Nov 3, 2010 | DIY, Fashion
Hand-shredded T-shirt: Urban Revisions Etsy store. Angels Secret Embrace Push-Up bra: Victoria’s Secret. Roxy Gray Jeans: Thrifted. Fleece Cuffs: DIY. Heeled Combat Boots: Forever 21.
Day 1 in my personal
30 Days of Outfits Challenge! So psyched! (Though I may lose momentum later…I hope this “getting dressed nicely for today” thing will not end up becoming a chore.;-p
So Day 1 was technically yesterday: November 1.
And this is what I wore.
I’m in love with everything in Urban Revisions’ Etsy shop, and have had the designer on my radar for awhile. If there’s one DIY technique I suck at, it’s shredding cotton! My DIY shredded t-shirts are just NOT lovely. I can’t seem to truly get the hang of it and am not able to create shreds where the vertical threads are still intact. Well, I can, but it takes me 12+ hours for even a small amount of shredding. Which is obviously not the way to go about it.
So anyway, I’ve been spying on Urban Revisions for awhile, hoping some pieces would go on sale. And then I spotted with lovely hand-dyed peachy pink piece – and knew I had to have it!
Though technically it’s a sleeveless piece, the shredding has widened the collar and so now it sits on my upper arms. It’s so sexy and edgy – normally I don’t walk around with my bra showing, but this just begs for it! (My bra is the lovely Victoria Secret Angels Secret Embrace Bra in black. I love that it has these subtle scalloped edges – so feminine and pretty!) The top is super-long so it can be worn as a dress, beach cover-up, etc. I chose to tuck it in just to change the shape around. I’m so in love with peachy pink right now!
The gray cuffs you see above I made from the sleeves that I cut off the shirt when I made my Embellished V-Neck Sweater (tutorial here). Last winter my mother-in-law gave me a pair of knit cuffs that were apparently all the rage in Japan – you can wear them peeking out from your coat, on top of a sweater, or over your shoes to add texture, color, and warmth. Mine were black and I wore them practically every day until they pilled apart. (I get exceptionally cold wrists and ankles during the winter.)
I loved them, so I made another pair out of this beautiful gray fleece, which just consisted of folding the sleeve pieces under and sewing some elastic hidden in the fold.
Then they stay secure on my wrists or ankles. I put these on with my coat – they’re nice and warm, and act as my final bit of outerwear before going outside into the chilly Oregon weather. Though as anklets I guess they might look better with skinny jeans, LOL!
Gold Eiffel Tower necklace, Oxidized Hematite Crystal 2-Finger ring, Wrapped Feather Ring: Forever21. Rock Candy Rose Quartz Ring: my own design, available here. Gold Hinged Bracelets: bought in Japan. Gold Watch: Vintage.
This outfit called for mostly gold jewelry, I felt. My Forever 21 Eiffel Tower Necklace is my own little homage to my trip to France.;-)
Day 1…Done!
xoxox
Carly
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Nov 2, 2010 | Fashion, Life
Yes, this is my closet. I store vests and cardis over dresses and blouses, and necklaces over that. Basically 3 things to a hanger. It’s scary.
Like many people, I have a whole lotta clothing in my closet I rarely wear. Day after day (since my routine is pretty much the same), I usually default to tried-and-true clothing combinations and outfits. As a result, when I look into my closet I see so many pieces I haven’t worn for awhile. One month stretches into two, then more…and I realize I haven’t worn stuff for 6 months to a year or more, simply because I’ve gotten into a fashion rut.
Well, you know what I need to break me out of it?? A CHALLENGE!
For 30 days for the month of November, I’m challenging myself to wear a completely-different, heretofore forgotten outfit each day, never wearing the same thing twice. (How will this help? you may ask. Well, it will remind me how much I love certain pieces that I’ve forgotten about. And stimulate my creativity. And help me clean out and purge that ol’ closet of mine. And help me be a better style blogger, since I post outfits only once in a blue moon.)
From now until November 30, I’ll be challenging myself to put together a unique outfit each day – and wear it all darn day, even if I’m just sitting on the living room couch, blogging and watching Law & Order: SVU reruns. And each of my outfits will contain something I’ve made or DIY’ed! This is a perfect chance for me to share with all of you some tutorials and ideas I haven’t gotten around to yet.
