Tag Archives: Everybody Everywear

September 11, 2012 · 6:40 am

Back to School Look

I haven’t had to worry about going back to school for a long time but I did start a new job a couple of weeks ago, so I’ve dealt with a lot of similar concerns: first-day jitters, what to wear, decorating my ~~locker~~ office, finding my way through a new building. So when I found out Everybody, Everywear had a back to school challenge, I accepted.

back to school

Sweater: Store in Vancouver
Shorts: Salt Works via swapped
Shoes: Kelly and Katie
Bag: Furla via gifted
Bracelets: Lucca
Necklace: Falling Whistle

This outfit isn’t prep-school crisp, nor does it incorporate plaid, a pleated skirt, or uniform of any kind. But it is more fall-like than most things I’ve been wearing lately. I’ll break it down.

back to school outfit

A sweater is quintessentially fall. In burgundy (or, as they’re calling it this season, oxblood), it’s autumnal for sure. Yes I have on shorts–a staple of summer–but in the longer length and denim fabric, I feel more British schoolboy than Daisy Duke.

My shoes are what really remind me of the school uniform season. A low, buckled flat (and in this season’s color).

shoes

The necklace is a Falling Whistle. Not a back to school item by any means. It’s part of a campaign for peace in the Congo (and the opposite of a child soldier is a child in school–so I thought it worked). Jamillah from Made to Travel wrote about them and I bought one.

outfit details with whistle

Summer didn’t start in Seattle until mid-July so I’m not ready to switch gears and dress for fall. As long as the weather allows it, I’ll be bare-legged and coatless. I do need a back to school haircut. I’ve been trimming and coloring my own hair since December in an attempt to grow it out and see if I can go a year with out a salon visit.

Are you going back to school? Ready for fall or hanging onto the last of summer?

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Filed under Ethical, Fashion, Thrifty

Tagged as Everybody Everywear, falling whistle, fashion, shorts, style, thrifty fashion

March 13, 2012 · 1:59 am

Green and White and Wet All Day

This month’s Everybody, Everywear challenge is green! I love green and actually have a few green pieces that I was considering, but the weather chose for me. It’s a rainy day in Seattle (no surprise there) so I went with my green satin trench coat. Don’t forget to check out how the others wore green!

Coat: Wet Seal
Scarf: Crazy Harry’s
Jeans: BCBGirls
Boots: Wanted
Umbrella: Baby & Co.
Pin: eBay

I debuted this coat on my blog almost a year ago. The first time I wore it with blue jeans and white booties. The white jeans I chose today changes the look a lot, I think. White makes any color pop.

I always manage to splash water and mud up the back of my pants when I walk in the rain so I’ve learned not to wear white jeans when it’s wet outside. However, the tall boots will save my pants so today I tucked my jeans into them. Who says you have to save white for summer?

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Tagged as Everybody Everywear, fashion, green coat, style, trench coat, white jeans

February 14, 2012 · 3:31 am

Pink and Red for Valentine’s Day

This month’s Everybody, Everywear challenge is pink and red. I enjoy trying new looks, but I don’t have a lot of pink. Hot pink, yes, but my bright pink tops didn’t go with the shades of my red pants and skirts. Then I remembered the craft pile.

Sweater: Izod via Goodwill
Dress as skirt: Boutique in Seattle
Shirt: Old Navy
Shoes: Two Lips
Necklace: eBay

I bought this sweater at Goodwill so I could make a pillow like the one I made before. Well, it’s getting one more chance as a garment before it becomes a household accessory. I put it on over a red dress I’ve worn before and added a leopard print shirt underneath for good measure.

I’ve never worn two pieces of animal print before, but I think this works, style-wise. It didn’t work weather-wise, unfortunately. So I ditched the dressy satin shoes and wore more practical boots. I chose striped socks for a funky, power-clash effect.

Boots: Qupid
Socks: Sockadilly

Have a look at how everyone else styled their pink and red looks today at Everybody, Everywear.

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Tagged as animal print, Everybody Everywear, fashion, style, thrifty fashion

December 5, 2011 · 9:04 am

Dress Up, Dress Down: Leopard and Sparkle

With leopard and sparkle on the agenda you might wonder how I could dress my outfit down. I should put this in perspective. A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a wine tasting at ROAD Apparel. So both my outfit ideas were for a Saturday evening event. I do think they’d both work for day too, with a couple of minor adjustments.

I knew for certain that I’d be wearing my silky cowl-neck top with a sparkly cardigan. The sparkles say fancy but the cut of the sweater says casual. Seattle is known as a casual city but for a Saturday night event, I didn’t want to under dress. This was my compromise.

First, I tried on wide-legged pants and leopard ballet flats.

Cardigan: Old Navy
Top: Express
Pants: People Love Frank via thrifted
Shoes: Payless
Necklace: Mary Kay
Cuff: Lauren Harkness

Just to mix things up, I swapped the pants for a denim pencil skirt and traded the flats for heels.

