I sew and design what I love - timeless, cool retro clothing & accessories to share with others.
My current love to create retro/vintage clothing & accessories goes back to when I was a little girl who was incredibly inspired by a WWII themed restaurant my grandparents used to take me to. The memorabilia, the music, and the fashion really struck a chord in me.
Growing up, art and music played a big part in my life. When I entered college I pursued a major in Studio Art and a minor in Mathematics & Psychology. After graduating, I worked in the Industrial Design Department as a Design Support Specialist at Navistar, the Design and Engineering center for International brand Trucks & Buses.
Fast forward to when I met my husband, Joe, in 1995.
He was in a Rockabilly band, which was an immediate connection for me....the music, the dancing, the tattoos, and of course, the clothing! I fell in love with him, and I fell in love with the whole style.
There was a period of time when I had to care for myself and my health above all else and stepped away from the large industry business world. Enjoying marriage, new health and having children changed everything. Once my boys grew old enough I knew there was something creative waiting for me to dive head first into. I just didn’t know what it was....but whatever it was, it was STRONG!
I felt like deconstructing clothing I owned that were ho-hum to create something new and exciting. Soon I found myself taking apart clothing item after item, even buying things for the sheer purpose of deconstructing and reconstructing - all done by hand without a machine. Without thinking about it, I was learning a lot about clothing construction and design.
My love for Retro clothing design, mainly the 1940s & 1950s, was always a reoccurring theme in what kept flooding my heart - as if it was just waiting to be realized and the sewing skills developed.
While living in a very small 350 sq ft condo in a converted 1880s hotel (I probably had about 25 sq ft of space to sew on top of a dresser, and I had to walk down the long hall to the laundry room to press open each seam!), I bought a used (probably defective😳) cheap, mini sewing machine and the amount of frustration was way beyond what I anticipated. But learning can be rough. I ditched the thought of using a sewing machine for a time until a number of friends encouraged me to try it again with a GOOD machine.
In August 2015, that pursuit became a reality when I bought a base level sewing machine and I hit the ground running!
As soon as I bought it, I knew that THIS WAS IT!!! This is what my heart had been trying to lead me to all this time. I used old sewing patterns from the 1960s and 1970s to start, adjusting each one to reflect more of my style. Then I got a hold of a few 1940s and 1950s patterns. I would take each one and adjust it to my aesthetic - making it “modern with a strong Retro influence”.
When my friends and family (especially my husband Joe🥰) saw all I was creating they suggested I try selling them. I thought (while laughing), “Who would buy what I make?!? I don’t even know what I’m doing!”
Well, the continual, strong passion to learn everything I could and create all the items I wanted to wear myself lead to my base designs for my shop that I still sell today... Ava & Daisy Mae Halters, Jayne shorts & different length Circle Skirts, Miriam Wiggle Skirts, my most popular Miranda Hair Wraps & my newest handbag designs (the “Charlene” (now sold out), the “Elaine” & the “Louise”).
With my heart racing and my spirits high, I started “HandmadeRetroTopShop” in December 2015. From that moment until present, I feel my soul is constantly fed by fulfilling the creative passion I knew was waiting for me.
This is my dream, and all my lovely customers are to thank for believing in me and what I create with love!
❤️Thank YOU!!❤️
Charlene
*********HandmadeRetroTopShop***********
My very popular Miranda Hair Wraps are a simple accessory that makes an outfit perfectly retro. My handbag designs (the Charlene, the Elaine & the Louise) were designed to take everywhere with you, adding a vintage vibe! Celebrating the female form, I make clothing to accentuate curves with the utmost comfort! Each of my items are reminiscent of the 1940's and 1950's eras.
Each design starts with what I desire for my own wardrobe. So, I create it, wear it, use it and love it before I offer it to others. I just want to sew what I love and share that love with others.
I try to keep all my fabrics natural cotton. There are a few cotton/poly blends, but these are kept to a minimum. Shorts and capris are made with a slight amount of spandex for fit and comfort.
Keep checking back since I’m continually experimenting and making new items most every week.
Do you need something you don’t see? You can always contact me and I will try to accommodate you!
