Things I Love: TopShop Skirt

I want this TopShop skirt in my closet like yesterday. Wrap skirt, sort of watercolors, sort of galaxy print, fishtail hem, and sheer. Love love love love love.

Now if only it weren't $100 and only available in Germany :(

Third Time's the Charm?

Here's what I've been working on the past... four months or so. Yes, another maxi skirt. I present to you: the life (and death) of a couple pieces of cloth.

Version 1: a very failed attempt at re-creating this amazing skirt over at A Pair and A Spare (my fabric was much too stiff/heavy). So failed that I didn't even bother taking photos. But here's hers!

She gathered most of the fabric at the back so it looks amazing when she's walking!

Version 2: a not quite so violently failed attempt at re-creating this silk maxi skirt. I found this beautiful reddish orange sheer material about a month after the above fiasco and knew I wanted to make a maxi skirt out of it, so decided to use the above material as a liner. Unfortunately, the pattern calls for a waistband, interfacing, and an invisible zipper - none of which I have any experience with. Ended up looking kinda lumpy and uneven - the fabric pulls in weird places. It's also way too long, and not really the color I thought it would be. Though it strangely looks not too bad in this photo.

Color of the fabric turned a weird orange color with the nude lining.

Version 3 and 4: my next-door-neighbor and beautiful soul of a friend saw the cast-aside skirt and immediately suggested I make a fishtail hem skirt out of it. Such a cool idea, except when I tried it, the waistband was still fugly (again, didn't even bother taking a picture). So I undid the whole thing, took out the lining (yes, the original fabric), and put in an elastic waistband. Without the nude lining, the awesome burnt orange color of the fabric shows, which I like a lot better. Not sure what I'm doing with the original fabric but I'm pretty damn happy about how this one turned out!

 Sorry for the picture overload, but the first two don't really show how sheer the material is. It's more like in this last one (of me primping in the mirror and totally missing the picture).

What I'm Loving

I'm not one to predict trends. I'm even less liable to actually look forward to them. However, I am super pumped about:

HATS! I discovered a few years ago that I am one of the lucky ducks who can actually wear hats. I don't claim to be able to pull off many items of clothing (I'm not nearly emaciated enough, thank goodness, for most of them), but I've been secretly rooting for the rise of cranial accessories since that day. And it looks like my prayers to the fashion spirits have been answered!!

Update (Jan. 27th, 2012): what did I tell you?? 

This one has basically become my thesis wardrobe. I'm finally embracing that beanies can be cool, thanks to this lovely lady. All I need now is pink hair. (this hat of hers is a little crazier, but I'm head over heels -haaaa- for this one)

BURNT ORANGE! Or dark yellow. Or mustard. Or whatever name you call this general collection of colors, I'm digging it so much that I'm knitting myself a cardigan this color. But really.

 

via Diane von Furstenberg

SHEERS! It seems like everything has been made sheer recently, especially maxi skirts and sheer panels on dresses or shirts. I'm so jumping on this trend train.

via asos.com 

via asos.com

via asos.com

via ShinyPlasticHag

and looking forward just a bit... FRINGE TOP BATHING SUITS! (A girl can dream that it's summer already right?) I mean, how cool is this. It's so unbelievably impractical, so why do I love it so much? Maybe because it emphasizes the ta-tas, something any girl with my body build wouldn't say no to.

DIY here!!

All photos via lookbook or or polyvore, unless otherwise noted