Refashion Inspiration | Katy Perry & The Puckered Rosette Dress

Image via Nasty Gal

Last month for Valentine's Day, Logan took me to Winston-Salem to go shopping at H&M. He knows how much I love that store, and he pretty much gave me free reign of it. It was delightful! I picked out a strapless black mini dress similar to the one above. H&M does not have the one I purchased on their website. I was so excited and have been waiting for it to warm up so I could pull this beautiful dress on. So imagine my angered surprise earlier this week when I found my brand new, tags-still-in-tact dress in the dogs crate. 

Yes, he had pulled it into his crate and chewed it up.

I was infuriated, yelling, sad, crying. I had tossed my old LBD out because it was, well, old. I was so excited to have a new one. One that fit my little body perfectly. Not a single loose piece of fabric anywhere. There wasn't a need to alter anything. It was the perfect LBD for me. I threw the dress across the room and swore the dog into non-existence. 

What I love about Logan is that when I throw a tantrum like that, he never tells me things like, "You're overreacting," or "it's just a dress." I am well aware that it's just a dress. But it is rare to find a gorgeous dress (or pants for that matter) that fit me so well and will still be flattering to my very straight figure. He kindly put Splash in his crate and went into the kitchen and made me something to eat. He even washed the dishes while he was in there. Later he said simply, "I know you, you'll find a way to fix it."

Then on Monday I went to the ER to get my shoulder looked at, and I flipped through their stack of outdated magazines, intentionally surpassing all the gossip. I always go straight for the lifestyle and home magazines. I decided to snag an issue of Marie Claire back from January. Inside was an interview with Katy Perry, and I was stunned by this puckered rosette top and bottom she wore. Is that not insanely sensational?!

As the article broke down the "how to achieve her look" I feasted my eyes on this dress featured from Saks Fifth Avenue. Now, the article says "Price Available Upon Request," which immediately tells me I couldn't afford it in my wildest dreams. But ... I can make my own! In fact, I now have a ruined dress that needs a little revamping! Oh, wait, I also have a Sizzix Big Shot that can cut fabric flowers out for me. This is looking more and more amazing by the second!
I guess the moral of this story is, it's hard to see the silver lining in the face of devastation, even if it is over just a dress. But it's encouraging when there are those that have faith in you and your talents. Logan was stoked when I leaned over and showed him the article and the refashion that had inspired me right then.
I ordered a die on Amazon the other day and am waiting for it to arrive. Once I do, this LBD is about to turn into a LBMPD -- Little Black Metallic Puckered Dress!
Happy Creative Inspiration, Steph

Style Guide: Valentine's Night Out

Blouse: Thrifted || Sequin skirt: TJ Maxx || Shoes: Hautelook || Bow: Whippy Cake || Gold Clutch: Thrifted || Chain Link Bracelet: GroopDealz

Images courtesy of Heather Thacker Photography

Valentine's Day is in just four days and many ladies are browsing around to get that perfect look. It's not everyday us mom's get a legitimate excuse to go all out with our wardrobe's. But if you're anything like me, you'll find any excuse to wear gold sequins! This mom is also not made of money, unfortunately, so I've got your tips on finding that perfect Valentine's date night outfit on a budget.

Tip #1: Be Thrift Happy

I picked up this designer blouse at Goodwill for a happy $3.75. It still had the tags and additional button attached! The vintage gold clutch was also picked up from Goodwill for $1. I almost always buy my clothes from thrift shops. I can get quality brands like, J.Crew, Ann Taylor, and New York & Company for a fraction of the retail price. I never pay retail price for anything.

Tip #2: Repurpose Accessories

This bow bracelet isn't a bracelet at all. In fact it is a hair accessory from one of my favorite designers, Whippy Cake. It is the most expensive item I am wearing, costing $20. Yes, I will spend that much on just one hair accessory, because the quality is that good. So be selective; inexpensive doesn't always mean quality. And in this instance, I got more bang for my buck, because when I don't want anything in my hair, I can strap it to my wrist!

Tip #3: Hook Up with Discount Retailers

For my meager budget, I feed my fetish's through discount retailers and boutiques, like TJ Maxx,  Hautelook, GroopDealz, and Ace & Ivy. I flipped to find that gold sequin skirt at TJ Maxx for only $14.99. My fuschia stiletto's were a steal on Hautelook for $14 and the chain link bracelet was a freebie on GroopDealz (just pay shipping). Be sure to subscribe to your favorites so you get their latest updates straight to your inbox, then you're always ready for a fabulous steal. 

Blouse || Skirt || Bracelet || Heels

All images are © Heather Thacker Photography and may not be distributed without consent and/or proper sourcing.

What are your favorite ways to style on a dime?

Happy shopping!
Steph

Sharing with the lovely:

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Style Guide: Gold Plated Fashion

I have one of my favorite Tweeps for you today.

Hi all – my name is Sydney and I run the personal style blog, Chic Stripes. Stephanie reached out on twitter earlier this week looking for someone to help fill her blog posts, so I gladly volunteered. I “met” Stephanie through the weekly #BlogTrends Chats on twitter (Mondays at 9 PM; so good!). I don’t even remember what the topic was that week but I do remember being drawn to Stephanie’s comments and of course her blog. She’s an all-around lovely woman!

I wanted to bring you, her readers, something of interest, and loved all of Stephanie’s recent posts on gold foil. So when she requested style inspiration – I knew it had to contain metallics!

Metallics are everywhere right now: on the runways, celebrities, and bloggers; in sweatshirts, jackets, skirts and of course accessories. As we transition from winter to spring, now is a great time to break them out – no need to reserve them just for glittery holidays.

But how do you style these for your every-day life? If you’re like me, you are not jet setting off to islands and needing a bronze metallic bikini or glamming up to receive an Oscar in a silver metallic gown.  I prefer to grunge up my metallic, keeping them ultra-cool and casual. Try these tips:

1.       Tone it down – Wear a metallic top, but throw a blazer over it or loop a huge scarf at your neck. 

2.       Keep it rough – Play with the textures of our your other clothes – wear denim, knit, suede, or wood – that will contract with the slick metallic and help bring it down a notch.

3.       Try just a tad – if you don’t like to go with a trend full force, try just a bit of metallic. Find a shoe or skirt with metallic trim or strip. Look for sweaters or cardigans with metallic thread for a bit of sparkle. Add a metallic bag or flat while keeping the rest of your outfit natural. Don’t forget necklaces, bracelets, rings and even hair accessories – all of these can be great for bringing in a touch of metallic. Remember, a little bit of metallic can go a long way!  

4.       Go all out – If you’re gonna wear metallic, try looking for a statement piece: a coat, blazer, skinny pants/leggings, or sweater.  

If you wear any metallic this week, I’d love to know how you wore it! Email (chicstripes@gmail.com) or tweet (@chicstripes) me a pic!

Thank you, Sydney, for taking the stage for me today. Please show Sydney some link-love this weekend:
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