Week 5 || Me-Made June 2011

Last Week! 

Monday, June 27: Poised and Polished

I made this sweet little top over the weekend out of the remnants of another project. I'm IN LOVE with this fabric! It drapes well, breathes well, and the pattern will be great camouflage if I spill anything on myself (which happens more often than I'd like to admit.) I picked up the topper at a CAbi show this weekend, and I think I'm going to wear it with practically everything in my closet!

• Top: S4076
• Necklace: Me-made
• Topper: CAbi
• Cuff and Trousers: NY&Co.

Tuesday, June 28: Ruffle Up, Buttercup!

This frilly little tank is just fun to wear! It's got some troubling construction problems and ravels like mad at the seams (which I have to fix every time I wear it), but I was a newer sewer when I made it, and I've learned my lesson about the importance of proper seam finishes. Had to add a cardi because it's raining and muggy today.

• Tuxedo Tank: NL6356
• Trousers, Cuff, Necklace and Sweater: NY&Co.

Wednesday, June 29: Cropped Down

Not sure that this was my BEST choice this week...I look a little blockish and I blame the crops. I'm digging this dress-cut-down-to-tunic top, tho, and am pleased with how versatile it is in my wardrobe. I've worn it twice this month! 

• Stained Glass Top: S2550
• Necklace: Made by me
• Crops: MacPhee Workshop Party Pants

Thursday, June 30: Bright Spot

This is probably my favourite outfit choice for the entire month of June. I was hoping for better weather, but decided not to let that stop me from wearing it today. Truth be told, this outfit is pretty similar to what I wear all summer long when the weather gets hot. I really enjoy how an A-line skirt makes my waist look smaller!

• Red Knot Top: S4076
• Skirt: Self-drafted
• Jacket: Thrifted

It's been a fun, but trying month for Me-Made-June. Since the weather hasn't been nice enough, I've missed showing you a few fun dresses and some sassy skirts. I've heard that, as of tomorrow, the weather will be turning warmer, and I couldn't be more pleased. I'll be able to show you my 5 NEW Dresses! I'm pleased with how much sewing I accomplished in June!

Week 4 || Me-Made June 2011

Heading Into the Home Stretch!

 

Monday, June 20: Third Time's A Charm

This chic little number is fantastic! I love that it's reversible, that it packs down to practically nothing, and that it's easy to dress up or down. This is the third time I've made this dress, so I really like it! This time, I used Sandra Betzina's method and lined only the skirt so I wouldn't have to hem it. I'll do just about ANYTHING to get out of hemming!

• LB(rown)D travel dress: M6069
• Necklace: Made by me (I bled for this little piece of stained glass!)
• Jean Jacket: Calvin Klein

Tuesday, June 21: Going In Circles

It was 83º here today, so I thought I wear a summer dress. I made this knit dress when I started sewing a few years ago. It gets a TON of wear in the warmer months and the circles hide a multitude of sins. What's not to love?

• Dress: S3503
• Necklace & Bracelet: Made by me
• Cardi: Refashioned

Wednesday, June 22: Solid Gold

The weather turned warm-ish (hence the wrap), so it's time to rock my gold top! I bought the sky-high wedges and white pants last weekend, and couldn't resist wearing them ASAP. I can't believe I made it through an entire day without getting something on these pants! Last time I wore white pants, they made it two hours before I spilled coffee on them. I thought I was cursed.

• Top: NL6356
• Necklace/pants/shoes: NY&Co.
• Cuff: Made by Me
• Pashmina: Ebay

Thursday, June 23: Channeling Chanel

Cold and rainy again today, so it was a great opportunity to wear my Chanel jacket. It was my greatest sewing achievement this year. I feel like I'm a grown-up when I wear this, since it so fancy!

• Chanel jacket: V7975
• Necklace, Pants and Tank Top: NY&Co.
• Shoes: Thrifted (Patent Crocodile! Yay!)

Friday, June 24: Red Hot

This swing cardi is getting a lot of wear these days. The weather is still...variable here in June, so I needed something to keep me warm. I rarely wear this tank, so it was fun to break it out. I really like the red and brown combination!

• Swing Cardi: M5241
• Tank: Max Studio (thrifted)
• Necklace: NY&Co.

I'm still knitting that sweater I told you about last week. Lots of frogging happening, so it's slower going than I thought it would be. I've also completed a dress or three and a skirt that I'm looking forward to showing you...as soon as the weather gets warm enough to actually wear them! Around these parts, it's often been said that "Summer doesn't start until July 5." I hope that's true. This non-summery weather is starting to get to me. :(

Week 3 || Me-Made June 2011

In the Swing Now!

Monday, June 13: The Clean Getaway (har!)

Still totally digging on this dress! It's comfortable, gives me shape, and is a classic piece I'll wear for years. I begrudgingly dug out the black boots because it rained allllll day. June is the new September, apparently. Oy vey. :( The cute bench I'm sitting on was my piano bench growing up.

• Wrap Dress: KS3408
• Necklace: Made by me

Tuesday, June 14: Colourblocked in Black and Grey

This isn't the most inspired outfit, but it was another rainy day, and I was grumpy about it. For colour, I popped on the big 'ol millefiori ring I picked up in Venice. I bought it when my fingers were all puffy from the flight over, so it only fits on my pointer finger now. It's a knucklebuster, but it makes me smile. The boatneck is made from wicking fabric, so it's nice and breathable -- perfect for (future) travel!

• Boatneck top: V1049 
• Crops: Old Navy
• Ring: From trip to Italy, Fall 2010
• Belt: Thrifted

Wednesday, June 15: In the Jungle...

