Duster

I found this funky sheer zebra duster at a thrift store near my mom's house a few months ago when I was up there to visit. It was actually a dress when in combination with the long black liner that came with it, but I much prefer it this way. I made a couple of modifications: I hemmed it from straight across to the tapered hem you see here, and I added a pleat in the back to give it some shape at the waist. It was quite the boxy 90's shape before.

This was a perfect outfit for our gorgeous fall weather. It was warm enough outside to bare a little skin, but not quite warm enough to expose all the limbs in their entirety. Boots and socks and bare legs was just the thing.

Duster: thrifted
Dress: Max Studio
Belt: Lazarro
Boots: from Scoop in Copenhagen
Bag: Lucky

Resilient

Here's another black and yellow combo, this time with brown as the intervening color. The belt serves as the transition piece that makes the brown and black work together; note how the antique brass hardware on the belt is in essence a repetition of the brown. I often deploy brass accessories in place of a true brown.

The cords are still hanging in there, and have proven to be more resilient than I imagined. I'm still feeling pretty lazy with regard to putting together really creative outfits, so I've been defaulting to pants quite often. Having a casual, non-denim pair in my wardrobe allows me to add a little variety.


Black top: Asos
Scarf: Forever 21
Belt: Chico's, thrifted
Bracelet: Leslie Danzis
Cords: Marlowe
Shoes: Fly London

Black and Brown

Wow, a few days slipped by since my last post and I hardly noticed. My life is a whirlwind of activity right now, let me tell you. But I've got some exciting things cooking, which hopefully I can share with you soon.

I thought this outfit was a virtual repeat of an older one, but when I looked back at the original I saw that it actually has several differences; in fact the only commonalities are the tunic and cardigan, everything else was swapped out. The overall look is still the same though, with the fitted pants and boots under the longer layers. I think this version works a bit better than the original one.

This is such an easy look to wear; the long layers provide more than enough waistband overlap so I don't end up tugging and readjusting my shirt, the boots are rugged and comfortable, and everything is stretchy and non-constrictive. The boots really bring everything together, since they have panels of both black and brown.


Tunic: Anthropologie
Tank: Forever 21
Cardigan: Anthropologie
Belt: Red Dress Shoppe
Necklace: Wendy Brandes
Bracelet: a gift from Mom
Ponte knit pants: Club Monaco
Boots: Timberland Boot Co.

Dye Another Day

Remember this dress from several months ago? Back then it was a drab oatmeal color and a size too big. Since then I've had it altered to fit me and dyed it a fun shade of green, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. It has much more of a mod trenchcoat feel to it now, which I tried to play up here by adding the vintage 60's shirt.

The dyeing process was a lot of work, but well worth it for the excellent results. The dye I used was a fiber reactive dye from the Dharma Trading Company. The dye only works on natural fibers, so it colored the linen fabric beautifully while leaving the off-white topstitching, plastic buttons, and nylon lining intact (as a bonus, it didn't stain the sink either). This gives it a very professional appearance; in fact, you'd be hard pressed to discern that it wasn't made this way originally. Click the picture at left if you want a close up of my handiwork -- the pop-up photos are all zoom-able too.

Before I started this project I knew literally nothing about dyeing clothes. For instance, I was completely ignorant of the fact that there were several other supplies I needed besides just the dye (shame on me for not reading the directions before I ordered the dye!). Thus, I ended up having to place 2 orders, one for the dye and one for the soda ash, Calsolene oil, and a few other things. However, now I've got all the stuff I need to do lots more dyeing, so with the exception of different colors I'm all set for whatever other projects I want to try. I'm thinking this will be a great way to transform pieces that either are a light color and getting dingy, or that I'm just tired of. Just as a simple coat of paint can completely transform a room, a different color can make old clothing new again.

Shirt, dress: thrifted
Boots: Bata
Brooch: vintage Trifari

Riding Habit

This skirt has an interesting history. I bought it a couple years ago, when bubble skirts were first emerging as a trend. Originally the plaid top layer was gathered in, tucked under and sewn to the bottom ruffled layer, giving it a bubble shape. But as much as I adored the crinkly plaid fabric and the ruffle-hemmed lining, and as cute as the skirt looked in the online photos, the shape just didn't suit my figure when I put it on. Having ordered it from La Redoute in France, I was loathe to try to send it back, so it just hung there in my closet after I wore it maybe once. A few times I pulled it out and tried to work with it, but it just didn't look right no matter what I tried.

Months and years went by, and there it hung. Finally I decided to try to unload it on eBay, figuring that at least if I recouped a little bit of money then I wouldn't feel so bad about the whole episode. But the skirt didn't sell, and so it then sat for several more months in a seldom-used drawer. Last week I opened up that drawer, saw the skirt, and had an epiphany: I would simply cut the two layers apart and hem the skirt, thereby losing the bubble shape and reducing some of the fullness.

An hour or so of cutting and sewing later, I was finished, and lo and behold, it worked! The fullness is now concentrated at the bottom hem instead of around my thighs where it had been before. Though the change is subtle, to me it makes all the difference in the world, and I'm now thrilled with how the skirt looks and feels. Pairing it with my brown boots and saddle belt brings out the English riding habit vibe that made me love the skirt in the first place.

So what would I have done differently? Well, I think I would still take a chance and order something I loved, even if I was certain I wouldn't return it if I didn't like it. What I would change is not to be afraid of exploring other options for the item if it didn't work out, even if those options included taking the scissors to it. I could've foreseen even when ordering the skirt that changing it to a non-bubble shape would be a super easy fix; a few moments spent thinking about that when I placed the order might have spared me from living with a mostly unworn item in my wardrobe for far too long.

Lace top: Dark Garden
Olive top: Susina
Belt: Audra Jean
Boots: Bata