Belt buckle transplants and a really awesome dress

I really like belts and currently own several tons of them. In fact, one of my nifty little belt/scarf closet hangers just broke from the weight. When it comes to this particular item, I'm mostly talking about the waist-cinching style. Those thick elastic ones that don't hold your pants up, but do help to create an hourglass figure and draw attention to your best feature. Well, my fave feature. So, look at this slightly tacky but necessary for my wardrobe belt:

Ooh, it's a large, blue bird...birds again?! Yeah birds. I got that at Savers awhile back for $2. Anyway the white belt may have worked ok: it didn't look terrible. It was a little dingy, though. No prob, I'll just remove the belt buckle and put it on a more practical belt. Here's one:

There they are, side by side. That black belt had an interesting...texture? It also had a dated knot glued to the belt buckle that I could do without. So, I removed both belt buckles from their elastic belts. Then I gave that black one the bird (te he).

That works!Yea, black with blue bird belt. And then...

I have this green belt with an ugly, 80s, snakeskin looking, double circle buckle. Another transplant. I easily separated those round things from the belt. Now, to find a better buckle.
I just happened to have a spare one; the outdated knot piece that I removed from that black belt. Luckily, the fabric knot was held on with glue, which I ripped right off. This left the hook hardware that I needed. Unfortunately, it didn't match so well with the other end which it would hook into. Easy solution: glue something on it. I have many buttons. I would glue a button on.

As you see, it's a brown buckle and not black and I like black. I think that button was just the best flat and fitting one, and rather than being picky about color, I fired up the glue gun. Wait. I got more.

Look at that cool fancy, old-timey buckle. And yes, all of these "before" pics were taken at night, so they look bad. I don't care much for the quality of the "before" shots. I find that buckle quite striking and I love how it attaches together at the center. The belt itself is kinda lame. It's like a regular elastic piece covered in some saggy, scrunched up casing.
I could either amputate the whole piece from the fancy buckle or rip it open, exposing the unseen elastic underneath.

Or I could do that. I just stretched the aqua material. I removed one side of the buckle and pulled the casing part until it was tight around the elastic part. I cut off the excess, sewed the raw edge and then resewed the buckle back on. That was one easy refashion.
Want to see these pieces at work? I'm not really asking, my vain self already got some outfit pics. I will now take the opportunity to show off an incredible thrift store dress find.

Look at that. Do you know what that is? Well, it's a 40s inspired, black and white, polka dot dress from the clothing label called Stop Staring. It fits perfectly! No alterations needed. I just Googled image searched and didn't see any pics of my dress. It's a really cool label featuring beautiful clothing that costs an arm and an ass. ( I wanted to make it an alliteration.) Really; click the link and get a look at them highfalutin' rich folk prices. Or look at me!

Thrift purists may scoff at the standard $6 price for dresses, but as I twirl around in this, I'm reminded that you can sometimes find something well worth 5 bucks and some change (with the Goodwill discount card.)
Here's the green belt:

I turned the floor standing fan on, as it was a warm afternoon. Got a little windblown effect going. The fancy buckle aqua belt didn't match polka dot dress. So I threw on something from my closet.

Oh, this old thing? I just pull this disco dress out, slap on some makeup, and pose in front of a fan with it. Then I hang it back up.
Thanks for looking and not leaving snarky comments!

Coming soon: posts...and here's a bird dress

I'm tired of apologizing for blog neglect! Refashionista hasn't posted in a month either, and she's a pro. April vacation is coming (3 more days, not that I've got a countdown going) and I will resume regular posting. For now; guess what this is?

It's an infinity scarf.

I found this thing in one of the bins at the Goodwill Outlet, where stuff costs $1 per pound. So, this cost like, nothing. It has that birds flying print that I'm all about. Bird print!
Now, I've seen many refashions where an old dress or shirt or something becomes an infinity scarf. Well, in Soviet Russia; infinity scarf becomes dress! (To "get" that joke, click here.)
Last time the weather was warm, I Pinned patterns of easy sew dresses with visions of making them that never came to be. When I saw all the great material of this scarf, I wanted to make a kaftan. It's basically a big square thing with arm, leg, and neck holes. With a belt, it could possibly look like this blogger's!

pinned source here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted it to be kinda long, for maximum flowy material usage. Also, as anyone looking at pics can attest; I don't like to show my white and usually bruised legs.

