MuuMuu Mess To 60s Mod: DIY Dress

This lovely muumuu caught my eye… the print that is. I instantly envisioned it in a 60s silhouette, although It does look pretty rad with my awesome stripped socks, just saying ;).

 

This dress had some stretch to it so it was pretty easy to work with. I pulled a dress out of my closet with a similar silhouette that I was looking for. I then cut the new dress shape out using the dress as a pattern.

 

 

 

 

Dress: Thrifted $2.00

Shoes: Thrifted $12.00

Pretty in Pink: Dress making

I received the sewing patterns I had ordered a few weeks ago, and as I opened one up and began to read the instructions I immediately wondered if I had gotten in over my head. The pictures were somewhat helpful, if you can decipher between all the dashes and shaded areas, and I quickly decided that maybe I would hold off on them… just for the time being.

So I went’a searchin’ on the good ole Google for some free dress patterns. I just wanted to start with a simple shape and I found this m-sewing pattern 5196. I changed it just slightly because I found that the amount of gathering the skirt called for made me look like a cupcake doll, all I was missing was a frosting hat with a bow. So I removed the skirt part from the front bodice and cut about half a foot off of each side.

I used thrifted pink fabric I got for $2.00 at Savers, plus I had to buy a zipper for $1.50, making it only $3.50 to make.

New Life For Old Threads: Medieval to Modern in Velvet

I don’t think Andrew was a fan of this fabric. My first clue was when he saw the before dress and said, “No one wears velvet anymore.” I told him he was a dude and he doesn’t know anything! That pretty much won the argument. But I see velvet making a comeback. I love it! I think it is beautiful and luxurious when done in the right silhouette. The above silhouette is not the one I’m talking about.

 

This is more what I am talking about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m finding, as I work with more fabric, how different each one is. This fabric had a pretty good amount of stretch, but even with the stretch it had, it was hard to judge what the fit would be like without putting a zipper in.

I Make My First Pattern

So, I finally did it. I made, from scratch, my own sewing pattern…with a little guidance of course. I have wanted to make a skirt with darts and a zipper for a while, so I went where any person goes for guidance, Google. I came up with “Melly Sews” photo tutorial on drafting and making a skirt with darts…Gosh, that Google, she just gets me!  It was a pretty good start to learning how to make a pattern. A couple tips if you follow this tutorial:

 

1. She has you find exact measurements for the skirt darts and fitting by drafting on muslin or scrap fabric, however, in the instructions she has you add .5” to each measurement you take, along with 1” for seam allowance. I found this to be way too much and only made the whole fitting process extra slopping and difficult. If I had to do this process over I would take out the .5” to the measurements, and stick with the 1” seam allowance, for the first drafting. However, you may find this extra  seam allowance necessary.
2. Her instructions call for front darts, however I did not need front darts (this is probably why I did not need the extra seam allowance). Simply put, expect to redraft this pattern a few times before getting it right. With that said…
3. My advice would be, go buy a sheet from the thrift store, and do each draft on the sheet until you get it exact, then use the perfect, finished sheet-skirt as your stencil for your final pattern.

My finished product:

 

Making leggings and Clutches

  I made two things, or attempted to make two things with the fabric I thrifted last week. They were both failures and successes in ways.

The first:

 

I cut an old pair of leggings to make a pattern for these, and they were super easy to make… unfortunately I overestimated the stretch of the fabric and they ended up the size for about a 7-year-old… fail. Fortunately, I have two 7-year-old nieces, so whichever one fits into them can have them… not a complete fail…

And the second:

 

 I pinned this Bow Clutch tutorial awhile ago and have wanted to try it. I finally did, and it kind of worked out. Two tips though: 1.When it says to use interfacing, use it, it turned out a bit flimsy 2. The tutorial picture is deceiving on the size. I cut down the dimensions a bit because it was a little large and I made it a wristlet instead with a 7 inch zipper instead of 9. 

