Tag Archives: Burda 8071

Domestic diva

12/08/2010 2:25 am \ 12 Comments \ Carolyn

Should one make the effort to look stylish when one’s daily schedule involves simply popping into the supermarket, the post office and the bank? Or if one’s place of work is in the home? After all, if the peeps around you are in their tracky dacks and ugg boots the pressure is on to follow suit, and if you’ve gone to the effort to dress up kinda nice then you run the risk of feeling overdressed and flashy when all about are very casz…
Well, I reckon all power to the thoughtful dresser. I feel better within myself if I look like I cared… so I do make an effort.
Having said that I’m not super dressed up here, but just a bit. This is a very simple dress (sometimes the simplest will be the most worn item in one’s wardrobe!) that is not gorgeous, but handy. I’ve found it to be a very versatile garment; to see how I styled it in six different way, see here. Oh, and I know I wore this cardigan only the other day, but I’m loving its drab blue sooooo much, could be grabbing it everyday if I wasn’t trying to mix it up more… and it went so well with the socks I had on I just had to put it back on again for today. I’m really making an effort to rotate through my wardrobe, but some things are proving handy and comfortable and fit in so well with my style thoughts for that day… so here it is again. And the new shoes. Wearing them in. Love them so much…

Details:
Dress; Burda 8071, ivory eyelet cheesecloth
Petticoat; Metalicus
Cardigan (under); Country Road
Cardigan (over); refashioned by me from old jumper
Socks; knitted by me, Patonyles sock wool
Shoes; Francesco Morrichetti from Zomp shoes
Bag; Gucci

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: Burda 8071, cardigan, dress, Fabric warehouse, Knitted, own design, Patons knitting book C11, socks, Wardrobe Refashion

Happy New Year!

01/01/2010 4:00 am \ 5 Comments \ Carolyn

New Year’s Day is a time to reflect on your life over the past year and to dream up a few resolutions as to how to do it better next year… Hmm, well apart from the usual suspects; get fit, keep in better contact with loved friends and family not in my immediate orbit, eat more healthily (not so much chocolate and more salad)… I’ve not got much to wish for, things are good and I feel very optimistic about the coming year.
I suppose if I’m to hope for anything at all for 2010, it is for a calm, restful and peaceful year, and that is reflected in my dress today; calm, restful and peaceful colours, but with sparkly shoes for a tiny bit of pizazz… I made my necklace during my beading fad a few years ago. I’ve worn it only periodically as its kind of showy for my tastes… but I like how its mass of pearl beads are kind of like bubbles in a glass of champagne, sort of celebratory, which seems appropriate for New Year’s Day.
Today the boys of my family are going sailing together and I will walk on the beach, afterwards we are visiting friends for a BBQ.

Details:
Dress; Burda 8071, cream broderie anglaise cheesecloth
Petticoat; Metalicus
Cardi; coffee and white net, my own design
Shoes; Anna, from Marie Claire shoes
Necklace; my own design

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: accessories, Burda 8071, cardigan, dress, Fabulous fabrics, own design

Dress, 6 different ways

23/12/2009 1:52 am \ 5 Comments \ Carolyn

I was thinking it was about time I did another 6-way remix of one of my garments; I had fun doing the previous one on my favourite skirt here and it helps me to appreciate the versatility of what I have in my own wardrobe myself. Shopping in my own wardrobe!! I mentioned recently that I would do one on my olive corduroy skirt, but that would just be another skirt same as the last 6-way so decided to do a dress instead. Olive skirt next time. Maybe I’ll try to do one of these each month…
I made this Burda 8071, view A sundress last summer out of cream broderie anglaise cheesecloth and don’t wear it enough. I think it deserves more outings. So here I’ve styled it 6 ways; as a plain dress, as a tunic over jeans, as a pinafore, over tights, as a dress over a petticoat and over a longer skirt. As in the last 6-way, 3 ways are for summer; casual, semi-casual and a little more formal, and likewise for winter. Although seriously when I was photographing these winter looks I thought I might die from heat exhaustion, 34C+ and only the slightest breeze! Man! Suffering for my blog…
So here is the dress styled for casual wear, both summer and winter;

Styled a little smarter for shopping or running errands, summer or winter;

And a tad more formal, for lunches, functions or going into the city with friends (yeah, summer and winter);

Posted in: Uncategorized \ Tagged: 6 different ways, Burda 8071, dress, Fabulous fabrics

Turquoise, chocolate and cream

02/11/2009 6:23 am \ 1 Comment \ Carolyn

I went out for breakfast with the Monday morning gals in Bicton at a lovely new cafe this morning so wanted to go for something smartish in my apparel.
I started planning this outfit with my beautiful Italian sandals bought on super special from Zomp last year. The sandals are bright turquoise with a gorgeous crackled effect on the (chunky!) heels in chocolate and cream, thus determining the colour scheme for the day.
I made this dress at the beginning of the year to be a useful little basic dress but I ended up rarely wearing it as it felt a bit boring. However I tried it on with this ruffle hemmed petticoat during my wardrobe clean-out and it suddenly looked quite stylish I thought! The pattern is Burda 8071, view B, a good basic sundress pattern that uses very little fabric. I’ve made probably four or five dresses out of it over the past few years. The fabric I used for this one is cream broderie anglaise cheesecloth. Having worn it today quite successfully and comfortably I’ll definitely put it to better use than its had up til now and just learn to add to it so its not so plain!
Today I flew totally out of my comfort zone and changed my earrings (gasp!) I do this very rarely! Decided that I really need to accessorize a bit more, as when you look at the pictures in fashion mags its often the jewellery and other little details that can make or break an outfit. I also needed to pick up the turquoise colour of the sandals somewhere else in my ensemble. Hence, out came this lovely silver and turquoise jewellery I bought from Navajo jewellers in New Mexico.
Other details:
Cardigan; Alannah Hill
Petticoat; Metalicus
Sandals; lasoffittadi Gilde, from Zomp
Jewellery; made by Navajo jewellers, New Mexico