born in black & white

ABSTRACT: My objective is to prove that the following formula is true: black + white + buttons = classy-as-hell

Perhaps it is the allusion to classic black and white art photography. Or perhaps it is the polite nod to the ultimate in classy formal attire: the tuxedo. Whatever the underlying cause, black and white clothing just radiates elegance. Add some buttons to the mix and you've got instant classy.

Figure I:

I made this classy-as-hell top out of plain old t-shirt jersey knit. Boring right? But since I used black and white fabric and adorned it with buttons... tada. Classic.

Figure II:

I made this classy-as-hell dress for a semi-formal dinner. Since I have no money, I had to make this out of fabric that I already owned. Yikes. Plain cotton plus cheap poly satin would normally end up an ugly mess, but, well, you get it by now: black + white + buttons = classy-as-hell

Disclaimer: The classy-as-hell formula, like all fashion formulas, becomes null when used with shoulder pads, skorts, white pleather pants and crocs. Sorry, but these items can never be classy-as-hell.

Ruffle tunic tank

Summer is alllllllmosttttt here, so I decided to whip up this tank top last night. I recycled a big goodwill tee-- the sleeves became the neck ruff and the front lining.

I totally love it and I can't wait till it's warm enough to wear it out!

More photos:
no belt
ribbon belt
w/ high-waist skirt

Cuff bracelets

So a little while ago I started watching old episodes of Firefly online. I got instantly hooked and basically watched the entire series in about four or five days. Naturally, I felt like a lazy bum just sitting at my computer watching an old tv show for hours on end, so I had to find something to keep my hands busy. I settled on jewelry-making, and that, dear reader, is how these bracelets came to be.

This is my favorite. I cut up an ugly old purse to make the leather strap. Then I made some roses by sewing gold beads to a small felt circle base, which i then sewed onto the strap. it closes with two snaps and looks super sexy.

I already mentioned this one in my post about the grey top, but I thought I'd give a close up. I copied it from a bracelet I saw at freepeople.com for $118. Yikes. here's a link to the picture--expensive bracelet and here's a pic of the one I made...

There really isn't much difference between the two. Except that mine didn't cost me a cent. For the strap, I used the leftover scraps of leather from a purse I reconstructed. Then I just sewed on some beads that I already had. Do people actually pay $118 for this? Wow.

Wristlets

I've been sewing old clothes into new clothes ever since eighth grade, but until just recently it had never occurred to me to sew old purses into new purses. Sorry these cell phone pictures are so crappy...



Here's what it looked like before--http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g157/lancaster5/0215091739.jpg



I didn't get a before picture for this one, but trust me, it was ugly.

I never really understood the point of wristlets until I turned 21 and started going to bars and clubs. I get it now.

Cropped cardigan thingy

It's easy to recycle a huge plain t-shirt into something chic and new, but what about all those free tees covered in ugly graphics and advertising? If you don't want to work with the graphic, then you have to find a way to work around it. I got this shirt for free from one of my uncle's basketball games. It had a huge superman S graphic on the front with "AU spartans!" written across the bottom, slightly uncentered and tilted and weird looking. Here's what I made it into--



When I started making the cardigan, I wasn't really sure what it would look like or how I would make it. I just sort of started cutting up the t-shirt around the graphic. I pieced it together with the trial and error method, and somehow I ended up with this cute little garment. Sometimes you just have to dive straight in and see what you end up with.

Lent

Sometimes I give things up for Lent even though I’m not Catholic. This year, I decided to give up buying new clothes and accessories. That includes everything. No new shirts, jeans, jewelry, purses, and (gasp!) shoes. I waste so much money on clothes and stuff that I don’t need and really aren’t that great anyway. Plus, I rock at sewing and making stuff myself, so I kind of see this as an opportunity to get creative and be more self sufficient.

So the first thing I made after ash wednesday was this pretty grey top with drapey sleeves. I made it out of an old XL t-shirt, so it’s super comfy and soft. I also made that bracelet and that necklace; I copied both of them from jewelry I saw on freepeople.com (their stuff is EXPENSIVE, yikes).