Thrifty Outfit Tuesday: Fabric Haul at Savers

I recently began to pursue learning more about making my own clothes. That is, to learn more about how to make patterns and how clothes are put together from the beginning, in the hopes that I will be able to do it on my own eventually. I’ve started by purchasing some sewing patterns, which I have done before, but it has been many years since then, and they were usually just pajama pants, or simple skirts. I found some really cheap, cute patterns on ebay (dresses and pants, not just pajama pants, because as much as I’d like to where pjs all the time, it’s frowned upon)

 

 

One thing you’ll always need to accompany a pattern is fabric, so I went to Joanne fabrics hoping to find some cheap red tag material…I was dumbfounded at how expensive fabric is. I found some red tag fabric that had a $12.99 tag on it and I was certain that meant for the whole spool…nope that was per yard.

 

I know for me, making my own clothes is supposed to be a cheaper alternative…what is the point of putting in the time to make my own clothing if it costs me $24.00 for 2 yards of fabric. I know now for certain that Forever21 has small children in those back rooms, working on looms, and cutting and sewing adorable chic clothing, how else could they get there prices so low….. ok maybe not, but you get my point.

 

 

I was appalled, and so like any other thrifting fiend, I headed over to Savers, and it was as if heaven had opened up and showered down beautiful fabric… or perhaps it was just the remnants of a crafter’s good intensions… Either way, it left me with 7 different cuts of material and a bag of 5 zippers, all for $17.00….A miracle in my book.

Moral of this story, THRIFT YOUR FABRIC! The savings is unbelievable and it makes the whole thing worth it. You can thrift great patterns too. It’s a bit of an unconventional Thrifty Outfit Tuesday, but I hope to make something out of that thrifted fabric, so technically, it will be a thrifted outfit one day.

I Learn How To Make An Easy Peplum Skirt

 

As I was moseying around on YouTube, looking for videos on how to make my own sewing pattern, I fell upon DIYmeesha’s video above, about making a peplum skirt. I watched it, along with a bunch of her other videos and was immediately excited to try a bunch of her tutorials.

 

I found this fabric at the thrift store for $1.99 and knew it would be perfect for this project.

 

 

 

 While I could have made this skirt on my own, the way I would have gotten to the end result probably would have been much harder. This tutorial made it so easy. It reminded me that learning new things is always good. I’m excited to make more:)

Skirt:$1.99-for fabric

 

Thrifted Heels-$8.00

 

H&M Longsleeve-$4.80

 

 

 

 

How to Thrift Clothing to Upcycle

 

You may think that little thought goes into the pieces I upcycle, but that is just not the case. A lot rides on picking the best article of clothing in order to make not only an easy, but successful upcycle. For Example:

This is a dress I thrifted specifically for the purpose of upcycling. It had the key elements that make for an easy fix.

Think about following when deciding if something is upcycle worthy:

1. Think about what makes the piece dated?

2. Can the things that make the piece dated be changed easily?

3. Is there something unique or modern about the piece that makes you like it?

4. Does the price justify the fact that this upcycle may fail?(seriously, it happens, and you’ll feel better if you only spent $2 on it.)

5. What type of fabric is it made out of, is that fabric easy to sew, and how does it need to be cared for.(A lot of older clothing is dry clean only, and ain’t noboby got time fer dat)

This dress met all my perquisites. All of the things that made this dress dated could be easily updated, and polka dots are a timeless pattern. The cost was low and easy care.

The first thing that made this dress doughty was the neckline. I took the buttons off and opened the neckline by pinning and sewing open.

The second thing that needed to go was the length of the sleeves. Luckily the hem was quite large so all I have to do was fold them up and sew down. No cutting needed.

The last thing was the length, always the easiest fix. I like to bring dresses right to knee so they are work appropriate.

