Daily Wear: At the Movies

This is an outfit from last weekend, which should've been posted earlier, I know!  But hey, its finally summertime and when that occurs that means I'm rarely at home more than just to sleep.
Also, being summertime, we know what that means--me in SHORTS!  LOTS OF SHORTS!  Probably cut-off white trash jean shorts moreso than these, but I'll keep it classy starting out; I'm just warning you its all downhill from here.

I wore this to the movies...we went and saw Bridesmaids-one funny laugh after another I tell ya!  Holy cow, I almost lost my coke zero thru my nose when I took a huge gulp and then they flashed a painting of Wynonna Judd on the screen; did anyone else seem to think this scene was as funny as I did? 

This shirt is a cheapie from Forever 21, although at what age do I need to STOP shopping there?  It's still ok right?  I am 31, but I act 21...soooooooooooooo; you figure it out for me ok?  I need to know when I am too old for that store.  Or is it moreso when my style outages the store?  Because my true age is just a #; my style age is something different.

Anyway, I do like this shirt because I think its a pretty lil' print.  Sweet and not my usual go-to style.  This is usually how I do it when I'm shopping at F21.  I steer clear of their cheap jersey items, the things that look like a 14yr old would wear it, and I go for the silky, sheer, and lightweight drapey pieces--they always look a little more expensive and of higher quality, right?  That's how I figure I can get away with shopping there at my age.

I also am really into "ititials" these days.  Not so much that I'm going to run out and do a "Sex and the City" nameplate necklace, heck no!  I despise that show and the girls in it...its sooooooooooo not NYC, so not realistic; and I'm very anti-Sarah Jessica Parker-we won't even go there.
But I do like initials...and I found this cute little typewriter key at Urban Outfitters. It was on sale, how could I pass it up?  I've had it for a few months, but I don't think I ever take a pic of it.  Just thought I'd show you NOW what I'm into.

Anyway, even though its summertime i'll try to blog steadily, a few times a week.  I won't give up these duties for sunshine just yet--but believe me, I'm ready to soak up the sunshine whenever possible as well!  So we'll see how I balance it all.
(clearly I didn't make it out to photograph this in the sunshine, ha...nothing like some nighttime shots of an overall daytime outfit.)

Wearing:
*Ivory silk blouse-F21
*Denim shorts-F21
*Yellow wedge sandals-Target
*Earrings-Beacon's Closet
*Necklace-Urban Outfitters

-yeah, this may very well be the cheapest outfit EVER!

(and PS-Gary, stop ogling my legs!!!)

The Garrott Tee: Look #9-DIY Time!

As a fashion designer, a basic tshirt silhouette just begs me to cut it up.  It's not long before I take to my older tees and slash it here, rip it there...I just don't seem to keep my tshirts in their original state for more than few wears.

The Garrott Tee is no exception...

No tee is safe when I'm with scissors!

Many of you may wonder just how some of us girls achieve the perfectly disheveled slashed up tees we wear around town with such natural nonchalance.  While many others know exactly how we go about getting that wide neckline, slouchy fit, total Do-It-Yourself style.

This post is NOT for those ladies that know what I'm talking about...no no, this is for the non-patternmakers, the ones not schooled in the fashion trade, those that have a couple of tshirts lying around that they just want to unleash some wrath on.

(or say, a insanely oversized vintage concert tee, the perfect specimen for a little DIY cutting!)

Here we go ladies...a quick tutorial in how to cut your tshirt!

-How to Make a Wide Open Neckline-

1. Start with a basic tshirt;

(I prefer one slightly oversized, it lends itself to a nice slouchy effect when finished)

2. Get out your supplies, you'll need scissors, a ruler, and a writing utensil.

(if you've got a French Curve, all the better)

3. Measure the shoulders on each side

(sometimes tshirt, especially after many washings, become wonky and not symmetric.) 

Make sure they're a similar length; if not you'll have to do some fudging of measurements

4. Once both shoulders are measured and its determined they're about the same length, decide how open you're going to want your neckline. 

 (It's best to go with a slightly open neck, as you can go wider and wider later on, but you can never go back to less wide once cut.)

I tend to start with a 2 to 2-1/2" wider neckline on each side

(making the neck essentially 5" wider total when finished)

Mark the shoulder your desired measurement over from neckline opening

(shown here, I've gone 2-1/2" wider-measured over from shoulder/neck point)

Do this on both right and left shoulder.

5. Next, find the center front neck point. 

To do this, lay your ruler at shoulder/neck points and take half that measurement--that's your center front neck.

6. Now that you found your center front neck, determine how low you want the center neck to be...this is called your Neck Drop.  Measure down center front neck and mark the lowest point you want your neck drop to be.

(I've determined about 1-1/2" is a good neck drop for this tee--I didn't want to cut into the graphics of the tee)

7.  Now, following the curve of original neckline, draw your new neckline connecting shoulder mark to center front neck drop mark. 

(This is where your french curve can come in handy-but if you don't have a french curve, you can just eyeball it.)

It'll look something like below:

8. Now cut along this new neckline

(I prefer to cut just slightly below my drawn line so that I don't have any marker lines left on my tshirt when finished)

It should look something like below:

And voila!  Bestowed upon you is the finished product...a DIY, authentic, one of a kind Garrott Tee.

Now get your scissors, get your cut on, and show me your creativity!

How you wear your DIY tee is up to you...I prefer to keep it casual.

Since it was a typical day, being more daring was not called for, therefore I went with a wifebeater underneath.

