Remake: Tweed Dress with Buttons

This tweed dress remake was one of my favorites from last year! It's President's Day, so this tweed look felt a bit Washington to me - perfect thing to re-post for today! My sewing machine has come out of the moving boxes, so it's back to the grind! You'll see what I've been working on this week. I hope those of you who have off today enjoy an extra bit of R&R, Three day weekends are always a treat!

I've had this tweed dress for a while but just haven't been inspired to do anything with it. Do you guys ever feel that way about things - you either have errands, projects, or tasks to complete and you just can't motivate to get 'em done? I feel that way about many things (I have a bag of clothes in my trunk that need to be dropped off at the dry cleaners, yet they've been there since Thanksgiving...) and this dress has been one that I've just been staring at.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

It's still way warmer here than anywhere else in the country (Atlanta, where y'all at right now?? The newscasts have been comparing your city to The Walking Dead. Just stay safe and beware of those zombies, k!!) but a chill in air has started to make way. Today I finally brought out the tweed to make it work.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

It's about as close to a winter wardrobe as I'm going to get right now!

In figuring out what kind of piece I'd actually enjoy wearing, I came to the conclusion that this would only need a few adjustments. First off, cutting it a little shorter. I used the bottom button as my guide and trimmed right underneath it.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

I love the fabric leftover! I'm thinking about something fabulous that I want to turn this into. (Stay tuned!!)

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

Once I trimmed the bottom, I prepped the raw edges to be hemmed. The bottom button/buttonhole were folded under and I used those as my guides to make my way 'round. It was going to be the perfect length to hit right above the knee!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

It was a smidge too big, so I took in a little over an inch - I didn't want it to be tight, but thought it could benefit from a minor alteration.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

I added some tights and boots to my new jumper and I was ready for the day!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

I loved the idea of adding a blouse with a big bow peeking through, but because the bow was hidden beneath the buttons, I opened the top two and folded the ends under so the bow was front and center.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

I couldn't resist breaking out one of my favorite Goodwill Outlet (in Queens!) finds as well, a vintage black briefcase. It was perfect to tote around my laptop in!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

Oh, and there were pockets!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

This is the perfect work ensemble - mixing some patterns and mixing some fabrics to liven up what used to be a tired tweed dress.

New Dress A Day - DIY - Vintage tweed dress - Goodwill

Yay for a new piece that works well with all kinds of layering, no matter how deep into the Polar Vortex you are!!

DIY: Sequined Heart Shoe Clips

This is one of my favorite posts from a few years back! With Valentine's Day around the corner, I thought some sparkly heart action was in order. I still wear these all the time too. Happy almost <3 day! I've been a fan of ban.do's sequined pieces, so I thought that I'd make my own version of their red sequined hearts today!

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

I started off with my supplies - red felt, sequin trim, and loose sequins, as I'm going to make two versions of these hearts.

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

I cut hearts out of my felt by folding the rectangular piece in half and cutting an "ear" shape out.  For the shoe clips, because I wanted the same size, I put two layers of felt together before trimming.  The smaller hearts were cut from the excess pieces and two of those guys are going to become earrings!

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

I started with the mini hearts first - I put glue down and then dropped off sequins on top and pressed them in place to stick.  I repeated this step until the entire heart was covered.

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

The mini hearts are finished!

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

Now to really recreate the ban.do version, I used the sequin trim to match.  I started by gluing the trim right at the center of the heart and then continued to follow the edges of the heart.

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

I'm almost there!!

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

And we're done!!

The minis are going to become stud earrings, the middle sized ones will be shoe clips, and the large one will become a headband!

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

For the shoe clips and earrings, I used jewelry findings - a pair of flat backed earring posts and two alligator clips (or shoe clips if you have them!) - and affixed to the back.

I added some alligator claws with glue to the bottoms...

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

...and had my pretty pair...

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

...ready to be added to my leopard flats.  My version...

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

ban.do's version...

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

My earrings glistened in the sun and my headband was rocking.

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

Sparkly hearts overload??

New Dress A Day - DIY - sequin heart shoe clips - earrings

Eh, not so much.  It's Valentine's Day, so it totally works.  And...it totally works post-V Day too!!  There is never a wrong time to rock hearts!  xoxo

Remake: Belly Dancer Costume Top

I love finding costumes or wedding dresses, things that are really meant to be worn for one purpose, and giving them a 180. New Dress A Day - Costume

It's fun to think outside the box a little, so when I found this glorious top...

New Dress A Day - Costume

...I just HAD to have it. Sheer sleeves, blue trim, FRINGE, and a cool coin chain. How does one pass over that item?? :)

New Dress A Day - Costume

I was super excited to craft this into something that I'd wear everyday.

New Dress A Day - Costume

Seriously - I might be taking the top off in the photo below, but what I'm going to be making could turn into something I wear daily.

New Dress A Day - Costume

Wanna see what I'm thinking??

My original thoughts were "this chain doesn't belong attached to the fringe - it belongs around my neck", so I went with it! I grabbed my seam ripper...

New Dress A Day - Costume

...and began to cut the threads that were holding the chain to the fringe trim.

New Dress A Day - Costume

I made my way all along the bottom of the piece...

New Dress A Day - Costume

...until the chain was free and clear!!

New Dress A Day - Costume

Look at what I was left with?!

New Dress A Day - Costume

I went to my box of jewelry findings and grabbed a clip large enough to fit around the chain. My little lobster claws and spring rings just weren't going to work for this bad boy!

New Dress A Day - Costume

After a little clasp action, I'm looking just like Mr. T. Marisa T has a nice ring to it!

New Dress A Day - Costume

I paired it with a vintage-y ensemble and my new reddish frames!

New Dress A Day - Costume

 Shirt: Vintage (Federal Army & Navy in Seattle) | Jeans: BDG | Heels: Zappos | Purse: Vintage (Goodwill) Glasses: Warby Parker (couldn't be more into their "you buy a pair, we give a pair to those in need" mantra)

New Dress A Day - Costume

I love big statement necklaces the most!!

New Dress A Day - Costume

Ready for the day?? 100%

New Dress A Day - Costume

You'll see more of this necklace, promise!

New Dress A Day - Belly Dancer Costume

(This might be one of my favorite side-by-sides!)