Tie-Dye and Brass Chains

The weather’s been a bit tempermental lately but cleared up just in time for me to head out.  I love when nature co-conspires with me for fashion’ s sake makes everyone happy.

Anyway, didn’t get any pics while I was out, but managed to get a few before I left. Onto the show.

If you look  closely, by my right foot, you’ll find you’ve been visually assaulted by some baaaad Photoshoppin. Not bad as ‘good,’ but ‘bad’ as  in ‘bad.’ Really, all I was trying to hide was this:

The spoils of my semi-annual war against my closet made an appearance in most of my shots. I find that the best thing to do in these sorts of situations is to own your flaws.

If you remember, I’d planned to wear these awesome, custom-made Fennimas earrings a few weeks ago but changed my mind at the last minute. I can’t get over them; they are so substantial but somehow seem like the perfect ‘Wear with Everything’ pair. No other jewels necessary!

Here are some secrets about this dress:

1. It’s from Asos’ main range of sizes

2. It’s actually a size 10. Whereas I am a somewhere between a size 16-20.

3. It actually used to look like this:

But honestly, I’m super short and I have to take the maxi trend with a grain of salt. This is not to say that short girls can’t wear long skirts–of COURSE we can. We just have to strategic about it…plus I thought this dress was far saucier at a shorter length.

So there’s a clear moral to this st0ry. You can make all sorts of things work. For me, if I’m being creative with sizing, I like to consider the following:

1. Does it have lycra content?

2. If so, how much? (remember, not all stretch is equal)

3. If the entire outfit is does not have lycra content, are there pieces of the garment that do? For example, if a dress is a straight woven piece, does the back have a smocked panel? If it does, that usually means that the you’ll be able to get into the item with ease, and (because items are smocked for shaping) there’s additional material around the hip and thigh.

4. If it doesn’t, there’s still hope;  look at the construction–is it cut on the bias? (if you clicked, you saw that Wikipedia offered a long answer about angles and whatnot. If that answer made you cranky, here are the Cliff Notes: bias-cut pieces are clothes constructed from at least two pieces of fabric that are sewn together at an angle. Constructing garments in this way allow fabric that doesn’t usually drape and conform to curves to do so).

5. If it’s held together by buttons or some sort of closure, are they sewn to a piece in such a way that they can be moved without harming the garment?

Now, here are some warnings:

Feel free to be creative with size, but remember; we are subject to the time/space continuum; Stretch can only do so much.

1.  Consider the length. Things that stretch wider will necessarily become shorter to accommodate you. So a size 12 mini dress on a size 18 body may actually just be a really awesome shirt. Unless you wanted a new shirt, or a super short dress, go for longer pieces and alter/hem to your liking.

2. Even if a piece has stretch or is cut on the bias, etc, if there are shaping seams in it (i.e princess seams, or darts), that may hinder your ability to make it work; the seams won’t move for you and, even if you can fit into the garment, the fit may be awkward.

Ok–with this in mind, go conquer that trapeze dress or that body-con skirt; the number on the back is really just a suggestion.

Anyone have any other tried-and-true ‘make it work’ suggestions? Share with the group!

Thanks for reading!

Dress: Asos (CAN’T believe it’s still here; I got it ages ago!)

Shoes: Dolce Vita  (also seen in here)

Earrings: Fennimas

Bag: Vintage Gucci

Lips: NARS Dragon Girl