 I laid it out the long way so I could make the top neck hole, the top of the dress. Will these pics help?

I made a big, boxy trace (just like I did with that sweatshirt I made a little while ago) on the scarf. I pinned and sewed along those red lines.

See those yellow lines? That's where I cut. I cut the arm holes, cut off the extra material, and then lowered the neckline, just a bit.

I  had a big paper bag-looking dress! I had a nude colored lining that I rescued from an old dress before donating. So, I layered up and put a belt on it. Here's the problem that I definitely saw coming, but went ahead with the pics anyway. The scarf/dress material was very lightweight and clingy. The lining was also clingy.

Ta da...In this picture, it looks just how I envisioned it...but I can't wear it as is. The whole dress just stuck to the lining and it was not good. I guess my next step is to find some kind of shiny, old fashioned slip and see about making that work.

 I'm also thinking that I'll take in the waist a little, so the belt doesn't have to work so hard. Oh, and I did use the extra material to make a sash, but it didn't get the job done.

There, a blog post posted. Done.

Thrift Hoard: Sketchy thrift

Perhaps, "sketchy" is not the right word. Scary? Dangerous? What do you call a thrift store where items of all kinds are piled so high and deep that many cannot be seen?
If the word you're thinking is "awesome," then you're a diehard picker. I had been in this store exactly once before; last summer after a Dr.'s appt, nearby. I saw the sign, "thrift store," on my way home and quickly halted. The store was a good sized shop that couldn't really be called a "shop." But, it was an experience. Sweat poured off me, as I carefully navigated the paths through piles of buried treasure. I remember gathering up an armful of loot (nothing is ticketed) and asking how much the kind older lady up front wanted for it. Got some good deals...but I hadn't been back. Something about the place made me think of hidden dangers (bugs maybe? sharp things?)
 After leaving this year's annual doctor's trip, I guess I was feeling adventurous. Yes, this type of thing is what I deem adventurous. Here's what I snagged:

The first item I grabbed was this birds statue. Birds figure? Seems too big to be called a figurine. blue swallows on Etsy While I'm at it, I want to show off this brooch from an antique mall:

That's a sweet little bird pin! Anyway, back on track.
The next thing I found was so damned cool, the sight put me in hipster heaven. Sure, its box was worn out, but all the pieces were there.

A little bar set with a bowling theme? I don't know, do bowler's drink? Let's get a closer look!

Strike! A bowling ball that opens up to a bottle and 6 plastic shot glasses. Let's see if anyone buys! bowling bar ware on Etsy
Remember typewriters? As vintage lovers, we all like typewriters, right? Well, as you know, many of them are portable typewriters that come in little suitcases. I have one. Got it a couple years back and painstakingly hand painted it turquoise. (Pics later, I didn't think of it ahead of time) This old Smith Corona is called "portable", to which I call "bullshit."

It's an electric typewriter in excellent condition. It weighs 100lbs. Or not. I'm just saying that it's so heavy, I forgot to remove it from its case to take my pictures. Typewriter, you're so fat that...um...I'm concerned for your overall health.
I also got a little lampshade, some flashcards, and a sweet vintage magazine rack. I neglected to take a picture of the magazine rack before spray painting it and then leaving it half done on my parents' porch because I ran out of spray paint. My grand total? $10.
But, I wasn't done. Oh no, a true hoarding junky like me is not done until a bad choice is made. Amongst a set of summer porch furniture that a woman was figuring out how to extract from the dangerous maze stood an item beyond description. A plant and vintage lamp in one. After looking the style of lamp up on the internets, I made the bold choice to return and rescue this item. Ladies and gentlemen, the big-ass lamp:

There it is, in all it's glory. Half spaghetti lamp, half artificial potted plant, and 100% taking up my kitchen space. Got it on the cheap, though. The highest cost to me was on the afternoon spent cleaning it.

Can you handle this lamp? 5' of vintage tackiness, in a concrete filled bucket. It's listed on Etsy. For the first time, I also listed this on Craigslist. Even if I can find an interested buyer, I don't know how I'll get this thing to them. I was lucky someone was kind enough to lift it up the stairs to my apartment. There's a story behind that. Unfortunately, it's my bedtime and I don't have the energy to write about it.

Linking up at Sir Thrift A Lot and a living space.

