Friday Faves Vol. 6

These beautiful rainbow pancakes!

This very dapper horse in a custom suit!

This cheeky avocado crop top!

This adorable bodega where everything is made of felt!

This photo tour of Dev's apartment from Master of None!

This nerdy but interesting article on how businesses get on those highway signs!

This trip down memory lane of every MTV dating show in history!

The Museum of Failure, featuring dud products, like green ketchup!

This niiiiiice video of a corgi butt swimming! :)

This cool eye print skirt!

What cool stuff have you seen lately?

Black & White Stripes

I find it humorous that black and white stripes seem to be deemed a "new trend" every few years. That's like calling out gray as a hot new neutral or suggesting the masses wear less clothing in the summer heat. Those are tried-and-true constants that have nothing to do with trends. Black and white stripes are so timeless and classic that I can't recall a single year or season in my life where the design was not readily available - thankfully.

Though I wouldn't call this look 'trendy,' I would call it cool as hell. A black and white stripe will always get my attention. It's a definitive look that's somehow both tough and feminine, modern and retro. It is all things! Cool, unisex, interesting: it's the leather jacket of prints.

WHERE TO BUY

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Do you fall for black and white stripes too? What's your favorite print? How do you feel about 'trends' versus 'timeless'?

STYLE: Style Icon - Annie from Community

If you've ever seen the show Community, you're probably familiar with the character of Annie Edison, and if you haven't seen it, well, YOU'RE 4 SEASONS BEHIND! Also, the fifth is coming soon so you might want to get on that. Annie is a typical overachiever and perfectionist, a little uptight and on a constant quest for straight A's, but she also has a slightly sordid past (Adderall addiction, rehab, the usual) and a kind-of-insane streak, which is a nice balance.

I could get into all the things I enjoy about this show and its characters (I've been known to chatter aimlessly on such topics), but what I really want to discuss is Annie's wardrobe. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy the floaty cardigans and leather jackets of the other female leads, but Annie's near uniform of floral dresses and bright cardigans just speaks to my fashion soul.

It does kind of seem like a uniform, right?

She never shies away from a bold print and loves feminine details and retro silhouettes. A lot of her dresses and blouses have a 40s feel and she sure does love a tie-neck top. I also don't think I've ever seen her wear pants, which I admire as a dress and skirt devotee.

This girl has seemingly replaced her pill addiction with a cardigan addiction, which I think is probably healthier and also warmer, so win-win.

Want to replicate Annie's cardigan game? These ones will have you two getting confused for each other at CA meetings. Yes, that is Cardigans Anonymous. I'll see myself out.

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Annie's no slouch in the dress department either, as witnessed in many scenes:

I think she would love these dresses, too - perhaps as much as she loves a perfectly pinned back hair-do:

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She's the kind of gal who not only still wears blouses, she calls them blouses, too.

Here are some cool blouses that would live up to Annie's rigorous standards:

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And, just for funsies, here are a couple of her outfits recreated for your shopping pleasure:

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What is your fashion 'uniform'? Do you have a cardigan addiction like Annie and me? Are you watching Community yet or what?

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STYLE: OOTD Flowers Galore

Little known fact: sometimes your floral motifs get lonely and you need to give them company. Okay, I actually didn't notice that I was wearing florals on top AND bottom until I made this post, but that rationale seems accurate, right?

Lipstick is Fire & Ice by Revlon

I made this skirt last year from a very simple pattern and this glorious floral fabric that I got from Joann Fabrics. Here's a closeup of its vintage-inspired goodness, wrinkles and all:

Here's a closeup of the cardigan's floral gems. I'm...let's call it "thrifty" with most purchases, but I still remember that I spent $29 for this cardigan on clearance, which is probably NBD to most people, but I like to see how little I can pay for all of my clothes, so this was a MAJOR splurge to me. This one was special!

Here is a clear shot of the Indiana Jones Cat portrait that lives above our couch. He peeks into a lot of my pictures, but I've never introduced him. He found me at a vaguely sketchy thrift store and I just knew. I have yet to regret making him the center of my living room decor. The other is a painting of Mike Lowell done by my dear pal Brian.

Outfit Details

Cardigan: Adrienne Vittadini via T.J. Maxx

Tank Top: Old Navy

Skirt: Handmade by me

Leggings: Old Navy

Boots: Rampage via Marshall's

Bracelet: Vintage

Do you ever go overboard with a pattern? Are you into making your own clothes? Would you not LOVE to have your own Indiana Jones Cat portrait? I think I've actually seen this print available online before for those who just must have him, too. He's worth the search.

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STYLE: Fox Sweater OOTD

It's been quite some time since I've made an Outfit of the Day post, so I figured I'd rectify that since that's one of the things I claim to do around here. Truth is, no one is watching to tell me what to do, so sometimes I get a little off track and want to talk about bunny ear flats or the clothing of 90s TV when it comes to fashion posts instead of just sharing a picture of myself in whatever I happen to be wearing that day. 

This outfit makes me feel like a vintage British schoolboy. Uh, I guess that should be schoolgirl, but I can't help but feel like a little fancy boy for some reason. That's ok, right?

These houndstooth flats have been kicking around my life since 2005. They're so old that they make crackly noises when I walk in them. I've also covered up some scratches on the heels with a Sharpie because I am the absolute picture of sophistication.

Up close, you can see the little pink jewels on this pearl collar necklace. Clearance, as usual.

Outfit Details:

Fox Sweater: Old Navy

Corduroy Skirt: Old Navy

Knee Socks: Target

Houndstooth Flats: Old Navy

Collar Necklace: H&M

Rings: Vintage {Orange} & Claire's {Mood Ring}

Do you enjoy dressing for "school" even if you haven't been a student in years? What's your favorite piece of animal clothing? What's the longest you've worn a pair of shoes?

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Reconstructing a Vintage Skirt Into 3 New Pieces

I found this awesome vintage skirt at the Salvation Army for just $5.00 and even though it was too small and too long for me, I knew I had to have it. The fabric is so ornate and beautiful and it seems to be handmade, which always tugs at my heart strings. Anytime I see a vintage anything with the telltale handmade signs (no label, messy seams, hems done by hand) I kind of have to have it. I imagine the person who created the piece decades before me cherishing it in their wardrobe and I feel a duty to save it from those who won’t appreciate it like I do. Whether I wear it as is or reconstruct it into a new piece, I always try to use every last bit of the garment so nothing goes to waste. 

This skirt ended up making a new shorter skirt, a scarf and a bracelet with nothing left behind except the original waistband for which I am actively brainstorming a new use. 

The original:

New skirt:

Slouchy scarf:

Bracelet:

The bracelet is made from several strands of the fabric which have been either pulled to curl edges or braided, and finished with black elastic. I love these new pieces and the super vintage vibes of this fabric. I hope the original seamstress, wherever she is, would be proud!

All I have left is this original waistband - what should I make from it? My ideas so far include a belt with some kind of DIY buckle/closure, a headband or perhaps some vertical banding on a shirt. What would you do with the waistband?