Nov 5, 2010 | DIY, Life
Eeek! I meant to post this awhile ago, and it ended up slipping through the cracks. I’m so sorry!
Nonetheless, I had a great time visiting all your blogs and checking out your pieces. You’re all so creative! Here are the top 3 projects:
#3: Flower Bobby Pins
Sara from Simply Step Back shared her rolled-fabric flower bobby pins. They are adorable! (And so easy to make:-) Thanks Sara!
Did someone say “shirt“???! 😉 Buildeth Her House With love added beads and a ribbon to the neckline of an old shirt to jazz it up. I love how subtle and feminine it is!
From Bandy Candyon comes this colorful, adjustable skirt tutorial in 2 parts. The stripes are so summery and fun!
Thank you so much for sharing everyone!
If your project has been featured above, feel free to grab the button below.
xoxox
Carly
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Nov 5, 2010 | DIY, Fashion
Cropped Wool Tuxedo Jacket, Oxidized Stud Ring, and Silver Chain Ring: Forever 21. Shrink Plastic + Chiffon Necklace: handmade by me. Crystal Spike Ring: handmade by me. Lace Bodysuit: handmade by me. Moda Nude Tube Top: Victoria’s Secret. Cotton Godet Skirt: Newport-News. Sia Wedge Booties: Alloy.
Day 4 of my 30 Days of Outfits Closet Challenge: November 4.
Today I felt like playing with black, layering textures and intensities.
The necklace is my copy of a Vice & Vanity (LOVE the name but hate the website) piece I saw awhile back in Marie Claire. The geometric piece I cut from a piece of
shrink plastic
(remember shrinky-dinks from the 80’s??), painted, and then baked in the oven. (Random geometric shapes look really cool when shrunk down!!) I also added to it 3 heat-set pearls (bought here …but you know what? Just grab some pearl stickers from the scrapbooking section of the craft store, that’s probably less fussy!), and added a piece of chiffon, folded over on itself repeatedly and stitched down. And an oxidized chain. I love this statement piece and have been waiting to share it with you!
Next up is my version of this Pour La Victoire Lace Bodysuit.
It was around $189 retail on Net-a-Porter, so there’s no way I could afford it.
This was my first time working with stretch bias! I used a great tutorial I found here. (Tons of photos!)
I just rubbed off the pattern from a favorite tanktop onto some black stretch lace, and serged the side seams. Then I covered each raw edge in stretch sateen bias, which took a year and a day, but eventually I managed. (incidentally, my local sewing supply stores had no stretch sateen bias, so I check out Mill End Store’s trim section…and aha! Stretch sateen cord. Cut open the single seam…and voila! Double-folded stretchy bias. So I applied that around the neckline, armholes, and bottom of the piece.) I wanted the garters to have more of a hard-edged feel, so I used suspender clips instead of plastic garter belt clips. I am so in love with the final result!
It’s super-sexy, but just acts as a lacy layer when worn over a nude top -like I am here. I can tuck the garters in and no one will know…wear them out and look edgy, or attach some stockings with the garters OVER my skirt/shorts/dress so that it’s bodycon. I shall have to try that!! (Can you tell I’m loving underwear as outerwear lately?! I mean, REALLY! [spoken in the tone of an 80-year-old grandmother;-)]
These are my faves currently. The Alloy Sia Wedge Booties – surprisingly comfortable in spite of their immense wedge heel. I thought they looked much more expensive than their $47 pricetag. And right now they have a billion free shipping & discount codes going on, including:
So if you were to get them, you’d get free shipping with code AFS25A automatically. Or you could get them for $39.87 with code AF15A. Or you could add something else to your shopping basket (all sweaters are currently 30% off too!)…I’m eyeing this super-cute bow shoulder top
…and get both the shoes and whatever else you choose for $20 less once the total is over $75 with code 20ALL75. Awesome, right?
Aaaa-nd…following along with me in the 30 Days of Outfits Challenge is Yarn Happiness! Go check out her blog to see her outfits!
And if any of you out there would like to try challenging yourself to wear stuff in your closet you haven’t worn in awhile, just to break out of a fashion rut…please join in!:-D
xoxox
Carly
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Nov 4, 2010 | Fashion
Just a little break from the 30 Days of Outfits…
Or maybe a PREQUEL???! 😉
I went as a Ninja.
Every year Lil Tot has decreed what Mama will be for Halloween. When he was 1, he had a high fever and we didn’t do Halloween at all (though I did have a little bee costume for him)
At 2, he was a lobster and told me I should be a witch.
At 3, he was Harry Potter and told me to be a pirate.
At 4, he was Dash from The Incredibles and I was told to be a fairy.
But at 5, though he was going as a vampire it seemed he had no preference as to what I wore!
So I looked into my closet to figure out what I could cobble together with stuff I already had, and I managed to scrape together the perfect ninja costume.
I knew Hub would find it amusing that I was wearing a Japanese happi [coat] that said MATSURI [festival] on the back of it, along with numerous festival-related markings – since I last wore it in 1991 at my local town festival where I helped hoist a gigantic, 1000-pound shrine on my shoulders and carry it through the village. Not fun.
Anyway, I figured most people, especially those who can’t read Japanese, wouldn’t know the un-authenticity of the coat, and it would read “ninja.” Especially when paired with Lil Tot’s ski mask, black leggings and turtleneck, and an old pair of tights I cut up to use as armwarmers. I also used a scarf I made as a belt.
And yes, everyone we met during Trick-or-Treating “got” that I was a ninja! A lot of people seemed to love my shoes, which are authentic tabi – at 11, I was obsessed with the Japanese construction workers’ uniforms, which consisted of a pair of wide trousers that ballooned at the knees [tobi], and a pair of split-toe shoes with rubber soles [tabi].
