Thrifted Thursday.....even though it's Friday.

Yesterday was quite busy.  I was running around town in a last minute effort to gather all the props needed for Steven's wax museum project at school.  Of course, coming up with what he needed made a trip to the thrift store a necessity.  After finding what he needed, I found a few treasures of my own.  Now for show and tell...

I found this cute skirt and zippers.  The skirt is a little longer than I would like, so some altering is in order.  The material has a little stretch to it, so it should be super comfy and easy to work in.  I am sure the zippers will come in handy later.  Here's a closeup of the print on the skirt.  I love flowers!

 I also love that I picked up some funky and fun polyester fabric.  There's got to be at least 2 1/2 yards.

I couldn't pass up this fabric for two reasons.  One, the fabric has stretch which makes any dress made out of it easy to wear and easy to get on and off.  Also, retro designs and  this bright tangerine color are everywhere.  It makes it a little less scary to make a vintage dress in a design/color that are "in" right now.  Here's the dress pattern I plan to use.

Not sure if you can see it too good, but I think I will do the straighter silhouette of the sleeveless dress, but add the sleeves and the collar of the belted one.  I also think that with the stretch of the fabric, I might be able to eliminate the zipper in the back, saving me time and a trip to town.  I think with the fabric and the pattern, the grand total for this dress will be around $4.  Now that makes me happy!

You know what else makes me happy?  Finding and using items in a new way.  I found a set of pillow cases for a couple bucks.  I love the brightness of the print and once again, FLOWERS!!  I am hoping to piece them together, using the cuff of the case as the hem.  Then I just have to stitch a casing for some elastic.  Wha-la.....I have a cute and comfy skirt.

  Finally, I picked up this formal dress for $10.  I wasn't sure if it was fancy enough to really wear to a formal dance, but I think it would be awful cute shortened and worn with a cardigan.  It could be worn out to dinner or some other special event.  I just wish it would fit me.  It will have to be for one of the girls.

I love the bow at the waist and the rich gold color.

Sorry this is so long, but I couldn't finish without mentioning my encounter with greatness.

It's Bing Crosby....well, Steven was Bing for his wax museum project at school yesterday.  There was too much congestion at the school to snap a picture and by the time we got home, he'd already changed in the car.  I still needed a picture with such a handsome guy in a cool hat.  

The dress I wore yesterday, I bought at Forever 21.  I picked it up the day before on my shopping spree to SLC.  My blouse was thrifted.  So many of the blouses at Forever 21 are very similar to ones found at second hand stores.  I love Forever 21, but would check out thrift stores first before buying any retro blouses there.  The cost is only about 20% of a new one.

Well, I'm off to work on the various projects I have lined out for today.  After a day of chasing, a day of sewing will be therapeutic for sure!

Feminine vs. Feminist

I saw a meme posted to facebook with the saying "Feminine is not anti-Feminist".

I immediately loved it!

Part of this weird experiment of mine is to examine if being/dressing more feminine influences the stereotypical idea that dressing more like a woman promotes misogyny.  In the relatively small time I've spent in a dress, I have found that in many ways it has been empowering.  I think that is why the above saying resonates with me, and I am not alone in this assessment.  While talking with a school teacher and me explaining why I have been so dressed up lately, she also said that she feels more powerful when she is in a dress.  Curious.

Could it be that accentuating the differences that define us from our male counterparts, is one of the things that can be used to gain favor?  And, is that anti-feminist?  I don't know exactly.  I do know that there are inherent physical differences between males and females, and I also know that women are every bit as capable as and should be afforded every opportunity that a man is.  Does ignoring those differences have to be a prerequisite to being a feminist?  Choices placed before women should be every bit as broad and available and we, as women, need to celebrate every opportunity to choose - even if that choice is made while wearing a dress!!

This was my dress for Monday.  It's actually a jumper that I have worn before.  I just added a vintage sweater over the top.  Either the dress was a little too bulky or the sweater a little too small.  I just ended up looking a little frumpy.  I do like the idea of throwing a sweater over the top of a dress.  It's a nice way to stretch your wardrobe.  Don't you love how the plaid and it's placement makes me look like I am expecting?  No worries, it's just a food baby.

I've also worn this gray jumper before.  I just switched out the blouse underneath.  I love this thrifted, orange, polka-dot, tie at the neck blouse.  It's everything I love all in one piece.

This is a dress that I made a few months back and today was the first time I've worn it.  It was made from a vintage pattern that I found.  I, personally, love it, but it is a little outside the norm - even by today's standards.  I spent the day with my friend, Wendi, and my oldest daughter, Emilee.  As we walked around City Creek, I couldn't help but feel out of place.  I think maybe this dress is better suited for another place/time. 

Choosing

Let's just start off by getting dresses for the past couple of days out of the way.  Thursday was Hannah's senior night for basketball.  I was aware that I somewhat had to look more "normal" in my dress so that when we stood in front of the crowd, I wouldn't embarrass Hannah.  

