St. Paddy's green and polka dots

It's been forever since I last posted, given that I was incredibly busy with our wedding plans. But now that we've come back from our honeymoon (at Disney World, by the way), I'm getting back on track!

We spent two amazing and well-deserved weeks at Orlando, and were lucky enough to spend St. Patrick's Day at Universal Studios / Islands of Adventure. Following the "pinch-those-who-don't-wear-green-during-St.-Patrick's", I chose to wear this green peasant dress from Doll Me Up. Since the weather was pretty chilly, I paired it up with a black cardigan (also from Doll Me Up) and a pair of nude stockings. You might also spot my new grey slip-ons (from American Eagle) and my loyal neon pink fanny pack.

The dress is incredibly comfortable and form-flattering, and the fabric is quite sturdy and stretchy. It fits like a glove because it has a conveniently smocked waist and elastic sleeves, which allow it to stretch up one or maybe even two sizes. I normally wear dresses size S but I could only get my hands on the size M, which still fits perfectly. I bet even the L could fit me properly. The skirt is longer than I expected, but it still has a fresh enough length to walk around the parks, dance, and do other activities. The dress also has a flounced edge sewn with the same fabric. It's a very nice touch to make the skirt even prettier.

Since the fabric is quite elastic, this garment features no zipper, buttons, or velcro to open and close. You can get it on and off conveniently. The white polka dot pattern printed over the bright green makes this dress pop out and adds some details to an otherwise simple green dress. I'm not a die-hard fan of monochromatic dresses, but I'm sure that having this dress in solid colors would be a fantastic idea. Doll Me Up's peasant dress was my first and obvious choice when it came to choosing an outfit for St. Paddy's.

By the way: Do you know why people pinch you if you're not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day? This tradition dates back to the 1700s, when people thought that anyone who wore green would become invisible to leprechauns. According to the legend, these Irish creatures typically pinched humans, so people jokingly pinch those not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day to remind them about it.

Doll Me Up sells this dress in different colors with white polka dots (yellow, red, lime, burgundy, black, coral, and kelly green) and in floral prints (blue, pink, and aqua). I went with the kelly green one because it's one of my favorite colors, but I really had a hard time choosing only one to add to my wardrobe. After giving it a test drive and being extremely satisfied with it, I think I will definitely purchase it in other hues.

Lastly, here's a picture of myself soaking wet from our last park day after riding Dudley Do Right's Ripsaw Falls, with my green peasant dress and a life-saving fleece Bubba Gump hoodie.

Check out my previous posts and be on the lookout for newer articles! 

Pastel green in the '50s

Since I started sewing seriously and more frequently, I have felt really inclined towards fashion styles from the '50s, and especially attracted by the dresses. They are a perfect combination between girly, elegant, comfortable and sexy, and they can be styled for casual occasions or for more formal events.

After creating two  patterns out of my beloved Ixia fold over pinup dresses, I decided to start experimenting by altering the silhouettes. At first I still stuck to the original shape, but then I went ahead and created the pastel green dress seen in the picture below, which features a narrower skirt and a separate waistband from a different material.

I made this dress using a soft cotton fabric that had been lying around for several years. The only problem that I found was that the fabric is a little see-through. I don't usually line my dresses on the inside because the fabrics I use tend to be sturdy enough, so this was the first dress ever that I lined up, and whenever I wear it I necessarily have to put on a slip underneath the skirt. The waistband is made from a recycled satin waistband from a party dress that I hate, so I felt no regrets when I took it down and cut it into a new one.

My favorite part of this dress, apart from the exquisite color palette, is the bow. It is made out of the same material as the waistband and when I made it I couldn't decide whether I should sew it to the waistband or in the middle of the bodice. I liked both options so much that I finally sewed a safety pin to the back of the bow, making it easy to move it around and stick it wherever I liked the most. I normally wear it as shown in the pictures.

In this case my shoes are black wedge sandals by Vic Matie, my necklace is a key-and-heart matching "Best Friends" necklace from Claire's, and I also paired the dress with a black bolero by Exotik.

Come back later for more posts about fashion and crafts!