Introducing Rachael Castetter! This perfect-for-Spring dress is one of her
own original creations!
Happily
shining the fashion spotlight on the truly talented designer and free spirited
fashionista, Rachael Castetter.
I was lucky enough to be office
mates (best type of roommate in my opinion, no tiffs over dirty dishes and
rent!) with Rachael this past year at the Carnegie Center (literary home/workspace).
She’s my Carnegie Center confidant,
INFP soul sista, and fashionista superstar.
My work
mornings consisted of getting coffee, greeting Rachael and then cooing over her
creative, artistic ensemble: a boldly patterned dress paired with a striking
necklace; a flowy, long skirt layered with a fitted tee and knit cardigan; pink
pants topped with a shimmery grey crop top.
Her
nonchalant response to my fashion marveling typically went like this, “Found
this at Goodwill and thought it’d make a pretty skirt,” or “had this fabric
lying around and I had free time last night, so I made this dress.”
Umm…WOW.
I’m in
awe of Rachael’s designer talents. My artistic abilities stop at the page, so I
am enthralled by friends like Rachael who are superbly gifted in fashioning
chic and cute clothes. I can attest that she’s a flawless seamstress. I once
gave her two big old shirts I had lying around and they were returned to me as
fitted, sexy tops that I love beboppin’ around in!
She even
featured as a designer for Carnegie Center’s Great Gatsby party. Inspired by
Daisy Buchannan’s famous quote about Jay Gatsby’s colorful array of expensive
clothes, “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such beautiful shirts
before,” Rachael fashioned a flapper dress out of men shirt’s she found at the
Goodwill. This is a dress a flapper would definitely want to Charleston in and
also, one this modern gal would feel utterly cool coffee shopping and pattering
around town in.
As the
beautiful shirt dress shows, Rachael possesses the gift of a true artist: she
can see the beauty in a discarded piece of fabric and with practiced, patient
sewing hands lets that beauty emerge into a new piece.
A snapshot from Carnegie Center's Great Gatsby Party! Rachael set up the scene
and fashioned this lovely model's flapper chic dress!
Rachael’s
passionate commitment to social justice is her most striking fashion statement.
Most of Rachael’s clothes are bought second hand, or purchased from Fair Trade companies.
Her conscious apparel mirrors her moral conviction for helping others, and
inspires me to be more aware of my purchasing choices.
In less
than a week, Rachael will be headed down in the aisle into the arms of wedded
bliss. She’ll be making a grand entrance in her mother’s wedding dress that she
has altered and crafted into one perfectly stunning and fit for a garden
wedding. All the bridesmaids’ dresses are bright fashionable pieces lovingly
made by Rachael and her talented mom, too! It’ll be a fashion show for sure and
I’m honored to be part of the celebration for this beautiful, pure hearted and
fashionably chic friend!
