The Devil Made Me Do It’s Rococo-Inspired Sleeves

Get with it, whole shirts are out. Tamara Embrey of The Devil Made Me Do It knows that all you really need is a pair of fancy sleeves — retro, Rococo-inspired sleeves — that can spice up any outfit and turn old shirts into brand new styles. Get your pair from The Devil Made Me Do It this month at the Crafty Bastards Festival!

1. Is there a specific product that you will be selling at the fair that you would like to talk about?

My Rococo-inspired sleeves (I hesitate to call them arm warmers. Though they certainly will warm your arms to a degree, their main purpose is to fancy-up whatever you’re wearing).

2. Does this product have an origin story? Did the idea come to you in a dream or through a portal or other strange way?

I actually get many of my design ideas by traveling back in a time machine (I take the whole retro thing pretty literally). I know that sounds like a joke, but of course while I try to be on the forward edge of what’s fabulous to wear, that invariably means looking back. A lot of my pieces have had Rococo-inspired parts lately: flounces, fancy sleeves, rows and rows of decorative ridges, curly ties, ruffles and loops at the neck. And of course, like many Rococo artists, there’s always a good dose of nature influencing (and appearing in) my work. One day while I was making a piece with fancy sleeves, I thought, Why not make just the sleeves? I like the flexibility of just fancy sleeves. They allow you to add a bit of flourish to something staid. Or, they can be contrasted with something very tailored and minimal. I think that would look fantastic and create a great tension in a look. Of course they would make something that is already fancy EVEN FANCIER.

3. What famous personality (alive or dead, real or imagined) would most likely be found wearing/holding/admiring this product? Why?

Adam Ant. I’ll let Adam speak for himself on this:

“I’m the dandy highwayman that you’re too scared to mention. I spend my cash on looking flash and grabbing your attention. The DEVIL take your stereo and your record collection! The way you look you’ll qualify for next year’s old age pension!… I’m the dandy highwayman so sick of easy fashion. The clumsy boots, peek-a-boo roots that people think so dashing. So what’s the point of robbery when nothing is worth taking? It’s kind of tough to tell a scruff the big mistake he’s making.”

Stand and Deliver, Adam and the Ants

4. Convince me that this piece should be one of only 3 things I could take with me to a deserted island!

Well, many people don’t realize that all of my pieces are waterproof and flame resistant. I’ve designed each of my sweaters, skirts, and dresses so that with the addition of some simple sticks and pegs and one piece of rope (could be vine), each can easily be transformed into a small but fashionable weatherproof shelter. Nah nah nah. Just kidding. Only the sweaters make good tents. The skirts are actually floatation devices. And the hats just make you the most fabulous coconut on the beach.

Check out The Devil Made Me Do It in booth #40 at the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair this Sunday, September 28th from 10am-5pm at the Marie Reed Learning Center in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC.