#i got some super cute skirts and a cool jacket and cool sweaters / cardigans

[garoujo]

i should never have been let loose in harajuku today i spent every ounce of money in my wallet

[himitsu-luna]

Headcanon

*ﾟ—☆ Nct 127 - Fashion style they would be attracted to ☆—ﾟ*

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Obs 1 : I tried my best here, but I'm definetely not a fashion expert (I confirmed this while I was trying to choose the pics here T-T) ahhaahha this is just my personal opinion about this matter, so don't take it too seriously hehe

Obs 2 : please, don't worry if you don't match any style here, or if you don't match the style of your bias, or wherever the case is. Don't ever change who you are because of someone else, especially appearance wise. You are all precious gorgeous beautiful wonderful beans, and your authenticity and personality are the most important and sexy thing, yeeeyy!!

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✧~♪ Taeil

Taeil would be attracted to someone that seems to prioritize comfort over beauty, but that also knows how to coordinate their looks. They appear clean, fresh, simple, cute, and also mature. This person may not stand out for the majority of people, but that's exactly what calls Taeil's attention. They're someone who looks approachable, huggable and friendly.

Overall elements: Light colors, sneakers, caps, oversized clothes, cute details, hoodies, too long sleeves, plain shirts, cardigan

✧~♪ Johnny

Johnny would be attracted to someone who looks simple yet elegant. This person emanates a certain duality in the way they dress. They are warm but also intimidating in a degree. They are cute but also mature. This person looks comfortable and confident in their own skin, and are proud of their style.

Overall elements: Long coats, neutral and earthy colors, plaid patterns, turtleneck, opened buttons, tattos, sunglasses

✧~♪ Taeyong

Taeyong would be attracted to someone who expresses themselves through the way they dress. Someone who clearly uses some creativity on choosing and combining their clothes would call his attention. It can be super simple and also super elaborated. This person looks free, clever, enthusiastic, innovative.

Overall elements: Urban streetwear, lots of accessories, a personal touch to the clothes, patches and pins, a variety of models of hats, nice shoes

✧~♪ Yuta

Yuta would be attracted to two extremes: the cool and the cute. He would love the sharp, j-rock, edge style, because it is close to his own style. But the cute style would attract him too, because he also likes to be around cute people. An innocent look that opposes his style would be interesting for him. But even the cute for him would be kinda bold.

Overall elements: Painted nails, dyed hair, piercings, tattoos, silver accessories, bold and sexy dresses, cute dresses, Black + red combination

✧~♪ Doyoung

Doyoung would be attracted to an elegant person. That type of person who looks like they got out of a fashion magazine. A clean, simple and sophisticated look, without much information to process, but you see that every single detail of it was carefully planned.

Overall elements: turtleneck, long coats and pieces in general, neutral colors, shirts, glasses, casual clothes, leather (fake leather, pls)

✧~♪ Jaehyun

Jaehyun would be attracted to two main styles : fancy/sexy and sporty. A chic and sensual person, with a cool but also romantic aura around them would make Jaehyun interested. He would like the sporty style too, because it would give him the idea of being active and healthy.

Overall elements: simple black shirts and T-shirts, sweatshirt, silk, satin, golden accessories

✧~♪ Winwin

Winwin would be attracted to a classy simple style, with some cutesy air to it. Overall plain clothes, without any patterns, clean, soft, that don't look overwhelming, that gives him a peaceful, modest, calm and angelic energy.

Overall elements: flowy dresses, ribbons, suits and coats, big bags, Olive/Brown/Gray/Blue tones

✧~♪ Jungwoo

Jungwoo would be attracted to a cute and simple style. He would like someone who looks fun, goofy, bright, cool, nice. This person just emanates sweet and playful energy, and seems to have lots of sugar rushes and cute quirks.

Overall elements: pastel colors, fruit patterns, Cartoon shirt, shorts, sweaters, ponytails, light jeans

✧~♪ Mark

Mark would be attracted to a simple yet fun and fashionable style. They look brilliant, lively, positive, wholesome, creative. They are cool, maybe the coolest person you know, but they don't seem to realize it.

Overall elements: Layers, jeans, jackets, caps and beanies, hoodies, cool tones+warm tones combination, sneakers, backpack

✧~♪ Haechan

Haechan would be attracted to a cute + elegant style. He would like someone who looks all bold and, with a blink of an eye, looks all adorable, and nothing actually really changed in their appearance.

Overall elements: stripes, shirts, sweaters, fluffy coats, necklaces, high waisted pants and skirts

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•° Anon, thanks for the request!! Hope you like it!!

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* If you want to be added to or removed from the taglist, just send me an ask or a message (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

•° Masterlist

...

[feeling--pink]

My Sweet Ride is an amazing episode of Phineas and Ferb and the only thing bad about it I that I wish we could have seen more people in full out 1950s clothes!! So I did that!! (Also including some MML kids because I love them and don’t draw them enough!)

Anyways!! If y’all want to see me rant about 1950s stuff for a very long time because I had a blast doing research for this project you should click the keep reading!! :D

Okay a quick prelude!! Not only am I going to talk about outfits I designed, but while doing research I was blown away about the attention to detail the original designers had for these outfits and characters so I’m going to talk about their outfits too! :D

Here are my sources if you want to look into this btw!! :D

https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-teenager-fashions-girls-fashion-trends-and-clothing-styles/ 

https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-teen-boys-clothing/ 

https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-hairstyles/ 

https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-dress-styles/ 

https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-womens-hats-by-style/ 

https://vintagedancer.com/1950s/1950s-womens-shoes-style/ 

Candace

Okay I’m going to start out by saying I just adore this outfit

That has nothing to do with anything I just really love it!!

I’m thinking I might make one of my own for Halloween but that’s off-topic

Okay- 1950s clothing!!

Candace is wearing a blouse (?) with a cardigan over the top, and a pleated swing skirt.

This is a classic 1950s girl’s style

More specifically its also a classic “preppy good kid” look

Which Candace absolutely is!!

Y’all should notice that all the skirts are past knee-length, which was standard of the time.

Candace also has a neck scarf, a common accessory, and a headband.

Ribbon headbands were still a thing in the 50s but the hard plastic headband was also coming into style in the later 1950s.

She’s wearing a pair of saddle shoes which were one of the popular options of the time among boys and girls

Her hair is long with curls at the end, another classic teenager look in the 50s!

While short hair was more popular among adult women, teenage girls often kept theirs long with slight curls on the end!

Bangs were also standard, but usually shorter than how I drew them

Sorry that bit’s inaccurate through all of them, it’s just easier for me to draw long!

Finally, in case you had any doubt about Candace’s outfit being time period, here’s an advertisement from the article I read:

Vanessa

To start off we have a blouse and pencil shirt for Vanessa

Pencil and swing skirts were the two most common skirts of the time

She’s also wearing a belt, which I modified slightly to look like-

The wide contour belt on the bottom right!

She’s also wearing a pillbox hat, one of the popular hats of the time!

Hats were generally not worn by teenagers because they were seen as “mature” 

But that fits pretty well with Vanessa’s character

It’s the same story with the pumps, which I also changed lightly to match time period ones a bit more

Now what made me make my original post about the outfits in My Sweet Ride was actually the hair

Specifically, Vanessa’s hair is modeled after the Bettie Page style

This hair wasn’t actually that popular with the masses because it was seen as too simple, not classy, etc.

BUT it was popular among rebel girls in the USA

And like!!!!!! Y’all the designers did SUCH a good job to get down into details like that!!!!!!!!

But yeah her outfit’s great!! Next one!

Stacy

For Stacy, I decided to change things up slightly and give her a dress!

Specifically, it’s a shirtwaist dress, which I modeled after the reference below

Why the shirtwaist dress you may ask? Idk I think they’re neat

I thought it fit the vibe I was going for so I did that one I don’t know what to tell you jkdshsf-

Okay so generally, the belt wouldn’t have been a different color but I wanted to tie the green I used in a little more

Btw sorry I changed her color scheme a bit

I honestly haven’t fully figured out her original color scheme so I modified it a bit so it would look nice for this!

Pastels were very popular in the summer after all

I tried to stick to everyone else’s original color scheme though!

Stacy also has a headband tied up into a bow, which was standard

And to change things up I put her in a ponytail (with the end curled) which was popular with the teens!

Sklsdjhdkj I sound very “how do you do fellow teens“ while writing this that’s unintentional sorry

Shoes are penny loafers, another popular shoe at the time

I liked the little bows on the ends of some of the ones I saw and thought it was very Stacy!

That’s about it for her!

Phineas

This has nothing to do with anything but I love drawing Phineas

He’s just a funky little triangle!! I love him!

I’ll admit here that I didn’t look into men’s hairstyles, so you won’t hear about that from me sorry!

Phineas is wearing a black button-up, standard. 

Black and white matched everything so they were the most common undershirt colors

Over that, he has a jacket that looks to be varsity jacket inspired, which was seen as super cool!

Full jeans were coming into popularity in the 50s but only with the younger generations

Finally, he also has saddle shoes like Candace does

So yeah it’s a solid 1950s outfit!!

Ferb

Ferb’s a greaser, need I say more?

No, really he has everything

The white t-shirt and jeans combo is exactly the greaser look, so much so that most teenagers avoided it to not fall into stereotypes

Tighter fit jeans were coming into style in the later 50s, so that’s also accurate

The leather jacket just amplifies the greaser look

The one thing is that for the life of me I couldn’t figure out what shoes he was wearing

So I gave him a pair of sho-loks and called it a day!

More about sho-loks in Milo’s portion!

Isabella

Isabella makes an appearance with the first (and only) poodle skirt of the group!!

Poodle skirts, while definitely what most people think about when you say the 50s, actually weren’t that popular among teenagers

The embroidered designs were seen as childish, so children and preteens wore them the most

But here’s a fun tidbit you may not have caught from the show, Isabella is, in fact, a child

(I don’t know why I built that up so much sorry ldksjfhkds)

Anyways I decided if I was going to give anyone a classic poodle skirt it might as well be Isabella!

I modeled it after this poodle skirt:

She’s also wearing a blouse with a peter pan collar, the most popular collar of the time

Another headband tied into a bow because it’s Isabella I had to give her a bow

Standard belt (nothing really to say about that)

And another pair of penny loafers with little bows because they’re cute gosh darn it!

Milo

Okay, I’ve been writing for a while but honestly a lot of the rest of these I just drew directly from reference so…

I did say I would talk about shu-loks here though and I will!!!

Now we know Milo is shoelace-adverse

And while there are plenty of slip-on options I found the shu-lok to be fascinating!!

As you can see above, the tongue snaps down to keep the shoe on your foot!! Isn’t that cool? :D

So yeah I gave Milo those!!  

Zack

We know Zack plays football so I gave him your standard sporty outfit

Sorry I just find girls outfits infinitely more interesting so I kinda focused on those skjhgfdss

Oh! I do have something to say here!!

Converse were your typical sports shoe for the 50s so he has those!! Almost forgot that tidbit!!

Yeah, thick soles with wrinkles and stuff were seen as cool among teens so they got popular!

Melissa

Finally, we have some patterned pants!!

Yeah- checkers, plaid, stripes, polka dots, etc. were all very popular!!

I just didn’t want to draw them a lot ‘cause it’s hard sksfjdhgs-

But I gave Melissa checkers because it would get the black and white of her color scheme and I liked the way the checkered pants looked!!

Girls did wear pants at the time by the way!!

During summer and weekends mostly since they weren’t allowed to wear them to school

Short-sleeved turtle necks were also a thing and I thought that combo would look neat!!

Also, converse because it went with the outfit and that’s kinda what she’s wearing in the show!

Hair in a ponytail and side part bangs, both popular!

Yeah okay, that’s about it for Melissa!

Amanda

By this point, y’all are hopefully getting the gist of 50s fashion so we’re going fast now

Blouse, swing skirt, penny loafers (different style but still penny loafers), headband

(here’s what I modeled the whole thing after:)

I do want to mention the pullover sweater because I thought I should include one and I really like the flower embroidery on them

Then finally we come to her hair!! I already mentioned the headband but I was specifically modeling her hair in the pageboy style which looks like this:

Obviously, it looks a little stylized but what can you do?

And that’s it!! I had so much fun doing research and designing this and I think they all turned out pretty good!! I’m going to do more go this in the futures so if there's someone in particular you’d like to see let me know!! I’m planning on doing Cavendish, Dakota, and Sara at least in the next batch!! 

[gotatext]

by this point im p sure u all know the drill.... i’m nora, 23, she/her, gmt and tonight matthew im going to be greta o’driscoll, a terrible person but a hot one which frankly makes it almost ok. here is her pinterest..... this intro is literally just copied n pasted frm the last time i played her so soz if u’ve read it like 10+ times.... 

「 diana silvers. cis-female. 」have you seen greta o’driscoll around yet? i hear she decided to be in POTENTAS for their SOPHOMORE year as a CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY major. the 20 year old SHEPHERD is known to be tenacious, magnetic, capricious and evasive. ➨ the muse is written by nora, she/her, gmt.

was adopted as an infant. had two foster moms and two older sisters so always surrounded by women. lived in a boarding house, very much like the one in 20th century women, with lodgers coming in and out all the time, mostly artsy young women because her gay moms were both high school teachers trying to set up their own arts collective. one of her moms left when she was 4, n she doesn’t really remember her.

while living with entirely women made her super into catlin moran and the guilty feminist, as a teenager she often let boys walk all over her bc she just craved male attention jst bcos she’d never really experienced it. saw it as something aspirational, like sitting in the back of chad’s second-hand truck while he drove you to macdonalds and offered you and his five friends with identical haircuts weed was the height of being cool to greta, she wanted to be their dream girl, even if it meant compromising her beliefs

was always a really sporty bitch. it started with a junior athletics squad, which turned into athletics and cheer, which then became athletics, cheer and hockey until she basically was doing a different activity every night. she came to see her body as a tool that she could make work for her if she trained it up and this attitude’s always kind of stayed with her that as long as her body is strong she is capable of anything. runs every day. 

bubbly bitch but also massive snake. metaphorically and literally, always shedding her skin. loyal to few, ruled by none, out for herself, babey!! every place she goes, she becomes a new character, someone who’s a figment of her imagination, as if each city is repertory theatre and she’s a character actress, so as a result som ppl think she’s called rita, some ppl know her as margot, she just flicks through identities like nobodies business.

left school at 18 n went backpacking around the states making money in the casinos by being a shot girl (yeehaw) and trying to make it as a mysterious 1920s widow with a smoky voice, a dark secret n a heart of gold, looking for love in the big city. all she found was producers and acting agents who’d promise her stardom n actually just fuck her in a motel n then ignore her calls.

