First Sewing Project

So, I promised pictures of my sewing progress. This is actually the first thing I completed and I have to say, it doesn't look all that terrible! It's a purple and black snake print skirt I made for my mother. She allowed me to take a picture but she wouldn't allow me to show her face. lol It looks kind of blue in the first picture, but you can see the true color in the 2nd picture. Might I also add that I made this with no pattern? Pretty proud of that fact, I must admit!

Anyways, this is my first completed sewing project! Yay, me. I have several others done as well, but haven't taken any pictures as of yet. I'm so excited to actually be learning to make clothes that don't fall apart the first time they are washed. Only simple things so far though... I seriously doubt Project Runway will be calling me anytime soon. :)

New York Fashion Week - Celebs & Trends

September was the month for New York City's Fashion Week. As interesting as the collections on the runway are, it's just as interesting to see who attends and what they're wearing. It's super important for fashion shows to be attended by celebrities... the bigger names you have attending, the better.

So do celebs who attend fashion shows follow trends or set them? They follow them, if the pictures below are any proof! Here are a few celebrities that are wearing some of my favorite trends for this fall-winter.

1940'S  as seen by Miu Miu

Metallics as seen by Calvin Klein

 

Gray on gray as seen by Donna Karan

 

Lace as seen by Ferragamo



Sheer Fabrics and Lace as seen by Valentinio

Neutrals as seen by Bottega Veneta

Bargain Beauty Buy - Maybelline Falsies Mascara

Oh, how often I have lamented my lack of luscious lashes! Seeing women with gorgeous fans of thick black lashes has always made me jealous, yet I've always held out hope that someday the perfect mascara would be developed for those of us who are lash-challenged. Is my search at an end?!?

After seeing the new Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Mascara in Black Drama (quite the mouthful, eh?), I decided to give it a go. Here are the results!

The Claim: "False lash glam goes extra matte, extremely black, 300% more visible lashes corner-to-corner, no gaps. The most dramatic false lash fab volume!"


The Verdict: 99% true! I actually had really visible lashes after applying this mascara- much better than the blonde, non-existant lashes I normally have. With just one coat of mascara, my lashes looked thicker, fuller, longer, and much more visible due to the deep, black color. Were they 300% more visible?  I have to admit... they were! Did they look like false lashes? Well, of course not. They can't give me what nature did not intend. But even though I didn't appear to have on impossibly long false eyelashes, I did have a gorgeous pair of natural ones. The brush provided great coverage, the formula was silky and didn't clump, and my lashes looked even bigger and better after a 2nd coat. Go in with realistic expectations however... none of us are likely to come out with lashes like the model in the ad. If you do, please send me a picture so I can grumble and throw darts at it.


The Bottom Line: I would definitely recommend this product for everyone that needs that extra length and fullness in the lash area. Even if you have long, large lashes (lucky you!) I think you would be pleased with the definition and fullness this mascara provides. I know all girls (and all lashes) are different and they may not like the same mascara, but I really believe this is a mascara that the majority of women would use and enjoy on a daily basis. Plus, it's super affordable!


This product is also available in different colors, in a waterproof formula, and with a different brush for a flared effect. For more information, follow this link or check out your local store.

Wish List - Diane von Furstenberg Color Block Coat

Have you ever seen a coat as gorgeous as this one by Diane von Furstenberg?!? Made from black alpaca, red wool and gold lame, ANYONE would look super chic and classy wearing this coat! At the extremely steep price of $865 though, the closest I'll get to it is by looking at the picture below. :)

For any uber-rich people that would actually like to buy this coat, click here to get one of your own. Lucky dogs.

For the Love of Missoni

So fashion lovers have been eagerly awaiting the new Missoni line for Target but who could have imagined the frenzy that would ensue yesterday?

Only 3 hours after the line was released yesterday, every Missoni item on target.com was gone. Every one.

Amazing.

