vintage inspired

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

My Winter Capsule Wardrobe | Plaid Circle Skirt

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plaid winter circle skirt paired with brown accessories and sweater

It is a truth universally acknowledged that outfit photos are hard to get in the Winter…or maybe I’ve just gotten weak? Years ago I used to brave wind and sub zero temperatures to get photos for the blog, but the past few years I’ve opted to take indoor photos, or none at all! But, finally this past week I braved the cold (and of course the wind started blowing as soon as we went outside) to get some photos of my new Fall/Winter skirt.

brown and black plaid circle skirt paired with a chocolate brown sweater and fur collar

Over the past couple of seasons I have decluttered a lot of clothing and accessories, significantly reducing my wardrobe. I sold a lot of pieces that didn’t feel like “me” anymore, as well as items that didn’t fit, keeping only the items I absolutely, without-a-doubt loved to wear. While this was great, it did leave me with a slightly too minimal wardrobe for winter, consisting of only a few tops and a single black wool skirt! So, I decided that I needed a few more pieces to get through the season.

I’ve had this plaid fabric in my stash for over 10 years, but I’ve never had enough yardage for any of the projects I planned (a jacket, a cape etc. It must have been a remnant, because there was only just over a metre or so.) When looking to sew a few new pieces for my winter wardrobe, I realized that it would make a great skirt. I did have a few hiccups in the process, and if I was sewing it again today, I would definitely make some changes to the process.

Did I plan to have the zipper on the side, but then discovered that the fabric didn’t fall properly that way, so I had to switch to a back zipper after I’d already cut and sewn the waistband on?

Did that cause the waistband plaid pattern to be misaligned with the skirt? But then it couldn’t be picked out because the fabric was too loose of a weave and had started to fray?

And then, once I sewed the zipper in, did I realize that the skirt was about 2″ too big, so I had to unpick the perfectly sewn zipper, and then redo the back, and then the zipper didn’t go in as nicely as the first time?

Sigh, the joys of sewing.

plaid retro circle skirt paired with a brown structured purse and oxford shoes

However, despite the fact that the waistband really does bother me, the most important thing is that I finished the skirt and have been wearing it quite a lot this season. I also like how the plaid pattern falls on a curve (this is one of my favourite tricks for dressing my body type.) I love the movement the circle skirt gives to the plaid pattern!

As for my winter wardrobe colour palette, I went with a main colour of brown, with accents of taupe and black; basically all of the colours in this skirt. I chose to add in tops and accessories that can mix and match; such as this chocolate brown pullover sweater. My capsule consists of three skirts, one dress, five stand-alone tops, three shells/layering tops, two cardigans and a myriad of accessories. I have really enjoyed going to my closet to get dressed and instantly being able to put together several possible outfits, because almost everything goes with everything else!

cinnamon brown fur collar tied with a ribbon and paired with a brown pullover sweater

And then of course I keep it from getting repetitious by changing up the accessories. At least now most of my accessories coordinate with the majority of pieces. For example, I was finally able to pair this fur collar I got two years ago. In the pictures they don’t quite look like they coordinate, but in real life the colours go well together. I’ve also paired this same brown sweater and skirt with my green cape and felt hat, or even switched to a black sweater, shoes and beret for a completely different look.

brown coloured plaid skirt and accessories and sparkly ear hugger earrings

As for these accessories, they are all items I’ve worn a lot, and continue to love wearing. The earrings are Pika and Bear and were a gift, the purse is from Top Vintage, the shoes are from Earthies and the fur collar was a vintage one that I sewed a ribbon tie onto.

Well, I can’t say that I’m going to be any quicker to get outfit photos for the remainder of the winter weather, but I will try to at least get some of the other skirt I sewed.

I hope you’re all having a great week, and staying warm!

wearing a plaid circle skirt paired with a brown pullover sweater and fur collar.

Vintage Covers: Vogue December 1964, Ring in the Bling

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Vintage Vogue cover inspired photo featuring a gold and blue eyshadow with a silver scarf

There is no fear of blending in with the crowd when you ring in the New Year with this kind of flair! Featuring a stunning, sparkly gold and blue statement eye, paired with a silver headscarf, everyone will be asking, “Who’s that girl?”

