27+ items coming soon
the past few weeks i've been focusing on buying clothes for the store, making a pattern for a simple little skirt, and thinking up what i want to be for halloween. serious business. there are a ton of great things for the next update, though, so i hope you forgive me!
i think people must wonder why it can take me so long to update the store. well, let's just say that it isn't easy nor fun to do everything yourself. trust me, i am just learning this at my full-time job, where guess what: i do everything myself. my manager recently saw me burning myself out and convinced me to try delegating tasks to other people. i was pretty hesitant (and mistrustful), but it turns out that nothing too terrible happens when you let other people do stuff (contrary to previous belief), and production can actually go faster. delegation--what a wonderful concept. so for now, i have enlisted my very kind friend to help me out a little while i'm at work or out sourcing stuff. i'm hoping that things will go a bit more quickly with another set of fingers to measure and type. besides, doing that kind of stuff just honestly isn't very fun, and i'd much rather be sewing something silly or thinking about what i want to be for halloween.
ok--well i'm off to pattern making now. see ya!
just for fun--sewing leather
in a recycling mood since i'm trying not to spend money. i dug up this knee-length leather skirt from my 'to bring to goodwill' pile, and thought it had potential to be reworked. i originally bought it in case i ever wanted to go to goth night, but i never ended up going, and the skirt sat around my room instead. hmm, that seems to happen to me a lot. anyway, the leather was really soft and it's a fun fabric to wear so why not turn it into a mini? i've never sewed leather before, but it actually turned out alright.
sorry for the bad pics, but i just got home from work and it's all dark outside. plus--i hate flash. anyway, i think a chunky sweater and low-top sneakers would make a flashy skirt more casual.
then i made this fanny pack out of the scraps. my roommate bought a box of vintage metal zippers from the salvation army a while ago, and i dipped into her stash for some hardware. The front zipper is purely for looks, because after i sewed it in and tested it out the pull totally broke off. those zippers really are old...
belt loops sewn onto the back.
here it is on. i wanted something sleeker and more stylish than your regular belt bag. i've been looking for one lately, but most were too big or bulky for my taste.
now i need to find the right belt to wear it with, and i'm completely hands/arm/shoulder-free! as for the sewing experience, i did have a few boo-boos but i think that's because the material was so slippery. for my next project, i'm really inspired to try to make a leather hoodie. i don't think it's that hard.
back to my awkward modeling days--yeah!
budget buys
yep, i'm trying out a new font and i think i like this one more than the old one. better watch out--next time, i might be so brave as to change the font color...
i've been shopping for some reasonably-priced basics like cardigans and plaid shirts but have been having a terrible time finding said items. the old standbys, h&m and urban outfitters, both have been really disappointing on both fronts. the sweaters just look plain cheap, and feel scratchy on, too. as for plaid shirts, i'm looking for one that has a more straight, loose fit, in a lightweight cotton. the ones i've seen in stores are tailored around the waist and the hems are always way too short. i plan on tucking the shirt in so some length is required. two down, one more to go. the gap. i usually have good luck with gap sweaters, so i took a chance by ordering a bunch of items from their web site. here's what i'm keeping:
navy double-pocket cardigan. definitely recommend this! you can't tell from the picture but it's soft, thin and drapey. it's really flattering on.
i bought these in a petite size, and i have to say, that makes a big difference. they were cut smaller everywhere so they actually fit. i like the ease of cargo pants, and i plan on wearing these cuffed for sure, with either ankle boots or wedge sandals.
returning:
got this in a petite size to see if it was actually smaller. i tried on the regular fit and i couldn't tell the difference between the two. the sweater was still too long in the sleeves and hem. also, the gray color wasn't very nice. it would have looked better if it was a richer shade.
i JUST lost out on a pair of vanessa bruno skinny black pants on ebay. sigh.
super deals
i'm officially on vacation! or shall i say "staycation" since i've got nowhere to go? i've been working almost nine months straight so it feels a little funny to be home with not much to do. whenever i get that feeling, online shopping seems to come to my rescue. i found that even though fall is practically here, there are still some great deals to be had. surprisingly--great deals on quality stuff. if i wasn't trying to save my money (god help me), i would swoop all these up in a second:
60% off!
rachel comey tosh beaded sandals from mick margo. the soles of rachel comey sandals seem so soft and comfortable, and the little beads on the vamp add a special touch to simple black shoes.
70% off!
vpl chartreuse patent sandals from creatures of comfort. i like sandals in funky colors, especially since the majority of my clothes are black, gray, or white. the slight platform also makes it seem like they'd be good for walking.
60% off!
cacharel lurex mini dress from shop adele. i can't explain what it is exactly that i like about cacharel, but i just do. this dress would be good for going out or new year's.
57% off!
reyes dot print cap sleeve top from shop adele. this top isn't my regular style, but i think that's why i like it. also, i wear a lot of black so even though this is red, it would fit in pretty well with the rest of my clothes.
75% off!
rachel comey silk cape dress from hampden clothing. ok, i cannot figure out why this dress hasn't sold out completely! it's a size too big for me, but i can always sew it smaller, right? right???
it's hard to resist such good deals, but as i mentioned before, i'm trying to save. i probably won't buy any of the above because none of them are things i "need". i do need cardigans, though, so i'll pick up a couple mid-priced ones for the fall. then the plan is to dress up my old clothes with new accessories like chains, belts and socks. yep--socks. the subject of accessories soon to come!
star printed dress pt. 2
90% done with the dress. i hemmed it up, but was careful not to go too short because that would have thrown the proportions off. then i removed the sleeves and had to finish the now raw armholes. i made some facings, then stitched those down to the armhole seams. the darn things still flip out though, so it looks like i'll have to hand sew them to the inside of the dress. sewing takes so much longer than you think.
latest inspiration
from dior homme 2005. my favorite look for both girls and guys. yeah, the show is three years old but i think this style is pretty classic--the blazer, fitted jeans, downtown sneakers. i'm convinced that shoes can make or break an outfit. for example, if the guys in the pics below were wearing square-toed pilgrim shoes, well then, that just wouldn't be a good look.
what i wore to some random fashion show thing last night.
now that i look at it, maybe i should get a bow tie.
blazer - thrift store
plaid shirt - thrift store
gold scaley belt - roommate's
pants - h&m
hi-tops - vans
