outfits

Bamboo, Buttons and Berries

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wearing a navy blue top paired with a tan button front skirt and a bamboo purse in front of a mountain ash tree with berries

I’ve been wanting to get pictures of this outfit for a couple of months now, but if it wasn’t one thing it was another preventing me (too hot, rain, smoke, windy, sickness….) and now here we are in September. However, even though this is definitely a summer outfit, with sandals and bamboo, it all worked out because I got to take photos here in front of the beautiful mountain ash tree which is completely loaded with berries this year and is absolutely stunning! And fortunately, I got these photos before the cedar waxwings showed up and ate all the berries. 

So, there are quite a few “new” things in this outfit, which is why I’ve been wanting to share it.

blue collared shirt paired with a tan button front skirt

One- I haven’t done a lot of sewing this year, but one of the few projects was this new 1/2 circle, button front skirt. I made it in the Spring and it’s been so versatile for the summer season as I specifically wanted some more skirts that aren’t wraps. As much as I love a wrap skirt for summer, they don’t work for windy days! The buttonholes were a pain to sew, but they look lovely, so it was worth it. And it is a great seasonal transition piece as we head into Fall too.

close up photo of a gold chain with a single pearl pendant

Two- I finally got a pearl pendant necklace! Years ago when I got my pearl necklace restrung, they sent it back with one pearl loose from the necklace. I have no idea why they didn’t string it, but I saved it, obviously. I got a piece of gold wire from my sister and made a little loop and it turned out exactly like what I was looking for… even better since it was free.

round bottom bamboo purse

Three- I bought this cool bamboo bag secondhand on Poshmark. No, it is not Cult Gaia. Yes, it is a ludicrous purchase because how much can you put in a see through round bottom bag? But it’s a statement bag and I absolutely love it!

bamboo purse sitting in the grass in front of mountain ash berries

sheer net back of the navy blue blouse

Four- I got this navy blue blouse from a consignment store. It has a sheer net back, which I thought would be fine as I’d just wear a camisole underneath. However, my camisole was too low in the back, so it had this weird round spot that wasn’t opaque when I wore it. I conveniently had a blue t-shirt get a hole in it at the same time though, so I cut the back off of it and stitched it into place. It works perfectly and is even better as it means I don’t have to wear layers, which are always too hot in the summer months anyway.

twirling outside in front of the mountain ash tree

And that’s that for this outfit. I can’t believe that summer is almost at a close (the first day of Fall is on Sunday!) but this week it is definitely feeling more crisp outside, and when I went for a walk I was crunching through leaves. It’s my favourite time of year, so even though I always feel a little pensive when the seasons change, I am enjoying the cooler days and the winding down of the frantic summer pace.

button front skirt paired with a navy blue shirt

It’s time to begin transitioning my wardrobe too. This week I decluttered some summer pieces that were past their prime and started looking through the cold weather pieces to see whether I have any gaps I need to fill or if anything needs repair. We’ll have a few weeks of those weird weather days, when it’s still warm enough to wear wrap skirts and sandals, while I’m simultaneously getting in the mood for wool and boots!

Do you struggle with transitioning your wardrobe, or does the change of seasons happen quickly where you live? Are you holding on to your sandals or looking forward to boots?

back of the outfit

navy blue blouse with collar paired with a single pearl dainty necklace

holding a bamboo bag outside in front of a mountain ash tree loaded with berries

 

Gingham and a Tiny Teacup

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wearing a gingham skirt and a navy t-shirt paired with a cognac leather tote standing outside beside a flowering lilac hedge

I’m ready for a miniature tea party in my new gingham wrap skirt and tiny teacup necklace! After I took these photos I thought I really should have paired this outfit with my new basket purse, to lean into that picnic vibe. Oh well; I will make sure to wear it next time.

tiny teacup and saucer charm necklace

wearing a cinnamon coloured gingham wrap skirt paired with a navy top posing beside a lilac hedge in bloom

I sewed this skirt last September, which was rather late in the year, so I only wore it once before the weather changed, and never got pictures of it then.