Obsessions, novelty prints, and two Liz Claiborne dresses

I'm trying to class up this post that mostly follows the theme of my obsession with dresses. Seriously, every refashion I do is a dress and I own more of them than I could ever wear. Obsessed! This posts is also about novelty prints. Specifically, dresses that feature interesting motifs like cats, trees, or boats...that would be called a novelty print.
Since unusual or bold prints are more retro and not something seen everyday in 2014, I kinda consider this dress which I picked up at a Savers 50% off sale and have had hanging around for a while to be novel:

Allow me to veer off topic... look at that dress; it's too damn big and awkward. Now look at that retro fabulous print on the right. Would you plunk down $3 (like I did) for a dress that doesn't fit, just so you could have that fabric? Well, what's done is done and now I own it.
This dress is by Liz Claiborne, I'm assuming it was made in the 80s. One does not necessarily think of fun, graphic prints when one thinks of Liz. I always think of mom style misses blazers and such (should be noted that I worked in a clothing store for many years). I'd also like to point out that this dress is a size 8. Let me give you another look:

Don't look too close, I neglected hair and makeup. I'm just saying...that's way too much material for a size 8. I know I'm a short gal, but that's parachute-like. And the shoulder pads. Possibly, the biggest I've seen.

"Good god, Liz Lemon" I mean, "Good god, Liz Claiborne!"

Now, let me show you another dress for a little compare and contrast. This dress is also by Liz Claiborne and came from Savers.

Sure, that dress is big, too, but it's a size 12 and still fits better than the 8. Also, OMG. That print is buttons. It's a dress, it's got a novelty print, and it's print is buttons?! Shut up and get in my closet! $5! Here's another look:

This dress, although big, is totally doable. See those belt strap things I'm holding in both pics? Those are great for making a dress smaller at the waist. Honestly, a quick hem job and a creative belt wrap and that dress could be wearable. Shoulder pads? Why yes, it has them:

Do you see what I see? Snaps. Even though the shoulder pads are quite small and unnoticeable, they snap right out! "Novel" idea. I love you, button print dress.
So, if you're looking at this blog right now, you know two things: one, that I refashion dresses; and 2, that I sell vintage stuff on Etsy. My question: which category do these dresses belong in? Remake or resell? The first dress would be challenging as all hell and I'd probably screw it up. You can't really tell from my sucktastic pics, but the bottom part of the dress wraps a little, like a sarong. I'd have to remove the sleeves altogether and then try and deal with the weird sleeve holes left behind.
However...I do a lousy job at selling dresses. I seriously don't know what I'm doing wrong, because my Etsy shop is practically half dresses, and account for like, 0.02% of my sales (imaginary math used). For instance, check out this one:

Red 80s print dress on Etsy I love that dress, but it's too big. I didn't want to risk screwing it up, so I listed it on Etsy to find it good home.
(Sound of crickets chirping)
Has been listed since February with no buy! Am I the only one who likes cheesy "Saved by the Bell" looking graphics on a silky, '30s style dress? How about '40s style?

Damn it. I don't plan on selling that, I just wanted to share its glory. I just pulled it from my closet and grabbed a couple pictures. Glory not shared. Worst pictures ever. I'll model the damn dress and do a "part 2" on this post. Because I love that dress and I'm not sure why. The sleeves are too pooffy, but I'm not going to risk alteration. It has a tight waist and the length is perfect. The designs are a bit over the top.
Before I sign off, I'll just share more from my "why won't you buy this thing?" collection?

I absolutely adore this dress. This is one of the first items that I listed when I opened my Etsy shop. So, my pictures weren't as good as they are now (sarcasm alert). It's a bird print! And it's kinda goth-y! I didn't sell it, and I haven't relisted it yet, either. I should probably drop the price on this next thing, too:

I'll relist it with better pictures, too. My ruffly, printed blouse on Etsy. It's a shirt. With the contents of one's junk drawer as a print.
I guess I better get to work on selling things. Please tell me whether I should sell or keep those dresses!

More of the same: bird embellishments dress

This refashion is a lot like the last one I shared, only way easier. I pretty much just fixed the sleeves and added dun things. Oh, but here's a fun feature: It's all temporary and can be changed again. Because I hate to commit.
It's so much like the tan shirt dress that I'm even wearing the same belt. Out of all the damn belts that I've acquired, I must really like this one. Anyway; the black dress before:

That's my awkward limbo pose, where I lean back with my hips out. It makes me look legless. This might be after I fixed the little sleeves.

