In One Year, Out The Other

2013 saw some very lovely dresses, many worn by some of my usual favorite fashion icons. Here are some of this year's fashion highlights!

But seriously, one word: brocade. 

I staunchly believe that no best-dressed list is complete without Miss Lily Collins. Most any pairing of Peter Pan collars and black tights makes me very happy, especially combined with dark lipstick (and Lily Collins). I also love the trend of rich gold fabrics, but only when it's not overwhelming; I think this is the perfect amount of a such a luxurious material. 

 

Oxblood was a very popular color this year, for good reason. 

Though it has a simple silhouette, the color of this dress is what makes it stand out, especially when combined with Kaley Cuoco's understated hair and make-up. This color is one of my personal favorites; I own a number of items in this color, and generally pair it with a nice neutral, such as charcoal gray. 

 

Jennifer Lawrence is actually iconic. 

Oh, Jennifer Lawrence. Not only did she get the cutest pixie cut in Christendom, but she rocked this classic 50s-silhouette dress along with red lipstick the way red lipstick was made to be worn. 

 

There should be more cobalt in the world. 

I love the understated elegance of this gown. In the Age of Sequins, this is a nice change of pace. Its simplicity is perfectly complemented by the favorite hairstyle of 2013 - long, loose waves, here perfected on Alison William's long chestnut locks.  

   

Well Emmy Rossum is just adorable, so...

This dress reminds me of an Ice Queen, a la Queen Elsa in Frozen. I like how this dress is shiny and metallic, just enough to be elegant and eye-catching but not overwhelming.

And with that, I bid you all a fashionable '14!

Sari xoxo

Christmas Key Chain

Christmas is less than a week away and some of you might be in need of some easy gifts to give. One idea that I made for everyone in my family was a key ring. All you need is...

• fabric scrap of your choice
• interfacing
• circle stencil
• twill tape (a thin strip of fabric would also work)
• key ring
• fabric scissors and pinking shears

First, you need to find a circular object (a mason jar, a glass, etc.) and trace it onto a piece of paper for your stencil.

Second, cut out two circles using your scrap of fabric and one circle out of the interfacing. I wanted to add an applique onto my keychain, so after this step I sewed my applique onto the front piece of fabric using my machine (you could also hand sew it on).

Next, iron the interfacing onto the front piece of fabric. Sew the two pieces of fabric together, leaving an inch wide hole at the bottom. Cut edges of the circle using the pinking shears to prevent fraying.

Make a loop using the two-inch twill tape and key ring and pin it inside the one inch hole in the circle. Sew the hole closed, clip all the threads, and you're done! All that's left is to attach some of your key and then you're done!

Sarah xo

The Perfect Gift for Any Fashionable Reader

So, anyone who knows me can tell you I am a HUGE John Green fan (or a Nerdfighter, a commonly used term for those who read his books). My sister Anya is too( although not as obsessive), so for her last birthday I decided to make her a shirt with one of our favorite lines from my favorite book of his, The Fault in our Stars. 

 "My thoughts are stars I can't fathom                 into constellations" - John Green 

All I had to do was type up the quote into a word doc (citing the author, no plagiarism here!) and print it out onto a special fabric that can be transferred onto muslin using an iron. After you've transferred the type onto the muslin, sew it onto the shirt and you're all done! I just used a navy sweater that I bought at Old Navy. To make it a little more special, I used white embroidery thread and seed beads to sew constellations on the shoulders.

I thought the shirt turned out really well, and now, Anya can attract nerdfighters whenever she wears this in public! 

Putting a quote on a shirt or tote bag is the perfect gift to give any reader this Christmas!

Sarah

Xo

60's Inspired Dress

So, it's taken me a while (oops), but I've finally finished the dress I've been working on for about 2 months. I'm glad I finally finished it though because it looks really cute! I was really surprised at how well it turned out and how well it fits.

As you can see, it's a really graphic black and white chevron. The fabric is really soft too, almost a really thin fleece. It looks quite 60's since it is a shift shape. It would be a little boring without the zippers on the back and the sleeves. 

They are just simple zippers with a black faux leather trim around them. 

Since there is no color in the dress, I wore deep purple tights along with my black leather boots (which I just got recently for my birthday at Call It Spring). 

I hope you like the dress as much as I do!

Sarah xo