 

Thrifted Dress-$5.99

Thrifted Boots- $12.99

Thrifted Belt-$2.00

Flee Market Necklace-$3.00

Sweater- Gift

Thrify Outfit Tuesday: Color For Colder Days

 

A little color to brighten up these increasingly colder days. I finally busted out the gloves this morning, there was full blown frost, and it couldn’t be avoided. When I begin to notice the exposed skin between my pant hem and shoes is chilled, I know that winter isn’t far behind. But in all honesty, I am looking forward to covering up in sweaters like this one, and wearing tights and boots. However, I’m sure the first time I’m shoveling myself out of my driveway at 7 in the morning I’ll be totally over the whole thing.  

Thrifted Peach Longsleeve- $2.99

Thrifted Sweater- $1.29

Thrifted William Rast Jeans: $15.00

Blue Aldo Heels- Not thrifted

Trick or Treat or Thrift: Dorthy Halloween Costume

I found this blue Dorthy-like dress at one of my favorite thrift stores near me, Amvets. It’s one of those dirty, smelly thrift stores that only the real thrifters brave, but it’s totally worth it. I always find great, vintage pieces there, real unique finds, even if it means sifting through a lot of pieces (whose only unique qualities are their sheer ickyness) to get there. The shirt was purchased separately.

 “The Wizard of OZ” was one of my favorite movies growing up and I couldn’t pass this dress up, even if it was about 10 sizes too big (it’s bigger than it looks). …And if it called for buying pretty red sparkly shoes… then… so be it.

It was a pretty easy task with wonderful results (my favorite kind). All I had to do was take in the waist, shorten the length and shorten the Straps. I used Extra Fabric for the waist sash. For the shirt I made it a crop top so it wouldn’t bunch under the dress and brought in the sides so it fit snug.

Amvets Dress: $2.00

Amvets Shirt: $1.00

Delia’s Shoes:$10.00
Socks- Ebay: $4.00

 

 

 

New Life For Old Threads Meets Thrifty Outfit Tuesday

When I was purchasing this dress at the Goodwill the cashier asked me if I was going to be Amish for Halloween, When I replied, “no” she quickly said, “oooh…you just...like it...?” I get these questions a lot, I should really start just playing along as if I love them… just mess with these people’s minds…”Oh yeah, Amish is in right now…”

   But in all seriousness, this dress fit me like a glove, and beyond the hideous quarter length, poof sleeves, it had a pretty basic shape. It all pointed to an easy up-cycle.

First thing I did was remove the sleeves by ripping out the seams.

I then finished the armholes by folding over and sewing the unfinished edge.

The last thing was shorten it, because it was a god-awful length for anyone.


The finished product.

Thrifted Goodwill Dress: $6.99

Thrifted Pink Heels-$8.00

Mint Belt- Free with a thrifted skirt.

You’re So Vain, You Probably Think This Post is About You…

…Well it’s not, it’s about me…but it can be about you too:) As I began writing this blog, I had fears that I would become too wrapped up in my appearance. It is a style blog after all, and a lot of thought about my outfits, makeup and hair go into it.

As a teen, when my mom would see my sister or I looking at ourselves in the mirror too much she’d quietly start singing or humming, “You’re so vain” just to see if we would catch on, it became a running joke between us. But I think vanity in moderation is important. How we present ourselves to the world can represent how we feel about our own self-worth.  When I look less than presentable, I feel less confident. Fashion can be more than material; it can be the difference between failing and succeeding, it can boost self-esteem and build a foundation for other areas of life. 

Caring about your style and appearance can be a form of self-respect. 
For example:

The left is me not caring, and probably wearing the same outfit I slept in the night before, wearing no make-up. To the right is me taking a shower, caring about myself and telling the world that I do.

    This makes me feel like I want to hide.                        This makes me feel confident!

Fashion and style does matter, it does make a difference, and it can shape and reflect the way you feel about yourself.

I’m not going to lie, I feel a little vulnerable showing you all my makeup-less face. But I guess this is me proving that I’m not soooo vain.