TW domestic violence, TW gun, her watershed moment came when she met luke in sioux falls while she was working at a strip club. he was a few years older and had a car, and they kind of went from seeing each other to being that super intense couple who are just necking all the time.

they got engaged like 3 months after they met n rented a flat together, much to her family’s annoyance but she was 19 so there wasn’t much they could do. their relationship was super super intense though, often really heightened and when they fought it could become quite violent, but she’d pass it off as just him being really passionate.

one of their fights got really heated and greta threatened him with the gun he kept in the glove box of his vauxhall corsa, but the safety was off and she accidentally shot him. she pleaded self defence in the trial n cos of the amount of times she’d been hospitalised for various concussions n things like ‘fallling down the stairs’ the police were like yea… pretty watertight evidence that he was a bastard who [chicago voice] had it coming….. 

she’s now under witness protection, rehoused in livingstone as a sports-scholarship student, due to the amount of police involvement in the area, it would mean should one of luke’s family members try to track her down, she’d be relatively safe

massive sports fanatic. plays tennis. on the cheer team. was a track superstar in her high school. honestly just that sporty bitch, you’ll see her doing lines at a party at half four and then on your way to your 9am lecture you see her running across the park like a fresh fucking daisy who is this bitch. maybe it’s maybelline, maybe its coke.

massive feminist. low key quite scared of powerful men bcos of her ex. wants to start a female only lesbian commune bc she misses her childhood in a south dakota boarding house and has endless support for women. honestly annoyed that she is attracted to men, would so be 100% gay if it was a choice. cuffs her jeans and can’t drive. is That bisexual. skateboards. wears backwards caps.  i hate her 

isn’t a foward-planner, however. greta prefers to leave her options open, play the field, live in a spontaneous manners so her study style is mostly cramming a few days before a test, or staying up all night writing an essay on a massive adrenline boost powered by red bull or probably adderall, scribbling (or typing) furiously into the night.

has an addictive personality. seems unable to do anything in a small dose, she has to let it utterly consume her. with sports, she’s fiercely competitive. with alcohol, it’s never a shot, it’s a whole bottle – wine or whiskey – she’ll be table dancing before the night’s up and making out with someone she’ll regret in the morning. 

not afraid to go after what she wants !! ambitious academically and romantically thirsty !! she loves the adrenaline of the chase. when someone’s easy to get, she becomes bored. very bisexual and very proud of it. feminist as fuck nd part of a queer representation in the arts group which holds fortnightly meetings to discuss lgbt representation in film, literature, art etc.

old soul in a young person’s body. all the shit that has gone on has kind of aged her. she’s quite cynical about everything now. always smoking smoking smoking. very edie sedgwick in that way.  little girls skirts bought for next-to-nothing at the market because she’s skinny enough to get away with it, barely long enough to cover your bum, and then the ugliest baggy sweater you’ve ever seen thrown over it.

likes old things. old books, old music, old houses, it reminds her of happier times like when she wasn’t alive. buys all her music on vinyl and has a gramphone because “The Sound quality is Better” kfdsjj.

super into pop art and andy warhol. puts female friendships above everything but at the same time, would fuck her best friends man

her clothing style is like…. vintage thrift store but make it preppy. berets and cute hats, neck scarves, large fluffy cardigans or like those leathery jackets with big suede fringes on them, mini skirts (very 70s), and knee high socks or boots. quite often she’ll be in sports kit, maybe a cute tennis skirt, n when she’s feeling casual she’ll wear like, a talking heads tshirt with a pair of mom jeans and converse, but otherwise, the library is her catwalk.

aesthetics:

a bubble of pink gum on chapped lips, mom jeans, a beaten up pair of adidas, denim jackets, strawberry laces, knee-highs, chapped lips, peeling sticky plasters, split knuckles, bruises you try to cover with concealer, stick and poke tattoos, hot coffee, sleep caught in your eyes on a lazy afternoon, kissing girls, cigarette smoke shrouding you like a veil, alien conspiracy theories and sci-fi paperbacks, doc martens with fraying laces, the red string of a thong peaking out purposely from jeans, leonine arch of your back and that stellar smile that says ‘you have no idea who you’re dealing with’, a rucksack permanently packed for the move, a streak of red across your lips, roller blades, cut knees, not eating your greens, smiling with a mouthful of blood, and piercing your own ears with a safety pin when your mom wouldn’t take you, kate moss posters lining the walls of a teenage bedroom, his name scrawled in rage across the pages of a diary, thumb holes poked through the cuffs of your sleeves, a tennis racket you punched through in a fit of temper, feet pounding the earth until your soles bleed crimson, sleeping in a cherry lip balm and scrunchies to keep the wild locks from your eyes.

wanted plots

frinds !! unlikely friends !! toxic friends !! former best friends separated by sports rivalries ! sporting friends who are on other teams but who she absolutely loves playin against!!! 

since greta literally can’t differentiate between romantic and platonic love, she’s got off with so many of her mates, so i want awkward friendships where they nearly dated, or exes that have now just turned into weird friendships

 girls from the cheer team who she’s like, weirdly intimate with like the shower together but its not a Thing cos the other girls straight !!! what do u mean !! aha just fun !

and I want like, fellow criminology students who are like?? how is this bitch still passing?? i swear she goes out every night?? 

she works part time at a fast food restaurant, i want a mate that just goes and sits in there talking to her until her manager gets angry. 

ppl she did a few modules with ie. art history, bio-med, film studies, before changing course and somehow sort of remaining in touch with

 ppl who she runs track with. 

someone she’s trying to make a zine with. 

here’s a list of plots on her old blog if u want any of them w her.

would love plots of any type, throw them all at me please, i cnt wait to interact w all of u. like this if u want me to message you about connections / plots! xo

full biography if u can be bothered

trigger warnings: drugs, domestic abuse, gun.

you never meant for it to happen. you’d heard the stories, of girls who let their man walk all over them, and thought to yourself “i’ll never be one of those girls…” the kind that eat low-fat yoghurt and drink slim fast to shred a few extra pounds because he said she was getting round in the tummy, or the ones who spent their evenings tied to a kitchen sink drinking wine while him and the boys played poker, wishing god, if only I could get out of here. not you, not you raised by strong women, four bright shining beacons. single mother with her hard-as-nails attitude and her stony glares, elder sisters (twins) one ginger, one blonde, one doctor, one lawyer, both determined to take a bullet to the brain and a hammer to the patriarchy before they let a man touch them without asking. you were always so inferior, so insecure and small, like a bird (like a sparrow) with blonde plaits down your back sucking tropicana whilst your busom buds sucked dick, their lips permanently ripe with stories of their sexual exploits, fake tan and glittered nails whilst you sat in the unbroken egg of virginity wondering what it was like to be loved. one day you found out.

lily milligan’s parents gone and a free house for the night, bottles of ouzo and tequila swiped from your mother’s liquor cabinet thinking she wouldn’t know (she always knew) your legs, hardened from pep squad, slut dropping on a kitchen table because the boys thought it would be fun to get the quiet girl drunk. you’d never had a sip before that night. band t-shirts, denim shorts and the split soles of rotten converse that you refuse to let go of, you still clutched with both hands to your youth, but in a tube top now (borrowed from alice carmichael who had a sister in college) and a short tennis skirt, your feet not in trainers but in thigh-high boots. uncomfy as hell but lily said you needed to look sexy. you didn’t know if you wanted to be sexy. you didn’t know what kind of girl you were, if you were even a girl at all. but robbie looked at you like he knew exactly who you were, like he knew you better than you knew yourself, and his lips had the pink cupid’s bow of a movie star, and his hair was dark locks, curling like a mane. his hands were soft, and suddenly on your waist, and after three more shots his lips were on yours and his name was the only sound in your head and on your lips as you lost it in lily’s college sister’s bedroom beneath the glare of a T-Pain poster. you bled for what seemed like hours, his hand still in yours, kissing on the sofa as truth tellers and dare devils continued to spin a bottle of unprecedented youth. you thought it was love. robbie was the one. he loved you, you knew it, how else could someone be so soft? but soon he grew bored, scrunched up your paper heart and set it alight. then came the tears, the hatred, the ‘fuck robbie, in fact, fuck all boys.’ and that you did.

you were known for being easy. any boy could be yours for a night, as long as he promised to love you for those few short breaths and pants before you cried yourself to sleep. you felt poisoned, but poisonous as well, as if by ensnaring these young boys you were gaining power over them, and not the other way around. soon it started to work. they’d want more, but you’d deny them it, sick of sucking off silly schoolboys, they’d call you a tease, a vixen. maybe you were, but you couldn’t help but want older men. you got the history teacher first time, him bending you over his desk to sneak a hand up your tennis skirt as the after-school clubs carried on next door, unawares. love didn’t exist, not for you. it was nothing but a game for pretty young girls to play, bubble gum in their canines and a hand tugging at the hem of their cheer skirt.

there was so much anger inside of your small body, ‘beware of boys and their hook-like words’. hockey helped. there was something formidable about the feeling of a stick like a weapon in your hands and the thwack it made against thighs in the heat of a scrum - “slipped, sorry!” - you’d utter with a snakeskin smile, millicent quinn knowing that you’d hit her on purpose because she shagged robbie at that party last week. she couldn’t prove it, cobbled acne on her forehead turning green with disgust. ben came into your life like a car crash. two years your senior, with a baseball jacket and shoulders like a god. he became your personal hero. on the pitch, he was lethal. together, you could bring anyone to their ruin. each day after last period he’d be waiting in his car. you’d leap into his arms like a girl-half starved, love me, love me, love me, your heated kisses the envy of every junior girl. he was yours for three blissful years, utterly yours, and you were his, his star-spangled girl, and he was your knight - you were both the same, playing games, always difficult to predict. it was a shock to all when he proposed, high-school sweethearts find love in south dakota.

the engagement was a bittersweet affair; three months – you barely out of your gingham print skirts and into a graduation gown, him, a surly quarterback towering above your sisters, cigarette at his lips and a scowl like a fart in a lift. they hated him. so did you. but you were eighteen and in love, and he fitted the cookie cutter mould. everyone wanted him, and you had him. you had him and you were happy, happy, happy, and he loved you. he said he’d give you the world, anything you wanted hand-picked and given to you. instead, he gave you a jack russell terrier and a flat you couldn’t swing a cat in, wallpaper peeling like the rotten bits inside of you, the bits that only he knew. and you got tireder and tireder of the sad excuse of a life he’d picked out for you, him out doing god knows what to pay the bills, and you dancing on tables to pave your way to stardom, and this was love, this was real, until the shine wore off and your fresh-faced, dimple-cheeked cheerleader facade faded and the ugliness started to reveal itself, the whining, the petulance, the sharp-tempered cruelty, the mind games, the need to always win, win, win. he was dull, he was boring, he was nothing like the boy the girls had said he was and no chiselled six pack could hide his lack of anything remotely interesting, your patience wearing thin until it snapped like rubber, a rucksack on your back, running shoes on your feet and the joint bank account emptied into your eighth grade birthday wallet.

you built your small fortunes working the casinos of sioux falls, a crimson dress and an attitude to match. bookish archie with his little dipper freckles was fun for a month, before he became just as dull and dreary as the rest. a three hour bus and you were in minneapolis, bright eyed and bushy tailed, fresh meat ready for the pickings. a hostel here, a friendly co-worker’s sofa there as you made what you could by taking off your clothes and shaking your ass like you were back in pep squad, doing what you did best. you met your fair share of creeps, and soon it was back on the road to escape a wide-eyed stalker and a restless itch for more. milwaukee, chicago, you made the roads your own. log cabins and lodgings, and the occasional motel, a beaten up pick up truck purchased at a scrap merchants – you got a few miles out of it before it bit the dust, and when you finally set it alight after nights spent lounging across the driver’s seat, a parka tucked over you as a duvet, you were sad to see it go. you’re nomadic by fault, never attaching to place, people or things, creating a new personality in every place you go like a character actress; each town is a different repertory theatre, and you’re the star. a compulsive liar, you even fib about your own name, to some you’re ellen, nineteen, bookish, a law student who likes smoking and cosmos. to someone else you’re rita, you’re twenty five and look young for your age, like smoking, comics and fucking in public places.

in the bright lights of michigan, you found charlie, sweet charlie, too good for you, though you let him spoil you while he thought you were the small town girl of his dreams. next came abigail, who was fun until the jealously kicked in, and then luke, gorgeous luke, dangerous, exciting, who despite his temper, despite the fights, despite bruises down your spine and your teeth marks on his arms, loved you with the strength of a wild fire. there was destruction in your wishbones, a savageness from the field, from the pitch and now somehow in his arms, you were godly. he was cruel, he was careless, and he refused to fall at your feet like so many other boys had, which only you made you want him all the more. you were rage incarnate. you hated him so fiercely you thought you might kill him, so he played the only card you wouldn’t predict; proposed.

the house you shared was a backstreet flat in detroit, you making your name as a downtown singer while he footed the bill with pills. they had a drug for anything these days, to dull the senses, to pick them up, to drive you to insanity or pull you out of the madness hole. the two of you lived like criminals on the run (you never told him that you were, living out your days as the enigma he wanted you to be), you with your voice like caramel and fishnet legs. you were his and his alone until his hand was at your throat and the gun was in your hands screaming at him to stop, stop, stop, until a bullet stoppered his brain, crimson staining linoleum as you cast yourself out like lucifer. self defence was decreed the moment they saw your violet neck, black tears and headlight eyes and mind screaming red, red, red like the pom-poms you shook so willingly in school and the insides of his skull. you were gone, and “you” was born, renamed “greta”, boxed, shipped-out, and next-day delivered to livingstone where under witness protection you were a student, blank slate, fresh-faced in a place where no one knew your name, doing what you always did and starting again.

[okaywowcool]

 hey guys! back again for another monthly favorites post, this time for july! read below the cut to hear some of my favorite clothing pieces, new shops, trends, and makeup and skincare items that i’ve used in this past month! 

you can also check out this link to read through my past faves! 

