Frocktober 2023

Frocktober is Australia’s is a month-long fundraiser created by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) to raise awareness and funds for vital ovarian cancer research.    If you have been following for a while you will know that we have taken on the Frocktober challenge of wearing a different dress every day in October.  We take the challenge of wearing a me made dress every day in October in support the OCRF. 

Looking for more frock inspiration? Check out our 2019 Frocktober here, our collaboration with Alexandra Nea with a Frocktober Fabric print here,

Day 1 Butterick 9764 - Two Sewing Sisters - Frocktober OCRF

Frocktober 2019

Frocktober is a community fundraising initiative for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) – you can find out more about the cause in our Frocktober post.

This year are taking on the challenge of wearing a different Two Sewing Sisters made frock each day in October.  If you have followed along on our Frocktober journey before you may recognise some pieces but we look forward to sharing the making details of the frocks with you. 

You can see our frock here on the or follow along on our Instagram and Facebook Page.

We hope you enjoy seeing our frock collection and will make a donation to support this cause.  Research is the answer and your support of the Ovarian Cancer Research enables this.  

Silver Style

OCRF (Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation) hosted their annual Silver Style event at the Georges Ballroom in St Kilda. The theme was a touch of silver. Inspired by this theme and some fabulous silver shoes the outfit planning started.

Lauren found this striped printed silk at the Hand Made Fair at Hampton Court Palace in London in 2018. Unsure what she wanted to create with it the fabric waited in the wings. When the theme the event was announced it felt like the perfect occassion and coordinated well with a pair or existing silver shoes.

The pattern was selected due to panel pieces that would allow for the stripe in the fabric. Placing the strip in different directions and using a circle skirt achieved this.

Eager to pair the statement Maude bag and glittery Wittner shoes with a Tweed the hunt for the fabric began.  We found the beautiful white and blue with silver fleck tweed at Darn Cheap Fabrics in Port Melbourne. 

Returning to use a favourite pattern, Vogue 1392 with a circle.  The bodice was lined with bem silk and cotton tape place around the neckline to reduce stretching. 

Photo by Cam Davie

Silver Style was a great evening to celebrate the efforts of the OCRF.  Every woman, everywhere – free from the threat of Ovarian Cancer.  You can donate directly to the cause or find out other way to take part such as Frocktober

Frocktober

Frocktober is a community fundraising initiative for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF). The aim of the campaign is to start important conversations. It raising awareness of the lack of early detection method, of women’s experiences, and of how we as a community can do more to support ovarian cancer research.  You can make your donation here.

The challenge of Frocktober is to take on a frock, or dress, challenge in October.  We first became involved with Frocktober in 2013.  Our challenge was to wear a different frock everyday in October.  We took a photo each day to share on our social media pages.  With a love of frocks this was an exciting challenge to help fund research into early detection test.

Things to know about Ovarian Cancer

  • Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological cancer
  • There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer. Over 50% of the community incorrectly believes a Pap smear will diagnose ovarian cancer.
  • Each year, nearly a quarter of a million women around the world are diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
  • In Australia alone, one woman dies every eight hours from ovarian cancer.
  •  Less than 30% of women diagnosed at a late stage will survive for more than five years.
  • If a woman is diagnosed at Stage 1 (while the cancer is localised) then her survival rates are over 90%.
  • The OCRF receives no government funding and relies solely on the financial support of corporate Australia and the broader community.
  • Proportionally, more women die from ovarian cancer than breast cancer, because it is usually diagnosed in its advanced stages.
  • Symptoms are often vague and the warning signs associated with the disease —discomfort or pain in the abdomen or pelvis; feeling swollen or bloated; appetite loss or feeling full quickly;  tiredness, and unexplained changes in weight—rarely set off alarm bells. As a result, women or their doctors sometimes mistakenly attribute the symptoms to other gastrointestinal problems or common female complaints, and delay taking further steps.
  • About 15–20% of women with ovarian cancer are found to have a fault in one of the BRCA genes or other
    similar genes.

Two Sewing Sisters and Frocktober

This will be the first time in 5 years that we are not donning a frock everyday of October.  Between us we have completed the equivalent of 7 Frocktobers without repeating a frock.   It’s a lot of frocks for an important cause.

The frocks were a combination of ones we had made, purchased new, purchased second hand/vintage, family collection and borrowed from friends.  Check out the frocks we have worn over the years.

There is still a chance to become involved in Frocktober this year.  If not this year think about taking part next year.  Wear a frock, host an event in your work place for a Frock Friday or start the important conversation to raise funds and awareness in your network about this insidious disease.

With a revised look for Frocktober last year Illustrator Alexandra Nea created the frocktober figures to provide the new stunning faces of Frocktober.  This wonderful fashion illustrator works capturing luxury events across the country and you will find a stunning sketch of the Two Sewing Sisters was created by Alexandra.

Frocktober Gallery

Check out our past years Frocktober to get you inspired. Stitching, shopping or borrowing to get your frock collection ready for Frocktober.

Royal Ascot 2018

The outfit for Royal Ascot all start with the shoes!  Irregular Choice shoes to be exact, and aren’t they amazing!?   

The dress was made from McCall’s 7279 with a circle skirt added for a softer line to match the delicate lavender lace sourced from Spotlight in Melbourne. Construction involved tacking the lace to the matching poplin backing before stitching the darts of the bodice.

  The details of the make included black piping around the cream Peterpan collar and turned up cuffs

The finished look for Royal Ascot was paired with a black Review belt to highlight the piping and worn with a Lauren J Ritchie Lenox Boater.