Sep 6, 2011 | Fashion
Rhinestone hoop earrings: Icing by Claire’s
Watch: Citizen Eco-drive
Ribbon-edged rope-tie sundress: handmade by me
Wedge espadrilles: Old Navy
I found an old sheet at Goodwill awhile back that was in great condition – and the perfect lightweight, tightly-woven washed denim cotton that would lend itself to a pretty summery dress. I drafted a pattern wayyyyy back in May, intending to make the dress for Memorial Day – and then never got around to it. Then I wanted to get it done for the Fourth of July. And of course I still didn’t do it. Story of my life!
In any case, I finally pulled my act together and made it this Labor Day Weekend, and broke it out on Monday to wear. Sadly, we’re experiencing an infestation of yellow jackets in our backyard under our house’s eaves – so every time we bring food out for a barbecue or picnic we get attacked. Thus Labor Day was heralded by a picnic indoors (though we played a little soccer in the backyard away from the yellow jackets’ nests earlier).
The advantage of using a sheet for an upcycle is that by crating the pattern carefully, one can utilize the finished edges from the sheet, and save a lot of time in the finishing of your piece. I used a striped grosgrain ribbon overlaid over the finished edges, and cotton rope (I think it’s actually for thick corded piping) as an accent.
It’s breezy and swingy and just perfect for the hot weather that has finally returned!
Hope everyone had a wonderfully relaxing weekend and great Labor Day holiday (if you celebrate it!)
xoxox
Carly
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Sep 6, 2011 | Fashion
I don’t really get the whole “No white after Labor Day” saying…the practice (if there ever was one) was probably way before my time and amongst a social set I was not exactly a part of. In any case, white and Labor Day are somehow inextricably combined in my mind, so what better day to look into dyeing…er, bleaching your fashion blindingly, brilliantly white?
From my friends at Clorox: (more…)
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Sep 3, 2011 | Fashion
As all of you know, I love affordable shopping, and End-of-Summer sales are some of the best places to scoop up some great Fashion Finds on a budget. Enter Nordstrom Rack, a retailer that offers discounted designer brands year-round, and whose Clear the Racks Sale is legendary when it comes to getting the most bang for your hard-earned buck.
The downtown Portland store is a well-appointed two-story affair, filled with handbags, belts, shoes, jewelry, watches, sunglasses, lingerie, clothing, and men’s and kids’ clothing and shoes, as well as housewares, makeup, and beauty products.
In the bag section I spotted bags from Michal Kors, The Sak, Juicy Couture, Trina Turk, and Betsey Johnson. Check out the pebbling on this Badgley Mischka bag! ($159.97, marked down from $398)
The shoe section is vast, with Designer (high-end) shoes separated for the regular-priced merchandise, and then mixed in on the clearance racks. In the Designer section I saw Charles Jourdan, Via Spiga, Kate Spade, Ferragamo, DVF, and Stuart Weitzman – and most of the selection could be termed “work-appropriate” – i.e., perfect for the office.
Beautiful perforated Rag & Bone oxfords. ($179.90, marked down from $395)
I caught my breath at the pretty details on these Coach wedge sandals. $89.90, marked down from $150.
This is where huge deals are to be found: over on the clearance racks, where you can find shoes from Steve Madden, Nine West, Franco Sarto, and Frye, just to name a few.
Trying on an Elizabeth & James platform over-the-knee boot. ($99, marked down from-gasp!-$495) I’m really not sad at all; I was just having trouble seeing the viewfinder.;-)
These Badgley Mischka‘s felt as light as air. Now I know why women put so much stock in high-priced sandals – these were truly comfy!
Super, super steals are to be found in the basket on the desk where you request the matching shoe. Mostly larger sizes (like 9 & 10), but at 90% off there’s some amazing pieces tucked away there!
In the clothing section on the first floor there are some great pieces too, along with a large selection of outerwear and suiting, with Calvin Klein, Theory, Ella Moss, BCBG, and Vince.
A gorgeous stapled and pleated Huge BOSS dress. Can you read the label? $698 marked down to $189.97!
The contemporary area had tons of Paige Premium Denim, 7 for All Mankind, Free People, and True Religion.
But the place where I spent most of my time was at the Clearance Racks, where I found Tarte, Michael Kors, True Grit, and August Silk.
I dragged all this into the changing room. They have a 15-garment limit, which really helps!!
It took awhile, but I finally settled on these pieces to take home with me. I’m such a sucker for icy gray chiffon and wide-leg denim!!
I was given a gift card worth $100, and I managed to shop smart and stretch it to cover…
Brand-names! Huge discounts! And a full outfit to be had with just a little savvy shopping (though I probably wouldn’t wear it all together at once;-). So how much did each piece cost me?
I went the tiniest bit over the $100 because I picked up the golden mustardy-colored tights at the last second. (I’m feeling it as a trend for Fall!)
I got some pieces I’m really thrilled with – not necessarily because of the designer labels (though that is a perk) – it’s more the quality of each piece and the fact that, at its clearance price, it ends up being worth every penny. (Likely close to its At Cost price; or how much the company had to outlay to manufacture the piece, meaning that I just purchased these items with minimal markup. As a consumer on a budget that feels great!)
If you’d like to scoop up some bargains too, head over to a Rack near you (or check them out online), because these huge discounts will only last until September 5!
xoxo
Carly
FTC disclosure: I was provided a $100 gift card to Nordstrom Rack and allowed to use it towards any purchase from the store. See more about my disclosure policy here.
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Sep 2, 2011 | DIY
Nude shoe + Leather paint = Colorblock Pump
(photo: ASOS PATCHI Cylindrical Heel Platform High Shoe)
90’s-style clunky boots + Belts (glued on with Loctite Vinyl, Fabric and Plastic Glue
= Motorcycle Boots
(photo: Balenciaga Cut-Out Flat Boots)
White blouse (back cut away) + Lace curtain (thrifted) = Lace-Backed Blouse
(photo: PUFFY Roll-Up Sleeve Lace Back Shirt)
Shirt collar (cut off a white shirt) + Scrapbooking stickers (fixed with Aleene’s Glitter and Gem Glue) = Embellished Collar
(photo: TopShop Cream Mixed Stone Collar)
Sweatshirt + Chiffon (hand-stitched to seams, laid over front) = Mixed-Media Sweatshirt
(photo: Alexander Wang Silk-Chiffon Paneled Sweatshirt)
Black cord + Brooch (pinned in center) = Bolo Tie Necklace
(photo: Vintage Zuni Thunderbird Bolo Necklace)
Embroidery thread + Grosgrain ribbon + Bangles = Colorful Wrapped Bangles
(photo: JewelMint Garden Patch Trio)
T-strap sandal + Glitter (adhered with Mod Podge or Tulip Fashion Glitter Bond = Glittery Sandals
(photo: Jeffrey Campbell Foxy Glitter Sandal)
Happy DIY’ing!
xoxox
Carly
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