Hi everyone! So this is kind of a throwback post because if you look below those 2 picture collages are from 3 years ago when I graduated from college! I made these pants and wore them to my graduation dinner! They actually are probably one of the first pair of pants I ever made. I remember having to take them to the cleaners to get hemmed after I made them because I really didn’t know how to hem rayon at the time! I’ve come a long way in this sewing world but I still have so much further to go!!

Also, if you haven’t been able to tell already, I keep things I like/love for a very long time. Especially if I’ve made them. I know you may be thinking to yourself like “why are you still wearing pants you had from 3 years ago??” The answer is because I can still fit them, I still like them, and because I simply want to! This is not to say I never throw away something I’ve made because sadly I throw away a lot of projects that don’t turn out how I envision  them, and of course some things do get to small. However, often times I wear things I’ve made once or twice, put them away for a long time, then randomly wear them again when I want to. lol

Anyway I recently brought these pants back out and paired them with the caged bralette I made, while in college as well. Honestly, college is where I was really inspired to start making clothes. I wanted to go out every other night in college but, I didn’t have money for new outfits all the time, so I started making things! lol This caged bra was actually my first blog post ever, and it’s made out of a regular black bra. If you are interested in making your own you can see the post with instructions, here on the blog!

Honestly, the vintage sets just find me! lol This set and the floral one (previous post) are my favorites right now. Obviously I love prints and patterns so this set was right up my alley. It’s actually is a size large, but the waist is stretchy so I was able to easily take it in a little and it fit perfectly. I left the shirt as is because I like it over-sized. This set is made out of rayon so its really lightweight, comfortable, and flowy. I think I paid $10-$12 for this set and my shoes are from Public Desire. I like these shoes and love a platform, but even with the platform this heel is very high, and since they only have 2 straps for support you have to be careful walking in them. These are more like a sit down and look cute shoes. lol

This is a super easy craft project to spice up some old mules/shoes you may have in your closet. This project is inspired my @missenocha on Instagram, she also has a blog called locksandtrickets.com! She is a D.I.Y blogger, but her thing is shoes, and I’m totally here for it! I never knew there were so many D.I.Y shoe options until I followed her blog! So to make this mule is super easy craft math. lol Mule shoes, plus glue, plus jewels, equals a new jeweled mule! I got my jewels from Michael’s and paid about $7 for them. It was actually pretty funny when I saw this project because I had the same exact mules from Forever 21 as @missenocha but I had never worn them! I’ve had them for at least 6-8 months now. I just always felt they were missing something. I thought to paint on them but I was scared I would mess it up so this was PERFECT! I love the bling it gives the shoe. She also has a video if you need to watch how she did hers you can check it out here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8v0k_lRWIk

Check out my version below!!

I love accidental outfits! The result of being in the zone, letting your imagination be free, and just creating what makes you feel good. This dress is a prime example of that, an accidental outfit. I’ve had this fabric for about a while but, obviously, I’m just now using it. I tend to do that a lot, store fabrics until I get inspired to use them! lol I started playing around with the fabric and got the idea to do this simple yet “different” kind of dress. The front is not pleated but the back is, the hem is uneven, and the belt only goes around the front. This fabric is colorful, playful, and I love the mix of polka dots and stripes. I don’t know if I like the dress or the fabric more! lol

I got this fabric from Hancock Fabrics last year and I just have to take a moment to say I’m really sad they are going out of business! I recall Hancock fabrics being one of the first fabric stores I ever visited, I worked at a Hancock Fabrics in Georgia throughout college and I learned so much about sewing working there. I don’t think I would love sewing as much as I do had I not worked there and been around so many other talented, creative, people always willing to share their sewing knowledge.  On the bright side that just means now I’ll have to take regular trips to New York to go fabric shopping!

Scroll down below to check out the accidental dress!

I am loving this “off-shoulder” trend when it comes to tops and dresses. I normally don’t wear tops that are off shoulder because most of the time they just end up looking sad on me. lol but I love this off shoulder silhouette because its so subtly sexy and doesn’t look sloppy! I thought this top would be kind of difficult to make until I came across this tutorial on Youtube and found out this is the easiest top ever to make!!! Even a beginner could make this! The directions in the video are pretty clear, I followed the exact directions and made 2 versions of this top. I used about 2 yards of  lightweight denim from Joanns fabric to make both of these tops. If you make this, be sure to get lightweight denim so it will be breathable and have some shape!

There are several different ways you could alter this silhouette too. This off shoulder top can be made into a dress by lengthening the fabric for the middle, you could also crop the middle and make the sleeves long, or you could use another fabric, like an ankara print to really make it pop, or you could crop the middle and add elastic at the bottom for a totally different look, like I did. LOL! The possibilities are endless!!!

