Sew 2016

I've been attending sewing classes for the past year and fell in love with fashion goddess, Ms. Christina Blunt.  http://www.polishedbrand.productions/ 

She's a fierce creative force that I've had the pleasure to share, learn and grow with. Here are a few of my beginner creations and alterations.

This vintage dress had a high neck and a Pentecostal attitude. 

Created a V and popped out a choker for a modern vibe. 

Maxi skirts, scarves and Elf vests too.

Hats and capes are easy to whip up for costume occasions. 

I made this silver skirt to pair with an H&M lace shirt. 

Christina made a bowtie for Jules. 

My first Chewbacchus was solid gold with this C3PO apron. 

Simple alterations like darts are a cinch. 

I Have Good Taste

I stumbled upon this video by creative folks for creative folks, thanks to the always creative seeking website, BRAIN PICKINGS. In it, Ira Glass warns amatuer designers and creators that the early days of their careers may be struck with thoughts of self doubt and less than stellar production. He encourages them to quickly increase their body of work and believe that through experience, creative success and confidence will come and their natural good taste will shine. 




I liked his emphasis on the creative thinker's sensibility of good taste. He described how in the beginning your good taste will help you recognize that your work is lacking and ultimately help you improve. I reflected on my beginning years as a designer and definitely remember questioning my abilities. 

As an interior designer, fresh out of college, I quickly faced clients and associates whose taste or vision conflicted with mine. It's discouraging and it feels awkward to reassure others that your vision is right since you don't have any real world experience to draw from. This is especially hard when you are trying to tell someone how their space should look, the space that they will work in, not you.

The saying, "fake it until you make it", has some wisdom to it. You have portray confidence in your creative work and your recommendations as a designer. No matter what age you are, people will always question you if you don't stand tall.

Everyone has an opinion, but in the end you are the expert with good taste. 

Home Sweet Home - Update #2

WE MOVED IN!

 hanging art

 stocking shelves

finding a perfect fit

 

lining the library

There are little things here and there that need tweaking, but it’s great to be in! Having my own washer/dryer, dish washer and ice-dispensing fridge is delightful. My favorite part is all the specialty lighting and the white walls. It looks like an art gallery. We are currently displaying a friend’s collection, and it looks amazing. I’ve been making so many trips to department stores for…

Soap

Hoses

Hardware

Picture hooks and wire

Light bulbs

Trash bags

Ziplocs

Detergent

Shelves

Sheets

Etc.

The to-do list continues but so does the warmth in my heart while I nest.

Who Are You? in your bedroom...

Periodically the universe asks me, “Who are you?” 

This is an important and ever evolving question. Today, I stumbled upon one artist who takes this question to the extreme in her work and even in her own bedroom  stream-of-consciousness drawings. Read more about her and her space here.

via The New York Times / Images by Trevor Tondro

MidCentury Modern Me

My husband and I have started shopping (mostly window shopping) to furnish the new house. On a recent trip to Houston, he fell in love with a Knoll Bertoia Large Diamond Chair with yellow upholstery. This sparked his interest in researching Midcentury furnishings, their values, their designers etc. I've always liked the chair but was hesitant to make the $1200 investment. I'm not quick to spend so we are going to shop around until we feel like we find a good deal. We always find bargains so I'm confident.

photo via dwr.com

 While we both like the MidCentury aesthetic, I find that too much of it can be a bore. In the end our home will be an eclectic mix of antique, midcentury, modern, and just plain weird pieces. Take my husbands thrift store stocked apartment for example.

Below is an image of Gio Ponti's work and a quote of his about MidCentury design for 1951. I for one can't argue the approach.

“Everything is going from the heavy to the light, from the gross to the subtle, from the opaque to the transparent, from the dark to the light, from the colorless to the colorful, from the fragmentary to the unitary, from the complicated to the linear. Anyone going in the opposite direction is in error.”

White Bolero Hunt

Once I had the dress selected, I had to find a bolero. I wanted something to cover my shoulders when I traveled from the wedding to the reception. I went on quite the hunt and ended up finding the perfect fit just one week before the wedding. 

Wedding supplies are PRICEY. I think the jacket I picked was like $120. Anyway, it looked fab. Which one did I pick?

White Dress Frenzy

Planning a wedding is fun...if you do everything the way that you want it, when you want it. I'm glad that I didn't have a lot of time to search for a dress. I never would have made up my mind. There are so many ways that you can go, so many styles...sexy, cute, elegant, traditional. I want to be all of these things on different days.

Because the wedding was small and informal, the pressure was off, and I got to pick something fun. My mom and step-mom gave me their opinions (their traditional opinions) and were helpful and not pushy. In the end, I got a fun little dress, and I twirled the night away. In a few weeks, I'll post the final dress. For now, here are a few that didn't make the cut.

Fashion Solution - Customize!

I've hated the selections of most 20-something clothing shops just about as long as I've been 20-something. The reason is that most easily accessible stores in the this age group have been stuck in a bohemian aesthetic for several years now. The characteristics of this style are muted colors, loose blouses, spaghetti straps, baby doll dresses etc. I find these terribly unflattering for the curvilinear figure that is my hourglass physique.

I mostly just don't shop a lot, but when I do, I have turned to the internet. I try to find styles that hug curves, accentuate waist and neck lines and compliment a petite stature. I follow a local blogger on twitter and was happy to stumble upon her post introducing me to a new clothing line that seemed to fit my needs and what grabbed my attention even more was the fact that she was offering her readers a discount. 

Here is a link to her blog post: MischiefMyDear

After seeing these flattering styles in Ashe Mischief's post, I decided to browse the eShakti website and see if I could put this discount to use. Once I was there, I discovered that this company is known for customizing sizes. Large bust, small waist? Customize!

