The amazingly crafty Margaret came up with the PERFECT dress to tie into the new Guardians of the Galaxy movie that opened this weekend. I'm super excited about the film so when I saw her creation I almost passed out because of the awesomeness!! This is something that would work on so many mediums as well, so I think you're all going to enjoy :)

There’s nothing quite like making a special outfit for a special occasion – and this one was a crazy good time. I speak, of course, of my new Guardians of the Galaxy-inspired little black dress.

I had a plain old black cotton dress that I transformed into this awesomeness with a few easy steps. (This is a piece that can be easily thrifted or picked up on the cheap! I love this Jennifer Lopez for Kohl's black shift dress that's on sale for $16)

See how Margaret transformed this shift dress into something galaxy-tastic!!

Here’s my basic guide to creating this weirdly-simple effect, and you can use it on anything black and cotton. (It can be done probably on other natural fibers too, but I haven’t tried it on them yet).

I started by spritzing a diluted bleach solution onto the fabric (one part bleach/one part water) or this project. I actually used a bottle of bathroom cleaner that specifically contained bleach, and it worked perfectly.

(Pro-tip: I chose to spritz the dress with water first to help spread and move the bleach smoothly. For a spottier or streakier effect, leave the fabric dry. Once the bleach has worked to your satisfaction, rinse thoroughly and allow your fabric to dry.

I used small amounts of RIT dye mixed with hot water to add a bit of color to the bleached galaxy!

I dipped a stiff brush (a small paint brush or toothbrush works fine) in white paint and ran my thumbnail over the bristles to flick paint of the brush and onto the fabric. (Keep in mind - a little goes a long way. Galaxies are mostly dust and gas, not stars!)

I also added some of those gorgeous brilliant stars with a very sender brush by making a cross or lower-case t.

I love this dress! This project transformed a boring sack dress into something I love to wear.

To make it fit really well I ran a seam up the back, taking it from “Cool Galaxy Dress” to “Hot Like a Multistage Cascading Nuclear Reaction.”

It was great getting to wear it to see Guardians of the Galaxy - my new favorite LBD was the perfect outfit for my new favorite superhero movie!

It was a fun and easy project - this technique would work on tee shirts, button-downs, skirts and pants... pretty much anything made of black cotton!

Margaret, your dress is literally out of this world!! (I mean, that pun just couldn't be helped.) The galaxy print has been on my DIY agenda for a while and your piece is getting the wheels turning even more! I'm always down for costumes and dressing like characters from movies, so this dress is one that I'd be wearing on the regular! Way to tie in your craftiness with your love of the movie. We'll have to share reviews after I see it!

For more creative genius from Margaret, head HERE!

July 31, 2014

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Outfit Remakes

Outfit Rewind

July 31, 2014

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Outfit Remakes

The rewind piece for today first ran a little over two years ago and lovely reader Saige donated this two piecer! The colors of this piece still make me happy! Original post date: 7/17/12 (Click here for full project steps and the original post!)

The Before Look:

Nothing like a two piecer!

I turned the skirt into a strapless dress for my first wear!

The After Look:

See how I styled it for the second time around...

I decided to wear it as it was supposed to be worn...as a skirt!

However I styled it much differently than in the original matchy-matchy incarnation.

I paired the skirt with a navy bodysuit (I should have held onto all of my leotards from ballet class years ago), Urban Outfitters sunnies, a pair of navy flats along with a gold knotted statement bracelet. I loved the simplicity, yet pulled together vibe of this outfit.

When wearing a bodysuit...

...leaps are always on the agenda!!

Woo for one of my favorite new ensembles!! Nothing like pulling something from the back of the closet (or storage unit!) and re-envisioning it and styling it into something you're obsessed with!

Outfit details:

Bodysuit: American Apparel // Shoes: Chinese Laundry // Bracelet: Forever 21 // Sunnies: Urban Outfitters

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