Visit the link to see the video on how to make this top and scroll down below to see how I wore mines!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s6-0OgHWiQ

This post is about what I wore to the Beyonce concert in Baltimore on 6/10/2016. First, let me say that concert was EVERYTHING! My sister and I had so much fun!! I knew I wanted to make a Beyonce, Formation, Lemonade type of inspired dress for the concert but I didn’t know exactly what I was going to make, until I watched the “Hold Up” video again and it hit me! Make a yellow dress with ruffles. lol That’s all I had in mind, when I went to Joanns to look for a yellow fabric. At Joanns the only fabric in the right shade of yellow I could find was linen. I have never sewn with linen because I hardly ever wear it. lol  I just hate how it wrinkles! However, I bought 4 yards of this yellow linen fabric and figured I would make it work.

Originally I was just going to do a skirt and wear a regular top. So I made this skirt using Vogue Pattern 8908 but when it was halfway completed I decided to scrap it because I hated how the fabric never looked crisp and ironed! Wrinkled clothing is a pet peeve of mines lol. So I went on vacation and I never thought about what I was going to wear to the concert again until the day of it. On the day of the concert, I literally woke up inspired and excited and just decided to finish the skirt. I also thought about my $35 that would have went to waste if I didn’t use that fabric and used that as motivation! lol In the middle of my creating process I decided to make a top to go with the skirt, after I made the top, I decided to attach the two and just have a dress! So this dress concept was a total accident that turned out great.

There are a few tweaks that would definitely have to be made if I were to ever make this again. Like I said connecting the top and bottom to make a dress was kind of an afterthought so the dress has 2 zippers in the back. In the future I would just do 1 zipper down the back. I would also play with other fabric types, although I must say this linen was super cool and breathable, I didn’t feel constricted or uncomfortable at the concert in this dress at all! I ironed it with starch to eliminate wrinkles and it held pretty good.

To create the top of this dress I measured around my bust and added about 3 inches on each side, then I cut a piece of rectangular shaped fabric to that measurement (bust + 6 inches=X), hemmed the top and bottom of it, and secured it with a separating zipper in the back. I know it turns out to be like a plain shapeless piece of rectangular fabric, but it is the underlining to the top, so don’t worry if it isn’t perfect because it wont be seen. Once you have that piece completed you can sew on the flounce. I took the flounce that came with the skirt and used that for my top also. The flounce is what gives the top that flowy type of effect. I like flounces better than ruffles for some projects because they lay really flat while still adding shape. The last thing to do is hem the flounce and then attach it to the top. Depending on how big or small your bust is you will have to adjust the flounce so that it can go all the way around. Also, if you were making this top and not attaching it to anything you could do multiple flounces to add to some drama to the top!

As you may or may not know I love vintage suits and sets. You can alter them in so many different ways, and sometimes you don’t have to do any machine sewing, like this time! If you haven’t seen my post on “Ways To Wear Vintage Suits” check it out! This is one of my FAVORITE vintage sets, I’ve had it for a while, but I just recently wore it. I paid about $15 for it, and the ONLY thing I did to alter it was change the buttons and this set was ready to rock! When I saw this suit I immediately thought about Rihanna! lol She’s worn a couple outfits similar to this before and I just adored them! I love the loose, laid back feel of this set. Scroll below for some Spring/Summer suit inspo and to see how I wore my vintage floral suit!

Muhammad Ali, widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer, passed away at 74 at June 3 at a Phoenix-area hospital where he was receiving care for respiratory complications. The athlete, who was formerly known as Cassius Clay, had battled Parkinson’s for 32 years, which slowly took away not just his physical strength but also his ability to throw shade at opponents and talk himself up to be the champ he was. (In a little bit of a Kanye moment, Ali once said, “I am the greatest; I said that even before I knew I was.”).

His quotes are legendary, but they’re also perfect to keep in your pocket (or, you know, on the bathroom mirror) for those times when you just need that extra boost to keep on taking over the world.

1. For your lunch date with a potential future employer: “It’s not bragging if you can back it up.”

2. A little motivation for your after-work volunteering commitment: “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

3. Some solid general life advice: “Don’t count the days; make the days count.”

4. A reminder of what to focus on (and what to get off your plate) when life has you a little crazy. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”

5. For a bad day at work—because you’re going to come out on top next time: “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”

6. For when you know you’re stuck in a rut: “A man who has no imagination has no wings.”

7. Facing a big decision? “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”

8. For the first day back at the gym: “If they can make penicillin out of moldy bread, they can sure make something out of you.”

9. For when you’re in that starter job/internship that will only lead to better things: “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’”

10. Like 2014’s YOLO, but a little more thoughtful: “Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you’re going to be right.”

11. And finally, a little wake-up call for those big dreams: “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

This article was taken from glamour.com.

Muhammad Ali was a huge inspiration to people all over the world young and old, he was such a profound, esoteric man. I especially loved him for using his voice and power to impact people. He was truly a one-of-a-kind, and even though I’m not a big boxing watcher, I still respect his confidence, talent, and him always standing up for what he believed in. Rest In Paradise Champ.

