Another Skirt Redo

Last week I gave a brief description of how to take up an elastic waist skirt. Today, I wanted to do an elaborate tutorial on how to take up a skirt with a flat waistband.  I started out altering the skirt and documenting all the steps with photos.  Then I decided I wanted to wear the skirt to a party that evening, so I had to dispense with the photo taking and get down to the taking in. I will give a quick description of what I did.  No photos though, some other time.

This works best with gathered skirts. Straight skirts such as pencil skirts would take a little more work. With a pencil skirt, you would have to take out fabric for a good fit. With a gathered skirt, you can just make it more gathered and redo the band.  Simply:

Step 1. Remove the waistband.

Step 2. Gather the skirt to fit. If you can find the original thread ends, pull them to increase the gather of the skirt and decrease it's circumference. If you can't find the thread ends, simply sew a new line around the skirt. Use a long stitch with less tension, then use the new thread ends to increase the gather.

Step 3. Reattach waistband and trim any excess.  

Jacket - Mossimo, Thrifted

Tank - BDG, Urban Outfitters

Skirt - Vintage, Thrifted, Altered

Necklace - Vintage, Thrifted

Belt - Thrifted

Sandals - Gianni Bini, Dillard's

30x30 - Outfit 30!

Blouse -Go International Target, Thrifted

Skirt -Vintage, Thrifted

Wedges - Jeffery Campbell

Belt - Vintage, Antique Mall

Last one!  Audible sigh of relief.  It's been a fun challenge but a long one. To celebrate the end of my challenge, I decided to go out with a bang!  Floral! Polka dots! Yellow! Red! A cacophony of pattern and color.  I think it's a fitting last outfit for this challenge.  Check back tomorrow for a recap of the whole challenge.  I'll be back to regular posting (and the rest of my closet) next week.

30x30 - Outfit 28

Cardigan - Gap

Blouse - Old Navy, Resale Shop

Skirt - Jason Wu for Target

Wedges - Jeffery Campbell

This outfit is almost unphotographable.  You are witnessing my third separate attempt to capture it.  Any amount of sunlight and this blouse turns into a white blob near my equally white face.  I even photographed yesterday when it was overcast.  Still didn't work out.  Just for kicks and giggles, I'm going to post one of the terrible ones.

Here it is.  Wooo! Ghost blouse.

This one too.  Giant hands are funny.

30x30 - Outfit 25

Blouse - Go International Target, Thrifted

Skirt - Vintage, Thrifted

Wedges - Jeffery Campbell

Belt - Thrifted

This outfit is another one that just seems so "me". Maybe it's just the red skirt. As I get older, I am really beginning to get a sense of the types of clothes I like to wear as opposed to the types of clothes I am drawn to in stores. It's import to distinguish between these two so that you don't have a closet full of clothes that you never wear. A lot of times I'm drawn to girly, frilly outfits. Ruffles, ruffles and more ruffles, but I know that in reality I wear items with a cleaner cut. I like my outfits to get interest from color and pattern, but not necessarily from shapes/adornments.  I do love a tie neck blouse though.  Do you find a disparity between what you are drawn to in stores and what you wear in real life?

30x30 - Outfit 22

Shirt - American Eagle

Skirt - Jason Wu for Target

Flats - Calvin Klein, Dillard's

Belt - Thrifted

Sometimes I think fashion blogging is all about seeing what wacky combinations you can get away with.  The statement jewelry, the layers, the pattern mixing. For this outfit I went with a gingham and floral combo.  I actually wore this to work.  I don't just blog these outfits, I wear them as well.

30x30 Week 3 Recap

I had quite a bit of variety going on this week.  I only repeated the navy blazer (and some shoes). Amazing I still have a few lingering tops and a jacket that haven't made an appearance.  I've worn them, just not on days that I got a photo.  I'm trying to stick to my 30 items for weekend wear as well.  I didn't wear any of the items for yard work or hiking last weekend, but I'm sure you'll forgive me for that.

Outfit 11
Outfit 12
Outfit 13
Outfit 14
Outfit 15

30x30 - Outfit 13

Blouse - Vintage, Thrifted

Skirt - Jason Wu for Target

Belt - Thrifted

Wedges - Jeffery Campbell

I'm feeling cutely retro in this outfit.  By now you've probably noticed my obsession with tie-neck blouses.  I seriously snap up every one I can find in a thrift store.  I love tie-neck blouses because they are feminine, but not overtly girly like ruffles or rosettes have a tendency to be.  All the better for me to hold my own in a male-dominated field, my dear.   

30x30 - Outfit 11

Blazer - Gap

Blouse - Go International Target, Thrifted

Skirt - Elle, Kohl's

Tights - Target

Boots - Frye, Resale Shop

Belt - Thrifted

Bracelet - Mom'd 

It seems like it happens each year.  You get excited by all the Spring weather, you think it is here to stay, and then WHAM! it turns out chilly and you have to wear tights to Easter church service, instead of your pretty Springy apparel.  You are witnessing just such an outfit. But like it happens each year the warm weather will come again.  Hopefully tomorrow.

30x30 - Outfit 6

I originally paired this outfit with a red belt, but that was too easy (and predictable after last week's outfits), so I decided to go with yellow instead.  It has a nice cheerful effect, I believe.

P.S.  There is nothing wrong with my leg, it just has a tripod shadow on it.  Don't want to get any rumors started.

Tee - Gap (I decided to sub it for the Rodarte for Target one)

Skirt - Jason Wu for Target

Boots - Frye, Resale Shop

Necklace - Vintage, Antique Store

Belt - Vintage, Thrifted

30x30 - Outfit 3

Today I wore yellow, and floral, and red peep-toe wedges.....to a meeting with contractors about millwork.  And I'm okay with that.  Yes, I'm female and yes, I can talk shop about cabinetry.  It's the best of both worlds.
 

Cardigan - Loft

Blouse - Go International Target, Thrifted

Skinnies - BDG, Urban Outfitters

Wedged - Jeffery Campbell