A Flashback …Plus, I Need Your Input!

A few weeks ago, I was supposed to hang out with one of my good friends but she needed to run a few errands before our meeting. So I went to the local Goodwill to kill some time. They were having a sale on dresses for $3.99 that day so I went straight for the dress racks.

Most of the time, there’s nothing for me, but that day, there was this awesome 100% silk dress that looked brand new. I checked the tag and it said Robbie Bee Petite, Size 4. It required a little fixing since there were two missing buttons and the elastic was stretched out at the waist. I decided to purchase it and figure out its potential later.

The dress looks pretty good in its original state.

Outfit Details: Robbie Bee Petite – 4 (Goodwill), Valentino Garavani heels (DecadesTwo)

Totally 80’s right?

Well, here’s where I need your input and your fashion advice.

I want to do a DIY project with this dress, but I’m not sure how to proceed because I have several ideas. So I’m leaving it up you readers to decide for me.

You can provide other ideas in the comments below! =)

Wohoo! Mini Vacation!

I got my computer fixed ahead of schedule! YAY!

This week, I went to visit my friend W. and his wife.

They’re having their first child and it’s amazing how slim W.’s wife looks. It’s like all the weight is centered on her belly and nowhere else! Before I left their house, W.’s wife gave me some candy.

It’s a Hi-Chew, but W.’s wife got it personalized in Japan. How awesome is that?

As for the weekend, I’ll be off to Lake Havasu, AZ for some much needed R&R. Since my friend’s family owns a cabin and a boat, my vacation expenses will be about $5o to pay for food, gas, and general maintenance.

The only purchase I needed for the trip was a pair of water shoes.

Since I’m pretty unfamiliar with this kind of footwear, I went to my local sporting goods store only to find them sold out in my size. Even the kid’s sizes were  unavailable. So, I went to the only other place where I know they’ll have water shoes…The Surplus Store.

The Army Surplus Store to be exact.

And lo and behold, I got water shoes for $13 in men’s size 1. It’s not very pretty, but it does the job, especially since we’re going cliff jumping!

I’ve never been to Arizona, so this will be a new experience and I hope it’ll be every bit as fun as we planned. Supposedly, we’re going to be doing a lot of water sports this weekend and I’m excited since the last time I went water skiing was when I was 12!

Happy Friday!

Big Patterns

I got this shift dress from Wasteland about a year ago. The length is just right for wearing flats and a bit short to pair with heels. Though it’s a large print/pattern, I think it works quite well.

Looking for petite tips online always frustrate me. Sometimes, they’re spot on with advice and other times, they’re way off base. I tend to read the rules and adjust according to my situation. There are always exceptions to rules, especially when it comes to fashion.

The rule that I’m breaking this time….

If a print is larger than your fist or if stripes are large and wide, it’s not flattering and can be overwhelming for a petite.

This dress was just too cute and I went with my instincts to keep it.

A simple belt in an accent color provides some emphasis to the waist and gives me an hourglass shape. Since the stripes are at a diagonal, it creates the illusion of a more curvaceous figure instead of just making the body look wide (horizontal stripes) or lean (vertical stripes).

At first, I paired my black flats with this outfit, but it didn’t look right so I switched over to gladiator sandals and I think it works a lot better since it doesn’t chop off the line of the foot.

Outfit Details: Collective Clothing shift dress – S, Martin + Osa belt – S, Muzina sandals, Ross flats

What do you think? Can petites wear larger prints and stripes without looking overwhelmed?

Channeling the First Lady

For work attire, my style is pretty boring. I don’t put as much effort into my work clothes as I do my casual outfits. In my head, the options are limited and there are only so many ways to mix and match.

Plus, I’ve been losing weight for the past year and now ALL the bottoms for my work wardrobe are too loose. Everything that used to sit on my waist now hang low on my hips.  I don’t plan on getting any slimmer in the waist area, and my weight has been pretty stable for the past 3 months so it’s about time to take everything to the tailor and have it taken in…again.

