So in love with the laser-cut leather! I'd love the satchel and the metallic sandals please. ;)
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Saturday, February 23, 2013
DIY Chevron Maxi Dress
This DIY Chevron Maxi was inspired by the BR Chevron striped ponte dress (see my review here). I tried on the BR dress couple of weeks ago and really loved the design and chevron print, but wasn't crazy about the fit or the price so I decided to make my own.
I also have a very hard time finding maxi dresses that are the right length so I decided to run with the chevron idea and make a maxi instead of a knee length dress. I thought a long dress would also show off the chevron print and create more drama.
This maxi may looks very plain and simple, but it is definitely the most difficult DIY I have done to date. In order to create the chevron print, I had to cut the stripe material at a bias. It took me hours to line up/angle all the stripes so they meet at the seams. Cutting at a bias also wastes a lot of material and leaving behind lots of scraps. I'm glad the girl at the fabric store advised me to buy an extra 1/2 yard of fabric.
This is by far my favorite DIY project and I hope you guys enjoy it as well.
H&M Denim Jacket. Size 2. (similar here & here)
DIY Chevron Maxi Dress. (similar here, here & here)
Coach New Kristin Python Crossbody. (similar here & here)
Nine West "Metric" Wedge Sandals - Size 5.5. (super cute ones here!)
And on a total random note, I got my tix to the Justin Timberlake & Jay Z concert. Ahhhh super excited!! LOL!
*UPDATE -- since a number of you asked this question, I thought I'd answer it here.
No I didn't use a pattern. I did take a good fitting tank top and used that as a guide for the top and made changes to the neckline. The skirt part I came up with on my own with my waist & hip measurements in mind and also adding a few inches for seam allowance. The shape of the skirt is A-line and constructed using 4 separate panels. I also draw out my pattern on a newspaper before I start cutting the fabric to be on the safe side. My garments never fit me perfect when all the pieces are sewn together. I have to do a number of nip tucks before I come to a piece that fits me the way I want it.
Friday, February 15, 2013
The Little Red Dress
Hello everyone! I hope you had a fabulous V-day filled with love & happiness.
I ended up not getting a red dress from Asos, just because I wasn't sure if it would come in time. I did pick out another dress and it is still en-route. I'll review and show pics once I receive it.
I made my V-day dress instead because I didn't see anything online or in stores that caught my eyes. I have to admit that I really enjoying doing these DIY projects. Something about sewing is very therapeutic and de-stressing. If you need a new hobby, definitely give sewing a try. It's inexpensive and a lot cheaper than shopping every weekend. What's great about making your own clothes is that it'll fit you and you don't have to pay for alterations! The downside to sewing is time. It does take a lot of time, probably because I'm new to it.
I've been looking for a red lipstick for quite for time and haven't had
success. I'm so used to wearing pink lip glosses, its hard to wear any
other color that is vibrant or saturated. I went to MAC and tried out a
few red lipsticks and everything was just too dramatic. I have really
full lips and feel that red lipstick makes them look even bigger.
Feeling defeated, I thought I'm going to give up on the red lip idea and
wear whatever I had. I went through my makeup drawer and found
this Chanel gloss in Spark (04)
that was gifted to me. I never bother to try it because it looks so
dark and burgundy in the case. I'm so glad that I did try it! It's not quite red, but I do love this color on me and plus it's a nice change from my regular pink
glosses.
DIY Red Lace Dress. similar here, here & here.
Coat from BR (very old). Size XSP. similar here & here. Their sizing used to run so much smaller!
AT Perfect Patent Leather Pointy Pumps. Size 5. Color Cool Khaki.
AT Necklace. similar here.
Picture with a heart in the background...very appropriate for V-day right? LOL
We don't really do much for Valentine except go to a nice dinner. My bf and I both love steak and decided to try Morton Steakhouse in downtown SF. I have to say it was quite disappointing for the price and the service was just okay. I much prefer Ruth's Chris and House of Prime Ribs!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Review: Banana Republic Dresses
It's been quite some time since I've tried anything on at BR. I was there yesterday and saw these sheath dresses and they looked quite promising on the hanger so I thought "why not try it on and give it a whirl?"