That's nice, clear pic of the neckline in back. A tag that's all smooshed into elastic. I think this dress has already been refashioned by whomever donated it to Savers. I'm refashioning a refashion.

It's hard to tell, but the sleeve is all puckered and frayed. So, I sewed that. Oh, and long story incoming...I actually made this one about a month ago. As you see, the dress was missing one button at the middle. I took the button from the top and replaced it, thinking maybe I'd put a different one up there. I decided against it and went to grab a medium, round button. I didn't have one. The next day, I stopped at the fabric store near work and grabbed a medium, round, black button, even though I didn't have the dress with me to compare.
I got home and got ready to attach; not a good match. It's a pretty damn basic item, I don't know how I was so off. Annoyed, I went and exchanged the $0.99 item the next day, with the dress in hand. I also grabbed some big-ass green colored beauties for decoration. What a completely unnecessary pain in the ass. Because, just a couple days later, I was gifted with an incredible button stash and will never have to buy one again.
Wow, that story took up space. As you might be able to tell from the before picture, this dress has a cute little middle area and that long, midi-length I'm so fond of. I envisioned a fun, pin up style dress, only one that was comfortable and appropriate for school. I was insistent that I needed bird appliques along the neckline. Some inspirations...

find sources

That last one is anchors, but you get the point. I love the image of the swallow-in-flight-tattoo-style bird. It's actually kinda cliche, but I'm ok with that. Yup, the bird print is a favorite of mine and one I'll surely revisit again. What I needed for this dress was a couple of iron on birds, like these:

find sources

You know, something one can easily find on Amazon, Ebay, Etsy, everywhere, etc. But, I didn't have any of those. I'm really trying to use the vast amount of materials that I do have, rather than wastefully purchasing things that I think I need. If you use old scraps, it's like you spent nothing. Here's what I did...
1. Google "how to draw a swallow."
2. Carefully draw a swallow (because I don't have a printer) and then cut out drawing from paper.
3. Trace cut out image onto thick, turquoise fabric.

Not bad, huh? Oh, and make two of them, facing in the opposite direction. I used Fray Check around him, I don't care if he's all stiff. Actually, I thought to myself....maybe he should be more 3 dimensional. I used fabric glue and attached the birds to a piece of matching felt and cut around.
Before attaching the birds, I thought of other ways I could add some crap to this piece. Yeah, don't just "put a bird on it", put two birds! And those big ass buttons!
Instead of sewing them on, I wanted to make them interchangeable.

Ta da. Button, glue, felt, more glue, pin back. See what I did there? I made big button pins. Also, I decided to use a different color, I don't need all that turquoise. After pinning my buttons to the dress's pockets, I went ahead and hand-stitched my birds to my dress. Then, I put that same old striped, elastic belt on. And it was cute.

How about a bunch more pics to crowd the internets? K.

So, basically...the birds can come right off should I decide to get some appliques; the belt ain't attached, and the green buttons are like brooches. I can change this thing up, if I'm feeling the urge.

Look how much taller I appear when I'm in heels and not slouching (actual height-5").

Yes, more refashions...fifty cent shirt dress!

I really like shirt dresses. You know, the ones that look like a button down shirt, except they're a dress? Weird, because I don't usually wear those type of shirts. I bought this tan dress at the little Family Outfitters thrift store off the sweet $0.50 rack.

 It's tan. I really don't do colors from the brown family, but I had an inspiration...

click for source

That would be Marissa, one of the Interweb's most famous refashioners. Here's her awesome post. I wanted to make that sweet bird print. Novelty prints/swallows on flight are good.
I wanted to make this big sack looking dress fit like a 50s style shirt dress. It's a size 8 petite, and that's too big.

Ooh, it's from Talbots. They're not exactly known for their hip, edgy fashion for the young folks, but their stuff is made well. For instance, these gorgeous cuffs on the sleeve.

 Sadly, I had to hack them off. There was just no way I could properly edit those sleeves at that length. I wanted to go with short sleeves.

By the way, hemming those damn sleeves was freakin hard. They came out kinda puckered and wonky, I don't care.

I

I took in the sides quite a bit, as well as the sleeve. Do you see how I used safety pins for the armpit area? That's to avoid pin injury when I try it on to see if I like it before sewing. There's got to be another way, right?