Skirt: Sofada
Shoes: Two Lips

Which outfit do you prefer? I ended up going with: The skirt!

The shape (pencil) was dressy and the fabric (denim) was casual. I felt like I was ready for any occasion in this outfit. I love this brand too. It’s a line of handmade clothing by Alice Dobson, a Portland designer. I try to support small businesses whenever I can. The gorgeous hammered copper cuff by Lauren Harkness is another example of an independent designer. I bought both items recently at an event called Thread.

I threw on a jacket I’d thrifted at Goodwill and I was set.

The final look

Jacket: Tahari via Goodwill
Clutch: Shiraleah

To dress these items down more, I’d change the skirt for dark jeans and keep the heels. These looks are probably fine for day, but a simple white t-shirt would be a good substitute for the silky blouse.

I’mentering this post in the Everybody, Everywear challenge since it meets this month’s requirements: sequins and sparkles.

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Filed under Dress Up Dress Down, Fashion

Tagged as animal print, Everybody Everywear, fashion, skirt, style, thrifty fashion

November 8, 2011 · 6:44 am

Bright Tights, Big City

By now you know I love a challenge. This month’s Everybody, Everywear challenge is tights! I love tights, so participating is a no-brainer.

I debuted a hot pink pair of tights that I bought at Target a month or two ago. They’re slightly merled, and oh so comfy. First, I paired them with a multi-colored patterned skirt and purple top but it was too busy for me. So I changed into this subdued ensemble to let the tights shine.

Dress: Boutique in LA
Shrug: Thrifted
Tights: Target
Cuff: Greenbelts
Scarf: Fred Meyer’s
Shoes: Payless

I knew I was onto something when the first person I saw at the coffee shop said, “nice tights!” I guess they do get noticed.

Tight Tips:

When shopping for tights, look for denier. The larger the number the more opaque they will be. If you don’t want to see through your tights, go with at least 40 or 50 denier. Thick cotton or wool tights might be 80 or 100.
If you buy tights that have cardboard in them for shelf appeal, bend the cardboard before removing it so you don’t snag the tights.
Moisturize your legs and feet before putting on your tights, and make sure your nails are smooth.
Before you put on your tights, gather the fabric to scrunch up the leg and slip your toes into them so you don’t snag the tights.
Pull your tights up gently with the pads of your fingers, never with your nails. Running a damp hand up your leg after your tights are on will help grip the tights and pull them up higher without poking a hole in them.
Before you put your shoes, on, pull the toe of the tights to take the pressure off the fabric and help prevent holes in the toes.
If your tights won’t stay up, try wearing a pair of boy-cut underwear over the tights.
If you get a small run in your tights, paint clear nail polish on the spot to prevent it from running further.
Always hand-wash your tights or put them in a lingerie bag before putting them in the washer (and hang them to dry instead of using the dryer).

Check out how all the others are wearing tights at Everybody, Everywear.

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Tagged as bright tights, Everybody Everywear, fashion, style, tights

October 11, 2011 · 1:28 am

DIY Wrap Skirt

Look what I made! I’m participating in Everybody, Everywear, and this month is DIY month. I like to alter clothing—make a mini from a maxi, make a scarf from a t-shirt—but I rarely make something from scratch.

Top: Target
Skirt: DIY
Tights: Target
Earrings: DIY
Boots: Candies via thrifted
Bag: Swapped

This time, though, I did. And I did it right. I like to cut corners but this past weekend, I sat down with fabric, a skirt I used as a pattern, and all the proper supplies. I cut out the fabric (a single piece of stretchy material from the Halloween section of the fabric store), and stitched extra wide bias tape to the top edge.

The rest of the project was more like shop class. I used a hammer and pliers to fasten prong-ring fasteners to the bias tape. Now it’s a one-size fits all skirt. Wrap it, snap it, and off I go. I chose a mesh, semi-transparent fabric, so I’m wearing it with a slip.

The only downside with making things myself is the time and materials I put into the project. I spent about $15 in fabric and $10 in supplies. Add to that the hour and a half of labor and the time it took to buy the materials. I could have just worked for a couple of hours (doing something I’m good at) and bought a skirt (made by someone who’s good at that). But there’s a pride in making something by hand. It’s also a useful skill it I want a skirt in certain fabric or color that I can’t find in stores.

Are you participating in the challenge? What DIY projects have you tried? Check out all the other projects at Everybody, Everywear.

17 Comments

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Tagged as DIY, Everybody Everywear, fashion, style, thrifty fashion

September 13, 2011 · 5:43 am

Color-blocking my Colorful Pants

When Everybody, Everywhere announced that the next group challenge would be colored pants, I was stoked. I love colorful pants, especially denim. In fact, the hardest part about this challenge was deciding whether to go with my yellow, purple, orange, or pink jeans.

