30 Days of Outfits Challenge: Day 7

Nov 8, 2010 | DIY, Fashion

 Sleeveless Wool Overcoat: DIY.  Long-sleeved top: Petit Bateau.  Gold Lion Door Knocker Pendant: ASOS.com.  Beaded Wrap Ring: handmade by me.  Belt: unknown (bought too long ago).   Dark Rinse Trouser Jeans: Old Navy.  Grey Padlock Bag: Aldo Accessories.  Wedge Suede Boots: Metro7 (Wal-Mart).

Day 6 of my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge: November 6.

Today it’s craycraycray.  I have to take Lil Tot to ANOTHER birthday party at a gymnastics place in the early afternoon, then, after dinner, drive to downtown Portland for my first production meeting for the pilot of this web series we’re working on.  I can’t wait to sit down and start hashing out the aesthetics of the shoot!

So I had to wear something that was simple enough to go from a kid’s birthday…to a professional (but casual) meeting.  Something that when worn, showed to everyone else on the team that I got it in the bag.

Of course!  This sleeveless camel wool coat I’ve wanted to DIY ever since I saw the Michael Kors version featured in Vogue awhile back.  But it was Spring turning into Summer at the time, and I couldn’t find any camel coats at the thrift store.  And then Maegan from …love, Maegan DIY’ed her own version.  And it was awesome.  So when I did finally find a coat at Goodwill the other day ($14.99, hello!!) I just followed Maegan’s fabulous DIY tutorial to make my own.  (There’s always that brief uncertainty before hacking off the sleeves of a perfectly good coat.  I just hold my breath, and close my eyes.  For a moment – not when I’m actually cutting.;-)

I’m in love with this Lion Door Knocker Pendant from ASOS.  Ohmygoodness it’s so unique!  People have been stopping me all day to ask about it.  (And it was only $14!! shhhhh)  The ring I made a million years ago from some old beads I had knocking around in my bead box and some jewelry wire.  Nails are a layer of Deborah Lippmann Waking Up In Vegas (the same color Lady Gaga had on her nails on the recent cover of V Magazine) over Chanel Particuliere.  I wanted to do a “camel” shade…somehow it came out really gray.  (Greige?)  If anyone has any recommendations for a camel-colored nail polish – I’m all ears!

This week is going to be insane for me, as we’re having Lil Tot’s 5th birthday party this Saturday, and he’s expecting a Mario Kart cake, complete with pipes, chomping flowers, trees, and Mario racing Luigi and Yoshi.  (Every year I make him a really involved cake.  This might be my most ambitious undertaking yet! …And if I fail, you’ll probably be seeing it on Cakewrecks.;-)

What are everyone else’s plans for the week?

Fall Fall FallFallFall!!  (better rake rake rakerakerake…??)

xoxox
Carly

30 Days of Outfits Challenge: Day 5

Nov 5, 2010 | DIY, Fashion

Friday already?!  Where did the week go?

I’ve been having a great time pulling out pieces from my closet to wear after so many months of leaving them on the hangers.  It’s really reawakened my love of fashion and accessorizing!  (And helped me start to remove tons of stuff that I really don’t want anymore – I’ve already filled two bags of things to get rid of.)

So, Day 5 in my 30 Days of Outfits Challenge: November 5.

Yesterday was all black, today it’s all pastels.  To mix it up a bit, instead of shooting on our back deck, I cajoled Hub into shooting in front of our house, much to his embarrassment.  He hid in the bushes as much as he could. 😉

If I had gotten the job I was so excited about in August, I would probably be wearing this to the office every day.  (No, I didn’t get the job.  I found out last month. I was up against 2 other candidates, and all of us were way overqualified to be an Office Manager.  So the company had to start considering attributes and experience that weren’t even part of the position requirements or duties.  And I lost out since I haven’t been working in production these past 5 years, and so my related experience is from quite long ago and not extensive enough.  I was surprised and very disappointed, since had I gotten it sure, I would have been able to blog less, but it would have meant a creative group of people that I got to hang around with and work with every day, and moreover, a steady income and health insurance for my family.  :…(  Ah well, the best I can do is get back in the saddle!  I’ll be working on Artistic Direction and Design for an indie web series that we’ll be shooting later this month, which I’m excited about.)

I am so glad I picked up this necklace when I saw it at Target a little while ago!  I love the colors.  Right now the pieces in this line are all marked clearance at Target (though no longer available online)…you just have to go to the store and see what they have.  My local store has sold out of the necklace but has the matching earrings on sale, for instance.

I made this Chanel knockoff tanktop from an oversized Hanes men’s tee and a fabric marker.  I was so pleased it ended up looking so good considering how easy it was to do!  And you can do any design your little heart desires.;-)  Quick-tutorial here (at the bottom of the post).

I think I bought these pants 2 sizes too big from ASOS.com (since I always have trouble finding pants that fit and are flattering).  I was thinking of altering them to fit better but I realized I wouldn’t be able to without taking the pants completely apart, so it’s not worth the hassle.

I made this clutch back in 2005 after I saw the Margaret Nicole knit clutch purse Carrie was carrying in a Sex and the City episode.

It’s just a long rectangle of  knitting that I bound off onto two sharpened dowels I made to look like knitting needles.  Then I sewed the sides together and sewed a lining in, and added a magnetic closure and a hair barette I painted gold.  I should have knitted little triangles as well to become side panels, because this clutch can’t open very far.  Live and learn, I guess! 

Finally got around to painting my nails as well…was in an OPI Here Today, Aragon Tomorrow mood.

Does anyone have any exciting plans for the weekend?  Lil Tot has not one but TWO birthday parties I have to take him to (one in Vancouver, WA!!), and then Sunday I have my first big production meeting for the video series.  Hmm….I wonder what I’ll wear to that?;-)

xoxox
Carly

30 Days of Outfits: Day 4

Nov 5, 2010 | DIY, Fashion

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:

• Free Shipping On Orders Over $25 with code AFS25A
• 15% Off ANY Order with code AF15A
• Take $20 Off ANY Alloy Order Over $75 with code 20ALL75

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