CURRENT FAVE PERSONAL PIECES

Plus Size Grid Print Overall Mini Dress - $24.90, available in 0X - 3XL

Not too long ago I picked up a few pieces from F21 (mostly out of a Strong fear that they would be going out of stock in the near future, lol) and this was one of them. The zipper feels sturdy with the metal they used (I was worried, since this runs slightly bodycon on a non-padded, average curvy body (if you’ve not read about how plus-sized models are commonly padded out to get the “ideal” shape or “ideal” fat distribution, check out this article here by Refinery29.) and the zipper is the functional closure of the dress. The dress has zero stretch, so I was a little concerned about something flimsy that I felt like would break eventually, but so far so good. I’ve worn it with a super cute beatnik type get up out to lunch and errands with my girlfriend (black turtleneck sweater, beret, and chunky black sandals) and felt super cute, but still a little self conscious just since the more bodycon silhouette is something I’m still not super confident in wearing, which is something I’m trying to get better about. So a big recommend! I’m a size 22/24 and got a size 3XL and thought that was perfect, not too tight, but still hugging my curves in a cute way. 

Plus Size Grid Print Tie-front Shirt - $19.90, available in 0X - 3XL

I have a serious problem finding button ups that are cute on me...I have a fairly large bust but smaller shoulders and it’s hard to find something plus-sized that isn’t either totally oversized and weird looking on me fit wise, or so tight there’s massive gapping between the buttons at the biggest part of my bust. But this button up really works for me. I’m not sure if it’s the slightly relaxed cut or the fact that it’s a crop, but it’s absolutely perfect...it’s rare you buy something online and it fits exactly the same on you as it does on the model, but this did and I was so impressed! This is definitely going to be a new staple in my wardrobe, as soon as it’s not too hot to commit to long sleeves.

I ordered a few more things that I haven’t had much of a chance to style/wear yet, but everything worked this go round which is pretty rare...this was very much me that day:

Surgeon General’s Dress - $35, available in XS - 5XL

I’ve been wearing a lot of my own stuff here lately, mainly because it’s so easy to throw on and and still be bold enough for it to feel like a Look, while totally keeping me cool. This dress’s print looks super bold from a distance, but y’all would be surprised to see how long it takes people in an office setting to actually find out what the print is of, since it’s so blown up it can read as abstract. The fabrication is also really good at keeping you out of the hot hot hot hell zone, and is super cute with a breezy sheer cardigan thrown on over it! 

FAVE NEW SHOPS

Avocado Bag, $40

I want to own pretty much everything in this entire store since I found out it existed just a few weeks ago, and if I didn’t have some self restraint I would have preordered at least 3 bags from here so far. Miju Miju is a cute shop full of bags that were originally intended for use as cute, unique ita bags, but they’re also totally cute to use to display your pin collection, or even just leave plain with the empty clear window showing the cute pop of lining color. The fact that they’re convertible from a crossbody purse to a backpack also makes them a literal dream for me, since that’s pretty much the only kind of bag I like to carry. They also have a discount code running right now for the preorder, you can use BOW7 to get $7 off one of these bad boys! I know I want the avocado, egg, and pink coffin ones all sooooo bad. 

Pastel Rainbow Shooting Star Necklace - $60

Petey Hana is an etsy shop with a lot of super cute hand painted jewelry, perfect for all kinds of kawaii fashion styles and also just bold statement pieces. I’m so in love with the obviously hand made look, especially with ceramic and polymer clay jewelry, because it just feels like there’s extra love put into it. Combine that with all the bright colors and I’m just in love with this whole shop! 

Strawberry Milk Cocktail Knit Sweater - $31

I’m not sure why it took me so long to realize that the Ester Loves You collab “Ester loves Chuu” was referring to a shop’s name and not just the cute Japanese kissing sound effect....but it took me until doing that cute request for rabbit purses recently for me to figure out that Chuu was indeed, a store. This shop is adorable and has lots of unique styles in it for super affordable prices. I can’t fit into any of it myself really BUT it’s still been a big inspiration to look at their photography and see how they’re styling their pieces! 

Walk the Line Striped Dress - $78, available in US size 10 - 30

I wanted to use this cute image from Fat Girl Flow, since it was Corissa’s IG where I first saw this shop as well AND because it’s so helpful to see products on non-models. Soncy is a really cute really incredible shop. Y’all know I’m not the biggest fan of the whole Fashion Nova curve look, it just never has felt very “me,” even though it’s a staple for many other plus-sized bloggers/influencers. Soncy feels like Fashion Nova’s classy older sister who has her own very successful etsy business selling fancy leather goods--which is not at all a bad vibe...one part hippie, one part mature, and one part sexy. Still a similar style, but there’s not as much emphasis on the whole Kylie Jenner booty body-con everywhere look, and things just look higher quality...they’re more expensive, but everything in the shop is available in sizes 10 - 30 and everything is miraculously under $100, which is just awesome. 

FAVE JULY SILHOUETTES

Pier Pursuits Cropped Jumpsuit - $64.99, available in XXS - 4XL

Right now, one of the silhouettes I’m obsessed with is super wide leg jumpsuits. This one was really the first one that sparked the intense love for me, the proportions are so unique and perfect and I love that these jumpsuits are starting to show more traditional dress like necklines...this one from ASOS curve does a similar thing which I really adore. 

Front Twist Flutter Sleeve Tee - $9, 0X - 3XL

Twist front crop tees (even the ones that are just from twisting a not in a normal tee!) are just such a look for me right now. There’s something very nostalgic about them, almost like how when tying jackets around the waist was coming back as a styling choice when 90s nostalgia started going strong, that makes me just super happy and it’s a natural type of ruching that is really attractive without looking kind of dated and old. It just looks good on everyone, truly. 

PRINTS & COLORS

Fluted Sleeve Mini Dress in Ditsy Floral - $51 // Infusion Cut Out Bralette in Vintage Floral - $52 // Ditsy Floral Ruffle Jumpsuit - $40

There’s something so nice and vintage feeling about a ditsy floral print, and I’ve been wanting to create some of my own patterns that mimic this feel for a while but still haven’t quite gotten around to it. It’s just such a nice subtle way to wear florals, a print that I tend to be really picky about since they can go ugly fairly easily or run the risk of looking dated or matronly depending (and I mean dated like...2008 versus a nice vintage feel) but ditsy florals just always look so cute and nice, too subtle to ever really be offensive and easy to transition from season to season. 

Daisy Street Cami with Peplum - $24 // True Stripes A-Line Skirt - $38 // Miss Selfridge Pinafore Dress - $56

i’m also just really feeling chambray this month, especially with a subtle white pinstripe. aside from chambray just feeling really lovely to the touch (bc i’m all about those textures y’all) it’s such a lovely soft approach to denim that feels so airy and perfect for summer. 

MAKEUP/SKINCARE

LIPHOP Ombre Lip Balm - $2.59 

I bought this little lip balm for real cheap off of aliexpress a while ago, in quite a few shades since it was so cheap. I’ve found that the darker shades are by far my favorite, though they don’t look quite as dark on me as they do in the photos. It’s very similar to just putting on a little chapstick--these just add a natural little pop of color for a fresh bitten look to the center of your lips while hydrating them overall. I like that it gives that popsicle stain look without the matte feel of some similar products, like Glossier’s Generation G and Colourpop’s Blotted Lip, or the actual commitment of doing a proper ombre lip look. 

Bliss Makeup Melt Jelly Cleanser - $12

This one is actually not one I’ve gotten to try yet (it’s sitting in my cart to be purchased as soon as my current cleanser runs out) but I wanted to include it on this list anyway because I’ve been wanting to try it for a while now. It’s supposed to be a really good dupe for Glossier’s Milky Jelly Cleanser, but has a smaller price tag ($12, vs Glossier’s $18) as well as coming with more product (6.4oz vs Glossier’s 6oz). Last winter I was looking for a good cleanser that wouldn’t dry me out quite as much as my current one does. I’m currently using Tony Moly’s Peach Foam Cleanser, which I think is really lovely in a lot of ways--the foaming is fun, the smell is amazing, and it does really make you feel clean, but it dries my skin out sooooo much right now, even in the summer where I have a little more oil. It claimed to be moisturizing and gentle but I guess my skin is still just too wimpy to take it, and I’ve been looking for a change. This dupe is also rose scented, which I’m super excited about--I’ll be sure to tell you all how it is! 

so that’s it for july! look forward to seeing some of my highlights for august next month and feel free to let me know if there are any other categories you’d like me to add each month! <3 

[putschki1969]

Japan Travel Diary 🎌

Okay, here it is, a more or less thorough report of my Japan trip in January (which mostly consisted of doing Kalafina-related stuff so I thought it might be interesting for some of you XD). Sorry, this is like 5 million years overdue. @mello-chi‘s comment about looking forward to my upcoming Japan trip reports actually reminded me that I still had this post in my drafts so I thought I better finish this now before I have to write another one XD

Without further ado, let’s get to it 〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

January 14 (Sunday) This was my first ever non-direct flight to Japan so I was not looking forward to it. I boarded my plane at around 10 am (Austrian time), I arrived in Paris at around noon and I landed at Narita Airport at around 9 am the next day (January 15 - Monday). Here’s a rare selfie of little me waiting to board the plance wearing my beloved Cakey bomber jacket by Lily Brown (it kept me warm during the flight ^_^). PS: Excuse the excessive use of filters in this pic. I was wearing no make-up.

You know what I find annoying, they have all these Japanese artists like LiSA and Nana Mizuki in the plane music library but absolutely NO Kalafina. Why?? And no, you don’t need to answer that, it was more of a rhetorical question anyways. I know of course that for some weird reason Kalafina aren’t as popular as those other artists….but still, so frustrating… I ended up watching a ton of movies :P I really envy people who can sleep during a flight.

January 15 (Monday) I didn’t do much that day tbh. I was too exhausted from my flight. I am glad they let me check in early at my hotel (which was in Kanda btw – very convenient location for tourists if you ask me) After I had freshened up a little at the hotel I did make a short trip to Akihabara to check if I could find any second hand Kala goods. That day I found a Blue Day wristband, a KNGNN postcard and a cheap Consolation Pamphlet (something I had always wanted but I never felt like paying the full price on CDJapan). Throughout my stay I managed to find quite a lot of stuff actually but more on that later. Here’s a sneak peek tho XD

January 16 (Tuesday) This day was dedicated to shopping. I think I spent almost an entire day in the Shinjuku/Harajuku/Shibuya area. I bought a bunch of Disney stuff and Pikachu merch for my sister and nephew respectively and then I searched through all the Kala-clothing stores trying to find some WaKei outfits. I am super happy because I got my hands on this cute patchwork skirt by Redyazel, the one that Keiko wore quite recently for the Songful Days promo video. I also bought a matching top because they had a special “buy 2 pieces and get 30% off” deal. I can never resist deals like that even though they actually make you spend even more money in the end XD (sadly, they didn’t have the turtleneck sweater that Keiko is wearing here)

After looking through each and every Lily Brown store in Tokyo I finally found this =>The long cardigan Keiko wore in Nikko (it’s so cute and warm!).

Aside from that, I didn’t really find anything else. I came across the Fig&Viper pullover Keiko recently wore but meh, that’s not really my style and it was still quite expensive. I also saw the Mila Owen dress that Wakana wore a while back but it just wasn’t worth the money (and now I regret not buying it T_T).

January 17 (Wednesday) In the morning I went to visit the lesser known Shinagawa Aquarium which – sorry Wakana – was VERY underwhelming and I can totally understand why it’s not as popular as the other one. The only cool thing was the free shuttle bus, it had a cute design. The aquarium itself looked quite run-down and it was much smaller than I expected. But hey, I met Shirowani-san and I got to touch a dolphin which was pretty epic. Of course I had to eat the parfait that Keiko ordered when she was at the aquarium together with Wakana back in the summer time. It was really yummy but it definitely wasn’t the best day to eat it because afterwards, I was freezing my butt off. Oh well, the things I do for Cakey XD

I really wanted to buy the cute shark backpack but it was just way too expensive T_T Forever sad...Now I regret not buying it. Then again, it’s not really my style.

In the afternoon I met up with my friend Pae and I finally received my goods from the Harmony events and the Acoustic Tour. BANZAI! As for the Harmony event merch, I got the black t-shirt, the blue parka and the keyholder. From the Acoustic Live goods, I got the pamphlet, the clearfile and the postcard set. (I love the black t-shirt SO MUCH! I have worn it a lot since I have gotten back)

Together Pae and I went on a quest to find more Kala-goodies and I got lucky once again. I found two old singles, a limited edition of Magia and a regular edition of Hikari no Senritsu (one of these days my singles collection will be complete XD But I have to be patient because I just don’t wanna pay full price for singles >_>). Aside from that I also bought the limited edition of the Seventh Heaven album which includes the live DVD. They also had a BEST Red Day cup for sale at Radio Kaikan (one of the many tokutens from back in the day) but meh, I didn’t feel like getting it. I wonder if any of you bought it? They also had a FOTW and 9+ONE pamphlet and a few other CDs (but I already own all of those so I ignored them). After my meet-up with Pae, I made a trip to Roppongi to eat at my first out of many Kalafina-restaurants/cafés. That’s when it started raining heavily (so annoying) but at least I found the place rather quickly (thanks to google maps!) I went to the very popular Tsurutontan where they serve huge bowls of udon!! I ordered Katsu Curry Udon (my favourite) and some yummy fried dumplings on the side (OMG, they were SO FREAKING GOOD!!)

The food was delicious but it was a little too much for me. XD Curry soup is much more filling than regular soup. And I underestimated the dumplings quite a bit, they were also super filling. I had intended to go to the Manon Mimie store afterwards but I wasn’t feeling like getting drenched in the rain so I headed back to my hotel. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t end up going because I messaged the store that night and asked them if they still had the Cakey clothes in stock and turns out they don’t *forever sad* I should have tried to find a way to order it back then when the pretty skirt and sweater were still in stock.

