Is it pants, is it a dress, is it a shirt...?

June 1, 2007 11:14 AM

Anyone know where to find a "Cameleon" convertible/changeable/super-cool garment or a pattern for such? ( link 1, link 2)

It's basically a cleverly-designed thing you can wear as pants, several styles of dress, shirt, or shape into a rucksack depending how you pull the drawstrings. Its inventor used to sell it at Ren Faires on the West Coast as recently as last year. Their sites are dead; GIS and Ebay searches are fruitless. I've been looking for years & hope to find one for a summer of festivals and camping. Thanks a heap (in advance) for any insight!

posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (10 answers total)

According to a comment in this Craftster thread, there was a pattern in an old Mother Earth news at sometime. I had to use the lizard selling to find that, though. There were some other suggestions in there, as well.
posted by dilettante at 11:30 AM on June 1, 2007

lizard spelling. Damn it.
posted by dilettante at 11:31 AM on June 1, 2007

Response by poster: Thanks for checking. I've seen the reference in the old Mother Earth News (from the 80's!) but trying to follow the breadcrumbs from that didn't yield any results either. I've emailed and even left voicemails for the inventor but heard back a whole lotta nuthin'. I'm not giving up though!
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 11:35 AM on June 1, 2007

How about the stuff this seller makes on etsy? It's not clear whether she's using the cameleon pattern or made up one of her own, but maybe she'll respond to email. I had totally forgotten about these things, although I can still picture the guy that was selling them at Texas's Scarborough Faire back in the early 90s.
posted by MsMolly at 12:20 PM on June 1, 2007

This one isn't the Cameleon, but it was inspired by it. There's a link to the pattern at the bottom of the page.
posted by MsMolly at 1:58 PM on June 1, 2007

American Apparel is also selling a similar, but not identical, garment for women.
posted by gorillawarfare at 3:27 PM on June 1, 2007

Judging by the style of the dresses on the Etsy link, it appears as though the seller is simply making the 1-seam convertible dress. Super easy to make; I make them out of pretty much anything.
posted by chickygrrl at 9:01 PM on June 1, 2007

Response by poster: Thanks everyone for looking more; I found that costuming site MsMolly saw a year or two ago too, and had considered it; but that design doesn't look like it quite has the versatility as the original which can be made into a poncho with hood and all kinds of fabulous things. (video here) The Etsy and American Apparel dresses are unfortunately just dresses...albeit nifty ones that would make nice work clothes. :-) I just hope the inventor/salesdude didn't decide to retire, or maybe a fellow crafter has a pattern they'd like to copy or part with for $ or trade. I just think it'd be the perfect thing -- practical and interesting -- for Ren Fair, seasonal festivals (long live the hippies!), and assorted colorful camping get togethers. Not being able to find this infernal thing just makes me want it more.
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 6:32 AM on June 2, 2007

Have you seen this?
posted by healthytext at 7:57 PM on June 6, 2007

Response by poster: healthytext: OMG! That is exactly the pattern I've been looking for! Thank you so much; I am placing an order right now. (I just hope they still have them in stock....keeping fingers crossed.) After all these years, finally!!
posted by cuddles.mcsnuggy at 9:14 AM on June 7, 2007