 

 

Thrifty Outfit Tuesday: Blush and Blue

Sometimes things that I really love sit in my closet for a long time without being worn. It’s not that I don’t like them, sometimes I think I just get comfortable with wearing the usual outfits I know work on me. Simply put, I get lazy. At 7 a.m., thinking outside the box can be way too much to ask of myself. But I’ve learned to pick out my outfits the night before. It saves me from the humdrum attire I’m usually drawn to prior to my morning coffee. This outfit sat in my closet unseen until I took the time to pair items I had never paired together before. Lesson learned: Good decisions are only made post morning coffee.

Thrifted Vintage Lace Long sleeve- $1.29

Thrifted Old Navy skirt- $6.00

Thrifted Blush Heels- $8.00

H&M Belt- $3.99

Forever 21 Bow Necklaces: $3.99

New Life For Old Threads: Looking Beyond the Dress DIY



 

So this is what I was working with. It had potential. And to be honest, I was hoping I could keep it as a dress. But there were issues with this dress that I just hadn’t anticipated, and when I tried to make the dress smaller those issues only became more evident, so, I scrapped the dress idea. Sometimes my projects don't work out.. It's frustrating, but I have learned to get over it and not get discouraged.

The thing that was making this dress so awkward was the elastic in the waist. It didn’t bunch right and looked messy. So I took the elastic off and cut the bottom of the dress off. I also took the sides and sleeves in slightly.

 This is what I got. Not perfect but I like it.

Thrifty Outfit Tuesday: 80s Floral Find

I know summer is over but I just got these shorts in the mail and I needed a reason to keep them out. I love them and they fit me like a glove. I custom ordered them from Etsy shop CaliDreamShorts because I have found it completely impossible to find well fitting high waisted shorts in stores. I know it’s not a completely thrifted outfit but close enough.

 Thrifted Floral shirt- For Sale

Thrifted boots- $8.00

High Waisted Shorts- $26.00

Looking Professional in Plaid

 

If you know me well you know I have a slight obsession with plaid and flannel. I blame it on my 90s childhood. I emulated my older sister Emily with her laidback flannel wrapped around her waist, and her Looney Tunes high-tops…she was cool. The obsession continued into my junior high days, unfortunately that looked more like a short sleeve flannel button-down with flare cargo pants…not so cool. These days I have a quite a few variations of flannel pieces in my wardrobe, and making them work into outfit can be tricky, especially when it’s for a professional setting. I loved this combination as the plaid with the pearl necklace makes this outfit preppy instead of mismatched.

Thrifted Ralph Lauren Cardigan- $8.00

Thrifted Vintage Flannel- $1.00

H&M Pencil Skirt- $22.00

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PSVintage18?ref=si_shop

Summer Staples For A Cold Weather Wardrobe

Suddenly I looked outside today and the leaves in autumn hues were raining from the trees and covering the ground. Fall came so unexpectaly as we have been wrapped up with days of 75 degree weather these last 2 weeks. It seemed as though summer was prolonged by the look of the re-blooming flowers on my front stoop, but fall has come despite it.

 I actually love fall, especially here in Western New York where we get the full extent of each season and fall is no exception. It’s strangely exciting being able to pull out my winter wardrobe (as though I don’t know what I put away last spring), beginning to wear blazers, sweaters and boots again. But it also can be sad to see some of summer’s favorites folded away for, what for us, is a VERY long winter. So I’ve learned a few tips over my lifetime to keep my summer favorites in my cold weather wardrobe.

-Wear tights with lighter weight dresses, skirts and shorts- Tights are in so take advantage!

-Wear trendy short or high socks with skirts and dresses, like this...short socks or this high socks

-Wear a cardigan or blazer over short sleeves or tank tops.

-Wear a long sleeve under summer dresses.

-Wear a sweater over summer dresses.

-Wear winter boots to work and change into cute heels and flats once you arrive—A MUST!

 Here is my summer to fall outfit change:

 

Dress in photo available for purchase at P.S.Vintage