One-Dollar Wonders

I wore a very similar outfit not too long ago, with a citron button-front and jeans. I liked it pretty darn well, so I did a version with my Sloan dress slacks from BR. Easy peasy FFBO.

And you know what Claire said about bag dying being addictive?
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....yeing-bags

It's so oh so true! I scored an amazing two-fer at the flea market recently and walked away with a Kenneth Cole convertible crossbody and this Marc Jacobs (!) tote for $30 total - so this baby was $15. I had a spring in my step that day for sure. So last night I tried to make up for my sick days away from DIY projects. Cleaned the MJ up as best I could with some acetone (oh yes, it needed the big guns) and played with some color mix ideas based on what's on offer from Tarrago and Angelus, another dye company I found.

I think it's time I had a super sour bag - what do you think? I can mix a citron if I combine two Tarrago colors. Or I could try the new brand and mix an emerald.

In case you were not aware, my official rank in the UWP military is Major Dork (highly decorated). As such, when I have Things to Do, I sometimes dress in theme. Today, I'm ready for action in this FAB silk Escada blouse in citron-and-olive almost-camo print - from Saturday's swap party, naturally. *waving at MaryK again*

Thank you to everyone who lent me wisdom on my "strength to be bold" thread - I'm launching into the fray today!

Escada silk blouse - swap party
Express fishtail skirt - swap meet
H&M blazer - swap meet
B. Makowsky shimmer crossbody - Ebay
Fergie Major boots - Nordstrom
Cat skull pendant - The Pewter Wolf on Etsy

P.S. Would it be less confusing if I started calling the "swap meet" a "flea market" so as not to confuse it with the YLF swap parties?

Since I went to bed without working on DIYs again, I'll continue to show off my fabulous swap party finds.

Last night, I wore this turquoise striped Bobeau top to go grab turkey burgers with DH. This outfit is vaguely pirate-like, which makes me smile.

Bobeau top - swap party
Sanctuary tuxedo shorts - swap meet
Black belt - swap meet
Report Marks booties - Amazon
B. Makowsky bag - DIY, bag from Ebay

Today I'm sporting this great, cobalt blue knit blazer that was tags-on at the swap. F21 is my favorite jacket source for a reason, and this is no exception to the rule. Love!

F21 blue blazer - swap party
Nexx silk shirt in cruise - Nordstrom
Donna Karan chocolate cashmere midi - swap meet
Leopard calf hair bag - Italian flea market
Snake print pumps - Goodwill

The SoCal YLF swap at Vicki's this weekend was off-the-charts fabulous! Here I am wearing a bit of my loot:

- Classiques Entrier cream silk shirt
- H&M tuxedo vest
- Wet N' Wild Megalast nail polish in "On a Trip"

Loving every minute of it. I am tickled by the way that the vest has a curved hem to match the shirt tails. At the swap, I tried these items and dubbed it my "sexy bartender" look - hence the title of the post. :)

My cold has really put a damper on DIY July - I haven't done half the things I want to do, but the month is already half over. Humbug! I will try to do better from here on out.

Other items pictured:

Handmade skirt - swap meet
Dr. Martens Marcie boots - Shoebuy
B. Makowsky bag - DIY project, bag via Ebay

All the pressure on my sinuses must be seeping through and pressing on my brain - yes, that's me in flats. On a work day. In my defense, I feel very blah and halfway don't care if this is too casual... there is a chance I want to leave early and come home to sleep. Who knows what I will think when I see this picture in a few days, but I think it looks alright!

I saw this color combination on Angie's Pinterest board and knew I wanted to wear it ASAP. I suspect this outfit might be deemed seasonally confused by some, but my need for a cozy, comfy outfit trumped all other causes today. As you can see, contrary to my rubric, I have no waist definition to mark the start of my leg line, and nothing to create the illusion of a slimmer midsection. Oh, well, hoping the low-ish contrast between the sweater and dress doesn't chop me up too much.
http://pinterest.com/pin/18577417183594965/

The DIY included today is my striped satchel, inspired by the Marc Jacobs Dotty. Craft overview here:
http://onedollarwonders.lookfa.....pig-modgrl

Thanks for looking, everyone. I am doing my darndest to be healthy and energetic for this Saturday's swap party at Vicki's!

Cashmere-blend cowl sweater - swap meet
Michael Michael Kors agate print dress - 6pm.com
B. Makowsky satchel - DIY, bag from Ebay
Report Marks booties - Piperlime clearance
Lime watch - Big Lots (no longer working - just for looks! :))

I bought this dress for a buck hoping to do a DIY somewhere along the lines of these Nicole Miller "refracted light" dresses. However, my dye isn't here yet, and I wanted to just throw something on and go today (still not feeling 100%), so I wore the dress pre-dye. I don't know if this is one of my best outfits, but it's comfortable and not fussy.

