// #thriftstylethursday // Summer Nights

Date night doesn't happen often around here, but lately breakfast and lunch dates have been! So, when Kristi of Delightfully, Kristi challenged us to come up with a look for a date night (whether with our significant others or with the girls) I wanted to cover a more casual day look that would also translate to night as well...if such an event should happen anytime soon!

So, I decided to dive into my refashion stash since I had just the dress in mind for today's challenge. No before shots as it wasn't a major transformation, I simply took in the sides a bit to make it more fitted as it was about a size too big for me. Its a handmade dress I found at my local thrift store and I absolutely love the little gold diamond print on the basic black background.

For daytime, I decided on my denim jacket (not thrifted: Pilcro from Anthropologie) as it is a cooler day for us today. I picked out thrifted earrings and bangles, and an old pair of Payless flat sandals. Threw my hair in a topknot and if I get a little too warm, I can just take off the jacket and tie it at the waist!

For night, I added a yard sale multi-strand necklace, and switched out my flats for a pair of awesome thrifted wedges. The pattern on the wedge is pretty rad, and the black patent dresses things up just enough. Again, as the evening cools, the jacket goes back on!

Isn't the pattern on the dress just the cutest!?! So glad I decided to pull it out and tackle this easy fix. It took me under 30 minutes and now I've got a super versatile dress to add into my wardrobe (which after some drastic cuts is still abundant ;) lol).

What have the other ladies come up with, you ask? Well, click on their photos to find out! What thrifted look would you come up with for a date night?

Peace,
Andrea

// #thriftstylethursday // Sunshine On My Shoulders

Beth of Bethie the Boo chose the theme this week, Sunshine on My Shoulders, encouraging us to wear yellows and oranges...neither of which I wear normally ;). I have this one yellow top I thrifted and refashioned 2-3 years ago and I NEVER wear it. It's silk, but it doesn't quite sit right on me and is a little too oversized and falls too far forward...but mostly its the color. This came as a great challenge, because it brought to my attention this ill-fitting piece in my wardrobe I've been hanging onto 'just because'. Now the question is whether to fix it or pass it on.

One thing I like about the top is the button down back (previously the front). 

I don't love the scoop neckline as it doesn't lay smooth, but I do like the shape of the top overall.

I paired it with my thrifted Zara shorts, my thrifted coral espadrilles, and this thrifted leather purse I picked up yesterday.

These mint green drop earrings add another simple pop of color and are thrifted as well.

I wore this ensemble berry picking today with my son and a group of his school buddies now that summer break is in session. Lots of lovely strawberries and black raspberries found their way home with us and I'm already drooling over the strawberry rhubarb crumble and black raspberry jam I plan to make!

How do you think the other ladies did with this challenge to beat all challenges? ;) Hop on over to see how they styled yellow and/or orange! And don't forget Alison at Nouveau North Westerners :).

And how do you vote? Refashion the refashioned top? Or pass it on? Let me know...
Peace,

Andrea

Addicted to Stripes

So, by now it should be no secret that I love stripes....LOVE THEM!!! Especially when black and white or navy and white (also gray and white). I recently came across two dresses at two of my local thrift stores and quickly bought each. The first was a definite refashion candidate for a couple of reasons: nasty armpit stains and a bleach spot on one of the sleeves. It's made of a heavier knit, and the skirt was absolutely perfect as-is, so I decided to just tackle the bodice.

I started by sewing up each side taking them in by about an inch apiece, then cut off the excess including the sleeves. Next it was time to cut off the collar opening up the neckline a bit.

Next I shortened the straps by first sewing across them while right-side-out, trimming the excess, and flipping it inside out to enclose the raw edges in the seam.

Now, taking up the straps effectively brought the neckline back up, so I trimmed it down, then again until I got the look I was going for. I left the neckline edges raw and simply let the knit curl under on itself, but finished off the armholes with a simple topstitch on the folded edge.

I love the way it turned out, and its actually reversible if I ever want to wear the buttons in the front! Oh, I also sewed the button placket shut as it was gaping a bit. Super easy remake, and so easy to wear as well! Here's the before and after of it in action:

This next dress is an Asos maternity dress that I grabbed without trying it on. If I were a bit curvier then I may have left it as it was, but it was just a bit too voluminous and belting it left it bunching weirdly. No good. So, I turned it inside out, sewed up each side using a lightning stitch (good for knits on a regular machine), and trimmed off the excess.

Next I tackled the waist by creating two pleated gathers at each side of the waist and reinforcing it on the inside with the scraps I'd trimmed off.

Another super easy remake, that will be versatile and fun to wear as the weather heats up more each day! Love this one too :)

I like it with or without a belt, and will be getting tons of wear out of this one. What do you think? Do you like one more than the other? I love the bold stripe of this dress, but adore the classic fit and flare of the previous dress over the overall fit of this one. Either way, I'm excited to be sewing again and can't wait to tackle the next project.

Happy Refashioning!
Peace,
Andrea

// #thriftstylethursday // Stylist For A Day

I chose this week's theme of Stylist For A Day, encouraging us to give up styling control to someone we trust (very important) as a sort of exercise in seeing our wardrobes in a different light. I chose my 6 year old son for this most important task ;). And he did a great job! Take a look...

First, he started with these teal skinnies I bought at Marshall's 3 years ago. I've made adjustments to the waistband, but otherwise are in their original condition. They're definitely not the first pants I grab as I have 3-4 favorites (all denim), but with a couple of tweaks to the legs I may put them back in rotation...skinnier at the calves and add zips to the ankles? We'll see. His next pick was an olive green t-shirt, but decided the two greens didn't go, so he settled on the black and white striped t-shirt that I'd thrifted and refashioned over a year ago.

Continuing with the black trend (because its his favorite color and I told him it'd be cool today) he pulled out my thrifted black cardigan and Thredup black suede Nine West moccasins. Of course, upon seeing my purse collection this vintage tapestry knitting bag was the obvious choice for its black base and the castle. Obviously. This was an antique store purchase made while my boy was still a bun in the oven back in Michigan!!!

And then for the accessories! He asked to see anything with black and chose between a mixture of more modern and vintage pieces. The pendant was an ebay purchase from 5 years ago and this is my first time wearing it! It seems to be a piece converted from a pin to a pendant. The bangles are both thrifted, and the earrings are from Forever 21.

I have to say, I love this look! The August Silk cardigan is super comfy and I love the fitted silhouette it creates with this t-shirt. I love how he mixed up the accessories from different eras, and kept to a pretty basic color scheme. That's my boy! ;) After helping me put this together, he then asked my opinion on the outfit he was picking out for today...which included stripes and black as well. Lol! Hope you all enjoyed this post as much as I did, and be sure to see how the other ladies fared with their looks! We've got a new addition to the group, Alison, and you can check out her look as well. (She'll be added to our graphic soon).

Peace,
Andrea