There is one bright spot to pump up my work wardrobe and that’s to take inspiration from the First Lady, Michelle Obama. I love her style and how she really makes a simple silhouette pop with color, patterns, and accessories. Though she does wear a lot of formal gowns, her more causal outfits gives me hope that work attire doesn’t have to be boring, plain, and dowdy.

With inspirational images in mind, I dove into my closet to find something similar to Mrs. Obama’s outfit.

DIY: From Blazer to Vest

I got this blazer from Goodwill for $3. It’s in pretty good condition and though it was big, I knew it would make a great DIY project. This is what it looks like on me:

Here’s a detail shot

After a couple of hours cutting of the sleeves, add a dart to the sides and finishing up the edges…I have vest! It reminds me a bit of a boyfriend vest, but I don’t know if that was what I originally wanted. Perhaps I should reshape the sleeve area to make it look like a halter…kind of like Kate Holmes, but with a back.

This is the almost finished result…one sleeve isn’t done so it looks bigger on one side.

What do you think…should I keep it as is, or go for the halter effect?

Uninspired

Since the holiday, I’ve been a bit uninspired to write. I don’t want to put out random fluff to fill the day, so I’d rather leave things blank for now.

Even though I shouldn’t get any more jeans, they’ve been on my mind constantly. I read somewhere that the best brands for petites are Kasil, Jag, Caslon, and Banana Republic. I don’t own a pair from any of those brands but I’ll try BR. Usually, I get jeans from Rock&Republic, PacSun, Forever21, and William Rast.

Recently, I got a new pair  of Super Skinny jeans from GapKids and I’m testing out a few from Gap Petites. Also, I’m wondering if I should invest in Hudson jeans, Earnest Sewn, and/or Current Elliott jeans. Perhaps, I’ll visit the American Rag Denim Bar or the Blues Jean Bar in Santa Monica for some more jean window shopping!

Why do I like jeans so much??

Anyways, I went shopping during the weekend and came back with this dress from Cynthia Steffe for $50, which is a pretty good deal. 100% silk, though unlined…it fits well in a size 0. I might get it slightly slimmed down later, but it still looks good without any alterations.

I love it, but for some reason, I can’t figure out how to style it. All I can think if at the moment is dark gray pumps, purple opaque tights, a long brown cardigan, and double stranded pearls.

Any suggestions?

How To: Cowboy Boots

I got these awesome Jeffrey Campbell cowboy boots for $40 at a thrift store two months ago but it’s been too hot wear them. Gradually, I’m becoming accustomed to getting second-hand goods, as long as they’re pretty new. The boots looked darn spankin’ new and smelled clean too. I know…smelling isn’t the smartest thing to do, but it smelled like new leather and not stinky feet.

As for when to wear them, there’s no specific season for cowboy boots. You can wear them year round with many different outfits and it’d still be fine. I know it’s not a huge trend for fall this year, but who cares? Cowboy boots will always be around in fashion no matter what.

Here’s a quick way to transition cowboy boots from summer to fall.

Look 1: Summer Flirt

Pair the boots with a loose floral dress for an easy, breezy summer look that’s chic without being uncomfortable.

Fire Los Angeles (Nordstrom) Floral Trapeze Dress ($25)

Look 2: Autumn Casual

As the weather cools down, pair the cowboy boots with some leggings and a shirtdress. It’s a classic outfit with an unusual western twist.

TJ Maxx Striped Shirtdress($15) and Forever 21 Black Leggings ($5.50)

Petite Tips

For the first outfit, the dress was above the knee with a loose empire waist to add some shape and dimension to the body. The boots come up about mid-calf, which can be tricky as it can shorten the leg line, but the proportions of the dress balances it all out.

For the second outfit, it’s pretty much the same concept with the empire waist and a higher hemline. Also, thin vertical stripes help elongate the body without adding bulk. The dark leggings slim the look of the leg, so it it keeps you warm and makes you look smaller at the same time.