Category Archives: outfit

Outfit of the Day: 20s inspired

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Trying to evoke a sultry jazz baby look.

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Apparently you can see the outline of the bottom of my girdle from this shot. Not 20s authentic, I know. Ha!

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Dress: thrifted
Shoes: Clark’s
Jewelry: Piperlime
Hair: faux bob

For once, I’m not wearing a shred of black. Or a shred of 40s, 50s, early 60s, or 80s inspired toughness and rock-and-roll.

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The 20s are not a very strong period represented in my closet. I had a long-standing invitation to attend a 20s themed vintage party for a few months now, and I haven’t gone because I have nothing to wear. I know this is a poor excuse considering I sew, but the 20s aren’t particularly flattering to my figure, and I always feel slightly-too-fat in anything 1920s inspired, so I thought I’d cobble together something and somehow try to make it work.

I had a lot of fun at the party (more on this in a future post), and I definitely want something new to wear now next month, so I’ll probably be wearing something I’ve made in the next one. My next challenge will be finding silhouettes that are evocative of the 20s yet flattering to my not-very-rectangular non-1920s-ideal shape.

The door woman didn’t turn me away when I walked in (there’s a 20s dress code), so I guess it was fine.

What I Wore Today: Sencha’s Last Stand

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Front view 1, awkward pose.

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Side view 1, possibly bad ass pose.

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Blouse: Sencha, handmade fail
Pants: jeans, hand me down from my mom
Shoes: thrifted

When I’m too lazy to set my hair the night before, I default to some kind of classic look.

I’m on the verge of retiring this Sencha, and now I know why.

I made this a year or so ago out of polyester charmeuse. I was still new to sewing then and didn’t realize that quality fabrics were not polyester. Today it’s 80 degrees and very humid outside, and the material was not helping.

As for modifications, I cut the neckline a lot lower and made covered buttons. I finished the sides with French seams and learned how to work with a very slippery fabric. I also raised the darts by a good inch or so.

This version also needs about four inches added to the length. To remedy this I put a black chiffon top underneath it so I wouldn’t be tugging at it all day long.

I wore this to work today and I was mostly fine, until I had a meeting with our other devs and I was really self-conscious. It also rides up a lot because it’s so short.

Verdict: Definite Sencha fail. Definite charity donation.

One Week, One Pattern: Day 1

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Day 1: Jersey top, Burda 8155 skirt in plum suiting.

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Tilly is having a One Week, One Pattern challenge and I definitely am participating.

The pattern I’ve made most often is Burda 8155. The pattern is very simple to make and very versatile. It was also one of the first projects I’ve made that fits me properly and I still make skirts from this pattern.

Burda 8155.

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I’ve made this from plum suiting, floral Hawaiian fabric, polka-dot cotton sateen, faux leather, and black cotton sateen. Each version looks different and hopefully I have enough for the whole week.

Outfit: Simplicity 1554, styled

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Front view #1.

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Front view #2.

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Closeup of bracelets: lucite root beer colored bracelet with glitter, black faux bakelite.

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Closeup of brooch. I take all my pictures myself so sometimes there are erratic angles.

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Blouse: Simplicity 1554, homemade
Cardigan: H&M
Pants: Hand me down from my mom
Bracelets: Faux lucite and faux bakelite
Shoes: Penny loafers, Hush Puppies
Brooch: Brown thermoset flower brooch, ebay

I’ve been making more of an effort to wear my projects this year and the ones that get the most wear are the blouses. I’ve also wanted to document more of what I wear from a day to day basis to keep track of the projects that I do wear.

It might be the erratic, freezing cold days we’ve been having but lately I’ve been really drawn to casual wear from the 50s (straight cut plain slacks) combined with 40s elements (brooches, lucite bracelets). I walk to and from work so whatever I have to be wearing has to be practical. I’m also allergic to nickel and can’t wear most jewelry that isn’t real. We’re also not allowed to wear jewelry on the mat so I’m constantly taking off my jewelry before going to class (jiu jitsu), and I’d like something I wouldn’t have to worry about losing if I put it in my wallet: hence large lucite bracelets and brooches.

That reminds me: I need to sew more pants.