Denim is the new black

Nothing announces fall quite like denim and plaid. Once upon a time this fabric duo would have earned you the title of blue collar and marked you down as a gold mining mountaineer. No longer, my friends, for denim is the new black. 

Chic, simple, comfortable, cute, and easy are the ear marks of classic denim shift dresses. I just love how versatile denim is: dress this piece down with a plaid button-up and some sandals or doll up with some sparkle and tights. Either way the denim shift dress is a wardrobe staple.

When creating this piece I will admit that I succumbed to some '90s inspiration. I wanted something simple and clean; buttons down the front and a few pockets, nothing too fancy. This dress was one of those things that came directly from the scissors meeting the fabric, no pattern. But it worked for me.

I love the shape of this dress. It is a nice A-line with smallish slits up the sides and a floppy collar. I have totes worn it twice since I made it; once to pig out on chili while watching Top Gear with my hubs and once to drink whiskey cocktails under the full moon with friends. I love it with a thick striped sweater and white Keds and can't wait to don woolen tights and boots with it this winter. It is like the little black dress, easy to toss on and modify. 

So much of clothing is how it makes you feel as much as how it looks. This dress makes me feel at home, a beautiful freedom. It is unpretentious yet classy. The kind of dress that lets adventures happen.

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Dress: self made, purse: vintage Coach, sandals and plaid top: Target

Fall Fashion Inspiration

Fall is rolling in like fog over the Hudson. ARE YOU READY?!

I cannot tell you how excited I am to don boots, thick wooly sweaters, and long sleeved sundresses. I want to dance under amber colored trees and sip pumpkin spice lattes in the chilly morning air. This year I am doubly amped for fall because I will be attempting all kinds of new sewing projects: coats, maxi peasant dresses, rain jackets, capes. You name it, I probably want to try to make it. We will just have to see if my budget holds up with my sewing vision.

Some of the textures that inspire me this fall include soft cotton, denim, and thick brushed wool. I want to pair bold colors like red, emerald green, and brilliant white with abstract prints and floaty, airy fairy pieces.

On the immediate list of items I definitely crave include a denim mini, an army surplus jacket, a fitted toggled coat, a princess coat, and button front dresses with peter pan collars. I also have been coveting every pale pink Jessica McClintock peasant dress on Etsy that I can find. I may have to make one for myself.

In addition, my husband has agreed to be a guinea pig and let me make him a duffle coat as my first foray into men's clothing. Eek!

What are you all excited about? Are there any fall must-haves marked on your shopping list? Let me know!

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Images borrowed from Pinterest 

Chevron Lotus Dress

It has been a few weeks since I have been able to add a post! As an ode to the end of summer I thought I would post this lovely chevron lotus dress that I made about a year ago. It was one of my first pieces and it is far from perfect. It is always nice to see how much you progress when you keep at something.

This dress is from a vintage Butterick pattern, number 5657. The original pattern calls for a midi-length skirt but Kentucky summers are just too blazing hot for that nonsense. The pattern is backless, with a button-up skirt through the back. The pattern is so fun and I am thinking about using it for another dress down the road.

I will make one caveat when it comes to this pattern. See that billowing of the bodice in the back? It is LOOSE. I tried a variety of things to tighten it up but what it really needs is a tie to keep it from falling off my shoulders. The dress goes from cute to risqué in a quarter of a second. My husband's cousin gave me a hug at a family function a month ago and the top button on the back came open and the top fell off one of my shoulders. Whoops.

The pattern originally called for a plain front bodice, but to make it a little more interesting I created a chevron-patterned front panel to add visual interest. It is so not perfect but I love how it takes the dress up a notch.

Holy mackerel, this fabric is so wonderful. It is over 50 years old, a heavy polyester blend with tiny pink lotus flowers. It feels feminine and whimsical, like you should be drinking lemonade and eating lavender cakes at a garden party. And that lovely buttoning up the back makes the dress fun and girly.

While I feel like this dress is a song to end of the summer, here in KY the temperature is hanging around the 90s and the humidity makes you feel like you've taken a steam bath when you walk out doors. I am ready to say hasta la vista August, its time for fall.

DIY Tie-Front Dress

The concept for this dress has been gestating in my mind for weeks. I have spent the summer obsessed with open front dresses, dresses with cutouts, and '50s style beach babe cover-ups. When I stumbled upon some sweet candy-cane striped fabric at Joanns, my decision was made. Think modern married to retro chic.

The dress is actually a Frankenstein-like mixture of patterns. I modified a darted bodice to include the triangular cutout and ties, then I used the front pocketed skirt pattern from another. Being without a dress mannequin, I have to use my own figure to make the perfect fit. This means pulling on and off the dress about a 1,000 times, taking it in quite a bit here and a little there before the fit is perfect. One of the challenges with this dress was keeping the waist band tight enough so that it didn't gape when I stood still. Too tight and I couldn't sit down comfortably in it, but too loose and you could look down the skirt front. After much trial and error, I finally got it right.