January 18 (Thursday) The first half of this day was dedicated to visiting the Imperial Palace. If you arrive early enough you can make a same-day reservation for a tour so that’s what I did. It was an interesting tour for sure and the weather was amazing!!! After the tour was over I decided to walk to Budokan since I was already in the area. I wanted to check out the venue to make sure I wouldn’t get lost on the day of the concert. At that point I was getting quite tired (and super hungry) so it was time for yet another Kala-food-experience. I took the subway to the Akasaka area and paid a visit to the gorgeous café/restaurant/bar La Maison Kioi (the place where the girls had their special SPICE off-day interview). It was so fancy and pretty. I ordered a crazy expensive Afternoon Tea Set but it was totally worth the money, it was incredibly yummy!!! Once I had eaten each and every single piece of food on that tray, I made my way to Shibuya/Harajuku to do some more shopping. This time I came across this gorgeous red skirt that Wakana has been wearing quite frequently. I think I never actually made a post about this skirt o.O A fellow fan on twitter discovered it right before my trip to Japan and when I saw it in the store I obviously couldn’t resist. On my way home I made another stopover in Akihabara and I found the limited edition of the 5th Anniversary Live Selection album. Had to get it of course XD

January 19 (Friday) On Friday I bought my 3-Day-JR-Tokyo-Wide Pass to do some traveling outside of Tokyo. It was another gorgeous sunny day, perfect for touristy stuff ^_^ The first place on my list was Kamakura. There’s lots of nice stuff to see but I mainly wanted to go there because it was the destination of Keiko’s 60 km walk on New Year’s Day back in 2014 (OMG, has it already been four years!!??) One of these days I wanna do that kind of thing as well. I went to see the big buddha of course and I also checked out some of the surrounding shrines and temples. At first I wanted to go to Enoshima as well but then I decided against it, didn’t really feel like going there. Not a fan of beaches anyways. I took the train back to Tokyo but got off in Yokohama (the second place on my list) where I also did some sightseeing. But first I needed to restore my energy so I had some late lunch in Yokohama Chinatown at Jogenro (the restaurant where Wakana ate her shark fin course – she went to the place in Tokyo tho). I really wanted to try the shark fin lunch menu but they wouldn’t let me order it since it is meant for two people T_T Such a shame! The only downside to traveling alone, getting food is troublesome. Then again, if you have company it’s even more of a hassle because it’s hard to find something that everyone likes. Also, tbh, I probably wouldn’t have been a huge fan of the shark stuff anyways so maybe it was for the best. Either way, since I couldn’t have my shark lunch, I decided on one of their regular lunch menus. Wahhh! So tasty!! I love Chinese food! It was too much tho, so many different things to eat, I almost exploded towards the end but I really wanted to finish everything. I hate wasting good food. In dire need to walk off all the calories I had just put into my body, I explored the rest of Yokohama. I walked to Mirai Minato to check out the two Red Brick Warehouses. Back in 2011 and then once again in 2014 Kalafina performed their Christmas Lives at the Red Brick Warehouse. They have mentioned on multiple occasions that this is a very special place for them. Of course I also had to ring the bell of happiness. ^_^ I couldn’t leave Yokohama without riding the Ferris-wheel so I did that in the evening when the sun was setting. I had a great view of the city up there. Later on I managed to take some nice pictures of the colourful and sparkling Ferris-wheel at dusk. And that’s a wrap for my first day-trip outside of Tokyo.

January 20 (Saturday) On Saturday I took the train to Nikkō. One of the main reasons I purchased the JR Wide Pass was because I wanted to take the Shinkansen to Utsunomiya. It’s much more convenient than the other options. And then I got to ride the Nikkō Line which looks really cool. I think you all know why I traveled to Nikkō XD I wanted to see the venue of Kalafina’s World Heritage Special Live. During my last Japan trips I already got the chance to visit Nara and see Kōfuku-ji but I had never been to Nikkō before. And hey, even if Kalafina hadn’t performed there I still would have liked to see Tōshōgū, it’s absolutely gorgeous. And *weeee* I got to witness a traditional wedding. Everyone was all dressed up and the bride looked stunning!! Afterwards I explored the area for a while and walked around a lot. (I walked so much during my Japan trip) I was considering going to see the waterfalls as well but I thought it might not be the best season to experience it in all its beauty and glory. I’ll come back some day soon, I promise! In the afternoon I returned to Tokyo and I once again found myself in the Roppongi area to eat some Kala-food :P Literally the only reason I went to these fancy schmancy areas was to eat at Kalafina restaurants/cafés. This time I ate at “The Counter Roppongi”, the place where Keiko had her YOLO burger meal this winter. I wanted to order the same burger that she had gotten but turns out it had all kinds of weird ingredients (like mushrooms >_>) so I ended up ordering a chicken burger XD I think that might have been the best burger and some of the most delicious fries I have ever eaten. Really impressed! The only thing I could have lived without was the overly sweet brioche bun. It just doesn’t go well with savoury food. I don’t understand why you would use a brioche bun for a burger, doesn’t make sense to me at all o.O Is it a Japanese thing? Or maybe an American thing?

January 21 (Sunday) I took the special Holiday train to Kawaguchiko because I wanted to get a clear view of Mount Fuji. The mountain was still visible while I was on the train but slowly but surely clouds started gathering around it and by the time I had arrived at my destination, Mount Fuji was hidden completely T_T It’s a real shame. The sun was shining and the sky was blue, it was literally perfect weather but each and every cloud in the area had decided to cuddle up to Mount Fuji. I think I made the mistake of taking the later train. I should have taken the train at like 7am or something. Apparently chances of seeing Mount Fuji are highest before 9 am and I think that’s true, I am sure I would have gotten a good view if I had been there earlier. I was there at like 9:30-10:00 and that’s just too late. Oh well, we all learn from our mistakes. In two week’s time I will be closer to Mount Fuji than I have ever been XD I didn’t want my trip to be wasted so I still took the ferry across the lake and of course I took the Kachi Kachi Ropeway which ascends to an observation point near the summit of Mount Tenjo, from where Lake Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji can be seen. Riding that cablecar was rather unpleasant because it was jam-packed. I wasn’t aware you could even squeeze that many people into a cablecar. I got some nice views despite there being no sign of Mount Fuji. Afterwards I bought a bunch of souvenirs for my coworkers and took the train back home again. I really love all the train designs! So cute! Since I still had my JR Pass I thought I’d use it for a few trips along the Yamanote Line. I was trying to avoid using my Suica as much as possible as long as I had the JR Pass XD One of my stops was Ikebukuro. I am not a huge fan of the area but I still wanted to see if I could find anything interesting. Bought some more Pikachu merch for my nephew at the Pokemon Center and then I did some window shopping. A girl-group was performing at Sunshine City while I was there but I didn’t stay long enough to figure out who they were. People were going crazy about them tho so I guess they might have been popular. Who knows. Either way, with all these people occupied the shops were pretty empty so that’s definitely a good thing (especially on a Sunday where it’s usually busy as hell). For dinner I had yummy Coco Curry (for once not Kalafina related :P).

January 22 (Monday) a.k.a. Crazy Snow Day This was the day of our tumblr fan meetup. Probably the worst day we could have chosen but hey, what can you do? And it’s not like any of us could have known that it would snow so heavily. It’s almost funny because I am always in Tokyo when crazy snow storms happen. I was there in 2014 as well. XD Thank God I am more or less used to snow (which is something that can’t be said about most of my fellow-fans that were at the meetup). I took things slowly that day since I was already stressing out about the meetup. I went to Akihabara again and this time I found a FOTW wristband in one of the second hand stores. BANZAI. Back in 2016 when I went to see the FOTW Special Finals I actually forgot to buy a wristband. This has annoyed me for the longest time but I didn’t feel like buying it online so yeah, this was definitely a lucky find. Yippie!! Then I went to Don Quijote to buy some more souvenirs (mostly chocolates). I’ll be eating all this stuff foe the next few weeks. :P So far my favourite purchase is Hokkaido Melon Kit Kat. The BEST Kit Kat I have ever had! It’s so DAMN amazing, I regret not buying more T_T When I got back to my hotel I had to figure out a way to squeeze all the chocolates into my luggage without everything getting crumbled on the flight back home. I think I managed pretty well. I had some sandwiches for late lunch and then I headed to Shinjuku to do some more (window) shopping and to wait for everyone to arrive at the Karaoke place. Sorry again @okeuphemia, we totally kept missing each other at Lumine Est. And sorry to everyone else who had a hard time finding Karaoke Kan. I know it must have been quite the hassle for some of you, especially in this horrible weather. But thankfully, almost everyone managed to get there (eventually). My apologies to Jimmy who didn’t make it! Maybe next time (if there ever is a next time :P) I hope you all had a good time at the meetup. There were way more people than I originally expected and we had some hardcore karaoke singers amongst us (you all rocked btw!!) so we weren’t really able to talk properly but I think it was still nice for most of you. Sorry if I seemed a bit awkward, I am just not very comfortable being among such a big crowd of people. I am glad a few of us decided to leave early and grab a cup of coffee, it gave me the chance to get to know some of you a little bit better. It’s really nice to finally know who is hiding behind those tumblr nicknames (shout out to @audiojapanstyle for just being a super nice and comforting presence!) And hey, such a funny coincidende, that day I found out that @theraspberrybushes  and I stayed at the same hotel. We ended up going back together in the heavy snow.Sorry for always rushing ahead. >_<

January 23 I pretty much covered the entire day in my live report but I haven’t talked about my after live activities yet so I guess I will do it here. Originally I had just planned to go back to the hotel to get some sleep. After all I was supposed to fly back home the next morning so I wanted to get some much needed rest. However, my friend Pae convinced me to go have dinner with a few Japanese Kala-fans. I am glad she did because it was actually very nice. But once again, there were way more people than expected (slightly overwhelming – even Hachimaki was there; it felt like I had been invited to an elite Kalafina fan meet-up XD). We went to a Chinese restaurant and had some yummy gyoza. Literally the entire place was filled with Kala-fans XD We didn’t stay there for long so thankfully I didn’t get home too late. Right before we left I managed to REALLY embarrass myself when one of the Japanese Kala-fans approached me. I wasn’t aware he wanted to talk to me, I thought he was trying to get past me or something so when he started talking I turned away from him. Pae had to literally drag me back to him and then I realised he had wanted to start a conversation. Major fail. That’s why I keep telling people that I suck at social interactions. Oh well, we ended up talking about Vienna, seems like he travels there quite frequently for work. Having dinner with all these fellow Kala-fans was a really nice end to an already amazing day. I even have a couple of pictures to remind me of that little meet-up.

Okay, this is officially the end of my travel report. Congratulations to everyone who read the whole thing. I hope it wasn’t too boring. I have lots of Kalafina activities planned for my next trip so I am super hyped ヾ（〃＾∇＾）ﾉ♪

[doctortdesigns]

The full preview of the November BurdaStyle Magazine is up on both the German and Russian sites, which means it’s time for another Burda review!  October was definitely one of my favorite issues of the year, and I’m a bit sad to say that November isn’t quite living up to that level of excitement for me.  For some reason this issue feels a bit like the fall leftovers edition.  There isn’t anything really outstanding, but there isn’t anything truly terrible either.  It’s all just sort of there.  But, as always, there is plenty to look at, so let’s get started:

I feel like all the cool coat designs went into the October issue.  The coats and jackets this month really feel like a hodge-podge of leftover designs:

This coat is pretty basic; perfect for the faux fur fabric Burda is using here.  It’s cute – the collar looks really cozy, and the slanted patch pockets are a fun and somewhat practical detail.  I just can’t ever really get too excited about fur coat designs.  They are simple of necessity, and the finished product is nice, if you are wanting a fur coat, but there’s never really much to get really excited about with them design-wise.

This blazer, on the other hand, has some beautiful design details.  I love how the pocket flaps are rotated to the side to create almost a faux peplum effect.  The collarless style is pretty sleek looking too.  Super stylish.

I’m a bit torn on this one – I like the burgundy version with the slim pockets, but I’m much less of a fan of the brown version with the patch pockets.  With the design-heavy burgundy print, this simple style of jacket makes sense; it lets the fabric shine.  On the brown version the patch pockets are almost too much of a contrast and take up so much of the front of the jacket it seems unproportional.  The piping details are fun though.

The dresses this month also feel very recycled and uninspired:

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen both this bodice and skirt from Burda before, though perhaps not together in the same dress.  I like this dress, but I’m not wowed by it.  I also think it is much more successful in the matte wool crepe-like fabric than the ultra shiny satin.  Also, as a heads-up, this pattern is sized in the Burda Tall range.

I really like this wrap dress, but, it is just a wrap dress.  I know wrap dresses are always in style, but between this issue and the Vogue release it feels like they are having a bit of a resurgence.  I like the really classic shape of this one, and the drape of the skirt is quite pretty.

It’s nearly impossible to see the detail of this dress in either the model photo or the garment photo, but the line drawing shows lots of nice seaming and top stitching details.  This could be a great office dress for the fall/winter, especially over tights.  Not sure about the crazy boots the model is wearing, but, you know, to each their own.

Burda gives us a lot of tops this month:

Ok, I know this is a really basic sweater/sweatshirt, but I’d totally live in this all winter.  The slightly oversized slouchy style looks so comfortable!  It’d be a great way to use up some knit fabrics too.  And the hoodie version is pretty cute as well – the different pocket detail elevates the look a bit beyond the typical sweatshirt style.

This wrap top is the same as the dress from above.  I still like it.  Interesting how they showcase it being worn over a button down, almost like a cardigan.  I wonder how well the wrap stays wrapped.

This is a pretty basic button down.  I prefer it in the printed fabric – it looks so much more comfortable in the less stiff fabrication.  I do like the curved hem, and the slightly oversized fit could be interesting for layering, as shown to the right.

I believe this is a faux-wrap top?  The bottom has a faux-wrap peplum-ish style anyway.  The pintuck detail is an interesting feature.  Based on the line drawing I’d not have been too interested, but the model photos are kind of selling me on this look.

The gathered dropped sleeves seem like an interesting detail, but this top really looks like it’s just swallowing her.  Perhaps in a different fabric I’d enjoy it more, but, as is it’s a bit much.

The oversized drapiness doesn’t bother me as much with this pattern, perhaps because of the more fitted sleeves?  It might still be a lot of volume for some people to wear, but she at least doesn’t look like she is drawing in the top, despite it being objectively wider than the previous style.

I’m always up for a good knit top, and this one seems decent.  The side gather could be a fun detail, as could the diagonal seam, which provides some possible color blocking options as well.  I like the boat neck, and it’s kind of just nice to see an option that isn’t massively voluminous or showcasing crazy flouncey sleeve features.

The bottoms this month aren’t too exciting:

Can I just ask – who is wearing this in the fall?  I mean, culottes with boots, sure, Burda’s done that before.  But in a drapey rayon challis crazy print?  I’m not buying it.  In the summer beach issues, sure.  But for almost winter?  Nope.

I can’t tell if the contrast is just a design feature or an actual kangaroo pouch pocket.  I think I prefer the waistband contrast over the possible faux-pocket contrast, but at least Burda is trying to create interesting details with this design.

Sweatpants.  I feel like we’ve gotten a lot of these slightly baggy, slightly cropped, slightly tapered sweatpants lately.  I’d consider making these for lazing about the house, but not so much for actually wearing out and about as a fashion statement.

