30 Days of Outfits Challenge: Day 26

Nov 29, 2010 | DIY, Fashion

 Ring-Detail Hat: DIY.  Convertible Jersey Dress: Norma Kamali. Shirt Collar and Cuffs: DIY.  Puffball Ring: from Japan.  Leather Flower Ring: Delia’s.  Cobalt Tights: Hue.  Lace-up Oxford Suedette Booties: Forever 21.

Day 26 in my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge: November 26.

Stuffed from Thanksgiving…and there’s only 5 more days in this challenge of mine!  I tried out sort of a menswear-inspired outfit for today.

The hat is just a fedora I found at Target…and added a grosgrain ribbon and large silver ring around the crown to…and then added some large silver jumprings along the brim to look like “piercings.”  It’s kind of edgy and fun at the same time.

As all of you probably know, I’ve done a ton of makeovers for men’s button-down shirts.  In many of my tutorials I’ve cut off the collar and cuffs of the shirts, which had found a home in my scrap bag.  But since Miu Miu’s S/S ’10 Collection…and Alexa Chung’s collared-dress snapshots popping up aorund the blogosphere…

and tons of editorials in Vivi magazine featuring removable collars…I decided to pull a couple pieces out of my scrap bag and re-purpose them.  I also added cuffs, which are, amazingly, from the very first men’s shirt makeover (Men’s Shirt to Cute Summer Shirt Dress) that I shared on my blog almost a year and 4 months ago.

The shoes are from Forever 21 and a half-size too small for me (size 7 U.S.)…so I’m going to be putting them up for sale on ShopChicSteals soon if anyone’s interested.

xoxox
Carly

30 Days of Outfits Challenge: Day 25

Nov 28, 2010 | DIY, Fashion

Day 25 in my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge: November 25.

Thanksgiving!

I am always compelled to wear something in traditional “Fall colors” on this day.  Every year, I don browns, oranges, and reds – though I rarely wear these colors otherwise.

I made the fringed neckpiece following …love, Maegan‘s DIY tutorial here.  It’s one of the pieces that I love in theory but just haven’t worked into my outfits enough after making it.  I layered it under a lovely enamel jewel necklace courtesy of Accessorize.com…another piece I love to look at but haven’t put it into regular rotation in my wardrobe.  It’s such a statement piece I actually have some difficulty matching my outfit to it – since I usually decide on the outfit first, then the accessories second.  (Does anyone else style their outfits like this or is it just me?)

Lately I’ve noticed a lot of editorials in magazines are styling the models with fur scarves slung over their shoulders rather than worn around their necks.  This intrigued me as a new way to wear a fur scarf.  So I pulled the removable faux fur collar off a coat I have and attached it over my shoulder with safety pins.   (Hub made a crack about Neanderthals when he saw this.)

For the last couple years, I’ve always worn this plaid skirt on this day – it’s super-warm, and I love its swingy shape (and the fact that I bought it over 10 years ago in Japan and it still fits wonderfully…in fact, it’s a little big around the waist for me now).

I wore the orange henley shirt in my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge before here and the boots here…but since it’s Thanksgiving I hope you will forgive…?  (Full disclosure: I did remove all the necklaces and fur while I was cooking the meal:-)

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

xoxox
Carly

30 Days of Outfits Challenge: Day 24

Nov 28, 2010 | DIY, Fashion

Day 24 in my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge: November 24.

I found this amazing dress at the Goodwill Outlet back in May – since I bought 42 lbs. of clothing I was charged 89 cents a pound at the time…and since this dress weighs less than a pound it probably was about 60 cents!  I was taken with the fact that it’s obviously home-made, and yet the workmanship is impeccable – the perfect pintucks at the front, the pearl buttons and tiny button-loops, the lace inset at the back and collar.  Who was the woman who labored on this beautiful piece, putting so many hours into it?  It seemed such a shame to leave it at the Bins, so I brought it home, and altered the hem to an asymmetrical shape (it was kind of a midi-length, which I didn’t care for).  I have very few asymmetrical pieces in my closet, and I thought that it would offset the very vintagey and demure feel to the top.   I think it just needs a pressing and it will be perfect!

I tied a velvet ribbon around my waist since the dress is gathered there but it was sans belt when I found it.

I also bought a lot of vintage watches on Etsy awhile back, and in the lot was a single pocket watch.  I wasn’t sure what to do with it for awhile, but finally I got the idea to string it on a chain and wear it as a necklace.  I love its ladylike feel!

(And if you’re looking for pocket watch pendants…there are a number of stores and e-tailers that sell them ready-made – like Shop Ruche, Urban Outfitters, ASOS.com, or Modcloth, …or you can find vintage pocket watches on both Ebay and Etsy all the time and make your necklace exactly how you want it!:-)

The bracelet I made back in 2004 or so when I saw a similar Colette Harmon piece in Modern Bride magazine.  The amazing colors and subtle patterns in all the beads and charms are incredible!  I’ve never worn it (except for this picture) – and I’m thinking of selling it.

I just love my hair right after it comes out of hot rollers…so fun!

xoxox
Carly

30 Days of Outfits Challenge: Day 23

Nov 27, 2010 | DIY, Fashion

 Cable-arm striped sweater: DIY.  Cropped Sweatpants: Forever 21.  Stirrup socks: DIY.  Clog Wedges: Forever 21.

Day 23 of my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge: November 23.

The first snowfall of the year!

We woke up and the whole world was covered in an icy dusting.  Schools were closed, the roads frozen, and it was pretty chilly all day (though it warmed up a little by late afternoon).

I myself wanted to be comfy and relaxed – and that means a nice, cozy sweater!

I was inspired by this incredible hybrid sweater I spotted on A Pair and a Spare recently.  It seemed so easy to make…just pull off the arms of one sweater and sew them onto another.  I used a men’s sweater for the striped body and a women’s piece for the sleeves – and I can attach the striped sleeves to the cable-knit cardigan and have another hybrid piece in my wardrobe!

Tutorial for hybrid sweater coming soon!

I wrote a DIY tutorial for these Alexander Wang-style stirrup socks for Foam magazine back in May.  It was published to their online edition, then they reorganized everything and it was somehow losst in the shuffle, so I can’t find it online anymore.

I’ll post the tutorial for these Alexander Wang-inspired stirrup socks soon!

I found these awesome wedge clogs at Forever 21 the other day and was instantly smitten.  I’m not sure why, but I’ve always been searching for shoes that completely eliminate the toes visually – so that they’re like little triangles, or elf shoes (or tissue-boxes?) extending straight from the ankle to the toe.  (I even entered my own version in some shoe design contest for Steve Madden on Brickfish!)

80%20 is the only shoe I’ve ever seen that kind of does that, and now I’ve found an even more affordable version with Forever 21 (though they don’t completely eliminate the toes they’re still kind of clompy and elfin and I just love that).  (not available online yet, but I’ll link them in when they pop up)

On another note, it’s my little brother’s birthday today…he’s 30.  It’s crazy to think he’s 30 and he’s my “little” brother!!  Now we’re in the same decade again!

Happy Birthday, Bro!

xoxox
Carly