Frocks & Frou Frou

Top: Giordano

Cardigan: City Chic

Skirt: DIY!

Shoes: Schuh

A few weeks ago I spotted a navy blue skirt with heart pockets at Forever New which quite caught my fancy. It was too tight, too short, and the pockets - which were the same colour as the skirt as itself - didn't stand out nearly enough for my tastes, so I decided to have a go at DIYing my own version of the same. I didn't feel too bad about ripping them off, since as you can see they seem to have pinched the style themselves from Top Shop:

I actually used a dress pattern and tweaked it, but to be honest it was such a basic DIY that you could probably whip one up easily sans-pattern. Like my elasticised waist skirt it's basically a few yards of fabric gathered into a waistband.

I mocked up a placket and sewed buttons on it myself, but it doesn't actually open, the skirt fastens with a zipper at the back. To make the heart pockets I used the same applique technique that I used to remix my stripy Dorothy Perkins Top but I used iron-on interfacing on the backs of the hearts to give them a bit more sturdiness, and I left them open at the top so they were functional.

I was thinking it'd actually be an easy remix for any plain skirt you might have sitting in the wardrobe, or you can check the racks at your local thrift shop, too for a cheap and cheerful DIY.

Dress: DIY

Shoes: Poetic License

So I actually ended up having a very productive day yesterday, and managed to not only start - but complete - my Macaron dress from Colette Patterns.

Look, I'd be the first to admit that my sewing skills are a bit dodgy. Both my Mum and my Nana were pretty consummate dressmakers (as my stash of formal dress would attest) but I've always been too impatient for the rigours of sewing.

But I saw this pattern, and I had a bit of a look online, and so many people seem to have made it with great success, so I thought I'd try my hand at it.

It was easy! (relatively!)

The instructions were perfectly well laid out, with lots of diagrams, and suggestions on how to do things right. And head down, bum up, it took me about nine hours (with breaks inbetween to make a sad little orange poppyseed cake) to make. Pockets and all!

But still, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself.

Top: Barkins

Skirt: DIY

Shoes: Zensu

Dear, oh dear. Best laid plans and all that.

Of course, as soon as I decided it was cold enough to do a boot feature Melbourne decided that actually, no, it hadn't had enough of summer yet, and we're back into the high twenties, so I'm back in skirts and short sleeves.

I'm actually not sold on this outfit, but I'm SO SICK of my wardrobe that it probably has less to do with the look not working, and more to do with the fact that I just desperately want to pack all this warm weather stuff away and not look at it again for a few months.

Top: Dorothy Perkins - Remixed

Pants: Crossroads

Shoes: Zensu

So I had a very heads-down-bums-up week that culminated in the world's laziest Sunday. Huzzah!

It's come to that part of the year - at the turning of the season - when I'm utterly sick of everything in my collection and hankering for a change in both temperature and wardrobe. I want to get back into my woolies and my boots. I splurged on some new over-the-knee socks and now I feel like I want some new frocks and skirts to wear them with.

But the weather forecast's refusing to play ball, so I'm having to content myself with new shoes and the promise of a much-needed haircut.

Still, I have a list as long as my arm of Things What I Want On Etsy, and I'm in desperate need of a nice going-out dress (honestly, truly, I haven't got a single frock suitable for a wedding or a really fancy restaurant) so I might put up a survey some time this week and let you - my gorgeous, super fashionable readers - make the decision a bit easier.

Skirt: DIY

Blouse: Barkins

Shoes: Schuh

I bought this fabric a few weeks ago with a particular DIY project in mind, but because I couldn't find a pattern of what I wanted I was a bit worried that it might all go to pieces and result in tears and tantrums, so I kept it verrry verry quiet...

I think I've mentioned before that I suffer from a serious case of flatbutt, so items like my Portmans ruffle skirt I love because they provide a bit of extra frou-frou to draw the eye away from my ass.

Ever since seeing this bustle bum-bag on etsy I've become obsessed with the idea of bustles, and I started looking for modern day bustle clothing.

Fruitlessly, mostly.

It's that usual problem that there were great items that I found, but lots of them seemed to stop about a size ten (because God knows, no-one bigger would want to accentuate any part of their body!)

Finally, I decided that I'd have to bite the bullet and try a bustle DIY.

Behold:

Dress: DIY!

Shoes: Poetic License

So, I was looking at the construction of my Dream Diva skirt/dress and it seemed reasonably easy, so when I spotted this stripy 70's jersey at Spotlight for just a few dollars a metre I thought it wouldn't hurt to have a stab at making a similar piece for myself.

