Sewing Savant and Possible Psychic

I love this dress:

Love the print, love the fit, love it. 

I mean, look at this thing.  It’s amazing:

It's perfect for swishing about, dramatic walks down spiral staircases, Mama Mia! viewings and casual summer parties.  I'd just add a white blazer for cool nights and I'd be set.  You can see it with a blazer at Everything Just So where the lovely Jill has included my pic with other party pics.

The best thing about this dress though?  It's handmade.  I’m always yelling about how much I love handmade vintage and this dress is a prime example why; it looks like it was made for me.  It wasn’t, of course, unless… Unless my 70s toddler-self sewed it for my future-self, at which point I should probably go on the next season of Project Runway because I’m clearly a sewing savant and possibly psychic!  

Happy Thursday, Everyone!

Gracey

SIA: Woman of Substance

Today, I am linking up to Salazar's blog, 14 Shades of Grey, for this week's SIA Challenge.  As soon as I saw the piece Salazar chose, I knew I had to participate:

Woman of Substance - Octavio Ocampo

In spite of all the blue in the piece, I was drawn most to the combination of cream, green and orange-y yellows.  So, those are the colors I used in my outfit:

For this outfit, I paired my green, knit pencil skirt (vintage via Vintage by the Pound) with a cream blouse (LOFT), yellow sandals (Franco Sarto via Nordstrom Rack) and a yellow necklace (LOFT).  I also added a leopard belt because, well, I'm sure the artist meant to put of leopard in the inspiration piece.  Probably.



All in all, I loved the inspiration piece and I love my resultant outfit:

To see everyone else's inspired looks, please stop by 14 Shades of Grey and take a peek.

Happy Tuesday, All!

Gracey

It’s My Party and I’ll Shine If I Want To

Well, it wasn’t actually a party, it was dinner, but it was my dinner and my dress was shiny:

I wore this outfit for Day 2 of my Birthday Extravaganza.  We were going to dinner at The Chart House, which is a lovely restaurant in the hills above Portland, and I figured why not wear sequins.  So I did:

Although I love my black, sequined dress (vintage via Goodwill), I wanted to inject a little color into my outfit as well, so I added blue tights (Hue via Marshalls) and a burgundy eelskin clutch (vintage via Goodwill).  I also added a few bracelets, the same Juicy Couture necklace (via Nordstrom) I wore the night before (I know, I know, worst blogger ever) and black Mary Jane pumps (Franco Sarto Leticiavia Nordstrom).

Franco Sarto "Leticia" - image via Nordstrom.com

Dinner was fabulous.  The view was amazing and so were the food and the service.  Definitely an excellent Day 2.

Happy Thursday, All!

Gracey

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Bonus Footage: Gracey Goes to the Opera

Last Saturday, I went to see Don Giovanni at the Portland Opera with my best group of girl friends, Alex, Jodi and Erica.  We went to dinner at Gracie's and dessert at The Driftwood Room, both in the Hotel DeLuxe, before the show, and it was delicious.  After we ate, we had to rush across town (I like to linger over my champagne cocktails) to the show, but we made it and saw a fabulously modern rendition of Don Giovanni.  It was my first opera and I'm hooked; I'll definitely be going back.

For my inaugural opera, I wore this:

I found this dress for under $10 at my now-defunct local Salvation Army.  As soon as I saw it, I knew I'd found my opera dress.  I paired my opera dress (vintage, tag says Styled by Linda Jane), with fishnets (Target), a vintage fur (also $10, at a garage sale), Franco Sarto pumps (via Nordstrom) and a vintage clutch and jewelry.

The earrings are vintage, via Ray's Ragtime, the bracelet is vintage, via Red Fox Vintage, I can't remember where the ring is from and the clutch is also vintage, also Salvation Army.

Alex also wore vintage:

She borrowed my vintage pleated dress, vintage clutch (thrifted) and belt (Target).  She is also wearing leopard heels (thrifted), opera-length bejeweled gloves (Lil' Gypsy vintage), her mother's prom fur (so cute!) and her grandmother's vintage jewelry.

This weekend, I'm (sadly) not doing anything so fancy.  I'm heading up to a football game at Portland State, looking for a button for my new vintage coat and going to the Chart House.  Even though I did go to school at PSU, I don't think I'm going to root for them.  Instead I'm going to root for myself to stay warm and dry.  Go Gracey!

Happy Saturday, All!

Gracey

From Swans to Stripes

On Saturday night, I attended the Pacific Northwest Bloggers Holiday Party in Portland.  I was nervous and had no idea what to wear.  I ended up in this:

Franco Sarto "Leticia" - image via Nordstrom

Why?  Well, I figured nothing says “holiday” like swans (except, you know, maybe Santa, holly, elves or whatever) and nothing says “blogger” like a blazer with pushed up sleeves, so I wore a black blazer (Gap), with the sleeves pushed up, over my swan print dress (eShakti ).  I then remembered that bloggers also enjoy pattern mixing, so I added sheer polka dot tights (Spanx via Nordstrom) to the look and finished it up with Mary Jane pumps (Franco Sarto “Leticia” via Nordstrom).

And I think the look was well-received.  There were so many bloggers there that I didn’t actually even meet them all, but I believe my swans put those I did talk to at ease, because we chatted like old friends.  The lesson here?  Never under estimate the power of a swan dress, folks.

For today, I’ve gone from swans to stripes:

But, I kept the pattern mixing because I like to maintain my blogger street cred, even while at my day job.

Today’s mix comes from the striped ¾-sleeve tee (Target) and plaid scarf (DIY’d).  I also wore a red, button-front skirt (vintage, Goodwill) and gray, suede boots (Circa Joan & David via Piperlime).  I thought I’d give suede a shot as it wasn’t supposed to rain today; it started to rain as I took my pictures.  I love Oregon weather.

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Gracey

June Wears Leopard

I feel a bit like June Cleaver in this dress.  Of course, in my version, June wears leopard:

But, just a touch; like a leopard belt.  Just enough to prove she’s edgy and can do more than make meatloaf.

Of course, I don’t make meatloaf, or anything really, and I didn’t add the belt for edginess.  I added it because I’ve decided that pairing leopard with polka dots is my thing.  Well, one of my things.  Other things that are my thing include pairing leopard with green, owning too many coats and gesturing a LOT when I talk.  

Here’s an example of that last thing:

I think I was demonstrating that my hair was slightly better now.  Maybe.

This is actually what the majority of my photos look like on any given day.  I’m always flailing about with my hands or using them to demonstrate just how small something is.

But, I digress.  So, yes, today I did my thing and wore my polka dot dress (Coldwater Creek, thrifted) and I did pair it with a leopard belt (thrifted?).  I also added yellow platforms (Franco Sarto “Fylan” via Nordstrom Rack) and some bangles:

Is it the most fashion-forward outfit ever?  No.  But, it makes me feel as though I could slap an apron on and make something if need be.  Therefore, it gets full points for inducing delusions of domestic grandeur.

Happy Thursday, All!

Gracey