I’ve had this fabric for over ten years, and was originally planning on making a shirtwaist dress out of it. However, over the years my body changed, and my ideas changed, and I never got around to actually drafting a pattern. And then sometimes the longer you have a piece of fabric earmarked for a project, the more you realize that you want to make something different out of it. This happened to a few pieces of fabric in my stash last year when I did colour draping and discovered that some of my favourite fabrics weren’t my best colours. Not all of them were bad, but this one (and a coordinating calico that I bought at the same time) were much too warm for me. I had already made the calico into a dress that I didn’t like on me (it’s now a lovely apron!) so I knew that it was time for a change of plans for this gingham.

gingham wrap skirt waistband tie

While it was a bit of a “safe” choice, I settled on another wrap skirt, this time a 1/2 circle. I keep making these skirts (I now have four!) but they are just so easy to make, comfortable to wear and are adjustable. The reality is that in the summer my default uniform is a skirt and a t-shirt, so that’s what is practical for me to spend my time making. That’s not to say that I don’t have plans to sew other things as well, but for this fabric, a 1/2 circle skirt was the perfect quick, easy and useful thing to make. I cut the skirt in one 1/2 circle piece, added another 1/4 circle piece for the wrap underneath and finished it off with a simple tie waistband. It only took a couple of days, and I now I’ve got another piece of fabric out of my stash and into my closet!

For this outfit I paired it with a navy t-shirt, leather tote bag, flats and a teacup necklace. My Gramma gave me these charms, which I think were from the craft store beading section and I simply threaded them onto two chain necklaces. I like wearing them on two chains, although they do tangle, so sometimes I just wear the teacup and skip the saucer.

delft blue and white miniature teacup and saucer necklace

a portrait surrounded by bright purple lilac blooms

The lilac blooms were stunning this year, especially compared to last year’s tiny blooms that came in the middle of a hot and dry spell, although this year they fully opened right in the midst of a rainy week. Even though this might not have been the most colour coordinated outfit to go with the purples (blogger problems!) I was glad to be able to catch some outfit pictures right at the end before they started fading.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer, and Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians!

bright purple lilac blooms

a portrait surrounded by light purple lilac blooms

holding a cognac leather tote bag, paired with a gingham wrap skirt and navy tshirt, walking beside a flowering lilac hedge

a navy t-shirt paired with a miniature teacup and saucer necklace

single dark purple lilac bloom surrounded by leaves

Feeling Blue

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navy blue knee length dress with a blue ribboned straw hat, navy blue shoes and a matching blue purse

No, I’m not “feeling blue”, but I thought it made a good title for this monochromatic blue outfit I wore on Easter! Which was three weeks ago…it’s just taken me this long to finally post these photos.

I had a fleeting thought of sewing a new dress for Easter, but then realized I didn’t want to try and hurry that, so back to my tried and true navy blue dress it was. Paired with my navy leather purse, some new-old shoes and a straw hat (which I sewed a matching ribbon for), it was the perfect classic look for the day. And that’s pretty much all I have to say about this outfit, aside from the fact that I look a bit red in these pictures because it was so cold when we took them- I was definitely wishing for a warm jacket.

We’re in that weird between-seasons time of year, where I’m no longer in the mood to wear wool and tweed, but it’s not quite warm enough yet for the wrap skirts. I’ve been wearing things from both my winter and summer wardrobe, but I’ll be happy when I can actually pack away my winter things for the season!

straw hat with a fabric bow detail on the back

easter bonnet straw hat with a fabric ribbon detail paired with a navy blue dress with cross patterns on it

hexagon resin earrings close up

Vintage inspired navy blue dress paired with a straw hat, blue high heels and a large blue leather purse

white hexagon earrings and cross necklace closeup

dainty gold cross necklace

The Last Plaid Skirt

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tan, black and cream 1/2 circle skirt paired with a black sweater, beret and boots

Did I say, when I finished sewing this skirt, that this would be the last plaid skirt I ever sewed? Yes.

Is this the last plaid skirt I will ever sew? Probably not.

tan, black and cream plaid skirt with diagonal pattern matching

I can’t help it- I just love plaid! Despite being the worst pattern, aside from stripes, to work with, I always love the finished result, so I’m sure when the memory of sewing this project fades, I’ll pull out another lovely piece and naively start a new project. Tears or rage shall ensue while sewing, but in the end they, hopefully turn to tears of joy when the project is finished and hanging in my closet.

