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!