily underneath. 

Now I have to figure out what to make for Ren Fest 2011.

The hubster went in Swiss Camouflage,  an SPH4 Helicopter Pilot Helmet, and menacing face covering.  He got a LOT of attention.  The pattern "Alpenflage" is not necessarily uncommon, but still a rarity to non military buffs. 

Lowest toxicity Nail Lacquers or Nail Polish

In my search for less toxicity and better health, everything has come under scrutiny.  Including my polish collection.  I started collecting more than the typical bottle or two of polish about four years ago.

When the 3-free (toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate free ... perhaps it goes to show my own obsessiveness that I didn't even have to look up the spelling for those) craze started up several years ago, I tossed all my old lacquer formula (gave them away) and started collecting 3-free only.

Now the new 3-free formulae have reached the point where there is a big difference in toxicity levels. 

I run the ingredients list through the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database, http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com, and use that as a basis for my opinion of the lacquers.

According to ingredients lists, the lowest toxicity lacquers available today are: CND Colours & Effects, Nfu-Oh, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, and $ephora by OPI.  All four companies have a 3 out of 10 toxicity rating according to Skin Deep.

I think it is time for all those other companies to re-think their new formulas - Diamond Cosmetics, Ginger + Liz, Illamasqua, NARS, Orly, and SpaRitual ... along with anyone else who hasn't yet converted to a 3-free formula.

CND Ingredients
butyl acetate; ethyl acetate; nitrocellulose; acetyl tributyl citrate; phthalic anhydride/trimellitic anhydride/glycols copolymer; isopropyl alcohol; titanium dioxide; adipic acid/fumaric acid/phthalic acid/tricyclodecane dimethanol copolymer; adipic acid/neopentyl glycol/trimellitic anyhydride copolymer; sucrose acetate isobutyrate; stearalkonium hectorite; citric acid; ethyl tosylamide; iron oxides

I have found the new CND polishes to be fairly opaque with one coat and have little to no cuticle drag.  They dry quickly.  Longevity is a bit of a crap shoot, some last for close to a week, some last only two days before tip wear is obvious.  I have not had chipping problems with this new formula.
 

Nfu-Oh Ingredients
Ethyl Acetate; Butyl Acetate; Nitrocellulose; Acetyl Tributyl Citrate; Isobutyl Acetate; Isopropyl Alcohol; Adipic Acid/Neopentyl; Silica; Styrene-Acrylates Copolymer; N-Butyl Alcohol; Cl 26100

Nfu-Oh are a weakness inducing polish.  They have a huge amount of finishes and an absolutely astounding array of colors.  It is a good thing that more of the line is not carried here in the states, or my collection would be much bigger (and I've got plenty as it is TYVM).

I have had good luck with the Nfu-Oh formula.  It is fairly quick drying and long lasting.  I usually get a minimum of three days without tip wear.  I rarely experience chips with this polish.

However, their holographic polishes, in the low/mid 60s number range, have the same poor wear that every other company's holographic polishes display.  Nfu-Oh's holos are unique due solely to color range.  The seafoam, 66 is really too cool for my skin tone.  The peach, 62, is perfectly beautiful ... for about a day.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
Ethyl Acetate, Butyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Isopropyl Alcohol, Acrylate Copolymer ; Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Ultramarines, Bismuth Oxychloride, FD&C Yellow #5, D&C Red #7, D&C Red #34, Ferric Ferrocyanine, Mica

I've only worn two OCC polishes, but they do have fairly good longevity, I think I got four days before tip wear became an issue.

I've had one polish dry very quickly, where another gave me sheet marks after drying for an hour.  So the formula is tweaked from one to the other.  The sheet marks weren't obvious to a casual glance.

I do have a problem with the brushes.  I had one replaced because it was so flyaway that application was practically impossible.  The other brush I tried was just of poor quality.  So application is a bit messy. 

Also, the formula on OCC polishes smells very strongly.  Much different from any of the other three on this post.

$ephora by OPI
butyl acetate, ethyl acetate, nitrocellulose, tosylamide/epoxy resin, acetyl tributyl citrate, isopropyl alcohol, stearalkonium bentonite, benzophenone-1, silica, trimethylpentanediyl dibenzoate, polyvinyl butyral, cl 77891, cl 15850, cl 77491, cl 77120.

$OPI is a fairly new brand for me.  I find their price too high to justify ... unless they are on clearance, or a deep discount.  As such, I do not expect to acquire a large or even medium sized stash of Sephora by OPI colors.  I have not yet worn one for a full manicure.

China Glaze Peace on Earth

I've just about killed my lemming for NARS Mash with China Glaze's new "Peace on Earth."

A true medium Olive green with gold shimmer, it is the much lighter brother of Wagontrail.

It applies beautifully in two coats with lovely coverage.  Exactly what I was hoping for.  Now I need a color in between POE and WT.  :)

It has no Avocado leanings.

CND Urban Oasis swatch and review and Teal Sparkle

CND's new "Urban Oasis" polish is a pretty, though dark, blue-green/teal leaning further to the blue side than green.