I settled on two pieces and used the discount code. I didn't customize my size because I wanted to see if the standard offerings would suffice and they did! See the results below. I would definitely order from these guys again. I found the fabric of the shirt to be a kind of thin, but overall, I like the cut, the fit, and the elastic waistbands.


 

Tiered Ruffle Dress

Smocked Waist Shirt from eShakti

Skirt from The Limited

Random Note...If you ever see this guy in the Quarter, his name is Thaddius. If you talk to him for five minutes, I guarantee that he will make you laugh....for free.

Fall Fashion Emergency

On Friday, my cousin sent out a fashion SOS. 

Dear Friends,

I stepped in front of the mirror this morning and realized I seriously need a fashion intervention.  This is an SOS to send me 1 or 2 of your favorite trends from the fall (or any season) so I can start thinking creatively.  This could be a fun conversation, so reply to all if you want to join in.

Here are my problem areas.
(1) I have boots, but I don't know how to incorporate them.  I've only done it with skinny jeans but how about skirts - what length, what fabric?
(2) I like the scarf trend, but I don't know how to handle it.  Thoughts?
(3) I have lots of sweaters and jeans.  And I wear lots of sweaters with jeans. In fact, every day is sweaters with jeans. How can I jazz it up/dress it up?  A more professional style would be nice.
(4) Accessories are nonexistent.  I really need ideas.

I always feel like a ragamuffin, and I want to feel fabulous. Help!

Rachel D.

Boots are definitely a winter staple. 

I got this pair for Christmas last year and wear them all the time with skinny jeans, leggings and skirts. Fashion Therapist pairs boots with skirts like a pro. Check out how cute she looks!

 

I am always worried that my scarfs take over my body, but Angie shows us how to pull it off. 

And a friend of mine produced this video for Jean Therapy with lots of ways to tie your scarves.

Got some great ideas from Chictopia.com. Love the accessories in these next two!

 

 I need a jacket like this for cold nights in skimpy dresses.

 

Digging the funk here.

 

Super Simple yet Super Cute. I rock tights hard in Winter.

 

Check out Modestly Styled. Modestly Me.'s blog for professional looks. She wears mostly J.Crew. She always looks good, and we have to give it to her for sporting LSU colors here. 

 

I've noticed the key to this fashionista blogger's style is funky shoes (usually very tall ones).

Rachel, I hope you get some good ideas from these lovely ladies. Check out their sites for updates.

 

He wore THE shirt!

So I went to San Diego, and this guy proposed to me. Well, not really but he wore THE shirt!

Remember a few weeks ago when I posted a photo of a shirt that I found on Magazine St.? It wasn't just any old shirt. It was THE shirt that my family said my future husband would wear when I met him. Well, I went to San Diego earlier for Labor Day. And this guy wore THE shirt.

We met Jazz Fest weekend in the Quarter. I'd tell you the whole story but that'd take too long. So basically we met in the Quarter, but we didn't really met because I was outside of a bar, and he was inside. At the San Diego airport, he picked me up from the airport and was wearing THE shirt. I think he likes me. Just saying. :)

"Here" Bahahaha

Cheesiest Designer Staged Photo Ever

image from allthebest

My Future Husband Tee

I saw this shirt on Magazine Street and loved it. The family says that my future husband will be wearing it when we meet. 

One Black Dress, 365 Ways

Uniform Project Picture Book from The Uniform Project on Vimeo.

Movie Sets Inspire

Found this list of flicks that designers have recommended in "House Beautiful" magazine that inspire interior design. I want to do a study and watch them all.

Gods and Monsters

features a great painting studio and sexy pool

Marie Antoinette

features a ravishing shopping salon

The Madness of King George

features rich green English interior

Libeled Lady

features great pavilion to enjoy music and moonlight

Indiscreet

features chic fireplace, glamorous bedroom, and kitchen banquette

Don Giovanni

features Venetian villas and breathe-taking Palladian salon

Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan

features lovely study with enormous fireplace

Bridehead Revisited

features Castle Howard, a fanciful English country house

Funny Girl

features English-style mansion

Conversation Piece

features old world and super modern Roman palazzo

and one of my personal favorites for graphics used with sets...

Stranger Than Fiction

So your creative assignment of the week is to watch one of these movies and let me know what you think. I'll be watching them too to do the same.

All I Want for Christmas is... Shoes

I may be a shoe collector. Never realized this until someone pointed it out because I thought it was a natural girl thing.

I was making my Christmas list and started to look for boots, which led me to shoes, which led me to flats, which led me sandals. So anyway, Santa was good to me.

Matisse Women's Benjamin Button Boot

Review: Luxurious, great fit, classic

Pink Studio Women's Sonia Flat

Review: Classic and comfortable.

ASICS Women's GEL-Kayano 16 Running Shoe

My old tennis shoes hurt my feet when I workout so I went to a running store on Magazine St. and got my feet evaluated. The salesman recommended these to support my feet which tend to collapse when I stand. I also have a heel blistering problem, and he told me to always wear synthetic socks and to stay away from cotton.

Review: They feel great on, and I can't wait to use them.

Cobian Women's Nias Flip Flop

Review: Look good, had good reviews online but feel like they might hurt my inner toe.

Cobian Women's Brooke Flat

Review: Look good but feel a little stiff.

Miss Me Women's Lacey-13 Flower Ornament Flat

aka LSU Tailgate Shoes

Review: Quality not great but decent for the price. Comfy and cute.

Check out the cool bugeyed sign that my dad got me!

Took a gamble by ordering six pairs of shoes sight unseen online. Bought them from Endless.com and Shoes.com where the returns are supposed to be free and easy. You can order all of these shoes on Amazon. The links are highlighted in blue. I think I'll send back the flip flops and stick to Sanuk brand.