Ok, I’d like to say that the slight elongation and slimmer fit made these feel more professional, but they seem to have about the same level of fit as the sweatpants above.  And the same pockets.  And the same side zip.  And almost the same waistband.  Like, I don’t mind having multiple versions of the same pattern, but don’t give me two versions of the same pattern and say they are a different pattern.

The Burda Plus section does have some vintage-inspired goodies this month:

Love this coat!  It’s what the Burda Plus section was missing from October.  The capelette style collar is so pretty!  And the in seam pockets are always such a great feature to have on a coat.  If I didn’t have a subscription and I sewed in the Burda Plus range, I’d buy this issue just for the coat.  As is, I’m going to see if my sister needs some new winter wear…

This flower dress was in the October preview for this month, and it gave me such high hopes for this issue.  Sadly, this dress is one we’ve seen before.  It’s a good style – I really like it on the models and in the line drawing, but it’s not something that was missing from the BurdaStyle Plus line.  I’m also tragically sad that the red coat was just a prop and not an actual pattern because I really wanted to see that worn by the model.

Another dress that is cute, but not particularly new or exciting.  I do like the sleeve ruffle here – it’s a cute detail without being overwhelming.

The tunic version is great as well – it could also be a much sleeker version of the dress if you aren’t into all the frills.

I like this wrap over blouse, but it really feels like leftovers from last month, especially in this bright purple color.  The understated ruffle is working for me here – once again it’s cute without being overwhelming.

Based on the line drawing I thought this top would look massive, but I actually think it looks really cute on the model.  The neckline is great – interesting, but still chic and clean.  I love the vintage nod with the hair and styling too.

The kids section is full of last minute Halloween sewing ideas:

To be fair, the bat hoodie is kind of adorable.  Especially if you have a kid who is into Batman or Batgirl.  The swan… all I can think of it Barbra Streisand.

And that brings us to the end of the November issue!  As I said, nothing terrible, but just sort of a whole lot of meh.  Still, for consistency we’ve got to pick a top and bottom pattern for the month.  There wasn’t a whole lot that left me drooling, but in the end I’ve given the Best of BS Award to:

The pretty Burda Plus coat!  I love the soft tailoring, the fun collar, and the inseam pocket details.  It’s definitely a coat that could dress up or down, depending on fabric choice, and it would look great with many a fall and winter look.  Hands down the most exciting pattern this month.  Well, unless you really love Batman.

The BWTF award was a bit more challenging to assign, as nothing was truly disappointing this month, but I’ve decided it should go to:

The crazy summer culottes!  Honestly though, these are a tie-waist culotte made in a crazy print fabric.  There aren’t any exceptionally exciting features to redeem it.  I mean, I do like the effect of the waist tie, but I feel like it could make it harder to get the garment on or off.  I can’t even say I like the way Burda styled it here – it seems so disconnected from, well, everything.  It probably wouldn’t have been in the bottom had it been paired with a bikini in the summer, but, as presented, it really is kind of a BWTF.

And there we have it – another month down, and one more issue left to go!  I’m really hoping for something good in December – I really want some fabulous party dresses Burda!  Or, well, something more exciting than this lot in any case.  I feel like November has often been one of my favorite issues of the year, which is perhaps why this one feels so disappointing, but really, I’m just not that excited.  What do you all think?  Am I being too harsh?  Is there some level of creative brilliance I’m missing?  Am I perhaps too saturated from staring at patterns for my Kibbe posts?  Or is this issue really that disappointing?  There are certainly styles I like, but I just feel sort of emotionally detached from this issue as a whole.  Are you excited for this month or does this feel like a sort of catch-all issue for orphan patterns?  Feel free to discuss in the comments!

November 2018 BurdaStyle Magazine #sewing #burdastyle #magazine #patterns #fashion The full preview of the November BurdaStyle Magazine is up on both the German and Russian…

[teenwolfoutfitshoppe]

Am I the only one that thinks Lydia’s style wasn’t that great in season 6? The lush dresses were good, the butterfly jumper seemed really weird for Lydia, she didn’t have any braids, and it was just a weird fashion season for her. Even season 5 was hit or miss. But especially that butterfly sweater outfit. LYDIA WOULD NEVERRR.

Thanks for your message! I partly agree with you.

Some outfits were on point, like mossimo black tank is such a simple item, but paired with that two-tone leather jacket and skinny jeans and boots, she looked super hot!

I also liked the blush leather jacket one, old F21 skirt with emerald moto jacket and two-tone satchel was really cute and well put together :3

I have to agree for Lush dresses, burgundy mock neck one is one of my personal favourites and I wear it very often.

Also, I would have loved to see some new braids for Lydia, we all know she rocks it!

Of course there were outfits which I didn’t really like in Season 6, frayed trousers with blue Made top and leather jacket seemed a bit odd to me, but of course someone might’ve thought it was pretty cool.

Regarding the butterfly caridgan, I think she could wear it considering her other many animal printed sweaters and tops, but I mostly get annoyed that wardrobe dep. put Lydia in navy/black tights for outfits that make no sense to me. Some of the examples: 1. H&M mint dress with your mentioned cardi - this outfit gives me like Spring/Summer vibes and it would look much better if she didn’t wear tights; 2. Sanctuary dress which is such a pretty patchwork style and there was literally no need to wear dark tights with such a Summery dress. (tbh I wouldn’t pair that cardi too, but that’s just me) Some of the other outfits in previous seasons had similar thing going on as well. Also the annoying thing about shoes - as good it us for our wallets to reuse the shoes for whole 10 episodes each season, it kinda gets boring and with some outfits it just looks so meh. Many of our followers remember how annoyed I was with Aqua pull on boots when they first appeared xDWhich brings me to my most disliked Teen Wolf Season not only outfit, but writing wise as well - Season 4. This season was such a drag, especially after a brilliant and powerful Season 3. We were all so hyped and thought that the show would keep getting better, and instead we got this. I enjoy owning Lydia’s 354353 shade green cardigans, but at some point it was just weird ))In conclusion, there were some hit and miss outfits, including in Season 6. I think they were trying to mellow it down with simple looks (also budget). Tbh I’m just so sad sometimes, when I browse online stores and suddenly I have a thought “Oh this looks something that Lydia would wear, maybe it will be in the new season!” and then I remember :/

[wizzard890]

Hey guys! This is @miss-mend's fashion consult. Here’s a link to the masterpost of what I offer. She also included a link to this style blogger for reference. 

Things you like

High contrast: take a look at the red interior of blue dipped-hem dress, the mcqueen feather collar, the white peek beneath the high collar of the first coat. Its pretty easy to tell that you like a sudden shot of contrasting color in your outfits. Bold strategy, Cotton! I think a fun way to play with this interest is to move towards colorblocking. Instead of one bright color, go for two complementary ones, right on top of the other. So the sleeve of your jacket and the shirtsleeve just visible beneath it, or bright shoes and bright tights. It can be easy to take this too far, you don’t want to walk around looking like a poisonous gecko, but I’d say with a careful eye it can be a vital tool in putting together some really cool outfits.

Alt fashion: you have kind of an alt-girl thing going. Which is great, and we don’t want to lose that, but we can take it in a slightly more mature direction without forgetting what makes it such a cool style to begin with. Let’s start with shoes: traditional docs would be the obvious choice here, but from what you told me, it seems like flannels and jeans and heavy shoes is a style you’ve got down. So what we want here is a casual shoe that has the look of a doc with the flexibility of a cute sneaker. The girl in the red sweater on the instagram post you sent me was wearing wrestling shoes, which is honestly pretty brilliant. I’ve got something a little more street friendly, and they’re grown up without losing their sense of fun. These are Doc Martens’ canvas sneaker-boot. Half Chuck Taylors, half the Pascal Doc boot that everyone knows so well. You can wear these at work, throw them on with a dress, and get into some fun color theory stuff with vibrant tights. Personally, I like the mustard or the lavender for you. It’s that high-contrast thing again, they’ll stand out against almost anything. Why not those lavender shoes, forest green tights, and this double layered leather skater skirt? It’s a cut that style blogger of yours loves, and you could get so much mileage out of such a fun kicky shape.

Skater skirts//retro shapes: Both skater skirts and retro dresses are known for the same thing: the fit-and-flare flow of the garment. Retro dresses tend to be more expensive, and also can box you into a specific Look very quickly, so I’d recommend going with skater dresses and skirts, and making them retro with accessories. That way you can go casual or alt when you like, and more Peggy Carter when the mood strikes. Two of your pictures had oxfords of some variety, so take a look at these ivory and camel heeled oxfords. Retro-facing, but incredibly versatile. The style blogger you included is great at doing this, by the way. She’s all about bold, fun, modern fit-and-flare styles (dresses and separates!) with an occasional touch of Mad Men. She also has a great eye for re-using items in new and unexpected ways. Take a dress like this, which I love for you. As is, it’s wonderful for going out, but way too bare for work. You said you own a bunch of flannels. Either wear a flannel over it, with the sleeves rolled and tied at the waist so you have a skirt, or layer the flannel beneath it. The criss-coss of ties up the back will dress up an ordinary shirt, and will take the dress from super femme to a little edgy and grunge. A skater dress is so so easy to break down into its component parts. Also, retro doesn’t necessarily mean WWII. I can absolutely see you in this coral mod number. Add your oxfords if you like, but that would be absolutely marvelous with booties. Just remember, what makes a garment retro more than anything is the shape, and if you can twist and turn that shape, you’re not stuck with vintage.

Sample outfits + pieces!

Let’s piggyback off that mod dress I linked you above, and create an outfit you could easily wear to work and then, and this is important, somewhere else. When I first moved to nyc, I was a barista for nearly a year, and there was nothing I hated more than having my Work Jeans and my Work Shirts, all of which were comfortable but basically looked like what you’d wear to help a friend move. Anytime I went out after work, I either had to go home to change, or wear yet another giant t-shirt with an art history joke emblazoned across the front.  We want you to be able to go to drinks or dinner with your coworkers, maybe even somewhere nice! So. Mod coral dress, easy enough. But instead of sneakers, how about these soft black sock booties? Pair that with a long colorblocked cardigan over the top and you’re good to go!

I really want to encourage you not to keep dressing in jeans and flannels at work if that makes you feel like you’re in a rut. Nobody likes getting up for work, looking at their closet, and thinking “jesus, again?” Yeah, you may not be the only person at work in denim, but you’ll automatically project authority and maturity if you don’t just save button-downs for special occasions. Like, some people say that you can never be overdressed. That’s of course not true, because it’s always possible to look like a total asshole, but it’s important to dress better than your job requires, if you’re able. In all things involving your work, you always want to go beyond, and that means your presentation too. If you’re ever gunning for a promotion, I promise that your managers will remember how you dress, and think of you as polished and conscientious.

Aaaaaand miscellaneous pieces:

This skirt is so adorable! It’s a great color, and the scalloped edge is a little retro; it’s that sweet a-line that you like, and you could tuck a cool comicbook t-shirt into this, throw on some cute sneakers and tights, and be out the door in ten minutes. It’s easy to get away with wearing t-shirts if you put enough thought into what you’ve got going on the lower half of your body.

Okay I kind of cheated, I ended up getting eleven pieces for you instead of ten because I think of these last two as a pair? These are my consults, I do what I want. You lean a little towards a high collar, especially under something double breasted, so I got you both. This white blouse has puffed sleeves that you could hide under a jacket, or wear under a sleeveless dress for contrast.  But mostly it’s for going under this gorgeous blush double-breasted swing coat. There was no way you were going to get out of here without me reccing a swing coat, you’re wild about that shape. How pretty would that white collar be peeking out the very top?

Last but not least, I noticed the ouija earrings in the instagram post you included, and the beautiful elk’s head pin in the other. They’re unusual, faintly occult touches, so I thought I’d include two different options in that direction. These are a pair of more blocky, graphic earrings, depicting the all-seeing eye. You could wear those with anything and they’d pop like hell. Here’s a more esoteric option: bronze etched tarot card earrings. You can pick any two of the major arcana.

Happy dressing!

ALL ITEM RECS:

Ivory and whiskey oxford heel (b.a.i.t. $69)

Blue eyelet lace-up dress (topshop, $110)

All-seeing eye earrings (etsy, $20) // tarot card earrings (etsy, $15/for one)

Double-breasted pale mink skater coat (asos, $64)

DMS yellow canvas boot (doc martens, $75)

Peplum double layer black leather skirt (asos, $45)

Coral mod a-line dress (modcloth, $50)

Black heeled sock booties (topshop, $60)

Colorblocked long cardigan (asos, $56)

Pink scalloped suede skirt (h&m, $25)

White high-necked top (zara, $50)

[anamorales]

Fave picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (+ what’s in my cart)

Hi friends! Happy Thursday and Happy Birthday to my wonderful, amazing nana who still reads the blog after all of these years. I’m so excited to celebrate with her today!

It’s officially one of the most wonderful times of the year: the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is HERE. This is the ideal time to stock up on brand new clothes, activewear, shoes, and accessories as we head into the fall. I also use it as a great chance to order some clothes and shoes for the kiddos since school is starting soon!

I love the Nordstrom Anniversary sale is because it’s all new pieces you get at a discount before they jump up to full price. It’s like an early sale and the pieces I buy from this sale each year become my staple pieces for fall and winter.

For today, I thought I’d share some of my fave finds from the sale – it can be kind of overwhelming to go through everything! – and what’s in my personal shopping cart (denoted with an asterisk below).

Top picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale: 

Clothes:

*Spanx faux leather leggings. I’ve heard so many amazing things about these and can’t wait to try them! They look super cute with a blush or maroon longer sweater and low-tops. 

AG jeans fit like a dream.

A soft neutral cardigan.

A camo jacket! I have a similar one from Express and wear it constantly during the fall. 

*KUT from the Kloth skinny jeans. I feel like this brand is always comfortable and flattering. 

*This wrap dress would be perfect with a cardigan and booties. (And it’s $37.90!)

A faux leather jacket in toffee. 

These plaid pajamas look so comfy. 

Love this flowy cactus flower dress and this wrap-front dress.

Rails makes the BEST plaid shirts.

An elegant lace top to wear with skinny jeans and slides. 

*My fave bra ever. I’m getting at least 2 if they have my size.

This is the time to stock up on Hanky Panky thongs, too. 

I’m pretty sad this Ad!os tee sold out. 

Handbags and accessories:

*These delicate Kate Spade necklaces make great holiday gifts. 

A gorgeous Tory Burch crossbody. 