I really like the design of this dress and contrast of the darker and lighter panels together. The darker panel flatters the mid section and gives the illusion of a slimmer silhouette, while the lighter panels give the illusion of curves. The weight of the fabric is heavier than I anticipated and makes the dress look expensive. The downside of the heavier fabric (with the lining combined) is that it stiffens the neckline area and therefore causing it not to lay flat against the body. I'm not sure if you can tell in the far right picture, but there is gapping in the shoulders, neckline and armhole. Besides the gapping, I'd say this dress fits really nice. It's neither too big or tight and very appropriate for the office. I also wish the length of the dress was about 2 inches shorter like it is on the model.
Even if this dress was deeply discounted, I probably wouldn't purchase as I'm not quite sure if alterations could fix the gapping issue.
I love the navy and white chevron print and how it gives a nautical feel to the dress.
Out of all the dresses I tried on in the post, this ponte knit dress fits the slimmest. There are a few things I'd change though. First I would shorten the straps by about an inch to bring up the armholes and neckline so it's more appropriate for work. The lower neckline is fine if you're intending to wear this for more casual occasions. For the price, I'm also surprised that the dress is not lined. I think the length of the dress is a tad long and it would be ideal if its was an inch or 2 shorter to lengthen and flatter the legs.
This is such an adorable dress and worth the alterations. I would wait for a good sale on this one since it is quite expensive at full price.
The color of this dress is called amber glow which is similar to a light mustard yellow. It's actually quite a flattering color and would be nice to add to your spring wardrobe. I also love the pockets --I'm a sucker for dresses with pockets! I have the same issues with this dress as the one above: the neckline is too low for work, the dress is unlined, and it's a tad long for a petite frame. The belt on the dress is also a little flimsy and it could be more sturdy & stiff.
Like the dress above, I'd consider purchasing and altering if the price wasn't so steep.
What drew me to this dress was the beautiful pomegranate color and the raised texture of the fabric. The dress is also lined and definitely looks and feels expensive. The pockets are also a nice bonus to this dress. For me, the fit is on the looser side all over. It's a quite boxy, especially around the skirt area, and I feel that this dress gives me no shape at all. I'd recommend this dress for someone who is more curvy and has bigger hips. Again, the neckline might be a tad low for work and I wish the length was shorter. I probably wouldn't purchase this dress even if it's deeply discounted. Alterations made to slimming this dress would be difficult since it has pockets and is fully lined.
If you have tried on any of the dresses above, please let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear them.
There is also a 25% discount off your purchase that BR is running, use code BRNEW25. Code expires tonight at 11:59pm ET.
Friday, February 8, 2013
A Lady-Like Outfit
I have my hair pinned back today because I was too lazy to wash my day old hair. I have a greasy scalp and it's necessary to wash my hair everyday or else my hair gets oily and limp. Eww I know. I also hate the feeling of dirty hair touching my skin. I feel like it's going to give me pimples. Wished I was those lucky few who could go days without washing their hair. I have tried dry shampoo, but feel like it doesn't get rid of the oil completely and plus I know it's still there. That's my rant for the day and as my friend would say to me, that is a 1st world problem. I know...
On a brighter note, it's Friday! So enjoy the weekend and talk soon. :)
H&M Shirt | Crew Cut Cardigan (similar here from J. Crew Factory) | DIY Skirt (here & here) | Nine West Rocha Pumps (comes in lots of colors)
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Double the DIY!
Meet my good & pretty friend Steph who I have known for many many years.
My b-day passed recently and my bf, Steph and a few friends surprised me with a dinner party. She gifted to me a sketch pad and $$ to buy fabric because she knew about my recent interest in sewing. It was such a sweet and thoughtful gift and I also appreciated the support tremendously.
I remember her saying how much she loved my circle skirt and chevron prints. With that in mind, I wanted to design her a dress that would connect the 2 things she loves. I paneled lace and solid material to create the chevron bodice. The bodice is then connected to the circle skirt to complete the dress. I'm so happy the finished dress fits her so well and she looks amazing in it!
Not only was she happy to accept this dress I made, she agreed to do a photo-shoot in it.
She also gave me the creative freedom to do the styling, makeup and hair. I haven't done someone's makeup for a long time and forget how much I miss doing that.
I seriously had so much fun!
