Friday Remake

I don't really have much to say about this lovely piece.

I'm thinking that this might have been an 80s nightgown.  That petite pocket...what goes in there?

I'm crazy about the color palette...

...but the rest of the piece is a minor disaster.  I plan on giving this Storm Watch 2013 a pleasant April showers, bring May flowers kind of makeover.

I just had to get rid of that pocket!!

Once the pocket was off, I targeted the sleeves next.  It feels like summer in LA, so I wanted to make my first real sundress of the season.

I started to remove seams from the collar-esque panel around the neck - I wanted this area to sit at my shoulders, acting as straps to my dress.

After I removed the seams, I did some fabric folding and pinning to get the dress sun ready.  I wanted the top of the piece to be as open as possible.

I didn't have a problem with the original length of the dress, but because of all the fabric eliminating I was doing up top, I thought going a smidge shorter would be awesome.  I just didn't want the dress to feel disproportionate or too weighty.

Post trim, I pinned down my new hem...

...and pinned together the remnant piece that I just cut to create a belt for the dress.

The hem was stitched in place...

...and so was the new neckline, back, and side seams.

Ready for a new, rockin' dress??

With some tightening up and some shoulder exposé - the accent is a shout out to my girls, Exposé - the 80s band that I not-so-secretly rock out in karaoke - this piece got a total 180.

And I don't think it looks so nightgown-ish anymore!  Also, it's SO comfortable that I could easily fall asleep in it if I were vegging in the grass on a picnic blanket under the sun.

I paired my upcycled dress with some vintage navy Candies along with my mom's sunglasses from the 70s.  These are my absolute favorite shades.  I put them away every once and awhile and as I was just reorganizing my accessory area, they got pulled back out and put into circulation.

And because the weather is going to feel like summer all weekend...

...you just might see me rocking this all over LA.  #noshame

Happy weekend, friends!

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Outfit Rewind

The rewind piece for today… Original post date: 4/2/13  (Click here for full project steps and original post!)

The Before Look:

The After Look:

This rewind comes a little early as this was the dress that I wore for Easter about a month ago.  I just loved the colors and it was still hanging on the outside of my closet, so I figured that I'd just wear it again today!  We're expecting summer weather over the next few days (yeah, apparently it's going to be in the 90s) but today was still a glorious low-70 temperature which was perfect for this dress.  Tomorrow I'll be sleeveless...getting that dress ready as we speak!

For the second time around, I topped the dress with a thin Club Monaco sweater that I've had in my collection for years, along with a pair of my favorite knee high Calvin Klein boots, and some vintage necklaces.

Just the addition of something on top of this dress gives it a completely new look!

Instead of adding a cardigan, I went the belted/thin sweater route and grabbed my vintage clutch that brought out all of the same colors from in the dress!

It's one of my favorite accessories on top of my astrological sign necklaces!!

I'm loving the styling of this - I have to say, this sweater has been out of commission for a very long time and it was fabulous to revisit it before it goes into my donate pile!  (Yeah, I think it's time...)

Thoughts on the sweater?  Shall I donate or is it worth it to hold onto?  That's what I'd like for you to think of this Thursday :) xo M

Wednesday Giveaway! (Tony Awards Edition)

Today's giveaway is pretty much in honor of one of my favorite people in the world, Mr. Charl Brown.  (HERE'S a refresher from the wedding we were at in September together!) Yeah, so he just got NOMINATED for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for Motown The Musical.  Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!  And, um, it's totally NBD that Tom Hanks, Nathan Lane, and Cicely Tyson are all nominated too.  Like so NBD.  (Also yay for another school pal, Stark Sands (and Charl's BFF), who got nominated as well!! USC represent!!)

Yep, he's totally Mr. Broadway.

So to celebrate Charl and Broadway in general - it's my favorite and I miss going to shows on the regular - today's giveaway is theater inspired!

Up for grabs is this fab goodie pack with prizes tied into my fave musicals...

Rent - DVD copy of the movie version (I saw the original B'way cast when I was in high school and it was everything.)

Singin' In the Rain - Poncho

Hair (another musical CB was in) - Comb

Wicked - An apple card with "tempt me" written on the inside

Les Miserables - A pack of Roger & Gallet French perfume wipes

Hairspray - Artec texture shine spray

The final part of the giveaway is a costume necklace with charms, I <3 NY.  (I own a copy of this as well and it's a staple!)

To enter, leave a comment with your favorite musical, a musical or play that you performed in high school, a your favorite show that was turned into a movie or movie turned into a play/musical.  A winner will randomly get chosen next week!  (Also, all the giveaway winners from the past few giveaways will be announced tomorrow!)

I think my favorite musical is Chicago - I love all the Fosse choreography and I always wanted to be a dancer in the chorus.  I wanted to be the "Lipschitz" part in "Cell Block Tango" :)

A big across-the-country-hug filled with an abundance of congratulations goes out to my CB!!  xoxo