However, on the weekends, I've been known to go sans tank underneath.  Sometimes I like to take risks and show a little more than the 'rents would prefer.  But  hey...when you're an adult you can do what you like, right?

And uh, yeah...."I'm an adult"  so I'll wear what I please, and wear it as I want.

Wearing:

*Gray"Without My Muse Tee" w/DIY detail(s)-Garrott Designs

*White tank-Hanes

*White knit hat-Urban Oufitters

*Skinny Jeans-Uniqlo

*Brown sweater/cardigan-Alberto Makali

*Brown suede shoes-See by Chloe

*Earrings and Necklace-Forever 21

*Leather bracelet-H&M

Stay tuned...this is NOT the end of my Garrott Tee altering adventures.

Oh no...I plan to cut this up a few more times, its a work in progress.

-And I'll be sure to tell you just how to go about cutting it yourself; you know...so if you ever feel inclined you can show me just how you got "crazy" with the scissors!

The Garrott Tee: Look #8-Fandango

This week I bring you a more laidback, more practical, more casual version of the Garrott Tee I've been styling up each week for Garrott Designs.

I'll admit the last few looks have been pretty out there, even for me; I assure you, this one is perfect for almost everyone...so give it a whirl, or show me/tell me what you got for such an occasion I'm about to tell you about below.

Ok, so lets pretend I don't forget to use my Living Social coupon for two movie tix at just $9 total, that I bought last month (I've got till June before those babies expire...sooooo boyfriend, take note and pick a movie already...let's go eat some popcorn!).  This version of the "Without My Muse" tshirt would be a perfect look for a lowkey movie night with my main man, no?

It's one part sweet-what, with the lace dress underneath and all.

One part sassy-the Garrott Tee does that for me

One part-classic, thanks to my vintage Coach purse I turned into a clutch.

All in all, my idea of a successful movie outfit...comfy all the while being cute too.

Sooooooo let me just get on fandango.com, use my Living Social discount code...and boyfriend and I are off to see something on the silver screen.

Wearing:

*Gray graphic tee-Garrott Designs 

For Sale, $20, HERE

*Pink lace dress-H&M

*Skinny Jeans-Uniqlo

*Taupe leather boots-Jessica Simpson

*Vintage Coach purse-Thrift Store

*Pearl banded watch-Swatch

The Garrott Tee: Look #2-Casual Fridays

For my second go-around, styling up the Garrott Tee, I went with a business casual approach...something for those dressed down Fridays.

I think its appropriate to just go ahead and call Look #2 "Casual Fridays".

There's always been a laidback downtown vibe about pairing a tshirt with a blazer.  It's always been something I'm drawn to, particularly in terms of my approach to dressing for work.

I'm in the creative industry therefore I have a lot of freedom in how I dress...no real code to stick with, I can go short and inappropriate, or I can go conservative and office perfect.  Generally I try to ride the fine line between both.  

In doing so, I find a casual vibe like a tshirt, echoes my own personal style, while the classic sophistication of a blazer gives the outfit that last final touch.  The blazer definitely elevates a tee to the next level, adding a sharp pulled-together look about the entire outfit.

Keepin' it sleek with some skinny jeans tucked into tall boots, and voila!

Perfect for your casual Friday at the office.

Don't hesitate if you want to try it for yourself, any tee would work, but obviously, I'm fond of the Garrott Tee.

As mentioned before, its only $20, put it in your cart and check out HERE

And if you do stop by the site, look at some of the other sections, not just the store...Garrott Designs is the brainchild of one of the most amazing artists/illustrators I've ever been acquainted with.  I want to fill my walls with her beautiful watercolor fashion illustrations/paintings...gorgeous;

 simply gorgeous!

And I thought I WAS good at the fashion illustration thing...she's blows me outta the water any ol' day!

Wearing:

*Blazer-Uban Outfitters

*Tshirt-Garrott Designs

*Jeans-Uniqlo

*Boots-Jessica Simpson

*Bag-H&M

Daily Wear: A Small Bag, A Small Change

Two things about today

1.) When wearing a pretty basic outfit like a t-shirt, spike it up a few notches with a cool pair of shoes

2.) A little bit of change in the form of a little bag is sometimes a good thing.

I'm so used to lugging around my life in a huge bag; usually that huge beige one you see in nearly every photo of me and a purse. Ever since I got back from Ohio I've been eager to use my vintage Coach bag I scored at the Thrift Store. It's not a problem on a Saturday for instance, when carrying less is easy and best. But a weekday, downsize??????

NEVER!

Until today! I realized that carrying just my phone, my small tiny wallet, my keys, face powder, and lipgloss was not as bad as I imagined. Usually I carry 20x the makeup, lots of styling products, coupons, a huge heavy wallet, and probably more coupons. Throw in a magazine and you've got a 15lb bag I call my everyday purse.

So imagine how CAREFREE and LIGHT I felt today! It wasn't so bad, so good in fact I think I'll try it for the rest of the week.

Small bags and small changes, this is looking to be a good thing.

(Now let's work on changing my daily wardrobe already, I cannot seem to ever get rid of my jeans and t-shirt habit).

Wearing:

*Green jacket, F21

*Coral t-shirt, Target

*Skinny Jeans, Uniqlo

*Beige booties, Rachel Rachel Roy

*Scarf, Old Navy

*Vintage purse, Coach (thrift store)

Does anyone else find themselves harboring a natural aversion to small purses?

Or are you already pretty much a minimalist so much so that it just extends to the contents of what you tote everyday?