It's insanely basic: a circle skirt sewn to a boob tube, really. There's LOTS of tutorials on how to make a circle skirt available online, and the boob tube's just that - a tube of fabric large enough to squeeze your torso into.

I actually misjudged the length of my body somewhat, with the result that the top's a bit too long, but it means I can drop the waist on the dress to sit on my hips like I did the top picture, and it's easy to fix if I decide I need to.

I was tempted to add straps or little cap sleeves so that I can wear it with a bra, but I thought I'd stick to strapless and wear it with a bolero if needed.

Ask, and ye shall receive! Here's the step by step instructions on how to make my (CatRabbit's!)DIY full skirt with elasticised waist. It's seriously, seriously easy folks.

You can use any kind of fabric - The first time I used a cotton fabric, which gave the skirt a little poofiness - this time I used jersey which is a little softer and drapey.

Step 1. Measure out some fabric to the length and fullness that you'd like the skirt. More fabric = more fullness.

Blouse: Events

Cardigan: Crossroads

Skirt: DIY

Shoes: Schuh

Oh dear! This skirt... I love it, but I discovered today that the smallest gust of wind exposes my luvees for all the world to see. And today's been quite gusty, so I've spent much of the day clutching my skirt tight around my thighs!

Thanks to Harbourmaster's eagle eye spotting I finally have my mitts on a few metres of blue & white striped jersey, so this weekend I'm planning to do a step-by-step DIY project for those of you asking me how to make this skirt.

G&J's Discount Fabric on Lygon St in Brunswick East... I'd never heard of your before, but I LUFF you! They even have an entire floor of the great quilting fabric's that I moon over on etsy (I can't quilt). In fact you can even find the Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric from my first DIY project!

Top: Von Mozart (Thrifted)

Skirt: DIY

Shoes: Rocket Dog

I quite like this preppy little top, and it gives me epic cleavage that I (once again) managed to sunburn today. I've been struggling for ways to wear it, and I suspect that it suits my DIY pencil skirt better than anything else in my wardrobe.

It's been a while since I wore this skirt and I've discovered that I don't have a single pair of underpants left that I can actually wear with it without advertising my undergarments. Everything's either spotty, or striped, or ruffly, or in bold colours.

Time to get some boring beige nana pants, methinks.

Top: Bonds

Skirt: DIY (with fabric from Tessuti)

Shoes: Wittner

A few months ago, you may remember that I ran into the delicious mastermind behind CatRabbit at a craft market.

She was wearing the most scrumptious skirt that she confessed to having made herself, and since then I've thought about DIYing a similar piece for my own wardrobe.

It's the easiest piece you can imagine - one long piece of fabric, gatherered and sewn to an elastic waistband. No zips, no fuss.

I used 1.5m of fabric, which may have been a bit too substantial...

...but it twirls delightfully!

I love it. I want six of them. I've already picked my next fabric (polkadots! or maybe stripes.)

Meanwhile, all of my flats seem to be - simultaneously - having the soles walked out of them, so I bought a new pair in the Wittner sales - aren't they adorable?

Skirt: DIY!

Jacket: Veronika Maine

Shoes: Naturaliser

One of the reasons my Mum's visiting me in Melbourne at the moment is to suss out the camping & caravan options for a Grey Nomad trip around Australia later this year.

We spent the better part of a day out at Bayside perusing the wares, and I got a little pink in the midday sun, so I was annoyed to discover that I'd tanned the neckline of this jacket into my cleavage when I took it off in the evening!

Once again, my legs seem to be immune to the sun.

Top: Second Hand, but you can find a similar one here

Skirt: DIY

Shoes: Wittner

This poor old DIY skirt has been sitting, nay, languishing in my closet for months, snubbed because it's a shoddy home-made skirt, it's white, and I have to be full of swagger to feel confident enough to wear it because it's snuggly tight.

Well, I was having one of those swaggery days today, so I unearthed it, and remembered why I like it so much.

I know that wearing white bottoms is supposed to be one of those Great Big No-No's for curvy girls (like horizontal stripes and narrow leg jeans) but I've never been particularly good at caring what the Fashion Police like to dictate so ner to them. I think white bottoms look hot. Especially in the warmer months.

On another topic: The 'stash

Hopefully you've all heard about Movember.

The idea is that to promote men's health issues, particularly prostate cancer and depression, in the month of November (Or Movember) you can be sponsored to grow a mustache.

Unfortunately, not all of us are capable of that particular feat, so instead how about sponsoring someone who does have the necessary chromosomes?

The divine Fiona's equally divine Chris (who's up there as one of my five favourite boys of all time!) has decided to go the mo, and I'd encourage y'all to toss a few pennies in his direction.