This dress just announces summer fun. It is so light and airy with classic lines and baring just enough skin. Once complete, I tossed this sucker on and spent the rest of the day frolicking in the sunshine.

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Dress: self-made, necklace: thrifted, purse: vintage Coach

Jungle Fever

Leopard print. The print of teenage girls, chicks from the club scene, tacky housewives, and hookers. So, when did it become okay for the rest of us to wear them?

I think wearing animal prints with class requires a little finesse. They need to be a small print, kind of like an afterthought, an innocent "Oh, this is leopard print?" that you utter when someone comments on it.

I found this fabric at Hancock fabrics for sale for like $2 a yard. It is a polyester mix with a light sheen and pretty, loose drape. At first I was going to make a dress. But as I seem to have more dresses than there are days in the year, I felt it was time to try something new.

This leopard print midi skirt took all of 2 hours to make. It is 4 pieces: the front and back of the skirt body, the ruffle, and the elastic waist band. It is comfy and floaty, a bohemian skirt style with the flirtiness of leopard print. I'll admit I have already worn it like five times since I made it; it is just so easy to throw on with a tank top and jacket. It is also super light, making it doable for the steamy Kentucky summers. 

I also paired this skirt with an old thrift store hack I dallied with a few months ago. This vest was originally a hideous suede jacket that I ripped apart and recreated. Taking something that is like $3 and making it beautiful and wearable is as addictive as whiskey sours. 

P.S. As it is the beginning of August, I am already excited for fall weather. Oh! Jackets, scarves, ripped up jeans and boots. This fall I am going to take my first attempt at sewing a few coats for myself and the hubby. Will keep you guys posted :)

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Skirt: self-made, sandals: Target, tank top: H&M, necklace: Urban Outfitters

Hot Pink Tie-Dye Dress DIY

This summer has been the summer of shibori. With dying shibori-style comes a world of new dying techniques. These methods are an awesome way to add color and dimension to fabrics, a step beyond the dip dye and ombre. One of my favorite shibori techniques is the square accordion fold. I love how the geometric and the organic combine for an amazing effect. So when I set about to dye the fabric for this dress, shibori was my first thought.

My second thought was "indigo?" I ruminated for a bit and examined my closet. Despite the fact that I may own as many dresses as pairs of underwear, I didn't own a single pink dress. Tragedy? You bet.

So hot pink it had to be.

This dress was made using the same pattern from The Best of Dresses post. I told you that I used that pattern over and over! In this version I simply excluded the collar and sleeves and added a lowered back neckline for a simple and clean summery look.

I love that the accordion pleat method of dying made for a very large square print. It is kind of abstract but still retains a method to the madness. And the hot pink turned out so perfect! The original fabric was a white cotton sheet (again), and the space between the squares is a light baby pink.

To add a little visual interest, I added on triangular appliques to the front bodice and embroidered them with the sewing machine in white thread.

I think that using dye can take something plain and make it fabulous. I love every inch of this girly boho chic sundress.

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Sundress: self-made, shoes: Keds

Fly Away With Me

Today was my first day off from my new job. There is nothing like a day off in the middle of your week to break things up nicely. For me, a typical day off means I get to sleep in (cues the tears of joy because I normally wake at 5:30 AM), drink two cups of coffee from the bed, and spend the rest of the day lounging around in a glorious slothdom of laziness.

Lucky for me, my hubby had a whole other set of plans.

Now being the love he is, Justin still let me sleep in, but the rest of my day was filled with something a little closer to adventure. Let's just say it started like this:

I should probably mention that Justin is a commercial pilot. He currently spends his days instructing from a local flight school as he builds hours for the airlines. Through this experience he has had many a cool opportunity, including joining a local flying club that lets their members rent out these babies. This is a Citabria. This little aerobatic beauty is a light and fun two-seater, perfect for what he had in mind.

On the way to airport, Justin swung by a local bakery and picked up pain au chocolate and salted caramel french macarons to sate my mild obsession with sugar. Picnic supplies, he told me.

We set down on a grass landing field called Lee Bottom (only in Kentucky do you find names like that). It sits nestled between the Ohio river and the rolling hills of Indiana. A little piece of farm land carved out for flying enthusiasts; it has apple trees, bee hives, tiny flocks of goats, and a view.

Once we landed, we chowed down on our goodies and enjoyed the still dewy air. Scenic flight+macarons+handsome captain=a perfect day off. Oh, if only all days could be as sweet.