Hey Readers!! I know its been a while since my last post but with the weather about to break, graduations, birthdays, and vacations coming up. My time has been consumed with other things! Anyway I hope you all continue to read my blog and check back periodically because I am trying to post at least twice a month!!

So this D.I.Y  was actually inspired by an previous project I posted a couple months ago.  You may remember this top..

So a few weeks after I made that top I went back to the fabric store and I saw that same fabric along with another burgundy/chocolate looking color. I really didn’t even go in there for that but the fabric was on clearance for $3 a yard!!! Can you say SOLD?! lol I pretty much bought what was left of the fabric. It was about 4 yards of the burgundy fabric and 3 yards of the tan fabric. This fabric actually did sit for a while before I figured out what to do with it. Then it hit me, winter is about to be over, spring is coming, this fabric is perfect for transition pieces! Transition pieces are items in your wardrobe that can transition through the seasons or through the day. Spring weather is so tricky to me because sometimes there’s humidity outside, sometimes the wind blows like its trying to knock my house down, the random rain showers, and sometimes you leave out in the morning and its freezing, then when you get off work its really warm. These pieces are just for that.

I never knew I needed a nude/tan midi skirt so bad. It literally goes with everything!

Now onto how I made everything. I already had a pattern for the leggings, I used McCalls pattern 6173. These leggings were super easy! For the turtleneck top and the burgundy shirt dress I used my other  favorite McCalls pattern 9172. I can’t stress enough how many times I’ve used this pattern! lol To create the wide leg pant I used McCalls pattern 7198 which is actually a beginner pattern made for people who want to learn how to sew! None of these items have pockets so that also makes them really easy to make. I did not use a pattern to create the midi skirt or bandeau top. I just laid a midi skirt I already had on top of the fabric and cut it out to make the skirt. The tube top was actually an afterthought from seeing a scrap of fabric laying around, its really nothing but a band of fabric with elastic at the top and the bottom.  I have really small boobs so this works for me but extra fabric or stability may be needed if you have bigger than a B cup! These are all EASY EASY EASY sewing projects.

I absolutely loove how all these pieces turned out.  None of these pieces took me over 2 hours to make.  I also love them because they can all be worn interchangeably or you can pair them with things you already own and create new outfits. These transition pieces would also be perfect if you are going somewhere for the weekend and don’t really want to put together outfits. You could pack your transition pieces, a few other things like jeans, a jacket, a denim shirt, and some accessories to tie everything together and you would be set! Transition pieces not only take you through seasons they can take you from day to night also! Pair these pieces with heels or flats for different looks!

This outfit/post was inspired by many things!… The main 2 things are Black History and the dashiki! According to fashionhistory.com “A dashiki is a loose-fitting, pullover shirt usually sewn from colorful, African-inspired cotton prints or from solid color fabrics, often with patch pockets and embroidery at the neckline and cuffs. The dashiki appeared on the American fashion scene during the 1960s when embraced by the black pride and white counterculture movements. “Dashiki” is a loanword from the West African Yoruba term danshiki, which refers to a short, sleeveless tunic worn by men.” To continue reading the full article click the following link! http://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/clothing-types-styles/dashiki

I knew I wanted my next D.I.Y  to be something that was African inspired and I actually have wanted a dashiki for a while now. The only reason I didn’t buy one is because I saw so many cute styles from boutiques on Instagram that I couldn’t decide what I wanted, so I just decided to make my own. lol @midget_giraffe @grass_fields @dashikipride all served as inspiration for this outfit. So if you don’t sew and want to purchase something similar to what I’m wearing you can check them out on Instagram! Although mines is a little different than the traditional dashiki, it still uses the traditional cotton fabric. Which I purchased from a boutique I found on Instagram also! lol Every time I log onto my Instagram I wanna spend money or I get inspired by something. lol. (small businesses get me every time) Anyway this fabric is from allthingsankara.com (@allthingsankara on Instagram) and I love it! It was affordable, quality is great, and it came in a timely manner! I know I’ll be ordering from them again. If you do sew and want to make your own outfit there is your fabric source! lol  Also, a very easy tutorial for how to make a basic dashiki can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvXXwstgvNs

I pre-washed my fabric, (which was 6 yards) on a delicate cycle and hung it out to dry, before I used it. My top is from my favorite pattern McCalls 9172. I told y’all I use this pattern for everything. lol I made the sleeves quarter length, added slits on the side. Superrr easyyy! It took less than 2 hours to make the top. For the pants I used McCalls pattern 6707. Which is pretty much my go-to pattern for a skinny trouser pant. This is the pattern I used to create my “skant.” It’s crazy how these basic patterns can be transformed sometimes. The pant is an easy project also, it has a waistband, a fly front zipper, and you can also do a contrast stripe down the side of you want. The pant may take a little longer like 2-3 hours if you know how to sew. I love this outfit came out, and I liked working with this fabric, its really lightweight, colorful, and dries quick! Happy Black History Month! I hope you all enjoyed this post and are catching up on your black history facts this month! Feel free to leave a comment or ask questions about this look below!