Was it all for the love of Missoni? Hardly! Turns out many greedy shoppers grabbed up the items and have now put them on ebay.com for ridiculously steep prices. Over 23,000 Missoni for Target items are now on ebay! Whereas only a few items will continue to be shipped sporadically to Target stores.

Did Target know this was going to happen? In the past, these designer lines for Target have made their debut and enjoyed a great profit- but never has such frenzied, greedy shopping happened as it did yesterday.

How did these eager-to-make-money shoppers know that within one day they would be able to resale the items online for double the price? Was it well-known that not enough items would be sold? If not, how did this mad rush to Target come about? Will Target answer the call for Missoni by shipping new items?

If you were one of the eager shoppers who happened to luck out and purchase what you wanted, congrats! The rest of us frugal fashionistas are stuck with nothing since we refuse to pay the outrageous prices demanded on ebay by these scheming Missoni hogs. If it wasn't something I wanted, I might admire their forethought and business sense! But in this case, I don't!!!

For more on the Missoni madness, check out this video.

Sewing for Beginners

So for about the 500th time, I've decided to tackle the task of learning how to sew. Beyond a few basics I learned back in the day with my grandmother, I really don't know what to do! I've sewn a lot of extras onto clothes (ribbons, trims, etc) but I've never been able to follow a pattern and actually make a piece of clothing that was wearable. The closest I came one time was when I laid a dress on some material, traced around it, then cut two identical pieces of material out and sewed them together. Surprisingly, it didn't turn out that horrible! The dress looked ok, but the collar did not- I was forced to wear a jacket all the time to cover up the crooked neck. :)
Oh well... moving on.

I am notorious for getting super excited and buying everything I need to learn a new hobby. I try it... fail... try again... fail again... and then give up. My house is filled with the remnants of various crafts, drawing books, sewing materials, etc, etc, etc. Since this give-up attitude is ridiculous (and very immature for someone of 28 years of age), I decided to tackle sewing AGAIN. But this time, I've committed to follow through!

Guess what??? I'm actually doing it! I've made 4 skirts so far and am working on a shirt! What's more is I'm actually really enjoying it. Whats has brought about this amazing change? My new book Sew Step by Step by Alison Smith. It has over 200 essential techniques for beginners, from threading a needle to sewing ruffles. The reason I love this book is because it is has clear, color photographs to demonstrate every technique and tip. I'm really learning a lot and even though I'm not a professional yet, at least my clothes are not falling apart! :)

Pictures to follow soon! In the meantime, challenge yourself and learn a new hobby. If sewing and design is something you would love, check out the Sew Step by Step book by Alison Smith. I got mine for $16 at Barnes and Noble but it is also available here on Amazon for the great price of $10.

Fashion's Night Out on Amazon

So amazon.com is celebrating the new fall fashions with their own "Fashion's Night Out" online. They are featuring lots of style tips and articles, suggested outfits, interviews with designers like Nicole Richie and lots of great clothes!

Featuring practically every brand in the world- from 7 For All Mankind to Betsey Johnson, Michael Kors to Rebecca Minkoff, they have a little something for everyone! If you think most of it is still out of your price range, think again! They do have some great (and reasonable) things available on line. Check out the denim shop to get great Labor Day sales- some items are up to 75% off! Also, sign up online to receive special offers, including 20% your next clothing purchase.

FULL TILT feather tank - $17.99



Giraffe Print Faux Leather Satchel - $17.97



DIY: Tie-Dye Tanks

Normally tie-dye shirts make me think of 70's day during school spirit weeks, but these tie-dye tanks are low-key and not too bright! They are super easy to make and look great during summer. Wear them alone or layer them under a jacket to transition into fall! Plus, it is a fun, cheap project- one pack of dye is usually just about $3.

Step 1: Make sure you start with a wet garment. You will need to fully immerse your garment in water and then ring out the excess.

Step 2: There are a lot of dyes and methods you can use. I like to use a powder dye like the ones available from Rit Dye. Start by filling your washing machine with hot water. Dissolve the powder in a small bit of water and then add to the washing machine. Mix well.