I am not sure that this qualifies as a dress.  It is meant to be a dress, but at my age, I think this would be categorized as a long shirt.  Thank goodness for leggings.  This whole outfit I bought new at Forever 21 in Vegas.  I first spotted the dress with a bow at the collar and once again, had to buy it.  I also have a weakness for polka dots and well, it seemed to pair nicely, so I just had to purchase them both.  I do like this outfit a lot.  It might be a little young for me, but my inside is much younger than I appear.  Did I just admit to being immature????

*FYI - Hannah had an awesome senior night.  She was high point man for the game.  What a way to end her high school basketball career at home.

Friday was mostly spent doing the mundane.  I have been longing to go see the Hobbit and suggested that we catch the early movie that evening.  It is a rare thing not to have somewhere we HAVE to be.  My offer was met with mixed emotion.  After being gone so much, it's hard to be motivated to do anything but sit at home.  I was a little disappointed by the reaction I received.  David went out to chore and I shortly got a call to "Go get ready.  You deserve a night out."  So that is exactly what I/we did!  It was nice to spend the night together as a family having fun.  Truth be told, I was actually disappointed in the movie, but never in my man's willingness to go out of his way to make me happy.  Love ya, David.

 Aside from my cardigan and leggings, the rest of my outfit was all thrifted.  Even the boots were a hand-me-down from my daughter's friend.  Are you ever too old for hand-me-downs?

Now, in the spirit of being truthful, Saturday was super hard for me.  It sounds apocalyptic, doesn't it?  It kind of felt that way.  I have to admit it was the first day that I've truly HATED wearing a dress.  I didn't love what I was wearing - maybe that is why it slipped my mind to take a picture - and as I sat and looked at all of the normal ladies around me in their cute levis, I felt frumpy, dumpy, and like the rotten apple in the basket. This feeling hit me mid-afternoon during Herman's basketball game.  It would have been okay if after the game I was headed home and could hide, but we had a reception to go to and then out to dinner.  I hated being seen in public.  It probably sounds superficial, but it overshadowed the nice events that I was attending and I couldn't wait to go home and get into my pajamas.

I am pretty determined to try and wear a dress everyday for as long as possible, but I can still choose to be done whenever I want.  Part of this experiment for me, is to try and understand those ladies that by religious or cultural beliefs are made to wear a dress everyday.  I understand that it is still ultimately their own choice whether or not to wear a dress, but is it really more a consequence of a much bigger choice......or possibly a lack of choice, just by being born into the circumstances that they are?  It takes a very strong person to change that in which they were born into and define it for themselves.  To choose something that is beyond the scope of what is expected can be brutally painful and isolating.  I spent a lot of time thinking of  these ladies and wondering what I would do if I were in the same situation.  Would it be worth the social backlash to own that decision or would it be easier to just work through the confinement felt by certain aspects of belief?  Then, I was at least grateful for the freedom of expression that I have through my own dress wearing.  I can wear a long dress, a short dress,  or a very colorful dress.  I am not held back by religious or cultural constraints in any way.  Although I do realize that my age can be a barrier in some forms of expression when it comes to attire.

Just my thoughts for today.  As I sit in my house coat and watch the snow come down, I am happy to know that whatever attire I CHOOSE to wear, I am at least free to do so.  It is my choice and I am grateful for that.  Choosing to continue this crazy psycho-social experiment is not always going to be easy but trying to understand and examine something new usually isn't.  So for now, I am going to press on, regardless of how frumpy and dumpy I look.

Thrifted Thursday

Over the last week, I picked up a few treasures at my local thrift store, so as promised, I will share.  My first find was this red geometric print dress.

The fabric is pretty light weight, so I won't be wearing this anytime soon.  It's just too cold.  I am thinking about adjusting the length a little and pairing it with a white belt just for fun.  We'll see.

Here's a photo of the collar.  I love it just because it is so different.  I also fell in love with the retro buttons.

I also picked up this sunny yellow dress.  

It has this really cool cut work down the front.  Once I got it home, I tried it on with a wide red belt and was really happy with how the belt transformed the look.  I just need to find something to put under it or.....oh my, so scary!!

The last dress I picked up, I found at an antique store.  I paid $20 for it, but I really love it.  Still, twenty dollars is not expensive for a dress with a matching jacket.

Cute, with or without the jacket.

I adore the bow at the waist and the vintage ornate buttons on the jacket.  Plus, lately I am really drawn to green and blue together.

This picture isn't quite so dark, so you can see the color and detail better.  I think I will wear this one soon because of it's heavier fabric and it is most definitely jacket weather.  I can see it paired with some vintage pearls.

House Dress vs. House Coat

The past few days have been spent in a leisurely fashion.  This means that my time has been spent in my comfy house dresses (or so I have been calling them).

While visiting with my mother the other day, she informed me that my grandmother used to call what I call house dresses, house coats.  I was curious if there was a difference, so I did what any normal person would do, I googled it.  I had no idea there was a difference.  What I learned is that a house dress is a dress that is made of more durable fabric and is structured in a way so that house work and chores can be done in a proper fashion.  A house coat is more like a glorified apron.  It resembles a dress, but has snaps or a zipper down the front making it useful to put over a dress already being worn or just over your "unders".  Glad that I could learn the difference and I will be more clear in my description of my dress choices.

