Outfit Idea #20. Pretty Plaid Dresses.

Hello fashion-lovers!

Plaids are everywhere this fall! Every apparel store window displays some outfit in plaid. Coincidentally, I happen to love plaids and especially plaid dresses! That is why I decided to show a couple of plaid dresses I made a little while back.

I made this blue plaid dress from McCalls Pattern 5466, which is now out of print. It has tucks at the neckline, cap sleeves and in-seam side pockets. I love its hourglass shape. I usually wear it with this black bow belt. But it is always good to diversify the look. So I styled it with this black blazer cinched with a blue skinny belt. The blazer gives it a professional look and the belt adds a touch of sophistication.

The second plaid dress I want to share is probably my favourite yet! Unfortunately, I cannot recall which pattern I followed so it will have to stay a mystery.

It has a square neckline, wide elbow-length sleeves, it's very roomy and has big big side pockets! I love how unusual it is! I love how wide its sleeves are and how loosely it sits on the body. There is a certain kind of sexiness about it. And I especially like that it goes with just about anything beige or brown. So I can wear it with a beige belt...

...throw on a neutral blazer...

...and wear a woven beige belt over it...

You can further diversity the look by adding an extra layer underneath like a blouse or a turtle neck. Isn't it just perfect for winter?

Do you like plaids? Do you think of plaids as primarily fall/winter-appropriate? Or do you think you can sport them year round?

Outfit Idea #19. Over-sized Pocket Skirt.

Hi darlings,

I am very excited to share this creation of mine with you. It's been so busy on my end that to complete this number I had to literally steal a minute here, a minute there, sometimes sacrificing other chores. Now, it is finally ready and cannot wait to be worn. I made this skirt with a Vogue pattern. My skirt is of mid-calf length and has extremely baggy pockets and extra  long sleeves for belt ties. I installed metal snaps on the fake cuffs so they look real :) I just love how different and unapologetic this skirt is! 

I wore it with a crisp white dress shirt, the black rope necklace and laced up sandals. The fabric on this skirt looks like it's denim but it's actually linen dyed to look this way. That's why even though gathers add bulk, the skirt is still very flowy and has lots of movement.

Midi length skirts have been trending since about a year or so ago and are in full bloom in the runways for Spring.

Spring 2014 RTW

Since a long winter awaits, I adapted the same skirt for the colder months. I wore it with a plain black turtle neck, black high-heeled boots with a sparkle and a statement necklace. Add a shiny clutch and this outfit becomes office party-appropriate!

And I just LOVE this necklace I got from Topshop. I think it perfectly completes this strong look!

How about you? Have you started planning your party outfits yet? If you have, make it loud and unapologetic! 

4 Unexpected Ways to Wear a Belt

Hello fashionistas,

Today I wanted to share with you some creative ways to spice up your daily outfits without going out and splurging. In fact, given what you already have in your wardrobe these ideas will not cost you a dime. 

One great way to transform your look is to wear belts. I love belts. All kinds of them. So I thought why not give them some more attention and make the best of what I've got in my stash. So here is how you can update your style simply by playing with belts:

1. Wrap it around!

You surely have seen this major trend of leather cuffs and bracelets. You can achieve a similar look by wrapping you skinny belt around your wrist.

This allows you to keep with the trend but make it yours at the same time.

2. Double up!

If you have two belts that are of very similar styles and you are having difficulty deciding which one to wear - wear them both!!! Just rock them together on a slant for a "Too-Cool-To-Care" look!

Stack them up!

3. Layer them!

Do you have 2 belts of the same colour but of different width and textures? Try layering one, skinnier belt, on top of another, wider one. If the colours are dead on you might get a totally new belt! Here, I combined a very wide white belt and a thinner woven belt and got a chic new look.

Old belt

New belt

4. Interlace them!

Do you have a a belt with big holes? And another very skinny one? Try threading one belt through the other and you will get a fun new look! The more colourful the belts the better the result!

These are the belts I had.

This is the belt I got! 

Fun new belt!

I hope these unexpected ways to wear belts inspired you. Let me know how you like to wear your belts or what other ways you use to spice up your outfits!

Happy creative dressing!

Outfit Idea #18. Little Black Leather Skirt

Hello darlings!

I have recently completed my first ever project in leather: an A-line mini skirt. I used cow leather for it. I found leather surprisingly easy to work with. No need for cleaning the raw edges - no hassle. My skirt has a waistband, an invisible zipper on the left side and a snap closure. Since it is a black skirt in a very basic silhouette the possibilities for styling are endless! So I wanted to share with you how I dressed it up and dressed it down. 

