vintage inspired

A New Wardrobe “Building Block” for Spring (And Lilacs!)

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standing in front of a hedge of blooming lilac flowers holding a basket of flowers and wearing a green top and a tan skirt

I sewed a new skirt! At first glance it might look exactly like this 1/2 circle skirt I sewed last fall, but there are a few key differences. I bought this fabric at the same time as the other, and although it looks the same as the other skirt, it is a slightly rosier shade. When I got the fabric, I thought it was maybe too red to pair with anything else in my closet, and I ended up buying some of the other fabric from my mom to make the button-front skirt. However, it actually only looks red when you compare it with the other fabric. I realized after I had sewed the other button-front skirt, that while I absolutely love it, the buttons make it a warm weather skirt- it just seems out of place in the fall time.

half circle skirt made out of tan fabric paired with a green top and a basket purse

So, I decided I would make the other fabric into a skirt that could bridge the warm and cool weather seasonal transitions. I had planned to make a skirt with slash pockets, or perhaps with belt loops and a matching belt, or perhaps with pockets with fold down flaps…the possibilities were endless! But that was the problem- the possibilities were endless, and I knew that if I wanted to implement any of them, I would have to draft them and test them with a mockup before I could cut into my good fabric. And I also knew that would take time, and while I did that I would wish to be wearing the skirt…so I ended up making the most boring skirt possible- a 1/2 circle with no pockets, an invisible back zipper, and a machine stitched hem! And it turned out beautifully, only taking a couple of days to sew (including time to let it hang and stretch) and I have been wearing it non-stop for the past two months.

standing in front of a hedge of lilacs covered in purple blooms

It truly is one of those wardrobe “building blocks” that form a great foundation for all of the more fun “statement” pieces to rest on. However, as I mentioned before, I don’t actually have a lot of fun, statement tops right now, so this flutter sleeve t-shirt will have to do for now. I haven’t had any luck finding any nice blouses that fit in the thrift shops, or even in the new shops, so I am eyeing up some of my sewing patterns and thinking of beginning a new sewing project. I just finished sewing a dress, (which I will post soon) and for the first time in years don’t really have any sewing work-in-progress projects! The sewing possibilities are open before me… which one will I choose?

lilac blooms

holding a bouquet of lilacs in front of a lilac hedge

Oh, and of course, I had to get these photos beside the lilac hedge while it was gloriously in bloom! I got attacked by many mosquitoes in the process, but at least I enjoyed the beautiful scent of the flowers as a compensation! They are such a short lived blossom, that you have to get out and enjoy them before they are gone!

gold hexagon shaped bee necklace

standing in front of a hedge of lilac blooms wearing a tan circle skirt and a green flutter sleeve top

basket purse full of lilacs

A New Wardrobe Workhorse

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plaid skirt paired with a black shirt and a pendant necklace in front of a fall coloured valley

I’ve had some kind of black shirt like this in my closet for about 6 years now. Starting with this version, and then moving on to this version, and now finally this current version. They’ve all been a knit rayon fabric, and are little bit dressier than a plain t-shirt because of their drapey fabric and round neckline (and in the past, kimono sleeves). But for a style of top that I wear in constant rotation, they’ve each only made it to the blog once! That doesn’t really make sense, but it sort of does, because I didn’t use to document as many of the “everyday” outfits, and the outfit photos I featured were more of the “Sunday” outfits.

twirling the plaid skirt paired with black penny loafer shoes

black drapey rayon shirt paired with an antique button long pendant necklace

But, this outfit is the kind of thing I wear a lot lately (for Sunday too). Everything in this outfit is a wardrobe workhorse; the plaid skirt I sewed two winters ago which is made of the perfect colour palette to coordinate with almost everything in my wardrobe, the trusty old penny loafers I’ve had for 9 years and the antique button pendant necklace I got from the boutique I used to work at.

antique button pendant necklace

A t-shirt and a coordinating skirt is my outfit formula; in winter paired with a cardigan, scarf and tights, and in the summer paired usually with just jewelry. It’s such a versatile formula and is comfortable and easy to wear, while still being feminine, so I keep going back to it again and again.

plaid skirt paired with a black dressy t-shirt outside on a cool fall day

fall colours in a landscape valley

standing in the grasses looking out through the valley

So, for today, an ode to my favourite black shirt. Several years ago (OK, I just checked and it was 7 years ago!) I wrote an ode to my favourite cream coloured peasant shirt. When that one wore out, this one stepped into it’s place. It’s a completely different style of shirt, but is just as versatile as that one was. This current version is, unfortunately, a cheap fast fashion one and it’s starting to get a little worse for wear so I am on the lookout for one to replace it; one of better quality this time since I see no sign of tiring of it in the future.

plaid skirt paired with a black top with a rounded neckline outside in a grassy area

Do you have any “tried and true” pieces you keep wearing and replacing? Do you have an outfit “formula” or “uniform”?

prairie grasses with a grey blue sky in the background

plaid skirt and black shirt standing in the prairie grasses

back view of the outfit looking down into a fall coloured valley with a grey blue sky

Fall Colours and Fur Collars

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walking under golden leaved trees wearing a peach floral skirt, a green cardigan and a fur collar

Try to say that title three times fast! We’ve had such a lovely warm fall that wearing a fur collar has actually felt a bit out of place, and too warm for me but, as of today, the temperatures are into single digits and the chill is making me want to finally bundle up and add layers.

All of these pieces are old favourites, except for the camisole which perfectly coordinates with my cardigan. That doesn’t usually happen with greens.

Anyways, I don’t really have anything else to add, so that’s all for now. I hope your week will be a lovely one. ❤︎

fur collar detail paired with a green cardigan

gold leaves on arched tree branches

gold and red leaves

wearing a fall coloured outfit of peach and green and brown outside under golden leaved trees

closeup of fur collar tied with a ribbon paired with a green cardigan

brown leather structured purse paired with a peach floral skirt and green cardigan

walking under a canopy of golden leaved tree branches

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

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