So, would anybody like to attempt the challenge with me? Do it until the end of November, wait until December, only do a week, whatever! Let me know in the comments and I’ll link to your blog! It’s just a bit of fun and some motivation to truly express your style.:-)
xoxox
Carly
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Sep 29, 2010 | Fashion, Score!
As I’ve been hinting since last week, there was a Challenge given to the bloggers in attendance at the Marshall’s event last Tuesday (where I learned a lot about off-price retailing – check out my write-up here if you are interested in this particular sector of the clothing market).
10 Bloggers were in attendance at the event, and we were each gifted with a $100 gift card to use to purchase some items to work into our wardrobes.
Then we had to incorporate the items we bought into a Week’s Worth of Outfits, mixig them with other pieces that were already in our wardrobes.
So here’s how I styled the above items my week:
Also wearing: Claire’s rhinestone earrings; Forever 21 ruffled-front blouse, wool tuxedo jacket, and mixed chain bracelet; Alloy Victorian booties
Also wearing: Target 3-strand headband; envelope necklace from Reyney’s Etsy shop; Forever 21 collegiate blazer and goldtone chain ring; Newport-News oversized patent clutch; Alloy Parker Wedge heels
Also wearing: Jeans Warehouse white ribbed tanktop; tie-dye cardigan (also from Marshall’s); gold coin long necklace from Aldo’s; Forever 21 woven belt; Old Navy Trouser Jeans
Also wearing: chainmail viscose top from soo long ago the label’s gone; mixed white bangles from Pineapple County in Honolulu; vintage bangle; Old Navy chain pochette
Also wearing: DIY filigree dangle earrings; DIY scarf; Claire’s “Dream” 2-finger ring; Forever 21 studded clutch and heeled combat boots
Also wearing: Forever 21 sequined chain necklace; Ann Taylor leopard-print cardigan [Ebay]; Old Navy satin-edged cardigan; Target mixed-chain cuff; 2 DIY feathered bangles; Hue reversible tights
Also wearing: DIY spiked headband; silver key necklace from Japan; Urban Outfitters tassel bag; faux fur foxtail available in my Etsy shop; convertible Victoria’s Secret top worn as skirt; Alloy Marlane boots; cape from Ideeli slung over shoulder
A CHALLENGE FOR MY READERS!
So the challenge for you guys is: GIVE ME YOUR COMMENTS! The blogger with the MOST comments on their Week of Outfits post receives a $100 Marshall’s gift card to give to one of their readers!
So…to be entered in the drawing to win a $100 Marshall’s/T.J. Maxx gift card…
Leave your Comments on this post!
As many times as you want! Tweet it, blog it, post it on Facebook! Tell me what you thought of my outfits, if you liked anything I picked…anything! I really want one of my fabulous readers to win – so the more times you comment, the more I’m likely to win this!
If I am the one to receive the most comments, I’ll be picking one comment from this post [with the help of Random.org] and awarding the reader the $100 Gift Card! As you can see from above, if you shop smart there’s a TON of great items you can find at Marshall’s…so for anyone who’s longing for something new for Fall…to spice up their back-to-school wardrobe…needs to get some cute outfits for the kiddos…wants to get a head-start on Christmas gifts…or is desperately in need of a new coffee table…this $100 Gift Card will sure some in handy!
Contest is open until Oct. 4, 2010 at 5 PM EST.
So comment up a storm because we’ve got a lot of other bloggers to beat!!;-)
Check out the other bloggers’ Week of Outfits at:
xoxox
Carly
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Sep 20, 2010 | Fashion
Welcome another installment in my brand-new Style It Chic! series of posts. (Can it have been a whole week since my last one already??) In this series I will be taking one item or trend and showing you how to emulate that look – for much, much less than what you might pay at retail. I’d love to hear your feedback on what you think of this style of post!