I expected to dislike the polish once I saw how much blue it had, but I've gotten several compliments and it is beginning to grow on me.  Kinda like a fungus actually ... but I'll still switch to CGs "Peace on Earth" when it arrives.

After adding the second coat, I almost immediately crashed my pointer fingers together.  Go figure, I tend to read between polish coats and books can be a challenge to pick up and put down.  With no small amount of dread, mostly because this is a creme and cremes just don't do passable touch-ups as well as shimmers/glitters, I looked at my nails.

No damage.  Wow, these dry as fast as OCC Chlorophyll.  No surprise, the formulas are very similar.

Two days later, I applied the Teal Sparkle top coat as a funky french.  I was noticing the slightest bits of tip wear, and decided to hide them rather than change.

Teal Sparkle has a great deal of green to it, so the combo is unusual, to say the least.  It does have a duo effect, with the plastic bits flashing from clear to green so the base color shows through.  It has also been growing on me.

These photographs were taken on day four of the mani, I believe.  Or day five, but I'll be safe and say four.  There was some minor tip wear, which is very common for me.  I'm always dragging my nails across something. 

Removal of these did turn my fingers blue for a bit, and I used three cotton balls to remove all the lacquer ... a bit more than is typical.  I was able to remove the vast majority of the polish, so I wasn't wandering around with asphyxiated fingers for long.

Barielle Ridge Filling Base Coat
Two coats polish
One coat Nubar Diamont

My refill bottle of Diamont seems to play more nicely with polishes than the original bottle.  It still dries as quickly for me, but the layering is easier and lasts longer.  I had massive peeling problems with the first bottle if I layered anything on top of Diamont, even a second coat of Diamont ... if you change your polish daily or every two days, no biggie, but I like to get at least four or five days from a mani.  This refill is definitely working better, but it is an older bottle.  Probably close to a year old or more.  I've read that Nubar changed the formulation of Diamont, and some bloggers were having a lot of problems.  If so, CND still makes "Air Dry" and I've had great results from that quick-dry as well.

Christine Jonson, Travel Trio One #1204, Center Seam Pant Review,

Christine Jonson website http://www.cjpatterns.com/

Christine Jonson's Travel Trio One Pattern was on clearance at Nancy's Notions when I purchased a software title.

Drawing from Christine Jonson website.


I decided to take the plunge because I like the idea of having elongating seams on all pant pattern pieces, and at clearance price, I could not pass it up.  Even though I had a rotten experience with one CJ pattern, I decided to try one more time.  After all, you should give every pattern company two chances ... at least ... right???

My CJ failure was the old 419, Ruffle Top and Swing Skirt ... the sizing was so far off for me that I tossed the items I'd made.  The top was uncomfortably tight, and my fabric was washed, so shrinkage was no issue.  Anyway, onto the travel pant. 

Here is the line drawing from Christine Jonson's website.


When I measured the length of the crotch seam and compared it to my own body, I had my first "Uh-Oh" moment.  This pattern has a wide waistband, which is not the problem.  The issue was confirmed via tissue fitting ...  these pants came up to my waistline, without the waistband.  I really don't like high-waisted pants.  So the first issue was cutting down the upper band seam on the pants - two inches of length, gone. 

The second was pant length.  There are made to a typical 30.5" inseam, which is a bit highwater on me, especially for winter.  I want these to cover my foot and come to the base of my heel, so I added 2" at the knee.

I chose a heavy black RPL that has been long languishing in the stash.  It is not an exciting color, but it will give me the opportunity to test out the pattern.

Whilst sewing, I ignored the directions for the most part.  The pants were together and trialled before I realized that according to directions, the top of the waistband was only supposed to be serged, which meant my 5/8" seam shortened the waistband by 1/2", too much according to the pattern and directions.

Happy results with the too short waistband.  The pants fit about where they should, just below the waist, but I'm going to make some additional adjustments for the next pair.

The legs are a little too wide, so I'll trim down a touch.  But first, I need to shorten the back pant length at the inner thigh.  I've got lots of excess below my rear, but not quite enough rear room.  So what I remove in the back leg, I'll add into the back crotch.


They are comfortable and easy to move around it.  I could see these as yoga pants, easy.

As drafted, they are made for a long crotch length individual with some hip curve and regular length legs.  The only thing that threw me was the crotch length.  I'm used to adding length at the crotch or leaving as is, NOT subtracting.

I guess for CJ's draft I have a short pelvic length?

I wore them to work with a tunic, and did not feel hideously exposed.  This RPL is of lower quality as I wore them two days in a row and they were somewhat stretched out by the end of the second day.  I'd recommend staying with higher quality fabrics with great recovery, because this pattern will look pajama-ish when stretched out.

These aren't going to hide any "issues" the media has convinced you you have, but they are fairly good at flattening out lower belly bulge.  I'm just not this skinny at the abdomenal area.  Probably just doesn't add any extra thickness at the waist region.