Hoop earrings for holiday and winter parties!

*This wrap looks SO cozy. I can already see myself wearing this with a white tee, black leggings and a top knot all winter long.

Love this adjustable bracelet for another gift idea. 

Another festive pair of statement earrings.

This bracelet looks way more expensive than $30. 

Sweet deal on classic Marc Jacobs sunnies.

SHOES shoes shoes:

Classic wedge booties.

Everyday Chucks.

Love the thicker heel and pink color in this pump.

Loove these low-tops for running around.

These boots are giving me life.

Fitness:

*My leggings obsession are 35.90!!

This gorgeous wrap sweater for to and from the studio.

A super comfy low-impact sports bra.

Perfect sports bra for low-cut tanks for a pop of print and a cool neckline.

Love the print on these sun salutation leggings.

Workout thongs.

A neutral pullover with amazing versatility.

*More Zella leggings with an understated detail.

*The jogger pants I’ll likely live in all fall.

New colors in this barre studio classic.

Major heart eyes for the colors of these sneaks.

For the kiddos:

Now is the time for kiddos’ North Face jackets. This is the style I got for the girls last year and they wore them all winter.

Glow-in-the-dark two-piece jammies.

*Lil Nikes at a great price.

Awesome price on these hipster briefs.

Mini Melissas for $20 off.

*A sweet skirted dress.

*A classic ruffle dress.

Cute and comfy knotted hem tee.

*Dot denim shift dress.

LOVE these little Ugg boots! The girls are obsessed with these in the winter.

So, tell me, friends: are you shopping the Nordstrom sale? Any awesome finds?

Fellow mama friends: where do you back-to-school shop for the kiddos? We tend to find a lot of their staples at Nordstrom, gap, and Target. 

Have a happy Thursday!

xoxo

Gina

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[marketerarena-blog]

Fave picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (+ what’s in my cart)

Hi friends! Happy Thursday and Happy Birthday to my wonderful, amazing nana who still reads the blog after all of these years. I’m so excited to celebrate with her today!

It’s officially one of the most wonderful times of the year: the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is HERE. This is the ideal time to stock up on brand new clothes, activewear, shoes, and accessories as we head into the fall. I also use it as a great chance to order some clothes and shoes for the kiddos since school is starting soon!

I love the Nordstrom Anniversary sale is because it’s all new pieces you get at a discount before they jump up to full price. It’s like an early sale and the pieces I buy from this sale each year become my staple pieces for fall and winter.

For today, I thought I’d share some of my fave finds from the sale – it can be kind of overwhelming to go through everything! – and what’s in my personal shopping cart (denoted with an asterisk below).

Top picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale: 

Clothes:

*Spanx faux leather leggings. I’ve heard so many amazing things about these and can’t wait to try them! They look super cute with a blush or maroon longer sweater and low-tops. 

AG jeans fit like a dream.

A soft neutral cardigan.

A camo jacket! I have a similar one from Express and wear it constantly during the fall. 

*KUT from the Kloth skinny jeans. I feel like this brand is always comfortable and flattering. 

*This wrap dress would be perfect with a cardigan and booties. (And it’s $37.90!)

A faux leather jacket in toffee. 

These plaid pajamas look so comfy. 

Love this flowy cactus flower dress and this wrap-front dress.

Rails makes the BEST plaid shirts.

An elegant lace top to wear with skinny jeans and slides. 

*My fave bra ever. I’m getting at least 2 if they have my size.

This is the time to stock up on Hanky Panky thongs, too. 

I’m pretty sad this Ad!os tee sold out. 

Handbags and accessories:

*These delicate Kate Spade necklaces make great holiday gifts. 

A gorgeous Tory Burch crossbody. 

Hoop earrings for holiday and winter parties!

*This wrap looks SO cozy. I can already see myself wearing this with a white tee, black leggings and a top knot all winter long.

Love this adjustable bracelet for another gift idea. 

Another festive pair of statement earrings.

This bracelet looks way more expensive than $30. 

Sweet deal on classic Marc Jacobs sunnies.

SHOES shoes shoes:

Classic wedge booties.

Everyday Chucks.

Love the thicker heel and pink color in this pump.

Loove these low-tops for running around.

These boots are giving me life.

Fitness:

*My leggings obsession are 35.90!!

This gorgeous wrap sweater for to and from the studio.

A super comfy low-impact sports bra.

Perfect sports bra for low-cut tanks for a pop of print and a cool neckline.

Love the print on these sun salutation leggings.

Workout thongs.

A neutral pullover with amazing versatility.

*More Zella leggings with an understated detail.

*The jogger pants I’ll likely live in all fall.

New colors in this barre studio classic.

Major heart eyes for the colors of these sneaks.

For the kiddos:

Now is the time for kiddos’ North Face jackets. This is the style I got for the girls last year and they wore them all winter.

Glow-in-the-dark two-piece jammies.

*Lil Nikes at a great price.

Awesome price on these hipster briefs.

Mini Melissas for $20 off.

*A sweet skirted dress.

*A classic ruffle dress.

Cute and comfy knotted hem tee.

*Dot denim shift dress.

LOVE these little Ugg boots! The girls are obsessed with these in the winter.

So, tell me, friends: are you shopping the Nordstrom sale? Any awesome finds?

Fellow mama friends: where do you back-to-school shop for the kiddos? We tend to find a lot of their staples at Nordstrom, gap, and Target. 

Have a happy Thursday!

xoxo

Gina

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[doctortdesigns]

Although I can’t say that I’m as excited for the Simplicity release as I was for the Burda preview, I do think there is more of interest here than there was from the recent fall Vogue release.  The Simplicity fall patterns have a lot of costumes and crafts, but also a fair number of more stylish fall fashions.  There’s a lot to cover, so let’s take a look:

8733 – I know I’ve pretty over the whole sleeve trend, but I actually think the proportions here are really perfect.  The dress has just enough shaping, and the perfect amount of volume on the sleeve.  I’m not that wild about the crazy floral appliqué, but otherwise I’m really enjoying this pattern.

8734 – I also think this dress is really pretty, though I have to be honest with myself and admit that I don’t need to add it to my collection.  I do like that it has multiple back dart options for the curvier among us, and I think the placement of the darts and pleats has a very flattering effect.

8735 – There are already so many wrap dress patterns on the market, but this one has added princess seam shaping through the bodice, so that really could be a great feature that makes it worth adding another wrap dress pattern to the collection.  I might wait for reviews of this pattern before I buy it, but I’d be really curious to know how well the added shaping through the bust works to assist with the fit.

8737 – View D intrigued me in the drawings, but I’m really not as impressed with the model photos, so this one is probably a pass for me.

8738 – Of course, I’m having the opposite reaction to this pattern.  The line drawings look so boring, but the model photo makes the sweater look so cozy I can’t help but want to make one (or three) to live in during the winter.

8739 – I feel like they are trying to elevate a poncho to business attire, and it just isn’t happening here.  At the end of the day, there is just something innately casual about wearing a giant blanket as a piece of clothing, even with pockets.

8740 – I’m torn on this cardigan sweater.  The line drawings look really great, but it has just too much volume and bath-robe-ish-ness going on with the model.  Perhaps in a different fabric I’d be more into it?

8741 – This could be cute if you wanted a really simple jacket, but I think I’ve got enough similar patterns in the stash already.

8742 – I’ve really been into the idea of a longer, loose coat for this year, and I’m finding myself intrigued by this pattern.  I know I’ve got similar in the stash already that I could easily modify, but for some reason this pattern is really calling to me.

8743 – Another pattern I don’t need, but oddly really want.  I mean, how pretty are these skirts?  I know it’s a basic circle with a waistband, but, again, so pretty!

8744 – I don’t need another pattern for a basic trouser with slant pockets, but if you don’t have one, the AmazingFit line could be a good place to start.

8745 – Nothing too exciting with these easy-to-sew skirts, but the asymmetric seam detail at least prevents it from being totally boring.

8746 – I do find myself really liking this wrap skirt, especially the photographed view with the leather buckle detail.

8748 – This Threads wardrobe collection is a pass for me.  The silhouettes are all a bit too large and boxy, and there aren’t really any super unique pieces here.

8749 – I do like this new Mimi G. pattern though!  The coat looks super chic and the trousers are really nice as well, especially if you are looking for a really slim fit.

8750 – I’m even more excited by this pattern from Mimi G!  I want that top in my wardrobe, like, yesterday, and the snap pants are a really cool take on the recent athleisure trend.

8751 – I’ve yet to find a pattern from the Pattern/Hacking line that I really like; I find the silhouettes to be too basic and the “hacks” to be really simple modifications.

8752 – Another pattern/hacking piece I’ll pass on.

8753 – I am excited to see this men’s shirt pattern with 3 types of fit.  I feel like guys are very particular about their button ups, and this could help you accommodate a lot of tastes.

4178 – 1960s Vintage Accessories.  The berets are super fun!

8731 – 1950s Vintage.  I feel like I like the dress and the coat, but I don’t like either enough to get the pattern.  I’m still enamored with the vintage swing coat Simplicity came out with a while ago (8509), and this pattern just doesn’t compare in terms of drama, so I think I can safely give it an appreciative pass.

8732 – 1950s Vintage. Another dress I like, but, not enough to want to make. I think I have other 50s reprints that are similar, so I don’t feel the need to add this to the collection, but it is pretty.

8736 – 1940s Vintage.  I do like the look of these 40s blouses, but I’m not a fan of back buttons, so, another pass.  Super pretty though.

8747 – 1950s Vintage.  I will be adding this 50s pattern to my wishlist though; that jacket with the little peplum is so cute!  I really like the look of the skirt too.

8762 – 1950s Vintage.  I’m not much of an apron pattern collector, but I do think the options here are really cute, and view A looks super practical.

8754 – This kids sweater pattern could be a great investment; the little hoodie is super cute!

8755 – These dresses aren’t as exciting, but they look like they could be a quick sew.

8756 – Not sure how excited kids would be to wear a poncho, but the leggings looks pretty cool.

8757 –  I’m guessing this is supposed to be one of those easy patterns that will draw people into sewing?  I’m not excited by it, but I suppose there’s a market for it?

8758 – I feel like this would be more worthwhile if it had more than a single organizer included in the pattern.

8759 – I can’t speak to how practical these baby clothes are, but, they seem to be pretty representative of what I see babies wearing?

8760 – Not my favorite toy pattern, but not bad if you want to get a more cutesy vintage looks.

8761 – These looks really simple – possibly even no sew?  I’m more interested in making 3D objects if I’m crafting with fabric, but this could be a good craft for kids perhaps.

8763 – Not too excited by these dress/apron/vest/pant patterns.

8764 – The kids version of the quilting cotton suit.  Actually pretty adorable.

8765 – And we jump into the costume patterns.  You have to admit, that baby sloth is fraking adorable.

8776 – The only reason Burda trumps this is because the Burda one is for adults.

8777 – Can’t say I see the value in a single leggings pattern for kids (especially if it isn’t drafted to have a crotch gusset) when there are so many other options available.

8766 – Generic kids Halloween staples.

8767 – Even easier kids Halloween costumes.

8774 – Can’t go a year without releasing a poodle skirt.

8775 – Same for the adults.

8773 – Clowns.  Terrifying.

8772 – I am really enjoying this Día de los Muertos collection.  It really should have come out after Book of Life, but I’m surprised it took this long post-Coco to be released.

8771 – And, of course, the not-Game of Thrones–Game of Thrones cape collection.  Do I need it?  No.  Am I getting it?  Yes.

8770 –  To be fair, though, these capes are much cooler (and also much more fabric-intensive).

8768 – Really love this Cersi inspired gown.

8769 – This, however, has got to be my favorite costume release in the whole collection.  So stylish!  And really fun to customize to different characters and cosplays.

And that’s it!  If you have a really sizable pattern stash, there probably isn’t too much here that feels really unique or special.  I’m not seeing a lot that makes me excited about new styles or trends coming this fall.  But I do feel like this release is full of patterns for clothes I want to wear, which does say something for the release as a whole.  I’m definitely finding more here that’ll go on my wishlist for the next pattern sale than I was seeing in most of the other recent releases, so there is that.  What do you all think?  Is this release full of so many basics you can’t be bothered?  Or does a nice cozy sweater and basic wrap dress sound like the perfect projects for fall?  Feel free to discuss in the comments!

Fall 2018 Simplicity Patterns #sewing #pattern #Simplicity #fallsewing #fallfashion Although I can't say that I'm as excited for the Simplicity release as I was for the…

[doctortdesigns]

Looks like we are starting to hit the season of fall fashions!  Simplicity has just announced their Pre-Fall collection, and I’ll be posting about Butterick’s Early Fall collection tomorrow as well!  Fall fashions tend to be my favorite, but, if I’m being honest, I’m not the most excited with these new releases.  Perhaps my feelings will change as I write this review (as they sometimes do), but as of right now, I’m holding out for the August Burda before I get really excited about fall fashions this year.  Regardless, there is a lot to look at in this release, so let’s get started:

  8686 – 1940s Vintage dress.  I tend to like 40s fashions, but this is one of those styles that really is too cute/sweet/girly for me to picture myself wearing.  I think the vintage lovers will enjoy this dress – it has lots of great features and style lines, but I think this is also one of those styles that looks distinctly vintage, and isn’t necessarily as translatable to someone who enjoys doing a “sneaky vintage” modern wardrobe.

  8687 – This shirt dress, on the other hand, feel very modern.  Also perhaps slightly scandalous?  I definitely get a “wearing my man’s oversized shirt as a robe after I get out of bed” vibe from this.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.  But I think it may limit the versatility of this as a wardrobe piece.  I do like the asymmetric hem and the wrap style, but, there is definitely a vibe I get from this piece that I don’t know if I’d be comfortable wearing in public.  Maybe a belt would change that feel for me?  Styling could change this look a lot I think…  Feel free to completely disagree with me in the comments on this one – I feel like this could be a super popular design, since it is one of the more unique looks in this release.

  8688 – This dress has some nice options, between the sleeve styles and the skirt styles.  I don’t know that I need to add it to my collection – I’ve got some knit dress patterns from back when I very first started sewing that are pretty similar – but I like this dress.  Looks like it would be great as an outfit base for those fall days when you need to transition between layers and no layers.

  8689 – This style of tunic really isn’t anything new, but I do think Simplicity did a nice job of styling and presentation.  Another pass for me, but I would be excited to see other sewing bloggers make this one up.