Step 3: Add wet garment to the washer. Set the washer to an extended wash- the garment needs to be in the dye for at least 30 minutes before letting it go through the rinse cycle with cold water.

Step 4: Remove garment, take off rubberbands if doing a tie-dye method and hang to dry. Darker garments may need to be washed before wearing. Enjoy your newly colored garment!


Tie-Dye Methods:

1) The olive green tank in the picture started off as a plain white tank. To get the one circle pattern, pinch a bit of fabric in the middle and pick it up. Twist the fabric as you would a mop (the less material you twist, the smaller the circle). Once it it twisted, fold the twist in half and secure with a rubberband. Follow the directions above. Remove rubberbands before hanging the tank to dry.

2) To get a design similar to the white and blue camisole, twist the entire shirt as you would a mop. Once it is twisted VERY tightly, fold the twist in half and secure with rubber bands towards the bottom. The material you leave hanging lose below the rubber band will give you the solid color on top and bottom of the camisole. If you want more solid color and less tie-dye pattern, simply adjust the rubber bands to allow more fabric to hang loosely. Wash as directed and remove rubberbands before drying.

3) For the blue and gray tank on the right, simply start with a gray tank instead of white and use blue dye. Follow the instructions for the first pattern and just vary the size of the circles by doing some small twists and some large ones. Wash as directed and remove the rubberbands before drying!

4) Experiment with various patterns and methods. For more ideas, check out these different tie-dye projects.

Bargain Beauty Buy: Camomile Makeup Remover

I'm a big fan of The Body Shop, but I'm not always a fan of their prices. However, there are a few Body Shop staples that I can't live without- one of which is The Body Shop Camomile Gentle Eye Make-up Remover.

Available in an 8 ounce bottle for $14.50 or a 2 ounch bottle for $4.00, it is one product I recommend to everyone! I've tried a lot of other makeup removers (mostly affordable versions from Covergirl, Maybelline, etc) but was never pleased with any of them! Then I tried the one from The Body Shop and fell in love! I've been using it for years now and couldn't be more pleased.

I have sensitive eyes and my skin is easily irritated, so this gentle cleanser is perfect for me! Most of the sensitive-skin makeup removers I've tried felt too oily, but the Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover from The Body Shop is perfect! It removes makeup with very little effort (no harsh scrubbing needed!) and leaves skin feeling very soft and clean!

Still don't want to pay $15 for a makeup remover? You use very little of this product to remove all your eye makeup, so one bottle lasts forever! It's really worth the price and I seriously doubt you will ever go back to using another brand of makeup remover.

Visit www.thebodyshop-usa.com or go to a local store to see their special offers. Right now they have several great offers like "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" or "4 for $30 Mix and Match". I love the mix and match offers because you can get any of their other great products like body butter, body polish, lotions, and lotions. Sign up online for coupons or click here to see their list of current sales and discounts.

(Just so you know... all of the products I feature on my blog are bought with my own money and feature my honest, personal opinion. I don't receive free products or accept payment for reviews as do many other bloggers.)

If you have a product you just can't live without, let me know. I might feature your favorite product in my next post! :)

Happy Shopping!

Wish List - Aerosoles Plumbrella Wedge

Ok, so I finally have a wish list item I can afford AND that is practical! I am 100% in love with these suede wedges from Aerosoles and will hopefully get them next time I'm shopping. They come in black and a beautiful plum purple, but my favorite is this gorgeous mink color. For only $89, how can you go wrong?

During my clumsy adventurous life, I have fractured my back and broken my foot twice! So because of continued issues, I absolutely have to wear comfortable shoes! Unfortunately, it's hard to mix comfort with fashion. I can't remember when I was last able to wear a gorgeous pair of sky high heels. *sigh*

In this case, I'm happy though... yay to Aerosoles for putting out comfortable AND fashionable shoes!!!

So, what are you waiting for? Shop away!  :)
http://www.aerosoles.com/product1.asp?P=PLUMBRELLA