Candy Stripes

I don't really consider myself a girly-girl, but as you may have noticed, skirts are basically my uniform. Maybe it's my Catholic school upbringing ;-)  And I'm really excited about the resurgence of realistic hemlines for fall.  Not only do I already have these pieces in my closet, but it also means that I won't see as many cheeks whenever I go downtown!  One can hope, right?


Over the summer, I started making a pink seersucker skirt, but stopped midway when I decided it looked too "baby" (and when I realized the waistband was a better fit for my thigh than my actual waist--oops!).  Ever since, I've been on the lookout for a great pink/white stripe fabric for my second attempt.  I finally settled on this from Mood Fabrics:

And used a pattern I already had.

This is ridiculously easy to make.  Only 6 pieces to cut, an invisible zipper, & a button--that's it!  Invisible zippers sound scary, but aren't as tricky as they seem.  Just follow the directions in the package...and don't melt the coils when you iron.  Everyone says you need an invisible zipper foot to sew an invisible zipper, but I'm not sure I believe it.  My machine didn't come with one, but when I went to my local fabric/sewing shops, no one seemed to know what I was talking about!  Hmmm!  So, I just used the standard foot, and stitched verrry slowly and carefully to avoid breaking the needle or straying from the edge of the coil.

The finished product.  You'll be seeing this again soon!

Multi-purpose

It's been a long week.  Busy season is upon us at work, and that means it's almost impossible to get home before 6!  Nevertheless, I am enjoying my new job immensely and I've been doing really well.

I am finishing up a fabulous skirt project that I can't wait to show off.  In the meantime though, here's what I wore yesterday:

Cuff from the Philippines
Dress, Feathers vintage
Vest, Forever 21 
Purse strap (as belt!!), Anthropologie
Flats, Urban Outfitters




























I usually don't wear flats.  I am not tall, but I like to pretend.  Oh, and I feel like I'm walking like a duck when I wear flats...so there's that.  But, these are super cute, and I like how the color blends into my skin.

The "belt" is a strap from a handbag I bought at Anthro last summer (on sale, and I had a giftcard...score!).  Most of my belts are of the wide, stretchy variety, and I felt like this needed a skinny belt.  This was the perfect color and hey, it actually worked!

Hmm, I bet I have other purse straps waiting for new lives as belts...and I'm sure you do too!

Prized Possession

Like I've said before, I don't buy too often.  My purchases are long-term commitments, not one-night stands!  Even so, there are a few pieces that stand apart from the rest as true fashion soul mates, and I think they deserve a little bit of lovin here.

So this week, let's introduce my one-and-only Marni bag, circa Spring 2004!

Here it is on the runway:

photo from style.com

I bought this lovely thing the summer before my senior year at college.  It was a great summer: I had just started dating my husband (didn't know it yet though!) and I had just started my first non-"work study" job, which meant I actually had a small amount of spending money.

I've always had this huge crush on Marni--the eclectic mix of interesting prints, the always-fabulous shoes, and the whole "gainfully employed bohemian" look ;-)  So one day, while daydreaming my way through netaporter.com, I happened upon this gorgeous bag tucked away on the "Marni - Sale" page. What what what!!

It was just barely, barely out of my college-student price range.  I agonized over it for days, obsessively checking to see if it was still there.  Finally, I was looking at it for maybe the 100th time when my good friend Reese happened to look over my shoulder.

"Ooh, that's a Lisa bag!!"

Sold.  I may have eaten ramen for a couple weeks after, but it was completely worth it.

Can't Trust That Day!

It's Monday.  Enough said, right?

Here's a goodie from my Inspiration folder:

I don't remember where I found this, so if you know, tell me who to credit.

I love the creepy vibe here, but more importantly, it kind of makes me want to cover my ceiling in birdcages.  What a cool idea for light fixtures!

Red "Dress"

In the summer before my senior year of high school, I went to the Athenaeum Girls' School in Columbia, Tennessee.  We spent the entire week in full 1860's costume, right down to the corsets and pantalettes.  It was fabulous--who doesn't secretly want to be Scarlett O'Hara?

My mom and I spent the previous 3-4 months preparing my wardrobe for that week.  We had a dressmaker in Tennessee make my ball gown, but made my "casual" 1860's gowns at home.  And what a lot of work it was!  One full dress took about 8 yards.  To save money while still adding variety, we made separate blouses and skirts/overskirts instead of single-piece dresses, and a wide sash to hide the waistbands.  A couple of the skirts were gingham or floral, and could be worn with a coordinating blouse and/or scrunched up into "swags" and worn over solid skirts, and solid skirts and blouses could be worn together as a "dress".

It was with this "dress" trick in mind that I put this outfit together for work last week.  And, the "skirt" here is actually a dress!  Am I confusing you yet?

Blouse & belt, Anthropologie
Dress (worn as skirt), H&M
Shoes, Buffalo Exchange


The dress/skirt is a ridiculous mini-babydoll dress, from a few years ago.  Who knows what I was thinking ;-)

Have a great week!  And coming soon: another sewing project!  This time, we'll be doing a skirt with invisible side-seam pockets.  Stay tuned :)

The Right Attitude

"I buy things because I fall in love with them. I never buy anything just because it’s valuable. My husband used to say I look at a piece of fabric and listen to the threads. It tells me a story. It sings me a song. I have to get a physical reaction when I buy something. A coup de foudre – a bolt of lightning. It’s fun to get knocked out that way!”
-Iris Apfel



I really don't buy clothes or go shopping very often.  I worked in retail for several years, and because of that shopping just doesn't feel recreational anymore.  And that's a good thing!  I think a lot of women get caught up in that shopping high, buying things that aren't needed (and sometimes returning them--shopping bulimia is a big pet peeve of mine!).  It becomes a fleeting kind of therapy.

I've had more time to sew this year than I've had in the past, and it's been much more rewarding than any shopping trip.  It's creative, yet practical.  If I think my wardrobe is lacking something, I can make it, instead of hunting down something sort-of-similar within my price range.  I'm finding that my average-girl budget can go much further with fabric and a few hours of "labor" (or, FUN!).

Now that I've been sewing regularly, I've finally found a shopping trip that I do enjoy (other than grocery shopping, that is...):  Fabric shopping!  When I walk into a good fabric shop, I really do feel like I can "listen to the threads" as Iris says.  One can feel the potential emanating from every bolt.  "What could I be?" they ask. 

I haven't stopped buying ready-made clothes altogether (see last post...actual recent purchases!), but like Iris, I prefer to wait until I "get knocked out".

P.S.  I bought a new camera this week.  I can't promise better photography, but my photos won't be grainy now.  Yay!

New additions

Just a quick outfit post!  I had been coveting some Anthropologie pieces recently, and finally pulled the trigger.  

Top & wedges, Anthropologie

Shorts, old thrifted Levis

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I spent mine eating rabbit hot dogs and duck burgers.  Yummm!