  8690 – Mimi G. Style.  I’m going to say that this dress looks adorable on Mimi!  But, again, this is a case where I know it isn’t something I’d wear myself, so it’s going to be a pass from a personal standpoint.  It is super cute though – the proportions of the sleeves are great in relation to the whole dress.

  8691 – Sew Chic dress.  This is clearly a vintage inspired look.  I like it, especially the short sleeved version, but I’m pretty sure I’ve got several vintage re-releases that are quite similar.  Another style that I find to be cute, but not special enough to warrant a spot in the stash.

  8692 – 1950s Vintage blouse pattern.  I do like the shape of these blouses: fitted, but not overly so.  I’m not a big fan of zippers on the back of a top, but for views A-C it is pretty unavoidable with such a high neckline.

  8693 – This asymmetric top looks like a button front shirt got halfway put on backwards to me.  I do like the simpler versions (as a one-shoulder 80s-inspired sweater I’m all about this pattern!), but I’m really not a fan of the view that Simplicity used for the model photo – it just looks ill fitting and sloppy.

  8694 – At this point there really is nothing left to say about these loose tops with sleeve details, except, look, another one!  This one does have dolman sleeves, so I guess that’s a new-ish variation to this style?  Really, though, at this point there are so many, just pick one.

  8695 – 1930s Vintage sleeve patterns.  Do I want this to use on modern sewing pattern?  No.  Do I want this for part of my costume/cosplay pattern stash so I can study the drafting on these sleeve variants?  You better believe it.

  8696 – I prefer my cardigans with less volume and more length, but this does look rather cozy.

  8697 – The square boyfriend blazer really isn’t a look that works for me, so I’ll avoid this pattern for myself, but I do like the single and double breasted options here, as well as the collar variants.

  8698 – I know it’s a drawstring pant, but it’s a drawstring pant with stripes and pockets and I like it.

  8699 – I also rather like this skirt as well.  I think I perhaps already have more than enough wrap pencil skirts in my Burda stash, but this one pattern seems to have a lot of variety, even though the pattern tweaks are pretty minimal between views.

  8700 – Pattern Hacking.  I’ve been thinking I want a more casual jacket for fall, but something about the proportions of this one just aren’t doing it for me.

  8701 – Pattern Hacking.  Somehow switching out pockets doesn’t seem like much of a “hack,” but what do I know?  I do like the silhouette and overall look of these, but, again, very similar to other styles I’ve got in the stash already.

  8702 – Mimi G. Style.  This tracksuit is pretty cute and very 80s.  I’s not be interested in the drop-crotch pants at all, but I do like the jacket, and the slim-legged pants are cute for a fall work-out look.

  8703 – This was a pattern that initially I just skipped over (it’s a plain yellow top and leggings), but, actually, those other tops with the stomach gathers are pretty cute!  I don’t know if this will make it onto my wishlist, but it is a definite maybe.

  8704 – Love these pull over tops!  The raglan sleeve and length look great for exercising is colder weather.  Plus, lots of cool pockets for exercising with devices.

  8705 – This man’s version somehow doesn’t read as exciting as the woman’s pattern, but the sleeve pouch for a phone or iPod is pretty great.

8706 – Baby Gear.  Not much to say about baby clothes, but the layers look practical.

8707 – I’ve been toying with the idea of a lace cardigan for a while, and this is exactly what I wanted.  Love this!  Totally going into my stash until I can locate the perfect lace fabric for this endeavor.

8708 – These girls dress are pretty generic, but also pretty cute for fall.

  8709 – Gertrude Made bags.  I don’t love the aesthetic of the bags in the photos, but from the line drawing, these are totally bags I would use.  I do wish it was drafted for a zip closure, but I suppose that is something one could find a way to add?

  8710 – These large travel duffle bags are also not depicted in a color scheme I’d enjoy, but I do love how practical the bags are, plus they fit over the handle of a rolly suitcase!  So cleaver.  I’d be curious to see how the inside is drafted (pockets???), but I think this might be on my list, since it seems my travel schedule is upping in the next year or so.

  8711 – Madalynne.  The bra does not look supportive enough for anyone outside of the A/B range, and why would you want to add butt ruffles to your underwear?  I mean, really?  At least from the standpoint of wearing underwear under clothes in any case.  I was going to ponder the butt ruffle as an analog to a tail feather and the implications that could have in mating rituals, but I shall refrain.

  8712 – Aprons.  Pretty simple, not too exciting, but could be good if you want to make a “mommy and me” sort of look.  The aprons loop pretty practical, if not overly embellished – nice pockets and full coverage.

  8713 -Hats!  These are actually pretty cool, and really practical styles for costuming.  Love how much variety comes in a single pattern too.

  8714 – Love the historical doll clothes.  So cute.

  8715 – Ok, I want, nay, NEED this dragon in my life!  How stinking cute is this?  And, I mean, let’s be real – I need at least three of them.  That’s right – NEED.

  8716 –  These bears are cute, but they aren’t dragons.

  8717 – More aprons.  I find the other style to be more pragmatic.

  8718 – I’m sure the internet will tell me if I’m wrong, but I really feel like this is supposed to be a Rey/Daenerys mash up of costume pieces?  Lots of great pieces in here for the cosplayers out there.

  8719 – I’m less excited by this… I don’t know what to call it?  Generic sexy fantasy style pattern?  I feel like all of these pieces have been recombined from pre-existing patterns.

  8720 – Good job on picking up that it is the 25th anniversary of Hocus Pocus!  I’m not even sure Disney has grasped that yet…  I’ve not seen crazy heavy advertising about re-release special editions or anything.  In regards to the pattern, I do wish these Sanderson sisters were a bit more detailed in the designs, but, bravo to Simplicity for winning at the cultural relevance game.

  8721 – One should never pass by a good cape pattern.  The hood shape looks really great, and the cape is nice and full.

  8722 – Once again, I’m sure the internet will inform me, but I’m not quite sure which franchise Simplicity is referencing here?  There are certainly shows I watch where jumpsuits are “the look” but this pattern is much baggier and less fitted than the styles used in those shows.  The tan one is a very Ghostbusters vibe, but I’m not sure if that is the reference I’m supposed to be picking up on here?

  8724 – Kids Star Wars/Superhero costumes.  Really versatile, and really cute.

  8725 – Nice to see Ariel added to the Disney Princess lineup.

  8726 – Super generic kids costumes.

  8727 – More generic kids costumes.

  8728 – Cool way to do a mermaid tail in this pattern.

  8729 – Kids capes, because, capes!

  5628 – Jiffy pattern re-release.  This literally is a piece of fabric folded in half, with two partial seams, and a neck opening.  Pass.

  9192 – Men’s vintage ties are kinda cool.  Not the massively wide one, but the skinny tie or bow tie could be useful.

And that’s it!  On the whole my top picks for this release really are in the craft/costume/cosplay realm.  Not too much new or exciting in the main release.  There is a lot of stuff I found “cute” but not much I felt needed to be added to the collection.  What do you all think?  See anything that is going to kick-start your fall sewing?  Or are we waiting for the bigger releases coming later next month?  Feel free to discuss in the comments!

Simplicity Patterns Pre-Fall 2018 #sewing #patterns #Simplicity #SimplicityPatterns #prefall #fallsewing Looks like we are starting to hit the season of fall fashions!  Simplicity has just announced their…

[doctortdesigns]

The latest collection from Butterick patterns can be seen here.  I don’t think it has been the best year for Butterick, and I’m sad to say I feel that this collection sticks with the dated trends being brought back from the 80s.  There are, of course, some good looking patterns here, and in particularly I’m interested by a lot of the patterns in the extended plus sizes. On the whole, though, the collection is a bit of a miss for me.  Let’s take a look:

B6523 – I’m torn on this one.  I’ve been wanting to make a long length blazer with a shawl collar, but for some reason this reads very much to me as “smoking jacket pajamas.”  I like the princess seams and darts for fitting, and the pants are fine, but something still feels off.  I’m trying to see past the styling, but I’m ambivalent.  And with the pattern stash I’ve accumulated, “ambivalent” might not be enough to cut it.

B6522 – Fast & Easy jumpsuits.  I’m on a jumpsuit kick right now.  After making my Vogue 1524 for the Sewing Bee, I want to make all the jumpsuits.  I really love the black/white contrast idea, and I love the use of the stripes also.  I know I’m best when I avoid culottes, but I think they are super cute here.

B6516 – Lifestyle Wardrobe pattern.  The long cover up is really dramatic, and the sheath dress is hot!  I’m not in love with the jacket styles, as I find them too boxy for myself, but I think they could be a great way to show off a fabulous fabric since they are so simple in construction lines.

B6528 – Cardigan/Sweater/PJs.  Although this shows everything as pajamas, I’m pretty sure you could make the top in a nice sweater knit and it would look great, especially with a lacy cami underneath.

B6524 – Lest we forget that the 80s are having a comeback moment, Butterick gives us this vest.  The diagonal pocket seams are cool, but the overall look feels very dated.

B6526 – Lisette.  The crossover top isn’t a new idea, but I think it still looks pretty cool.  The line drawing seems to have a very low neckline, but the model version looks ok?  Might be something to be mindful of.  The pockets in the trousers are super chic looking.

B6515 – Part of me really likes the sleeveless dress, and part of me knows the ruffle will do me no favors.  At this point there are so many other sheath dresses with ruffled sleeves I’m not too interested by that.  I think this could be a cute dress for a winter holiday party, but I also think there are better options out there for myself.

B6514 – These are the sorts of dresses I always pass over, but I always think they look so cute when other people make them.  All the seam lines will be lots of work, but also give lots of room to adjust the fit.

B6525 – This is a pattern I wouldn’t normally gravitate towards, but it’s really growing on me.  The color blocked sweater is super cute, and I actually really love the dress too.  The multi-piece dolman sleeve is very interesting.  The elastic skirt and pants aren’t likely to get used by me, but I’d be willing to get this just for the sweater top.

B6527 – Have the waterfall front cardigans been gone long enough for them to have a come back?  Though, to be fair, I do actually rather line some of the options here, especially that double layered version.  This is going on the maybe list.

B6521 – Katherine Tilton jacket.  It’s the typical Katherine Tilton style, so I think you will either gravitate towards it or you won’t.  I do think all the curved seams are very interesting though.  Would be cool to see them utilized with some fun piping or color blocking.

B6533 – Connie Crawford.  I wasn’t too impressed when I saw the pattern envelope at first, but when I saw that this pattern comes in sizes up through 6X, I got pretty excited because my mom would wear the hack out of that jacket.  Maybe not in the fabric on the cover, but the style would be perfect for her.  This one is definitely joining the stash at the next pattern sale.

B6517 – I had to check and make sure they weren’t shoving shoulder pads in this knit top.  Because of the cut it has a very 80s exaggerated shoulder vibe going on.  I’m sort of torn on the ruched tops, because I feel like they rarely look as good in person, but I am digging that cowl neck top.  I’m thinking this one might make it onto the list just for view C.

B6520 – This might be one of the less wild Katherine Tilton looks, though I’m sure you could amp it up by mixing fabrics.  I think it might be a bit boxy for me, but I actually rather like this top; the interesting hem gives it some nice drape.

B6518 – Peasant blouse with ruffles.  Not the first time, not the last time.  The lace inset in the sleeve is a nice detail.  Moving on.

B6519 – I feel like this might have made more sense in a summer collection?  Just a thought.

B6534 – I’m really not into buying unisex patterns because I don’t think the draft works well for anyone, BUT I am super inspired by the idea of the simple mid-length print duster coat.  I love what the guy is wearing, and the drawing of it on the woman.  I don’t think this is the pattern I’d use to make it, but I really like the idea of it.

B6530 – Patterns by Gertie.  Undergarments are important for those giant 50s skirt silhouettes.  This could be a good option if you are looking to do costuming or cosplay.

B6537 – Making History costume.  I’m a sucker for costume patterns, and the skirt is really lovely.

B6529 – The neckline on these PJs is actually really pretty.  You could probably wear this out in real life too, depending on fabric choice.

B6532 – Nice to see a PJ pattern in the extended Plus size ranges.  This one might also be going on the list so I can make something for my mom.

B6531 – Family PJ set.  This one steps it up a notch in the cool factor; much better than the whole-family onesies that we usually get.

B6535 – Holiday crafts.  Not the sort of thing I typically make, but could be fun if it is something you usually enjoy.

B6536 – Dog clothes.  These feel slightly more thematic than the typical dog cover up.  I’m getting a very Dickens feel especially from the one with the hat.

B6538 – I’m way over-excited for this hat pattern, mainly because there are several cosplays I want to make that these would be perfect for.  This could be the pattern I’m most excited about in this whole release!

The See & Sew patterns aren’t new, but rather re-releases of popular patterns.  I’m not going to spend a lot of time on them, as they are mainly boxy sweaters and jackets, but I thought it would be good to include them for completeness.

B6511

B6510

B6507

B6509

B6508

B6504

B6505

B6506

B6513

B6512

And that’s it!  So, on the whole, not a ton of things to be excited about in this release.  There are certainly a few of these releases that I’m considering for the stash, and I’m definitely getting some of the patterns that go into the extended plus sizes so I can make a few things for my mom.  Other than that, though, I’m somewhat uninspired.  What do you all think?  See anything here that you can’t wait to get to your cutting table?  Or will you be using other patterns for your winter sewing?  Feel free to discuss in the comments!

    Winter 2017 Butterick Patterns #sewing #Butterick #wintersewing #patterns The latest collection from Butterick patterns can be seen here.  I don't think it has been the best year for Butterick, and I'm sad to say I feel that this collection sticks with the dated trends being brought back from the 80s. 

[doctortdesigns]

The December Burda has barely been out and the January Preview is up!  I’ve been pretty excited by most of the issues from 2017, and it looks like this is going to roll into 2018 too.  I can’t wait for this issue!  I love so many of the patterns coming out next month, not to mention the styling and brighter color choices in the photography.  I’m really excited, so let’s jump into it:

Even though January might be a bit late to start sewing winter wear, there are some lovely coats in this issue:

I’ve been obsessing over this coat ever since I saw the sneak peak in the back of the December issue!  It is absolutely gorgeous.  The fringe tassels are perhaps a bit on the funky side, but I love the added details and trim.  It certainly adds to the stand out style of this coat.

The shorter version lacks some of the flair of the longer version, but it is still quite pretty.

Originally I was thinking that this was perhaps not my absolute favorite trench coat from Burda, but I find it growing on me the more I consider it.  I do like the relaxed style and flap and pocket details, as well as the very classic collar.  The raglan sleeves are a nice feature as well.

