Hi Guys! Go Vote, Go Vote, Go Vote! OK, seriously, I wanted to share with you guys what I wore to go vote in the 2020 election. Who makes an entire outfit to go vote? I’m sorry, I just had to. This is the most important election of our life time! This is why we must go vote!!! Let’s get down to the details of my look.
Look Details
OK, so I can’t take credit for this amazing VOTE Sis T-shirt I’m wearing. My friend hit me up and asked me to make her this T-shirt. I did and then I makde one for myself! I used my Silhoutte Cameo machine to cut the vinyl and applied it with a heat press. I really wanted to make the sleeves look like they had shoulder pads, but alas I didn’t have any. What I did instead was cut off the sleeves leaving about 5/8″ to fold inside the sleeve and then I just sewed it down. I like the muscle shirt look. I would normally wear a medium T-shirt, but I didn’t have any on hand so this is a Large. I made it work.
Did you notice my bag? I made it!!!! I don’t want to share too many details because there will be an entire blog post dedicated to my bag, but I just had to mention it! I took a virtual class with Treasure from NikkiandMallory and had the best time. We are going to make a waist bag next, so stand by for a blog post on my experience.
The Skirt And What it Means to Me
I’ve been wanting to make this skirt since the summer time, but never got around to making it. Then last month was Hispanic Heritage Month and I thought it would be perfect, but alas, the month came and went and I still had no skirt. The pattern I used is McCalls M0537 and then they re-released it as M8066 #PosieMcCalls – Misses’ Pull-On Gathered Skirts with Tier and Length Variations. Yes, I foolishly purhcased both. lol The size I cut for my skirt was a large and I made no alterations to it. I purchased this white double gauze fabric from a local fabric store and I knew it would be perfect for this skirt. A few months ago I was invited over to Think Thrift, my local thrift store, to come and check out what they had. I was in an upcycling mood and wanted to find something to remake. I found a pretty white linen table cloth with beautiful embroidary and thought I could make something great with in. I used the table cloth in some of the tiers of my skirt. I love it.
Honoring My Ancestors
The main reason I wanted to make this skirt during Hispanic Heritage Month is because it reminds me of the traditonal Puerto Rican and Domincan flowy tiered skirts the women wear in traditional dance performances. They would twirl around and dance in their skirts to the bomba beat and the sounds of the rythmic folkloric songs.
The “bomba” dance is composed of an array of dances and songs with no specific choreographic characteristics. All songs and dances are improvised. Historians say that the “bomba” dances were influenced by African and French cultures. Its African origins included such names as: “cocobale”, “lero”, “cunya”, among others. Sometimes these names indicated the country or origin, such as “holandes” (Holland), and “danua” (Denmark); others by the way they were danced, like “lero” (the phonetic interpretation of the French “le rose”) which is a dance performed in a circle shaped somewhat like a rose.
Bomba dances were performed outdoors with a few musicians. As people gathered to listen the drums, the crowd, including children, grew. Initially, the musicians and the newcomers practiced, but soon the real show started. Usually, a female began to sing. The choir answered her back. When the dance started, one of the dancers gave cues to the drummer, who in turn answered back with a rhythm following the dancer. Everybody took turns dancing and playing the drums.
https://boricua.com/the-origins-of-plena-y-bomba/
Yesterday, I went to drop off my ballot with my son. It is important for me that he understands the election process and what really is at stake in this election. He was super proud to go vote with his Mama. Yesterday, I casted my vote for everyone whose voice has ever been silenced. I voted for the immigrants whose voice “doesn’t count”. I voted to honor my ancesters whose voice they tried to silence. I believe that I am my ancestors wildest dream.
As we were leaving, the poll worker says, you need to take a photo with the sign outside. You look so beautiful and match the sign. She was so sweet and took this photo of my son and I.
Then she says, take your mask off and show me some leg, so I oblidged. lol
Please make sure you vote. Vote early if you can. Make a plan and cast your vote. Look up your local supervisor of elections website to see where you can go vote early. If you are not voting early, make sure you know where your polling location is. VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!
Until Next time,
Johanna