This sweet little top was originally the skirt of a maxi dress I made a few years ago. I'm digging the peplum effect to hide my hips! I had to pair it with a cardi, as (sigh) it's still cold here.

• Top: S2599
• Skirt: NY&Co.
• Cardi: Refashion from charity shop
• Necklace: From Italy trip, Fall 2010

Thursday, June 16: Casual Comfort

It was warmer today, but my office is freezing, so thought this sweater would be cute and comfy. Turns out, I was right! The crops are my travel cargos with both outer cargo pockets and inner hidden pockets (take THAT pickpockets!) They've got a toggle waist (for when you eat tooo much!) and are made from a dri-fit fabric that dries in less than 3 hours. They're totally indestructible. Love that!

• Sweater: B5386
• Necklace: Made by me 
• Cargos: Linda McPhee "Drawstring Pants"
• Tank: NY&Co.

Friday, June 17: I'm a Superhero!

Or at least I'm wearing superhero colours! The knot top is made from the skirt of a dress I wadded last fall (yay for a refashion!) I'm not used to wearing such close-fitting tops, but my bff assures me that it looks good, so I'm going to choose to believe her. At least with the Ssssssnake top, I had some camouflage! LOL

• Knot top: S4076
• Crops: Old Navy
• Cardi: M6084
• Necklace: From Spain trip, Fall 2009
• Shoes: Thrifted

I'm currently knitting a cute little summer sweater, and am hoping to complete it by the end of the month! You can find the pattern here if you'd like to knit one, too! I've never knit a top-down sweater before, but it's coming together really fast! I'm making it from this yarn, in a lovely persimmon! I think I might have to make some white crops to go with it (in July when my self-imposed fabric fast has concluded). See ya next week!

Week 2 || Me-Made June 2011

Woo hoo for Week 2! 

(It's still cold and rainy here in the PNW) 

 

Monday, June 6: Tunics for All Seasons!
Hey, how 'bout another tunic? This one is from the same NL6515 pattern I wore on Friday, just with a different neckline finish. I usually wear this more in the fall, due to the palette, but it's still fall-ish weather here, so I broke it out.

• Tunic: NL6515
• Necklace, Tank: NY&Co
• Trousers: CAbi

Tuesday, June 7: Well, Hello There, Sailor!
It's Fleet Week here in Portland, and what better way to make new friends than to dress like their counterparts in the French Navy? (I'm all for international relations!) This shirt was self-drafted from another LL Bean boatneck that I fell in love with this season. The fabric is from my recent trip to Britex in San Francisco.

Until I took these pics, I didn't know I'd need to do a swayback adjustment. Interesting!

• Top: Self-drafted
• Pants, Bracelet: NY&Co.

Wednesday, June 8: Swing Style
The top I'm sporting today used to be this dress. After shooting it as a dress this week, I decided I'd wear it more if I chopped it off. I think it works much better as a top. Paired with my swingin' red cardigan, it's a pretty stellar outfit! (Comfy, too.)

• Top: S2550
• Swing Cardi: M5241
• Necklace: Made by me
• Trousers: NY&Co.

Thursday, June 9: Ssssssecond Ssssskin

Twist tanks have been around for awhile, but I just jumped on the bandwagon recently. Thissss little top is pretty comfy and was a stashbustin' project. I liked it ssssso much, I made another one from red jersey. Lotssss of complimentsssss at work on this one! 

• Tank: S4076 (OOP, but HIGHLY recommended)
• Jacket: Thrifted
• Necklace: Gift from my BFF
• Trousers: Ann Taylor Loft (Another too-big pair of pants headed to the consignment store. Ugh!)

Friday, June 10: Tanks for the Memories

This top is another self-drafted endeavour. It was based on a Banana Republic tank that I fell in mad love with when Sarah Michelle Gellar wore it on an episode of  "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". I wore it until it turned from back to grey (appalling!) and then muslined it four times to get to the final version you see here. It was my second self-drafting project, and I'm pretty thrilled by how it turned out. Now if I could just get SMG's arms... LOL

• Buffy tank: Self-drafted
• Necklace and bracelent: Made by me
• Jeans: Lands End

That's it for this week! I've heard we're getting SUN next week, so BOLO for dresses and skirts. I'm getting weary of wearing pants!

Week 1 || Me-Made June 2011

Here we go again!

Wednesday, June 1: Go With the Flow
I love me a good tunic. I should, as I have about eleventy-hundred of them (well, it's really SIX, but who's counting?) I made this as a knockoff of the CAbi Erte Tunic (which I ended up buying on a screaming sale ANYWAY). The leggings are from Sandra Betzina's pattern collection for Vogue. I made them out of a dri-fit fabric and I love the feel of them (They're lined with tricot! So luxurious!). I'm a little self-conscious about showing me bum, tho, so thought it was a perfect pairing with my small assortment of bum-covering tunics.

• Tunic: V8580
• Leggings: V1197
• Tank & Necklace: NY&Co.

Thursday, June 2: Wrap It Up, I'll Take It
Hello, favourite dress! Can I tell you how much I love this wrap-like dress? Not only does it look great with boots or heels, and gives me great shape. Adding to it's superpowers, it also spans the seasons, which in the PNW can be a little iffy. We like to say, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes." That applies here in June, as well. I need the 3/4 sleeves to hide the goosebumps! Brrrrr!

• Dress: M5974

Friday, June 3: Autumn Cross Top Tunic
More and more, I'm finding myself drawn to the colours of fall. I've made this tunic five different times, and just love the fit!

• Tunic: NL6515 (OOP): This tunic looks remarkably similar!
• Necklace: Made by me
• Jeans: Gap