I stitched down the front, side, and back seams (not the inner side seams) and used a domestic machine to do so ... hence the ripples in the seams.  For my next pair I will mostly use my industrial straight stitch.  It will do a much better job with this fabric.

If you stretch the leg forward just right, you can mimic incredibly long legs ... at least until you stand up straight.  

 
Side back view, here the excess in the back is more obvious.  And it looks like my calf shape is causing some pulling.  Hmm ...


Yes, yes, I know all the experts say there is no such thing as a wearable muslin.  But most of the time I think you need to wear it for a while to figure out how and where everything is going to move on your own body.  So take that, here is my wearable muslin.

Now to make the changes and try again.  And make a couple shorties up for working out.

OPI "Who the Shrek are You?" swatch

OPI, I am very disappointed!  (Fifth Element Oldman flash!)

Who the Shrek are You? is so ugly, you want to like it for that alone.  You want to reassure the color, "While others may turn away, I will wear you with pride!"  Except, WTSAY? is not just the green monster, but the green pigmentless monster!  RUN AWAY, RUN AWAY!!!

Probably the worst balding color I have ever seen, except for a couple of sheer nudes ... Zoya Lulu and Revlon Sheer Nude spring to mind.

Three mid-thick coats later, and I still have bald spots ... with a pea green nail polish.  Ick.  Unfortunately, this color is a waste of time, energy, and money.

I can only see it being used in nail art ... preferably as a background color, NOT a base color.  Foliage perhaps?

This is being jettisoned from my collection as I write.  I'll try China Glaze's "Treehugger" instead.

I could not imagine taking a photo of my right foot.  From five plus feet away, you cannot tell much.  But inch a little closer and baldzilla rears its head on my big toe ... "Aarrrggg!"  Can Mothra be far behind?

Bye, bye, baby, bye, bye ...

China Glaze "Far Out" Swatch

"While the last rays of the sun lay dying ..."  I feel like I'm writing my dime store novel.


It is that time of year where the media is hyping Fall!  Fall color, fall texture, fall temperatures.

Houston does not feel very fallish, mid-summer perhaps, but NOT fall.  Not even fall anticipatory.

So I'm caught in a Fall mood, without a Fall environment with which to back it up.  Enter, China Glaze "Far Out" - a color I've never worn, and cannot now explain why.

Far Out is a lovely in-between color.  It is not as deep as a vampy, nor is it a light spring or summer color.  It is a muted rust color, neither too bright, nor too deep, nor too bronzey.  A Goldilocks color, or, perhaps more accurately, a baby bear color.

This almost fits my definition of Chestnut.  A deep reddened orange brown with a flash of fire.  The flash made obvious by the setting sun.

Far Out is usually quite tame and serene, until that sun lights it from within.

It has held up well with very little tip wear.  The first day I wore one coat atop Nubar NuNails (to retard any staining).  I finally got a second coat of lacquer on the third day (this semester is just really weird, I cannot settle into the schedule) ... a bit of tip wear on the first coat.  Here is two days after second coat application and four days after first coat application.  I applied CND "Air Dry" after the second coat of lacquer.

I do like to space out my coats if possible, which I believe leads to greater longevity.  However, the second coat took way too long.  I'm pleased with the wear I've gotten from this odd application schedule of mine.

McCall's 4304 Kimono Pattern becomes a summer robe

I made this pattern when it first came out many, many years ago.  I used a transparent deep turquoise rayon and have worn the kimono top when I remember it.  Being that it located in a drawer and not hanging in the closet, it is a bit easy to forget about.


Forward to the last year or so, when I kept saying to myself, I need a summer robe.  And after checking and re-checking all the robe patterns, I had only one thing to say, "Yuck!"

I dislike most shawl collars, and all I could think was Granny wear and I are not ready to get cozy.


Having set aside a cotton sheet after its useful life came to an end (where did all those stains come from?), I had planned to use it as muslin or something wearable.  It became my comfy summer robe.

Going by my earlier use, I traced a straight medium, added length for my long torso, and took out an inch for my sway back.  I also lengthened the pattern by about 8" and gave the skirt a little more of an A line shape (more flattering to my full hips than a straight shape).

I made french seams throughout this garment, it will keep that slinky cotton from disintegrating at too fast a rate.  The only difficulty came in matching the sleeves at the armhole.  Getting the two seams to play nice at the armpit was an exercise in patience, but it is done.

Behold, the summer robe ...

I like the loose fit and the big kimono sleeves.  Houston can be agonizingly hot in the summer so the ease is necessary for comfort.  It also covers enough that I would walk to the mailbox without too much discomfort. 

I used a quilting cotton for the neckline, both to reinforce the flimsiness of this fabric and to give me some color up near my face.  As much as I like my sheet, it is not the best color for me - the cotton neckline is a great contrast. 

So here I am, wrapped in comfort.  I recommend this as a lounging outfit.  Works great.  :)

You can find Kimono patterns in costumes, jackets, and tops.  June Colburn usually has an offering with Simplicity (though you can also get them directly from her website).