Pink won. Mainly because these are the only pair I hadn’t showcased yet on my blog. I picked these up at JC Penneys for a mere $11 last summer. At the time, I wasn’t sure how I was going to style them, but I didn’t have a lot to lose.

Top: Nordstrom
Jeans: JC Penneys
Shoes: Dr. Scholl’s
Necklace: Vendor in Santa Fe
Bracelets: Claire’s

I love the snap detailing at the ankle. I get complimented on these pants a lot. Often, people just say, “wow, those sure are bright!” They’re bright, sure, but they go with a lot. I’ve worn this with white, black, gray, and even stripes of different kinds. Today, I tried a color-blocked look with a solid violet-blue top and marigold ballet flats.

Check out all the other ways people rocked colorful pants over at Everybody, Everywhere.

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Tagged as colored denim, Everybody Everywear, fashion, fushia, pink pants, style

August 9, 2011 · 12:35 am

Monochromatic Pattern Mixing

The latest Everybody, Everywear challenge is pattern-mixing. There’s nothing like a challenge to get me in gear. I love the look of mixing patterns but I’m often afraid to try it. It has to be done right. But if mixing patterns is breaking a rule anyway, how do you know the right way to do it? Hmm. It’s tough. I played it safe and stuck with black and gray.

T-shirt: Wet Seal
Skirt: Swapped
Belt: Thrifted
Shoes: Aerosoles
Tote: Snap Design
Earrings: DIY
Cuff: Greenbelts
Ring: Premier Designs

A few other ways to mix patterns with a high degree of success:

Try a monochromatic theme—limit the color palette and focus on patterns
Experiment with accessories—add patterned shoes or a scarf or belt
Mix stripes and polka-dots, stripes and florals, or polka-dots and florals
Try two different types of stripes

The key is to make this look intentional, not like you got dressed in the dark. I’m still a novice, but I’m trying new things. I have a feeling you’ll see more pattern mixing in upcoming posts. It was a lot of fun to put this outfit together.

Do you mix patterns? What is the secret to your success? Need some ideas before you try it yourself? Check out all of the other ways people mixed patterns over at Everybody, Everywear.

23 Comments

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Tagged as Everybody Everywear, gray, mixing patterns, patterns, stripes

July 12, 2011 · 6:18 am

Mellow Yellow

This month’s Everybody, Everywear challenge is yellow. Jackpot! I’ve had a crush on yellow for a few months now. If you had asked me a year ago to put together a yellow outfit, I’d be hard-pressed to do so. Today, I could hardly decide what to choose: my mustard skinny jeans? My buttery boatneck sweater? The lemon yellow handkerchief dress? I even have yellow shoes and a yellow tote.

I chose this dress for a couple of reasons: 1) I really like it 2) I’ve worn it only once. I’m taking the day off of the 30 for 30 challenge today so I can participate in EBEW. Tomorrow, I’ll wear my final outfit. After wearing the same mix of clothing for a month, I’m ready to give other pieces a go. So starting with this one, I’m going to try a month of wearing only the things in my closet that a) I’ve never worn, or b) I’ve worn only once or twice. I got the idea from Carmen when she did a guest post on this blog a few months ago.

Dress: Palu Palu
Earrings: Premier Designs
Shoes: Nine West

I bought this dress from a small Seattle shop that I can no longer find. Boo! They had a lot of cute dresses and an online store too. But the best bargain isn’t a bargain at all if it doesn’t get used. Last time I wore this, I remember being slightly ~~acutely~~ aware of its body-hugging shape, so I added a 3/4 length blazer. This time, I’m going for it! It will be perfect for the burlesque show I’m going to this weekend. And I’ll be taking this with me to Vegas. It’s similar in style to a Hervé Leger bandage dress, but without the $1200 price tag.

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Tagged as dress, Everybody Everywear, fashion, style, yellow

June 12, 2011 · 12:24 am

Purple Lace: Tiny Hat Optional

The June challenge by Everybody, Everywear is lace. And I thought florals were tough! I don’t have a lot of lace. I had a lace cami that used for the winter 2011 edition of the 30 for 30 challenge. I regretted that and I’ve since given away the top. I have a floor-length black lace skirt, but that didn’t seem spring-like. Then I remembered The Dress.

This amazing dress is made from strips of fabric stitched together in a way that would make a Tim Burton character proud. It’s a Selma Karaca. She’s a New York-based designer! I also have a top from her.

Dress: Selma Karaca
Necklace: Claire’s
Clutch: Thrifted
Shoes: Nine West via thrifted

I didn’t have an occasion in mind when I bought this but when a Seattle boutique owner decided to retire and had a 70% off sale, I couldn’t miss the opportunity. Turns out, this dress came in handy when I was invited to a Halloween evening wedding in New Orleans. I wore it to the wedding, gothed it up a bit with a skeleton cameo I found on eBay, black nail polish, and DIY tiny hat. I bought the hat at a craft store and embellished it with black ribbon and a spiderweb brooch.