I made it look casual by pairing it up with a sweater with irregular stripes, a camo army style hat and camo keds. I topped it off with a white bomber jacket. Can I just tell you how much I love these cute little keds??? I love them!!!

To make the look more preppy, I wore it with a pastel pink sweater over a basic white blouse and the black suede wedge booties.

Throw a jacket over your shoulders and your outfit immediately looks more romantic.

Here is to foundation pieces!

Outfit Idea #17. Paisley Pattern Pencil Skirt.

Can u repeat that 3 times really fast?

If you are stuck in an office during these lovely summer days my heart goes out to you. But I also have a solution: you can show your coworkers that you still remember that it's summer by wearing your office staple - a pencil skirt - in a fun paisley pattern.

I made this skirt from McCall's Pattern 5817. I was tired of old black and grey pencil skirts and decided to play a bit with colour. I found this fabric on a scraps table in a Home Decor section of Fabricland. Thus, I am proud to admit that the entire projects did not cost me more than maybe $5. 

I love this skirt because the fit is so perfect. The unusual fabric choice adds interest to this understated style. Plus the two vents in the back let you move freely while still looking sharp.

Wear it with a white crisp shirt, wedge or flat shoes and accessorize it with a bold necklace. Swapping the necklace for an animal print scarf is a fun way to combine prints. 

Who said that office fashion is boring? In the summer it simply cannot be!

Lilac Peplum Petal Dress + Keeping Cool in +40 C

Hello fashionistas!

I have recently gone on an amazing vacation which was paired with a magical event - our friends' wedding! Other than the happiness surrounding this beautiful couple I was overjoyed by the prospect of making a new dress. What else is new? Just give me a reason! 

I made the dress from Simplicity Pattern 1876. But, as I so often do, I made my own modifications to it. I decided to make the bodice out of a contrasting fabric - lilac satin - and the bottom petals - out of a darker purple one. I had a scrap of lace which I had bought as a sample a while ago. I thought it fit in beautifully as a belt to the dress. I also sewed a lilac flower to it to make the dress look even more festive and summery.

The wedding took place on the hottest day of our vacation. (That is why you see me drenched in the picture!) But that is why I was happy with my choice of dressing: strapless and short! I wore the dress with a nude envelope clutch and my nude heels.

Since the resort life for me is a non-stop party I had to think how to look party-like and not drop from the heat while at it. So here are a couple of solutions I came up with. 

Apparently, white shorts go with everything(left)! And a top can function as a dress if it is +40C outside (right). Just because I am melting does not mean that my accessories should dissolve too. My favourite peep-toe lace up shoes went great with an asymmetrically draped yellow top! And my new BCBG flat sandals perfectly completed my aqua dress.

Here is a close-up of these gorgeous creations! 

Can't. Get. Enough!

Lesson of the week: don't let the heat melt down your fashion sense!

Outfit Idea #15. Silver Jumpsuit.

Hello dear all,

Life has been busy on my side of the computer screen. But as it happens, if you work hard, you tend to party just as hard. So today I wanted to share with you my very adaptable outfit: silver jumpsuit. It is adaptable because you can wear it in the summer as well as in winter, to the club as well as to a more casual event. I made this jumpsuit from Burda Pattern 7552 and fell in love with it. It is so easy to wear and look chic in.

Here I wore it with nothing but a silver belt and silver necktie jewelry. It was perfect for a summer lounge party for my friend's birthday! Yay! 

But then winter came - boo! - and I still wanted to wear this cutie out. So I just replaced my sandals with the tallest boots I had, wore a black leather statement belt, threw a black jacket over my shoulders and was ready to rock-and-roll the frosty night away!

If you are unsure whether jumpsuits are a thing of the past, never fear. Pre-Fall and Fall 2013 shows were abundant with jumpsuits. And they are cuter than ever. 

Some have taken on an office chic attitude, others continue to bring summer memories with summer florals, yet others look as utilitarian as jumpsuits were initially intended to look. One thing is certain: jumpsuits are the next best thing to a dress! You threw it on and - voila - you are fully dressed, and stylishly at that!

Which style of jumpsuit would you pick?

Outfit Idea #14. What to wear on St. Valentine's Day?

Hi fashionistas!

Well, this post is not exactly about an outfit idea. It is actually a request for ideas. St. Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I am at a loss for any thoughts about what to wear on that day. This is what I wore last year:

I know you can't see it fully but this is the only picture I have wearing these guys. They are knee-long slouchy pants which I made from Burda Young Pattern 7463.

"Not very St. Valentine's Day-appropriate," you will say... But does it have to be all hearts and roses? Here is how I accessorized them.

