Me-Made-May '14: Week 2

My week 2 round-up is a little belated, but, the good news is, I stuck to my goal of five outfits.  In fact, I went out-of-town and wore a me-made item every day I was gone!

Day 3 - Unblogged Brigitte "Teacup" Scarf - to cover my sun-burnt part and glam up a trip to the hardware store :-P.  I don't consider this part of my "five" but, I enjoyed adding a small touch of me-made to a rtw outfit.  I like having a new way to wear this fabric (since styling its sister Sorbetto is a work-in-progress) and I like the little retro polish it adds to an otherwise very casual, modern look.  The rtw pieces remind me how much I love silk/cotton (the top - bonus: I actually own this fabric! I really should make something with it) and that I really should make all of the shorts on my list. I prefer my inseam to be longer than this and it always makes me a little self-conscious.

Head scarf: Brigitte Scarf, Top: J.Crew, Shorts: AE, Belt: Brooks Brothers, Shoes: Hush Puppies

Day 4 - n/a (I wore a knit polo shirt, which I've never been inclined to make since finding matching collars is next to impossible, and a twill skirt, which I'm replicating using Simplicity 2451.)

Day 5 - "That Cozy Blue Dress" - for an impromptu road trip with Brandon (I accompanied him on a business trip to Mobile because one of my favorite cities is only 2 hours away from there).  I'm sure I've said it before and I'll say it again: knit dresses are THE BEST clothing for travel.  6 hours in a car while wearing jeans? No thanks. While wearing a loose fitting, non-constrictive, breathable dress?  No problem!!  I'd almost forgotten how much I love this dress!  Is it glamorous? No. But, it's an "old-friend" kind of dress.  I feel like I've had it for ages though it's only been two years.  I still love the color (of course) and the style - young but not too-young, and not too dressy. I never feel bad in this dress (at least not owing to the dress itself - funny story: when we arrived at our destination, we opted to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at a Mexican restaurant. As usual, it was a casual atmosphere, with many guests wearing athletic wear. No problem. BUT, the older ladies at the table next to us took issue with me, the only girl wearing a dress. Get this, they hated that I dipped my tortilla chips in my dip. Many rude faces, comments, and gestures were made. Then, one of the ladies proceeded to blow her nose at the table, while still saying how disgusting I was. So, I ordered nachos!* They loved it! :-P)  Grade: A-

(Sorry, didn't get a photo.  It looked about the same as last year though, except I wore it with coral flats and my Coach bag.)

Day 6 - unblogged 60's floral skirt - for a bit of relaxing at the hotel and a late dinner.  I love this skirt!  It's a half-circle, cotton sateen, and a pretty floral print so, of course I do.  However, being my first time wearing it, I was very conscious of it and wearing it to a "nice" place to eat made me feel like everyone must have thought I dressed up for dinner, which, despite the illusion of this being the nicest restaurant in the city, no one else did.  I think this one will get worn often but, I may need to be selective regarding the setting.  I also wasn't totally convinced the pinpoint shirt was the best pairing but, I have many more options I can play with.  Grade: A

(Gah! I didn't get a photo of this one either.  By the time we remembered, we were going to be late for our dinner reservation.  I meant to "recreate it" the next day for a quick shot but, that didn't work out either.  If I get a chance, I'll add one.  Otherwise, you'll just have to wait for the "Finished Object" post :)  For a sneak peak, here's a wip pic of it:

Day 7 - "Betty's Picnic Dress" - for sightseeing in downtown Mobile and another late dinner.  This is definitely at the top of my love/hate list.  This is the first item I think of when I think of prints in my wardrobe and a huge part of how I developed my current plan/"theories".  I took my time with the fit, love the fabric, love the style and yet, often when I wear it, it feels a bit like playing dress up.  I think it's the all-over print that is just a bit too 50s-housewife (and it never helps that I actually am a housewife, like I have no defense to the snickers.) I think I need to give more thought to the settings in which I wear it.  Once I have a larger variety of me-mades in my closet, it will have it's place and I will love it more.  Grade: B+

Dress: New Look 6886/Butterick 5747/Frankenpattern, Purse: Coach (vintage), Scarf: AE, Shoes:  Hush Puppies, Accessories: Target & Timex

Day 8 - Pool Green Half-circle skirt - for fabric shopping (what? doesn't everyone buy fabric souvenirs!?), driving to our next destination, and sight-seeing/people-watching in New Orleans!  Since this is a recently blogged make, I don't really have any new thoughts on it.  Comfortable, polished, all-around a great skirt. However, this outfit was certainly not Bourbon Street attire.  It was hot/humid, and a day-appropriate look in a city that definitely believes in dressing for the night.  Not that I would have worn something drastically different (I wasn't looking for beads... they hurt when they hit you!) but, darker colors and a blouse rather than a shirt would have been better. Grade:  A

(Sorry for the poor quality phone shots.  We don't have a proper camera bag and didn't want to risk carrying it down Bourbon Street.) Anywho...
Shirt: Brooks Brothers, Skirt: self-drafted, Purse: Coach (vintage), Shoes: Hush Puppies
Location: Vaso, Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, LA - You know what I love about NOLA?  Even on a Thursday night, you can simply stroll down the street until you hear music you like and go in to enjoy amazing food :)

Day 9 - not-yet-blogged navy linen skirt - for more food and sight-seeing.  Yep, I love this skirt too.  In my head, the navy color makes it classic and versatile, while the Ikat print adds a touch of trendy.  The unlined linen in a flowy cut was an excellent choice for walking around in the humidity and it's sure to become a go-to skirt this summer.  Also, since it's a simple two color print in a non-floral pattern, I didn't feel in any way out of place in it.  Lady-like, yes, but never over-dressed.  Grade: A+

(Again, swelling + poor phone camera = sorry!)
Shirt:  Ann Taylor (thrifted), Skirt: self-drafted, Jacket: Brooks Running (color sold out), Shoes: Hush Puppies
Location: Jackson Square, New Orleans

Previous posts:
Me-Made-May '14: My Pledge
Me-Made-May '14: Week 1

*I was already planning to order nachos but, oh how they groaned.