Since I don't have a DIY project in my outfit today, that means I will have to plow ahead with my cat-applique bag tonight and report back. :)

Forever 21 sweater - swap meet
Attention dress - swap meet
Ted Baker bag - swap meet
Fergie Major boots - Nordstrom clearance
Rae-bot necklace - gift from Hubs

I'm not feeling super great today, so here we have a couple DIYs from days past.

Today: the former-boob-tube galaxy skirt with the resurrected calf hair messenger.
http://onedollarwonders.lookfa.....laxy-skirt

http://onedollarwonders.lookfa.....-messenger

Yesterday: I didn't get a proper picture, but I wore my dyed jade/emerald silk dress with black fisherman sandals and a neon yellow belt.
http://www.onedollarwonders.bl.....c-dye.html

Lady Hathaway non-iron shirt - swap meet
Galaxy skirt - DIY
Ted Baker messenger - swap meet
Python Belt - Goodwill
Fergie Major boots - Nordstrom clearance
Pendant - swap meet
Emerald Dress - swap meet, DIY
Yellow Armani belt (not pictured) - swap meet
Softspots sandals (not pictured) - either Ebay or Coward shoes (can't remember)

Today's outfit was pretty much built around a set of 3D butterfly stickers I found at a locally-owned dollar store. They were meant for scrap-booking but, since I don't own a scrap book, I was determined to turn them into something else I could use and admire - as per usual, I wanted something I could *wear.*

It's a super cheap and easy process, and it won't stand the test of time or grabby toddlers, but I am quite happy with the result.

1) Select 3D butterfly sticker.

2) (Optional) Cut off the holographic foil portions of the butterfly sticker. I left this part on for the first pendant I made, then cut it off for the second, and I think I prefer the look of it *without* the foil.

3) Stick the butterfly onto clear plastic front of sticker package.

4) Snip off the portion of packaging with your butterfly so it is small enough to accommodate a hole punch. Punch a hole in the plastic where you'd like to attach a jump ring later.

5) Cut out the plastic in the shape of your butterfly. Make sure to cut just a smidge larger than the butterfly so that you have a thin, clear border. This will help keep the sticker from curling up at the sides when you handle the pendant.

6) Coat the bottom layer with clear nail polish. This will help keep the sticker attached to the plastic and prevent it from peeling off.

7) Attach your jump ring and slide the new pendant onto a necklace!

The outfit:
Gap army jacket - swap meet
J. Crew linen sweater - swap meet
Faded orange/peach shorts - swap meet
Men's belt - swap meet
B. Makowsky rebel crossbody - Ebay
Sperry Topsider boat shoes - swap meet (hubs nabbed these for me since he liked my pewter ones so much!)

Pictures 1-3 are my favorite boots - I always feel slim of leg and attractive when I wear them, and they seem to go just as well with skirts and dresses as they do with skinny jeans.

Pics 4-6, however, don't make me feel awesome. They're not terrible, but I don't get that I-want-to-strut feeling - and while it is true that these ones are all flats, I refuse to believe that I will never be able to look good in flat boots. I did think this just a few years ago, and my DH strongly suspects this might be the case, but I'm stubbornly driven to prove otherwise. (I know almost everyone liked the #s 4 and 5, but I had to admit I was not in love).

I started playing around in Photoshop, drawing lines, looking at what kinds of angles the boots add to my body. Part of it is surely that 2 of my favorite boots are lace-ups - the laces create strong vertical lines all on their own. The reject boots all create fairly harsh horizontal lines due to the contrasting textures and, in the case of the white Fryes, the contrasting color between skin and boot.

I kept thinking, though, that my calves aren't the problem. DH didn't say my legs looked fat, he thought *I* did. And I didn't get that cankle feeling like I do when boots are too wide in the shaft. Plus, I have relatively thin ankles that should be able to handle a smidge of bulk... something had to be affecting the overall look.

When I drew lines against the sides of the boots, I was left with my new theory: I definitely think the angle between the ankle and shaft opening affects the perceived width of hips and thighs; the wider the angle, the wider the hips.

The gray Julias extend past the widest part of my calf and curve back inward toward the knee break. The black ankle boots stop well before widening to the full portion of the calf. The cognac Timberlands are the least slimming of the bunch but get away with more than the flat boots because of the low contrast with my legs, the vertical lines of the laces, and the extra height of the heel.

In conclusion: I'm not giving up on flat boots. I'm going to keep searching for that perfect pair, focusing on styles with slim ankles and the ability to cinch snugly either above or below the widest part of the calf. Amazon and Zappos may hate me by the end of it, but what can I do when the three Ps (patient, picky, and practical) haunting me?
http://youlookfab.com/2012/01/.....principle/