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vogue magazine cover from 1964 featuring a model wearing a silver head scarf and sparkly blue and gold eyeshadow

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I thought I’d ring in this new year with a casual blue and gold eyeshadow look! Inspired by this Vogue cover from 1964, this was a very fun #myvintagecover to recreate. I haven’t done one for such a long time, and this one went together so perfectly. (All thanks to my sister because of her skill with the makeup, photography and lights. All I did was model and then edit the photo afterwards!)

Well, I hope you have all had a lovely Christmas season and are looking forward to celebrating the New Year; here’s to 2023!

All in the Details

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wearing a tan wrap skirt and a black top and shoes standing in a field with fall coloured trees in the background

When you have a minimalist or capsule wardrobe, it really is all in the details! If you’re wearing a combination of the few same pieces over and over again, changing your necklace or shoes can make it feel like a whole new outfit. Well, sort of?

wearing a black star patterned t-shirt with a tan wrap skirt and standing among the grass with yellow trees behind

To be honest, I sometimes wonder whether I should even post these kinds of outfits, since there isn’t much of a difference to see from the last few times I wore it… but since most of us don’t have the wardrobe of the Royal Family, wearing outfits again and again is reality. And while most of us own more than a single “Sunday best”, when you come up with a new combination, or add a new accessory, it definitely feels noteworthy.

It’s actually kind of hard to have a blog and not get sucked into the trap of thinking you need to post something new every time. But posting about the times I re-wear pieces is not only more realistic, it’s also so much better for the wallet…and the landfill. And besides, when I put hours of time into sewing a piece, or saving up to buy an item, I do want to wear it as much as I can!  I don’t understand our culture’s obsession with fast fashion. I want even my cheaper items to last forever, and am sad when inevitably “moth and rust destroy”.

wearing a black v-neck star patterned shirt with a brass snake necklace with an abandoned shed and fall trees in the background

yellow and green fall poplar leaves

detail of an antique brass snake necklace on a long chain

So, regarding this outfit, I’ve worn this favourite homesewn rayon-linen skirt many times this summer, but this time I paired it with a new thrifted geometric patterned t-shirt, a brass snake pendant I bought at a craft sale from Burlap Sac, and these laser cut peep toe heels for a fresh look.

detail of laser cut leather peep toe high heels in black leather

Sadly, these shoes are no longer a part of my wardrobe because when I wore them, I remembered why I never do. While the outers are leather, the insoles are not, which makes them really uncomfortable. My feet couldn’t slide in them properly, and so they felt very pinchy and stuck, even though the footbed fit well. It reminded me of why I always buy good quality shoes: life’s too short to wear uncomfortable shoes. (Ps. not only are quality shoes more comfortable, but they will instantly elevate your outfit.) I only paid a dollar at the thrift store for these, so I don’t mind sending them back!

holding a heart shaped yellow poplar leaf

standing in front of a yellow tree wearing a black t-shirt and tan skirt with a closeup of yellow poplar leaves

abandoned gas tank with yellow trees and a cloudy sky behind it

Well, I can’t believe that we’re already in October and I’m still able to wear lightweight skirts and open toed shoes; we have had a delightfully warm and long Fall. But, the leaves are almost all gone, and the bare trees are sweeping the sky, which means it’s time to finally pull out the Winter woollens. My Winter wardrobe is pitifully bare at the moment and, while I like having a capsule wardrobe, I don’t think I want it to be quite that minimal. It’s time to sew some more pieces or I won’t have much to mix and match this season!

spinning in a grassy area wearing a tan wrap skirt and black v-neck tshirt with black peep toe high heels

tan grass seedhead

Anyways, that was a bit of a scattered and rambley post, but I’m just getting over a head cold and I can’t think of anything else to say or a better way to say what I have written, so I guess I’ll leave it as such!

Do you tend to repeat outfits? What are your favourite ways to freshen up your outfits? Are you excited for the seasonal changes of outfits, or are you sad to say goodbye to the last season?

standing in front of a bare harvested field with trees in the distance

yellow poplar leaves silhouetted agains the sky and trees in the background

looking across the valley with trees in the distance

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