Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Make It Work

I scored this handmade dress at the Sweat Swap. I love the color, full skirt, and defined waist, but the high neckline and gathered chest look dowdy on my frame. I’ve tried a few different styling tricks to make it work. My favorite is to accessorize the dress with a scarf, worn cowboy style.


Scarf, thrifted. Cardigan, Rodarte for Target. Belt, Forever 21. Dress, handmade and swapped. Tights, Stocking Diva. Boots, White Mountain. Earrings Panagea.


My attempts to “make it work” so far:

9 comments:

Comtesse de ferveur said...

Gosh that turquoise is fabulous on you. I love the cowboy touch, works very well! xx Comtesse xx

Anonymous said...

Clever! And I like the scarf version best, too.

gina said...

Love the colors here!

Mel.J said...

Are you confident enough with sewing to cut a V-neck into it? That would give you more options.

Unknown said...

I also like the carf/cardi version!
I went thrifting yesterday and found another pair of leather pants, yipee! they are lower-cut for my gut (hey that rhymes :)
but dare not reveal til i am positive i am gonna keep em this time!
still a bit snug,,,,,
we need to go thrifting again this spring ! I made a no spend rule for a whole year, but we all know how that will turn out ;)
I also found a similar scarf as yours.
I am now again asking myself:WWKD? when thrifting :) thus I am spending much less and having more thing I actually will wear!
xXx
Reva

Unknown said...

Its really amazing how well all these patterns go together! I guess becuase they are similar colors and small prints? Anyway, it looks great--kudos!

Teodora said...

In my opinion it looks better without the scarf. It shows off the vintage styling of the dress.And it also looks great on you,

Teodora

www.teodoraslookbook.com

Kasmira said...

Mel.J. - I'm not much of a sewer, but I think the construction of the bodice would be undermined by a v-neck.

Teodora - Maybe I'll try wearing the dress with the chest area less obscured.

ReaderRita said...

I love the recent color combinations that you have come up with for this dress, and I am really diggin' the pattern continuation of the legwear and scarf in this incarnation! But I agree with Teodora that scarves totally obscure the very part of the dress that is the most unique and unusual.
Now, and absolutely no offense intended, but It does seem like you are often trying to find a way to cover up the top of this dress- if so, and an element of the bodice makes you feel frumpy, maybe a change is in order! I mean, you're wearing it, and you've gotta be happy! (even though I think the dress looks totally awesome on you!!!)
I was mentally trying to figure how modifying the neckline could help, as Mel.J. suggested. Perhaps a sweetheart neckline? That could lend itself to the retro styling of the dress, and repeat the curved design element of the waist...
Or have you ever considered splitting the dress into a top and a skirt? (or just a high waisted skirt?) It seems that the waistline might be conducive to that particular type of wardrobe surgery...
Don't know if any of that helps- but offering ideas is the LEAST I could do with all of the brainstorms you spark in me! Thanks!