(photo from source website linked below)
My father worked up the courage to visit a clothing store for construction workers and buy a pair of trousers and a pair of tabi for me as a birthday present. So I held onto them! The shoes are uber-comfortable, but of course I can only wear them (and the pants) as part of a costume;-) [Many workers still wear that uniform today, though their numbers appear to be dwindling. If you are interested in the traditional uniform of Japanese construction workers, as well as a thorough explanation of how each apparel element came about (it’s a fascinating read!), click here.]
And the sword is a plastic thing Lil Tot won at the fair.
Hope you guys all had a great Halloween! (Or Bonfire Night;-)
xoxox
Carly
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Nov 4, 2010 | Fashion
Finally caught up! (Should I think up exciting titles for these outfits besides “Day 3”???)
Today is Day 3 of my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge: November 3.
And here is the secret to my dress that I mentioned earlier!
I’m wearing the same dress as yesterday – EXCEPT it’s on inside-out and backwards.
Is that allowed? you may ask. Of course it’s allowed! It’s completely a different dress!
I know the dress is hard to see, but…
I first saw this studded t-shirt dress on an episode of “Gossip Girl” awhile back – Serena wore it to a party.
I LOVED it. But given that I was already planning on making my Risto Bimbiloski-style dress, I didn’t want or need yet ANOTHER t-shirt dress.
So I made this entire piece reversible, unzippable, and wearable back-to-front. It’s like a 6-in-1 dress!! The gray side of this dress is a viscose-blend woven. It’s silky-soft and luxurious.
The studs are a little uncomfortable when sitting, though!
Who remembers White Trash Charms? They were especially popular in ’02 or so, and I bought a pair of knockoff earrings in Japan. I don’t think I’ve ever worn them, though. I even have a matching necklace! (I wonder if the thriving knockoff business was what drove them OUT of business?? Shall have to investigate further…)
So the question is…
These over-the-knee boots I bought at Forever 21 – amazingly, size 9 fits perfectly on me (I’m a size 7.5 – what’s up with that??). I’ve been wanting vinyl-look super-thigh-high platform boots since I saw Taylor Jacobson’s Louboutins on Rachel Zoe last season. And finally Forever 21 came out with their version (that I Tweeted about the day I bought)!! They’re super-sexy and totally appeal to the Pretty Woman-esque lady-of-the-night in me…I guess;-) – LOVE.
My dog: Pudding. She terrorized our cat Muffin until the poor thing ran away last June. She has not come back.:-(
Pudding constantly gets stuff stuck to her face because of her whiskers. She has a bit of moss stuck on her because she’s been snuffling in the yard. Hub thinks she looks like an Ewok.
She’ll lick practically anything!!
xoxox
Carly
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Nov 3, 2010 | By Carly J. Cais, Fashion
Gold Hoop Earrings: Claire’s. Zip-Front Reversible Dress: handmade by me. Gold Sideways Cross Necklace: classicdesigns’ Etsy shop. Gold Watches: Vintage. Daisy Solid Perfume Flower Ring: Marc Jacobs. Black Studded Ring: handmade by me. Black/Grey Reversible Tights: Hue. Black Suede Gladiator Heels: Abaete for Payless.
Day 2 in my 30-Day Closet Challenge: November 2! Election Day!
I turned my ballot in the day before. And for at least 3 weeks prior to this I received no small amount of mail telling me that this candidate did this, or that candidate did that, or who’s lying and who cheated the elderly out of this reform and who was mean to someone’s dog…and after about 2 days I was completely over it. And I had no less than SIX people knock on my door over the past 3 days to ask what candidate I was voting for or to remind me to send in my ballot. Yeesh! Is voter turnout so abysmal people have to be reminded IN PERSON to do it? I get the ballot sent to my house, a booklet explaining all the candidates and their platforms, and detailing all the new measures I’m voting on, return postage is free – and a steady stream of people have to stop by my house, interrrupting dinner or Lil Tot’s bathtime to remind me to vote??
Okay, rant over. Election’s over at lest! (Next year I’m putting a sign on my door “I already voted for xxx. If you bother me, I’m changing my vote to YYY.” or something to that effect.;-)
So this is what I wore.
I saw this beautiful knit dress –second from right– by Risto Bimbiloski (of “that galaxy-print dress/skirt/blouse” fame) in an old issue of Lucky Magazine, and promptly swooned. I wanted a cream zip-front sheath dress too! So I made my own version, out of beautiful cream-colored pique.
I found the fabric was a bit see-through even with a light-colored lining, so I made the inner layer in grey. Plus, I love grey. And I spell it with an “E” (as British junior high in Japan so tenaciously re-educated me to;-).
I designed the dress with the front and back widths and sleeve shape exactly the same – thus, I can wear the dress with the zipper in the front, or in the back (with a high boatneck), if I so choose. I can also zip the zipper down all the way (it’s a separating zipper) and wear it as a layering piece or short-sleeve jacket. Yay for versatility!
No, I ain’t gonna zip the front down for ya!;-)
I thought this relatively simple look demanded a high-glamour hairstyle, thus my HairDo Clip-In Bangs, and my Priscilla Super-Easy Midi Bun.
Last year’s Abaete for Payless gladiator sandals. I’m so glad I bought them – they look so much more high-fashion than their price!! (But not so comfortable to walk in;-)
Minimal jewelry, thick tights (since it’s super-windy out!), and mid-height heels from Payless completed my look.
And this little dress has another secret…so stay tuned for my next outfit coming up later this evening! (I’m going to try two outfit posts today, so I’m all caught up to the current date…hopefully I’ll be able to…)
The big tree in my backyard turned bright red almost overnight. I just love Fall!
xoxox
Carly
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