Although this jacket isn’t my personal style, I do appreciate the bold graphic design features.  It looks as though the sections are pieced together as well; it could be a fun sew for all the details in this design.

I love this!  It’s a super wearable hoodie, but the curved hem prevents it from being dull and boring.  I’d wear the heck out of this.

The dresses in this issue are also gorgeous:

I. Love. This. Dress! The drape, the simple twist details, the overall silhouette… I’ve got some solid ITY in the stash, and this pattern is demanding to be sewn up in it.  I also love that Burda did a feature in bright, bold colors – so fun!  Especially in winter when everything is so gloomy outside.

Oooh, another win for me!  The neckline detail is interesting, but not overwhelming.  I love how the seam line of the top blends into the pocket on the skirt as well.  Gorgeous!

I’m not usually a fan of the sack dress, but this does look quite nice with the belt.  The sleeves are perhaps a bit much, but I actually think the volume of them balances out this fabric print really well.  I’m oddly charmed by this dress; it’s not my usual vibe, but I’m rather drawn to it here.

We get a vintage reprint this month!  The drape of the collar is such a pretty, yet subtle detail, and it has pockets.  The sleeves are quite interesting as well, and really sell the vintage vibe for me.  It’s a pretty dress and would be quite versatile for either nice events or a more formal work environment.

Burda gives us a lot of tops this month, and I really like most of them:

Ok, so I’m not loving the volume of the sleeve as much in a plain version as a top.  In the dress, the bolt print and longer shape really create a nice balance, but here the sleeve feels like a bit much.

I know this is just a basic rectangular oversized t-shirt, but I want it!  I’d totally wear this to the gym, or just, you know, for real life.  I love the unexpected shoulder detail in the back too – a nice touch for a basic design.

I also really like this pintucked top.  Often, I feel that Burda goes over the top with pintucks and the styles feel very dated, but here I think there is a nice balance between design feature and overall style of the top.  The version with the decorated yoke is perhaps a bit western cowboy for my taste, but I could see it being very pretty in a different colorway and style.  I love the drape of the pink fabric they chose, and the collar and cuffs are a beautiful proportion.

Another basic sweater top that I’d wear obsessively.  I like it styled with the chunky belt as Burda has shown it, but I’d also wear it loose too.  It would be easy enough to add or remove the fringe trim depending on your preference, and it would likely be a very quick sew.

We get a yoga/exercise feature this month, and I have to say I actually rather like a lot of the designs there.  This top has an interesting drape on the back, which may not be the most practical for those of us with a protruding derriere, but the design itself is more interesting than just a basic oversized t-shirt.

I sort of think this top is too fancy to use for exercise, and I prefer the style as a dress, but I would consider making the top version as well if the pattern works out for me.

It’s a really simple cardigan, but it looks cozy!  It would be a fast sew, and the curved hems give it a nice flair.  I’d definitely consider adding this to my list.  I’d also consider lengthening it to wear as a robe around the house during the winter, as I’m often cold.

The bottoms this month are something of a mixed bag, ranging from exercise wear to more of a fashion statement:

I really love this skirt!  The simple fold of the fabric is a really interesting detail without being too crazy or voluminous.

This skirt is also catching my eye.  The pleats work well to create a nice shape, and pockets are always a welcome feature.

This isn’t my typical silhouette for a trouser, but I do like the way Burda has styled it here, and the belts are a fun addition.

I’m not sure how practical these leggings are?  Wouldn’t you be worried about slipping?  On the other hand, as a skater, I could see a use for it, as it would prevent the boot from rubbing around your ankle, which could be cool.  I don’t know, maybe I’m crazy.  Any yoga people out there?  Are footed leggings a thing?  Do they work?  Are they a safety hazard?

This trouser/romper pattern is the dropped crotch style I’m rather dubious about.  Clearly, they intend it for yoga/exercise, but wouldn’t the dropped crotch restrict movement?  Again, might be a weird skater quirk, but I hate a saggy crotch, as it restricts motion.  Perhaps, once again, a yoga expert could enlighten us further?

At first I wasn’t too excited by the Burda Plus selection, but as I looked at the details and overall 1930s-ish sort of vibe, these designs really started to grow on me:

The double collar on this coat is gorgeou!  The piping detail highlights it wonderfully, but the tweed version offers it as a nice, subtle detail as well.  I also love the angled welt pockets and back waistband.  Super classy.

This dress is pretty cute, especially if you love a nautical vibe.  In the floral it is just a clean silhouette, but in the solid with piping all of the design features absolutely shine.

I really like this dress too!  It would be very pretty in a lightweight, draped fabric, and it would be great in a print or solid.

I do not like the top as well as the dress, but the addition of the piping is again a nice detail that could be used on the dress version to give it some extra pizzazz.

I see what Burda was going for, but this knit top feels a bit out of place compared to the other looks in this set.  I like the neckline though, and it would be easy to toss on with a pair of jeans.

This skirt is cute!  I’m a sucker for this sort of button detail, and the pockets and waistband are nice additions to the design.

The kids section is all crazy carnival looks, but I’m actually sort of excited by some of the patterns they used:

“Ice princess and snowman” aka Elsa and Olaf.  I’m a bit surprised it took Burda this long to make an Elsa costume, but the sort of great thing is that this isn’t so costume-y that it couldn’t be used for other kids clothes.

The mermaid tail is super cute!  Pirate costumes are pretty ubiquitous, so, you know, they feel sort of whatever.  The vest is kind of cute though.

YOU GUYS IT’S RAINBOW BRITE!  AND TWINK! AND STARLITE(ish)!  Ok, 80s child blast from the past freak out is over.  But man, I would have loved this when I was a kid.  Would kids today even know what this is?  Probably not, as they seem very fixated on Youtube videos of babies receiving avocados as gifts.  But I get it, and even though none of these are costumes for me to wear, I’m going to have my nostalgia moment and be happy.

And there we have it.  Although I’m perhaps a bit too gushy over this issue, and feelings of nostalgia are swaying my sound judgement, I’m going to attempt to pick out the first top and bottom looks of 2018!

For Best of BS January 2018 I picked:

The yellow embellished coat!  How could I not?  I love it.  The contrast of the trim detail, the overall silhouette, even the tassels are a fun detail.  Burda is elevating its game, and I love the result.

Although I’m setting myself up to be told off by all the yoga experts out there, I’m giving the BWTF award to:

The dropped crotch romper.  I mean, she’s doing a stretch here and the crotch already looks strained.  It just doesn’t seem practical, and outside of an exercise context, it just isn’t a look I see a lot of people gravitating towards.

And that’s it!  The first Burda for 2018 is in the books, and I’m excited!  2017’s been a good year, but I can honestly say that, for me, this issue blows it out of the water.  I want to make almost everything.  On top of that, I’m finding that Burda’s styling choices are really selling me on styles I might have otherwise overlooked, so yay for inspirational garment photos.  What do you all think?  Is this issue too far into crazy fashionista land?  Or did Burda strike the perfect balance between style and wearability?  I love to know everyone’s thoughts, so please leave your opinion in the comments section!

January 2018 BurdaStyle Magazine #sewing #Burda #BurdaStyle #magazine #patterns #obsession The December Burda has barely been out and the January Preview is up!  I've been pretty excited by most of the issues from 2017, and it looks like this is going to roll into 2018 too. 

[doctortdesigns]

The Russian Burda site has the full preview of the August issue up, and I’m pretty excited with what I’m seeing.  I think this is going to be one of those classic Burda issues – lots of really good wearable pieces, with a few memorable but not too over the top designs.  And the Burda Plus section continues to be top notch!  So, without further ado, let’s take a look:

Probably the best styles in this issue are the dresses.  Lots of great transitional looks as we move from summer to fall:

Very classic style with the neck bow.  I think Burda does a great job showing off how the bow can be worn different ways on the cover image and in the two photos included in the issue.  Love the buttoned sleeve detail.

I’m also really liking this dress.  I’m aware that it really doesn’t have much shaping at the waist, but the use of contrasting fabric makes it visually appear to have a shape, while still being loosely fitted, which will be great for those hotter August days.  Also really like the contrast of the solid and the print at the shoulders.  I think it is a really clever style that uses visual trickery to hide the fact that this really is a sack dress.  Very cool.

Of course, at heart I’m really all about more tailored looks – and this dress is tailored!  Check out all those sleeve darts!  And the neckline is pretty cool too.  Also really liking the way it is styled with the belt.

Ok, I think I really love this one!  The juxtaposition of the suiting fabric (it’s a pinstripe) with the softer gathered design is really interesting.  I could also see this being done in a more colorful fabric for a fancy party, or perhaps even with print blocking for a really show-stopping piece.  I’m definitely going to have to play with this one!

This wrap dress is also a great design.  Simple, but the gathers emphasize the wrap dress style.  Really lovely on the models, even if they need to be wearing shorter slips.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record – love this style too!  Like, a lot.  I’ve made a McCall’s dress that used the mixed fabric technique to mimic a top/skirt look, and I have to say I really love it, so I’d be excited to try it here as well.  I think the turtleneck top with the dropped sleeve is really elegant, and while I might be a bit concerned about the ruching over the hips, I think it is a nice detail on the models, so I’d be willing to try it myself.

Ok, so this dress is probably going to be one of those iconic Burda dresses that people remember for years to come.  The seaming is really interesting, and I always love me some pockets.  Might not be the most flattering placement on all body types, but it does visually create a tiny waist.  I love how it has a combination futuristic/art deco flare as well.

Since we are moving into the fall months, we are going to be getting some more outer wear and longer tops this month:

I’m sort of liking this 7/8 length jacket.  It has nice details with the yoke and pockets, which gives off a vaguely 60s vibe.  Between this and the recent Burda catalog release, I’m thinking embellished yokes might be an upcoming trend as we move into the fall and winter month.

Love the detailed stitching on this jacket!  Sad it is sized for petite, but if I’m motivated enough I’ll totally lengthen it.  Also interesting to note that “Burda” tags are showing up in the back of the garment photo images.  This is a new thing, right?

Love the underarm seam detail on this coat.  It’s got a bit of the bathrobe vibe going on with the tie belt, but I bet it would look smashing with a contrast belt over the top.  The in seam pockets are also a nice design feature.  It’s not my typical sihouette, but the photo of the red one may have gotten me on board.

I know it’s just a boxy cropped sweater, but I’m actually thinking it would be cool to wear with my sudoku culottes, so I’m tempted.  Plus, it looks like a quick sew.

Ah!  I love this top.  I think it is really cool how the cowl neck can range from an off the shoulder look to more of a draped scarf style.  Plus, the model in the pale pink version looks really elegant.  I’m definitely putting this on my sewing wishlist.

I’m the bottoms in this issue aren’t quite as exciting, but they are very classic:

I know that this cropped pant is not a good look on me, but I do love it on other people.  Plus, a shorter trouser with a bit more ventilation is always a good thing towards the tail end of summer.

Another pant that is not the best thing for my body shape, but the pocket detail is pretty cool!  Too bad we can’t see it on the model that well.

Unlike the pants, however, I’m a bit obsessed with this skirt!  The midi is not my favorite length, but the red version looks perfect!  Love the zip detail – very cool.  The short version is another style that will be great for hot transitional days.

A bit short for my personal taste, but I do like the details and silhouette of this skirt.

Another simple style, but quite pretty and very effective use of the pleated material.  Not innovative, but great for a wardrobe.

The Burda Plus section is also full of some great pieces this month:

I love this jacket!  The details are great, and it looks super chic, especially in the soft neutral color.  The leopard highs the design a bit, but it is certainly a statement piece with the print.

The hem on this vest is really interesting – slightly longer and asymmetric at the side-back seams. I’m not overly wowed by this piece, but I do find the design elements (the hem and welt pockets) interesting.  Wonder how it would look with added sleeves as a jacket.  Hmmmm….

The Plus section also gets a skirt with a cool zipper detail.  I like this one also.  Maybe not as much as the red pencil skirt, but, I still like it.

Love this dress!  Definitely my favorite piece from Burda Plus this month.  The pockets are perfect, and I’m still liking the subtle cold shoulder styles.  I know it’s not everyone’s favorite, but I find that it helps visually balance my shoulders and hips, so I’m happy to run with it for a while.  Might have to grade down the top a few sizes to make it work, but I’m really enamored with the idea of trying this design.

Also like this dress.  The zip detail is nice, and it is otherwise a simple, classic piece.  Great way to show off more exciting earrings or shoes by providing a simple backdrop for fun accessories.

Again, this t-shirt is pretty simple, but I do like the color blocking options.  Might not love the colors Burda went with, but when you make it yourself the possibilities are endless, so I’m giving this thumbs up to this design style.

The kids section is dedicated to clothes for girls this month:

Not much to say here, as it is all fairly simple, but the cardigan is pretty cute!

And that’s it!  On the whole I’m pleasantly surprised to find that (1) I’m really liking a majority of these designs and (2) the 90s is not to be found at all in this issue!  I mean, ok, we could quibble about the pleated grey midi skirt and the use of floral prints, but on the whole there is a total lack on 90s revival styles this month, which makes me really happy.

Choosing the top pattern this month is actually quite difficult.  There are lots of great styles in both the regular and plus sections this time around.  I was debating quite a bit between the simpler and more innovative looks, but I’ve decided to give Best of BS for August 2017 to:

  The faux separates dress!  Love the chic classic elegance here.  Plus, it looks like a fairly simple style to sew, and seems to be made for knits (so comfy!).  Love how this can be made from a single fabric or from a mix to create a top/skirt look.  Definitely one of my favorite designs this month.

Choosing the bottom look was similarly hard, as there weren’t any truly offensive designs this month; indeed almost everything was actually really great.  In the end I’ve decided to give BWTF to:

The leopard vest!  To be honest, I don’t really dislike this pattern all that much, I just find the combination of the style and print to be a bit large and visually overwhelming.

And that’s it!  I’m going to go ahead and say that I think this is a pretty great issue for Burda – I’m finding lots of styles to love this month.  Though, perhaps that means that this issue is a bit skewed towards my aesthetic, and that there are other people who will be totally bored.  Also!  Nary a ruffle to be seen – is this the official end of the ruffle trend?  Is the embellished yoke going to replace it?  What do you all think?  I’m sure everyone is going to have different picks for the top and bottom looks this month – please share your favorites in the comments!

BurdaStyle Magazine August 2017 #burda #burdastyle #sewing #magazine #patterns #obsession The Russian Burda site has the full preview of the August issue up, and I'm pretty excited with what I'm seeing.