Try it before you hack it.

July 22, 2009

Try it before you hack it.

Having a hard time picking main photo today. I thought this was while not the perfect one for outfit showed my favorite part off.
Skirt Target a year or so back for about $4
Shirt Ann Taylor Loft $9.50
Tie American Apparel $15?
Shoes Clarks $80
Cardigan Gap $19
Earrings Heidi Klum for QVC gift
Ring Peabody Essex museum $16 Its abalone shell
Necklace custom Orangyredink Etsy $20

This is another skirt getting hemmed! I wanted to take pics and try it out one more time before I made the cut. I had worn this skirt once or twice before and always felt it was too long. I was about to hem it the other night after looking at it in the mirror and thought let me wear it one more time and take pics of it. Pictures really help you see yourself in a way a mirror never can. I can clearly tell it needs about 3 or 4 inches now. I have to say I have it hiked up today every high on my waist with the band over it covering it. I am glad I waited I was going to do about 1.5 and would of been frustrated I had put in all that work hand hemming it and it still being too long. My gram taught me to hem a few years ago after I spent a ton of money getting my suit pants hemmed for a job interview. (I had 3 pairs done incase I changed my mind the day of) Hemming is PAINFULLY simple and anyone can do it. (Yes you too! I don't want to hear it, you can I promise) If I a very uncoordinated gal like me can do it you can too. Now this video was made in 2 minutes for a friend who was trying to hem pants right at that moment. If you are interested and find this hard to follow I can redo it with better lighting and ahem change out of pjs.

Do you alter your own clothes? What kind of items have your done.

Skirt worn regularly. (not hiked up and hidden by a belt)

Comments

mamichan said…

I learned how to hem pants in high school. My mom refused to pay for the tailor so she taught me how. It's saved me hundreds of dollars, I'm sure. I'm about to take in a vintage dress by taking in the sides.

7/22/2009 11:45 AM

Anonymous said…

It is a good thing we don't live in the same city because I would be RAIDING your closet all the time.

I definitely get my clothes altered. It's an amazing way to breathe new life into old duds!

7/22/2009 11:58 AM

Anonymous said…

Can I offer some constructive criticism? I think that you see yourself differently than the rest of us (which we probably all do)........knee length skirts flatter you! I absolutely love it and I don't see it as too long at all. I once heard a tip (I think it's a Stacy London-ism) that skirts should idealy hit you at the curve of your leg, and for most ladies that is about knee or just a smidge higher. Anyways......yeah. It doesn't look remotely too long. I absolutely love this outfit. Houndstooth.......*drool*

7/22/2009 12:03 PM

hillary said…

Clo thank you. In reality the skirt is about 3 inches longer than I appears I have it about 3 inches abvry bellybutton and that is what the sash is covering. I am very short and everyone who see me in life says anything below my knee shortens me and makes me look heavier.

7/22/2009 12:11 PM

hillary said…

I added a photo above.

7/22/2009 12:50 PM

Anonymous said…

oooooo yes. IN the photos its fab, but I can see that if it was worn "naturally" it looks a little sloppy. Yep.

7/22/2009 1:01 PM

Anna Searcy said…

Holy hell girl you are lookin' FOXY! Love your use of the sash and red & turquoise combo is excellent!

Of course, almost all my clothes are altered. Either by me (least times) or my sister (most times). She also makes me skirts and dresses.

7/22/2009 1:39 PM

C said…

I loveloveLOVE the color palette in this outfit, and am dying to get my hands on a skirt with a similar houndstooth print. AWESOME. And I TOTALLY alter my stuff, but not as much as I should because I'm an awful sewer. I definitely do the whole "hike-it-and-belt-it" trick with skirts though. Drives me nuts but it works.

7/23/2009 6:57 AM

Becky said…

I'm a huge fan of the red and turquoise...and I might just have to pick up one of those AA sash dealies....I would have too much fun with that! I'm very fortunate in that I rarely have to hem pants. I'm 5'7 and the retail industry tends to cater well to that height; however, I've had hems come undone and I was taught how to hand sew and hem as a little girl and worked up to using a sewing machine as I got older (although I have horrible luck with them and mine's always in some sort of dis-repair, so I always just end up hand sewing anyway!). Love this skirt! I have a coat with the same size houndstooth and I lurv it!

7/23/2009 10:22 AM

Kelly said…

I looooove this!

7/23/2009 11:27 AM

FashionAddict said…

I LOVE what you have done with the skirt! The red belt makes it very flattering, and the cardigan makes for a great color contrast.

7/23/2009 2:05 PM

hillary said…

Thanks everyone! The color combo is a favorite of mine. I have only done it a few times but I always feel a bit WAH-BAM when I do!

Becky I had been on the hunt for YEARS for a houndstooth coat and finally got one at Steve and Barrys right before they went out of business! I love to wear it with bright colored scarves.

7/25/2009 6:31 PM