I was at the fabric store a couple of weeks ago and found this piece of gray lace in the scrap bin that kind of resembles the material of my Aritzia top (worn here). I think it might be the same material?
I decided to make a peplum shirt with sleeves with this lace material. I wanted sleeves because they are so important for days when you don't feel like shaving or wearing a cardigan over your sleeveless shell. Hahaha!
The top is also fully lined using the left over navy fabric from Steph's dress.
And the lace material on the bodice of Steph's dress was from the left-overs of this DIY lace dress.
Lots of re-purposing!
I hope you guys enjoy this post and thanks for reading!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Casual-izing
I asked my bf if casualizing is a word? He said no I don't think so...
Well I looked it up and the word is actually in the dictionary, but it has a different meaning from what I'm intending to say. This DIY dress (inspired by this FP dress) is quite fancy on its own. I wanted to get more use out of the dress and create a more casual relaxed feel for the weekend.
F21 Sweater. (similar here). I got this sweater in store recently for around $14 and it's been my favorite thing to wear everywhere. It's super cute paired with skinny jeans too!
Franco Sarto Sandals. (cute ones here) Although I complain about how cold it is in SF, I still wear open toe shoes and sandals during the winter. A random fact, I never wear socks even with boots. I don't like the feeling of socks and my feet doesn't sweat either so I never have to worry about stinking up my shoes. But my legs do get cold easily, so I will wear tights for that purpose. Haha!
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Red + Leopard
I bought this J. Crew Schoolboy Blazer (00P) a few weeks ago and haven't had the urge to reach for it. To me that's a bad sign because I normally wear everything new in my closet repeatedly. When I put it on, I don't feel fabulous in it.
I don't think it looks terrible on me, but it definitely doesn't make my heart skip a beat like Justin Timberlake does. JK! If my bf reads this, there will be eyes rolling.
Anyone excited about him making music again? I can't wait for his new album to come out.
Anyway, I decided to part ways with this brand new blazer with tags still attached to it. If anyone is interested in purchasing this from me, it will be $79 for US readers ($62.99 + SF Tax + $10 shipping). For shipping to a Canadian address, please add an additional $5.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or shoot me an email.
I bought this J. Crew factory Pencil Skirt (similar here) awhile ago during a sale. The smallest size available was a 0R. I knew the skirt was going to be humungous, but it was only $30 so I thought it was worth shelling out the extra dough to get this baby altered.
I had my tailor slim the sides, take in the waist, and trim a few inches off the length. The waist is still a little gap-y in the back, but I didn't have the heart to tell my tailor to take it apart and redo it again since she only charged me $25 for everything. What a good lady!
Aritzia Talula BETSY BLOUSE. Size XXS. Btw they now have an online store!! I've always loved Aritzia because they carry size XXS or 00 which fits very similar to a H&M 2 or a 00P.
J. Crew Necklace. (similar here & here)
Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps. (similar here & here)
J. Crew Necklace. (similar here & here)
Ann Taylor Perfect Pumps. (similar here & here)
Friday, February 1, 2013
ASOS : V-Day Ideas & Giveaway
Hello hello! Valentine is approaching and I'm sure some of you are scouting the web for hot dresses to impress your man, yourself or fellow lady friends... I celebrated many V-days but have never worn a red dress during this special occasion. Well this year might be the year for me to bust out in a red dress. If you are too looking for a red dress, well look no further because ASOS has a huge petite selection!
The Giveaway:
I have three 20% off any purchase one-time use coupons to giveaway and the coupon expires 2/12.
If you would like one, simply be the first 3 people to comment. You must be a public follower.
After you have commented, simply email me at allaboutfashionstuff[at]gmail.com and I will reply back with the codes.
**Update: For those who wanted the discount code and didn't win, there is another promo code I wanted to share with you.
Use promo code SUPERBOWL20 at checkout for 20% off your purchase. Offer ends 11:59 PST on Monday 4th February 2013. Valid on selected full priced items only.
**Update: For those who wanted the discount code and didn't win, there is another promo code I wanted to share with you.
Use promo code SUPERBOWL20 at checkout for 20% off your purchase. Offer ends 11:59 PST on Monday 4th February 2013. Valid on selected full priced items only.
Petite Dresses - $70 and Under
Petite Dresses - Under $40
Petite Dresses - $30 and under
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