I wore the above house dress on Monday.  I ended up having to run to Logan, so I paired it with some boats, leggings, and a sweater.  I also thrifted this dress.  I realize that it's a little bright and the print is a little juvenile, but in this inversion a little bright is a good thing.

Tuesday, I spent the day tending my adorable niece, Flora, while my brother and his wife attended the Sundance Film Festival.  It was kind of an all day endeavor, so I have no pics for that day.  I wore another house dress, my yellow and brown plaid one.  It was a great day.

Today I mostly hung around the house, so comfy was in order.  I dug out a skirt I bought a few years back in Denver.  It's soft and easy to wear.  It was fun to throw on my Eagles t-shirt.  It helped me achieve that "peaceful, easy feeling".  I was home enough today that I was able to whip up a pot of my mom's clam chowder....yum!

*I'll put the recipe, if you are interested, on my other blog.  Check it out.

Business and Pleasure

Early in the week, David received an email from his Dad inviting us to a "business dinner" Friday night.  We call it business and we talk some business, but it is way more pleasurable than the other business gatherings that I have attended over the years.  Reservations were made and we got dressed up for our night out.

Look at my cute hubby!  Aren't I the lucky one!!  Dinner was delicious (I had the salmon), the conversation great, and it was just fun to go somewhere besides a high school gymnasium.  I was excited to wear my pink granny blouse.  I buy every blouse I can find that has a bow at the collar.  I find most of them at the thrift store.  I LOVE them.  This one was a mere $3.  It has a fancy feel because it's silky, so I was glad that we were going to a nice restaurant.  I also bought my skirt at the thrift store.  The rest was stuff I had on hand.  I love it when I can put an outfit together with my thrifted finds.  

*I actually think I will post my thrifted finds of the week every Thursday - Thrifted Thursday!!  Thoughts?

Saturday consisted of more basketball games.  We watched Maren win her two games, Steven dominate his, and then headed to Rigby to watch Hannah and Lottie's games.

Just like I can't resist blouses with bows, I couldn't resist this dress either.  It's one of my favorite finds.  It's also thrifted.  I think I might have an addiction issue.  

Just an FYI - Lottie's team played an intense game - 4 overtimes.  She fouled out at the end of the fourth quarter, so we took off at the start of the first overtime to go to the other gym to watch Hannah's varsity team.  They played an amazing first half, but the second was disappointing.  Sad to say, both teams ended up losing.  There are some good life lessons to be learned from losing, so not all is lost.

Sunday was spent in one of my house dresses crocheting my granny squares.  I didn't take a photo.  It's one I've worn before and I was too busy watching Mad Men.

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

Do you ever look back over the past couple of days and wonder where they went?  That is my thought this early morning.  Where did the last three days go?  The crazy thing about it is that one of those days seemed like the longest day of my life.  Ever have one of those?

Tuesday was lovely.  I spent the bulk of the day at lunch with one of my dearest friends, Linae Coats.  Love her.  We ate at one of the nicer spots in Logan, so I had no problem feeling out of place in my dress.  The gray jumper I found at Walmart last fall.  Of course it was cheap, but it has really nice structure.  Plus it's so versatile.  I found my lavender granny blouse at the thrift store and the sweater is just one that I had on hand.  I felt fancy and that felt good.  Going to lunch with a friend is a good reason for fancy.

Then there was Wednesday......

There will be no pictures of Wednesday.  It's a day that I would like to forget.  This was my very long day.  There was still only 24 hours in it, but it felt like an eternity.  A migraine will do that to you.  I did wear one of my house dresses, but spent most of my time in a horizontal position in front of the fire.  I entertained the idea of a photo, but figured that would just look like I was searching for sympathy.  Plus, it just wouldn't be pretty.

Ahhhhh.....Thursday.

Thursday was an "out to lunch" kind of day too.  Who can complain about that?  Not me!  My sweet friend, Wendi, just had her special day and so we spent some time chatting and chewing in celebration.  It was soooo much better than the day previous.  I actually really loved this outfit.  It's a dress with a vintage feel that I picked up at Kohls awhile back.  The light weight, white sweater that I threw over it, I found at the thrift store and paid next to nothing for.  I know it's vintage just by the look of the tag.  I love it!  The belt and the cardigan I threw on to complete.  It was a good day with a great friend.  I am pretty sure I could have worn a feed sack and still enjoyed myself.  (Not going to try it though)

I had one lady comment about why I mention where I buy these things.  I guess it's because I truly believe with a little creativity you can dress pretty darn cute and really cheap all at the same time.  Plus I like that the things I wear just can't be duplicated by running to the mall.  I also like to think of the ladies that wore these clothes before me.  Were they young?  old?  a housewife, like me? or a professional ahead of her time?  It's like wearing history and I like that idea.