Tag: fashion

Fashion

Individual Style

by SymoneFLeave a Comment on Individual Style
Individual Style

I’ve always had a fascination with having my clothes made. My grandmother and great aunt were seamstresses and my sister and I often had things made or tweaked for us. I especially liked the fitting process to see how everything was coming along and making any changes that popped into my head. Due to my small frame, having clothes made meant that they’d fit. There is no greater joy than having something fit you they way it should, when you can’t find many clothes to fit you in the first place. I tend to go crazy in fabric stores because of the many prints and embroidered fabrics that just seem to be calling my name. And today, I went to a fabric store. I went for swatches to get ideas, but I ended up buying 5 pieces of material (>_<) 4 prints and 1 white anglaise. I saw the material and I saw how I wanted it made, now it’s time to sketch or get pictures to alter.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I wanted to change my wardrobe since I got married to look more “womanly” for lack of a better word. I also want more prints that I like in my wardrobe, and seeing that I’m in the gym now and getting a “figure” I want to express myself through my clothes. I want to express my personality. Thanks to my friend who has me hooked on www.dulcecandy.com (a fashion blog, also on twitter @dulcecandy87) I resurrected this dormant desire to have my clothes express my personality by having them made. I’m going to aim to have this stuff done by the beginning of summer, but as I now have to search for someone around here to do it, who knows how long it’ll take once I do. I’m thinking of one skirt, one pair of shorts, and two dresses. I really LOVE the black and white print and that will be a dress for sure!

Besides following Dulce Candy, I came across a tweet yesterday from @karla_deras (another fashion blogger http://www.karlascloset.com/) promoting a book called StyleLikeU (http://stylelikeu.com/). This was also very inspiring because the way fashion is going right now, we buy clothes for the season then dispose of them when the next fad comes around. What happened to timeless pieces that could be there throughout any season and could keep making an appearance in years to come? More importantly, INDIVIDUAL STYLE. What happened to everyone having some bit of the new fad but incorporating their unique touch to it? There’s nothing wrong with shaking things up a bit, and adding a bit of flare. This is why I appreciate and follow certain fashion blogs, not to steal their ideas of how they wore something but to learn things that I would never have thought of – mixing certain colours, prints and how to do so without looking like a mess.

When we dress like everyone else, we look and become “everyone”. There needs to be that movement again for individuality in every aspect of our lives. When someone looks at us they see us for who we are and not someone who has blended with the masses, someone who is weak and doesn’t think on their own, but to see a strong person. So I think I’ve done my little part in starting this movement by writing this post, and hope you can share in it as well. Below is the trailer for the book.

 

“Style” is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma. Fashion is something that comes after style.– John Fairchild

Uncategorized

Show and Tell :)

by SymoneFLeave a Comment on Show and Tell :)

First of all… it’s the final week of Winter!!! The trees around my complex have blossoms already and my allergies are not as bad as they were last week. The whole reason for this post is: I finally have pics of my pieces!  Yay! *happy dance* :).  I’ve added them as a slideshow (old items first then the changes) so here’s what you will be seeing:

The jeans… I’ve always had a fascination with distressed jeans. I had a pair that my mother hated but I LOVED!! I must see if I still have them when I go back home. I’d bought this pair already distressed, however, I started to prefer the skinny leg for my physique as opposed to a flared leg which can only shorten a short person even more. So I cut the jeans and threw them in the wash to fray the bottom. As I already have about 3 pairs of denim shorts I decided to make this one mid-thigh, that it wouldn’t seem only for the day. I can already tell I’m going to kill them with some wedges! Then, I have two shirts that I removed the smocking bottom and simply hemmed the bottom of one and added an embroidered trim to the other, to make it slightly more feminine. I love these tops with shorts so I figured that would add a little edge to the look.

Just a quick update on the gym :). I have two more sessions left with my personal trainer. I’m seeing mad results already and feeling like She-Hulk! I’ve started Basic Yoga on Mondays and Fridays and once my sessions are up, I’m going to start the classes at the gym. I know it’ll be a waste if I go in there on my own so I’m going to put on my big girl pants and do the best I could in the classes. After all, you perform better when you don’t want to seem like the weakest link in the class ;). I’m very muscle bound today as I went to Yoga Monday, did arms/back with trainer Tuesday and legs yesterday again with trainer. I’m taking a break today and back to Yoga tomorrow >_<.

No Pain, No Gain 😉

*Please excuse my photography!! I rushed to take the pics as I almost forgot to take them before I started hacking away at my clothes 😀 *

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Uncategorized

Change..

by SymoneFLeave a Comment on Change..

When I got married, it hit me hard fashion wise, change has to come. I’m not the tallest person, so I’d always found it difficult finding the right length in dresses and jeans that I liked, that didn’t make me look like a 40 year old wife from the 50’s. The jeans and t-shirt had to be revamped. I am no longer living in the tropics so slippers aren’t an option and I hate sneakers so they weren’t an option either. I needed proper shoes, proper jeans and no “graphic t’s” that screamed “college student”.

I’ve stepped up my heel game, but my flat feet make it hard to find heels I like that are comfortable, so I’ve taken to wedges more. Last year was the first time I had to look for ballet flats and it wasn’t easy but I got through with 2  off-white pairs that became my best friends. I currently only have skinny jeans in my closet (until I have a pair of wide-leg jeans that I absolutely love) and  I won’t wear another flared jean again to shorten my body more.

By the way, if you were expecting me to say where I shop, this is more about changing up clothes I already have not where I got them.

In my quest to make my wardrobe more mature and less “cute” I’ve had some buys that were a miss more than a hit. So in preparing my pocket wardrobe  for this Spring/Summer, I decided to go back to a few pieces that I really liked but something about them wasn’t working for me. I hope be posting pictures soon, I’ll be getting back two shirts this week and next week I intend to attempt tie-dyeing two maxi dresses. I find it sooo exciting to see pieces, observe how they could be changed and watching it come into fruition.

It’s kind of like cooking… You take out meat/fish to cook for dinner and immediately think to do the same thing you always do with that type of meat, and the day you decide to change it up, and try something new, you feel like you’ve never had it before! Well, I’m still to collect my stuff from getting the alterations done and I’m already feeling that thrill you get after shopping!!!!!! The other good thing is, since I’ve been working out (YES I’M STILL GOING!!) I can get back into shorts that I couldn’t wear last year! This also means I don’t have to  buy new ones but feel like a million dollars that I got into the old ones!

I’ll go into the inspiration behind my pieces when I post the pictures. So I guess my little advice for the Spring/Summer wardrobe is to go through your closet now, and see what you have that you could cut, dye or resurrect and enjoy some DIY projects on your clothes (or take them to a professional for alterations like I did :)). I’m sure from the trends we’re seeing on the runways you can find something!