plaid skirt side view, paired with a black top, beret and fur edged boots

So, yes, this is my latest sewing project. I mentioned it a while ago in this post. Several years ago I purchased a reversible plaid pleated skirt from the thrift store. It wasn’t in the best of condition, with a few stains scattered throughout, and a hole in the waistband, but I knew I could take it apart and use the wool for a new project. (I got this idea from American Duchess years ago!) I’ve discovered over the past few years that I really like 1/2 or 3/4 circle skirts, and there was just enough fabric to squeeze a 1/2 circle skirt out of it with four panels. I was able to line up the side seams on the diagonal, but not along the dominant, black line, so I put the straight line on the front and the diagonal seams on the sides. Another thing I’ve learned about sewing plaid is that while I am sewing it, I notice every seam, but once it’s finished, I don’t notice any “wonkiness” as much. While I, of course, try my best (even including hand stitching the front and back seam and zipper in place to ensure the lines were straight), once I’ve finished, I have to come to a point of saying, “That’s not just good, it’s good enough.”

grandmother's buttons mother of pearl monogram necklace

tan, black and cream plaid half circle skirt paired with ankle boots, a beret and a leather tote bag

In other news, I mentioned in this post that I was on the lookout for a leather tote bag- and I found one! I got it on Poshmark (about 10 minutes after the person listed it, strangely enough) for a great price, and it’s just about perfect. The size is excellent for holding everything I need when I go to church, and I really like the pebbled leather finish since it’s not too rustic. The only thing I’d change is if it was a bit more brown/cognac and less orange, to pair with my shoes and boots, but that’s not a big deal.

leather tote bag made in italy

I’m glad I finished this skirt in time to have a chance to wear it this season, before the weather turns completely into Springtime. Even though the calendar may say we are officially in Spring, we might get a bit more Winter yet. It’s wonderfully warm right now, though, and the snow is melting fast. I won’t pack away all of my woollens quite yet, but have started transitioning my closet in anticipation.

Happy Spring everyone!

large faux pearl headed hatpin

leather tote bag paired with a plaid skirt and black beret and boots

holding leather tote bag paired with a vintage style plaid skirt

back of plaid 1/2 circle skirt

Now That It’s Spring | Capsule Wardrobe Part 2

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wearing a houndstooth patterned brown winter skirt paired with a black sweater, black mary jane shoes, a floral preserved necklace standing outside in front of a pine tree

So now that it’s spring… here’s an outfit from my winter capsule wardrobe! I’ve been meaning to get a photo of this skirt ever since I sewed it last fall, but here we are already in April. I figured I had better post this outfit before Easter at least!

I sewed this skirt along with this plaid one, last fall to create a “capsule wardrobe” of sorts. I absolutely loved my wardrobe this past season, and I’m kind of sad to have to start packing winter items away, switching them for spring and summer items. Although, I am happy to have warmer days ahead!

wearing a black 3/4 length sleeve sweater and a brown houndstooth patterned circle skirt

houndstooth skirt detail

I bought a bunch of this brown and black houndstooth fabric more than ten years ago with the intention of making a 1950’s suit. I didn’t feel confident at the time to sew a suit jacket though, and as it turns out, it was just as well that I didn’t go to the time and effort to do that. While I absolutely love the pattern and colour of this fabric, I would never buy it today. It’s synthetic, with an elastane woven through it, which made it terrible to sew without puckering (imagine trying to sew a collar!) and sadly, even though I only wore it for one season, it’s already pilling. I’m going to see if I can rescue this skirt with a shaver, because it’s been a great piece for my wardrobe since it coordinates so well with other pieces in my closet. It’s got a bit of a greenish undertone to it, which doesn’t come through in the photos at all, so it doesn’t work with most of my other browns, but I love how it looks with black, and it also pairs nicely with the antique brass of this necklace.

tanjay sweater with french knot detail and a pressed flower necklace

This sweater was a recent thrift store fine (one of those rare occasions when you find a whole bunch of beautiful pieces to bring home!) and I’ve already worn it a few times because it’s so lovely. It’s by the brand Tanjay, which I always think of as a “mature” brand, but the best thing about buying pieces from those sorts of brands is that they tend to be good quality, and not “fast fashion”. This one has a beautiful french knot detail across the front…this would be a lovely way to spruce up a plain sweater, wouldn’t it?

Well, that’s pretty much all I have to share for this outfit. I’ve been wearing a lot of these simpler, pared back outfits..not even adding in a hat. As much as I love accessories, it’s been a nice change.

We’ve still got lots of snow cover, as you can see, so I’ll be wearing these cool weather clothes for a while yet, but I’ve already started on some new summer sewing projects in anticipation of warmer days!

ps. if you notice that in all of the photos I am looking at the ground or squinting, that’s because it was so incredibly bright out! 

wearing a black and brown houndstooth circle skirt and black sweater with a pressed flower necklace and mary jane shoes standing outside in front of a pine tree

black and brown houndstooth sweater paired with mary jane shoes

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