I wanted to work on the June style post, but I can’t find the skirt that I wanted to include.
Somebody blogged about some skirts recently (within the last 2 weeks or so), and they were from a smaller, independent shop. They were all different, but most had a design going vertically down the front center. I thought I remembered some owls or another sort of folksy pattern… Oh, and they came in lots of sizes (up to 3X for many styles).
Anybody have any clue what I’m thinking of?
I bought a darling brown and white dress (on sale!), which led me to do some internet window shopping. I had such fun creating my Ladylike outfit a couple of months ago that I thought I’d have another go at it. Perhaps I’ll make it a monthly feature?
I love big, roomy bags like The Market Bag by moop, and I have those cute Evana Wedge Sandals from Target (very comfortable). I’ve had the Green & Yellow Molecule Necklace by dejarnette new orleans on my wishlist for a little while now, and it would be really cute with the Confectionery Readers from Anthropologie. Then of course, there’s the dress that inspired the whole look, the Striped V-Neck Dress from Banana Republic. Love it! I’m so into brown and white lately, like this new pocket mirror that I designed.
I’m in the mood for some new (prescription) glasses now. I wish they weren’t so expensive…
I have been neglecting my wardrobe. I love cute, feminine clothes, but it seems like all of the dresses I’ve purchased lately have been of the $25 polyester/spandex variety. Likewise, I’ve been buying cheap, low-quality shoes. Cute enough and certainly affordable, but hardly luxe.
Time to remedy that.
I figured I’d approach this the same way I do a room, hence the little mockup. Making ME lovely, I suppose.
I already own the “Deco” shoes (the exception to my cheap shoes of late) and the gold bracelet, so that’s a good start.
The purse I’ve had on my wishlist went on sale (35% off!), so I went ahead and bought it. I also needed to buy a new wallet because mine was starting to fall apart. My driver’s license and debit card would just go flying out whenever I opened it. My friend Genie and I went shopping yesterday, and I found THE ONE. It’s gorgeous, truly. The inside is my favorite shade of lilac/pink, and the billfolds and change compartment are lined with adorable stripes! The only problem: it was quite a bit more that I was planning to spend. The wallet will last for years and years though, so yes – I bought that too.
Now, I’ve been upgrading my accessories, but I haven’t to gotten to any actual items of clothing yet… I’d love to have Banana Republic’s Cap-sleeve Silk Dress (now on my wishlist), or J. Crew’s Chambray Oxford Dress (also added to the wishlist), but I went with the Spotty Tea Dress from Boden . That little dress is just perfect. I love the style, the scale of the polka dots, and the color (pink!). Oh, and good news for many: the dress sizes at Boden go up to the equivalent of a US size 18.
In theory, I believe you should opt for fewer high-quality items than many inferior goods. I just haven’t been very good about putting that into practice. It’s not about price as much as it is about waiting for something with style (instead of buying another basic piece). I’m good at mixing high and low in my home, but not in my closet. I see a purse that’s $350 and shy away, but I’ll end up with five $70 purses without thinking twice (and I’ll give half of them away to friends or goodwill a year later).
I don’t even buy things that often, so what’s my excuse for not waiting for quality? I hereby pledge to do better! I’d rather have one beautiful shirt than five plain tees. I’d rather have one nice pair of shoes than a closet full of cheap plastic ones. If a dress is only so-so, it’s a no-no (sorry, that was cheesy). I’m not swearing off Target or H&M, but I do NOT need another black jersey dress – even if it is only $25.
What about you? Do you go for quality or quanity? An equal mix of the two?
I’ve finished my second purse! It was much more complex than my first, and there was a lot of hand stitching involved.
(I’m lovin’ those Deco Remix shoes.)
I used Indygo Junction’s “Metropolitan” pattern, from purlsoho.com (scroll down a bit – it’s halfway down the page).
It may not be perfect, but I’m really pleased with the finished project!
'F' for Fabric, Crafty (& Handy), Style • 46 Comments • January 22, 2008
Yes, they’re trendy… which is why I was happy to only spend $20 on them. Thanks, Payless!
I’m standing on a new rug, in front of the leaf of a new table in this photo. More on that soon…