Boots with handcuffs design, my favourite chain necklace and some gold-tone and gun-metal bangles.

In case you are wondering, yes, handcuffs is my idea of a romantic evening. I went to a club party after all. Besides, what does one wear to a St. Valentine's Day event? Does it have to be red? Interestingly, I own only one purely red shirt. I have a bunch of pinks, violets and purples (even one raspberry), but I just do not wear red. Do you? What are you planning to wear? Please help me out and throw some ideas my way!

Thank you guys!

Outfit Idea #13. From Mom with Love.

Hello darlings!

Today is my Dear Mom's Birthday! That is why I thought it would be very fitting to write about her creative legacy. After all, my propensity to make things did not come out of the blue. It is all thanks to her time and patience that I am into so many handy crafts. For as long as I can remember myself my dear mommy was always knitting. She made me and my sister everything! And I mean everything. What my grandmother would not sew my mother would knit. Unfortunately, me and my sister grew out of most of what she made us. But a few of her items remain in my closet today. Here is a sweater that mom made me when I was in grade 9. I love it dearly. I think it is such a delicate work! So I wanted to share with you a few different ways that I wear it.

With the dress pants

Beige dress pants and a white blouse underneath this cardigan make it a perfect look for work. To create more interest in this simple outfit I added a cat-print scarf and leopard-print pair of shoes. Rolled up cuffs of the dress shirt create the feeling of ease and casualness in this otherwise official ensemble.

With an olive pencil skirt

I combined the cardigan with the retro print shirt, cinched it with the belt and wore my favourite cognac Spring boots which you have seen before. I was channeling "that 70's chick" here. I think that the layered styling and the brown-and-olive colour palette helped me achieve that look.

In my opinion, this cardigan is such a timeless classic that it remains relevant even 10 years after its creation. Here is a closeup of its intricate knit pattern:

The right choice of accessories breathed a new life into this beautiful cardigan.

Unfortunately, my mother no longer knits. However, she has a new passion. She channels all her creativity in the direction of writing. And quite successfully at that! If you can read Russian then you can find out more about her books here at PhoenixBooksPublishing.

What about you? Do you have a special old garment in our closet that has a sentimental value? Do you wear it? If so how?

Outfit Idea #11. A Happy Dress for a Happy New Year!

Hello fashionistas!

I think you will agree that New Year's Eve is the kind of an occasion which simply has to be celebrated in style. This magical night only happens once a year. So which girl would not want to feel like a Cinderella at a ball while the clock strikes 12! The only exception is that she can stay at the ball and continue partying until the first day light of the New Year! And if you choose the right attire you will definitely not want to leave early.

For this special night I wanted to come up with a special dress. I have kept this gorgeous brown-and-gold lace fabric in my stash for a while. This time I finally found a perfect design for it in combination with this beautiful champagne taffeta. These fabric choices reminded me of sparkling drinks and fireworks and seemed appropriate for such a big holiday as New Years! I made this dress from McCall's pattern 6647 with minor modifications. 

The front of the dress has a seemingly simple silhouette. However, it harbours a little flirty surprise in the back. 

I switched the lengths around from what the pattern suggested and made the bottom layer longer than the lace layer. This modification created a border at the hem and added an extra design interests.

I love how this dress goes nicely both with the heels (for indoor partying ) and with my new cognac boots (for outdoor fun). This dress-with-boots combination came in especially handy this New Year because I had to travel from one party to the other in the middle of this festive yet chilly night.

My favourite gold-tone jewelry and the sky-high nude heels perfectly complete the look and make me feel like a princess! Cinderella could only dream of the kind of a ball that I had this year!

Wishing You a Happy and Stylish New Year!!!

Outfit Idea # 9. Purple Sweater.

I am the luckiest girl in the world because I have the most amazing sister in the world! Last weekend she invited me over to see her in sunny California. She also was the perfect model for my recently made sweater. 

I found this lovely stretch fabric at Fabricland and got immediately inspired by it. I thought it was ideal for a loosely fitting sweater/top. It's light enough to drape nicely, yet has a lot of texture and some bulk to it. I gave the sweater elbow length kimono sleeves, deep V-neckline finished with self binding. There are gathers on the shoulders and the bottom half of the sweater is fitted around the rib cage.

I love this cut because of how flattering and versatile it is. It can be combined with pretty much anything in your wardrobe: wear it with a pencil skirt or trouser pants for an office look; throw on your white shorts or darker skinnies for a more casual outfit. 

My sister adores this colour and the cut of the sweater is so complementing to her perfect figure that I decided to leave the sweater in her stylish hands. She definitely makes it look stunning! Thank you gorgeous!!!