Thursday, June 12, 2014

What I'm Wearing | Rainy Days and Sewing Clothes with Staying Power!

Rainy days are days when I prefer to be home... doing something productive like -- SEWING!  That's not always the case.  When you're managing a household and a family, you have to keep going, be it rain or shine and sometimes snow!
So when I have to go out in the rain, I prefer to just make the best of the situation and put together a cute outfit.  And with the rainy weather we've had for the last week, I've had plenty of opportunities to do just that.
For this look, I pulled out (OOP) Vogue 1224 by Tracy Reese.  I always thought this was such a cute little dress.  And I absolutely adore this fabric. I'm very and I mean VERY particular when it comes to prints.  Some prints range from granny to upholstery.  Some prints are so busy that I feel looking at them gives me vertigo!  So I always try to find something that leans more-so towards  "chic".  That's one of the main reasons that this dress has lasted this long in my closet... it is such a great print.  It's a very simple mixture of animal print: zebra and giraffe, but in only two colors.  I can live with that.
Every now and then, I like to remind my readers that I do wear the clothes that I sew.  And I like to also show the importance of selecting items with "staying power", classical lines, colors and only trends that will be around for a few years and not just a season.  And most importantly, the best fabric you can afford.  That was a hard lesson to learn.  I love discounted fabric, but sometimes you get what you pay for.  There's nothing like making something you love and then having the fabric fade or pill.  And also, at my age I sew like I shop -- investment pieces mostly!  My sewing time is hard to come by these days, so I don't take it for granted.  I just don't have the time or energy for "throw-away" pieces.  When I make it, I make it to last and  to get all of the mileage out of it that I can!

20 comments:

  1. What a great outfit! You look very stylish in it. I am of the same mind when it comes to sewing these days. Well they say that with age (for me) comes wisdom ;) x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's true! When you know better, you do better! Thanks!

      Delete
  2. Oh darling your Dress is lovely and you look really yummy wearing your red Hunter Wellingtons they complement your outfit perfectly, I wear shiny violet Huntress Ladies Wellingtons with black Tights and I love teaming them with various outfrts.
    Julia
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Violet sounds amazing! Thanks Julia!

      Delete
  3. I so agree with you on the time issue. We put too much time into sewing to waste it on inferior products and patterns. Thanks for your POV, Erica. Darling outfit!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow, I love this print and I love how you put together the outfit!

    ReplyDelete
  5. So cute and chic, and love your rain boots. Thats the way to look at it make the best of what you got...such as weather. I hear you on the fabric, use to go for less inexpensive in other words cheap...no more for me either!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I couldn't agree more about being print-picky! This post reminds me that I have this pattern in my stash and I think I also have fabric now to match it. Thank you for jogging my memory! Question... did you line it? If so, what with?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did. I used a lingerie nylon tricot... it's my go-to for lining knits. Thanks Grace!

      Delete
  7. You look so "cute" and adorable in these pics. You look great in heals too--but this is different for you. Love how you added the jacket and boots.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great outfit and advice. That is exactly what I want to do make things with staying power.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh it looks so cute and chic with your boots and jacket!

    www.dressupnotdown.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cutest rainy day outfit ever! Where did you get those galoshes?
    http://www.calmundertension.com/blog.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks GG! They're Hunter Boots and can be found at any high-end major dept. store.

      Delete