On the heels of last week’s Denim Shirt 3 Ways, I decided to stay with the shirt theme and this time take the green army shirt for a whirl. Right now military-inspired trends are HUGE – just ask Lucky Magazine, Marie Claire, and Vogue for starters! For Fall 2010 designers such as Burberry, Fendi, Michael Kors, and Oscar de la Renta filled the runways with chic trenchcoats, shirt-dresses, chino pants, and button-downs, all in camo-inspired hues of olive green, khaki, and camel. Paired with boots, shearling, and brass buttons their look is straight-laced uniform…but paired with some unexpected pieces it can be brought down to the streets and totally wearable. With a thrifted olive green men’s shirt (going to the Army & Navy Surplus store would have yielded more authentic results, but alas I only had my local Goodwill, where I chose a man’s button-down shirt in that coveted olive green color) here are 3 ways to wear the army shirt:
1. Urban Chic
(Skirt: DIY’d from a Forever 21 skirt, similar base skirt here; Ring: Handmade by me, Doorknocker Bag: Deena & Ozzy from Urban Outfitters awhile ago, Tights: Hue, Heeled Combat Boots: Forever 21 awhile ago)
Shirt buttoned up and tucked in to a flirty, silky skirt. A cross-body bag breaks up the mannish shape to the shirt. Finished off with warm tights and boots for walking, this outfit works perfectly for sightseeing or a day full of being out and about around the city. Collegiate casual at its best.
2. Layered
(Jacket: Jones New York which I’m selling here, Brooch: DIY, Ruffled-Front Blouse: Forever 21; similar here, Mirror Locket Necklace: Forever 21; similar here, Belt: Victoria’s Secret (came with a skirt), Shorts: Pineapple County)
Leave the shirt open and wear it under a structured blazer in a darker color. Wear a neutral-colored blouse dripping with ruffles and chiffon, and bare some skin on your bottom half. Vintage-style accessories sweeten up this uniform for a lady.
3. Trendy, Trendy
Trying on all the trends for Fall 2010! Shirt worn open with cuffed sleeves in place of a jacket. Leopard print scarf for a dash of the animal. Gold accessories – marine cap – fur at the ankles – there’s a whole lot going on – so maybe picking and choosing what’s best is the name of the game.;-)
I have chosen not to alter the shirt to fit my frame – though you can do so with yours by following my tutorial here.
So how would you wear the army shirt? Do any of these styles appeal to you at all?
xoxox
Carly
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Sep 13, 2010 | Fashion
Photos: Alexa Chung photo, Buzzworthy.mtv.net; Ashley Olsen photo, Scotty Wilson/BuzzFoto.com;
D&G and Chloe runway photos, Marcio Madeira/Style.com; Drew Barrymore photo, source unknown; Charley 5.0 denim shirt/Kitson; “…the denim shirt”/Topshop. Style It Chic! Array by me.
Welcome to the first of my posts in the Style It Chic! series. In this series I will be taking one item or trend and showing you how to emulate that look – for much, much less than what you might pay at retail. I’d love to hear your feedback on what you think of this style of post!
The denim shirt trend is still lingering as we head into the next season – and I love it! It’s been so long since light denim was “in” – and though I know I’m late hopping on this bandwagon, it’s amazing how versatile and chic this piece really is. I thrifted my shirt (who am I to buy new???!) and altered it to fit me better and look more flattering – which is essential in pulling off this trend well. (Tutorial coming tomorrow, chickees!!)
For now, here are 3 ways to wear the denim shirt:
1. Denim-on-Denim
As seen on the Chloe Spring/Summer 2010 runways. Shirt buttoned-up but worn loose, paired with jeans in a different hue. Sporty watch and retro sunglasses. Kind of 80’s, kind of Jay-Leno-cool (if that’s even possible??!) – it can look really masculine, so add some girly accessories and do that hair! (I, of course, didn’t – and you can see that the look is pretty questionable on me. What Not To Do! hehehe)
2. Cute Cowgirl
D&G – style! Fluffy, peasant-style skirt paired with the shirt (tucked in or tied, of course!) and brown suede or leather accessories. Western never looked this good.
3. Layered Edgy
(Chanel-style Tanktop: DIY [my quickie tutorial here]; Leggings: Forever 21. Shoes: Charlotte Russe from awhile ago.)
Shirt worn open with cuffed sleeves. Loose long tank, slick leggings, textural shoes. An edgy outfit provides the perfect counterpoint to the rough-and-tumble feel of the shirt.
So how would you wear the denim shirt? Is this a trend you’d prefer not to try? Or are you embracing it to the fullest?
xoxox
Carly
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