I'm getting stoked for the long weekend, and besides lots of sewing projects I plan to start or finish (finishing up the white linen pants, plus a cami-and-tap-pant, two pajama sets, and a peignoir and nightgown set started) I plan to organize my closet also. I have a grand mishmash of wood hangers, a hanging sweater shelf, and two or three varieties of plastic hanger, and the popular thin felt/velvet hangers in my closet right now. Time to sweep all that out and start fresh!
I want to get all-wood hangers in my closet, and will probably incorporate them (some of them were prettily-decorated with painted flowers by either my mom or me) in either this closet or transfer them to the stuff in the hall's coat closet (which also has an interesting collection of hanger types). My thinking is that I'll keep the number of hangers the same and this will help keep my wardrobe down (especially if I don't cheat and buy more hangers!).
This collection should be enough to store my entire planned wardrobe, plus a few extra hangers for "dog park", "tango practica/milonga", and "workout" capsules.
10 - Premium Walnut Coat & Shirt Hangers
10 - Trouser or Skirt Hangers (I haven't decided, but I'm leaning towards the skirt hangers even though I like the look and ease of the trouser hangers)
24 - Blouse Hangers (4 sets of 6 - I could get the case of 36 hangers but that sort of defeats the whole point of actively forcing myself to have a smaller, nicer wardrobe)
1 - Belt Hanger
1 - Scarf Hanger
This should provide more than enough hanging capability for my planned wardrobe + extra capsules.
In addition I think I might go ahead and organize my nightstand drawers with better/nicer boxes to put undergarments and socks into. Maybe something like these (Container Store used to have pretty Linen & Silk boxes, but I guess they stopped making those. . . ), but I'll have to take notes at home about exactly what I need and should get. It would be nice to make a lot of organizing progress and consolidate my nightstand clothes down to two drawers so I can use the top one for storing all the stuff that's currently on top of the nightstand (Books, Glasses, More Books, Sentimental Cards, Hand Cream, More Books).
The 40-hanger-closet gets cited a lot on the internet, and it's not a bad article to start with. I've been a little frustrated with most of the drawer organizing tips online, because they end up being filled with "get a box!" sort of advice, but no clear information on what size works best for what items. Plus, all the images I've seen of "organized" drawers look like removing one item will cause the whole system to crash. Not what I'm looking for.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
Hemming Jeans
I've hemmed a couple pairs of jeans now, one for my fiance and one for myself.
This is the technique I use, which is very similar to the one on Coats & Clark's blog:
1. Measure the length to shorten, in my case it was 3" exactly.
2. Fold up half this length (1 1/2") and stitch very closely to the original hem.
3. Flip the hem out and press.
4. Stitch in the seam or slightly above the new hem seam to help the hem not flip out later.
5. Cut off the excess if necessary and finish the edges.
This takes me about 20 minutes from start to finish, so there's no reason not to do this yourself as opposed to taking your jeans to a tailor. I use denim needles, even on the thinner "designer" denim, and a denim thread from Gutermann. I should look into getting a darker denim thread for darker washes, but from 6 feet up no one will notice the hem!
This is the technique I use, which is very similar to the one on Coats & Clark's blog:
1. Measure the length to shorten, in my case it was 3" exactly.
2. Fold up half this length (1 1/2") and stitch very closely to the original hem.
3. Flip the hem out and press.
4. Stitch in the seam or slightly above the new hem seam to help the hem not flip out later.
5. Cut off the excess if necessary and finish the edges.
This takes me about 20 minutes from start to finish, so there's no reason not to do this yourself as opposed to taking your jeans to a tailor. I use denim needles, even on the thinner "designer" denim, and a denim thread from Gutermann. I should look into getting a darker denim thread for darker washes, but from 6 feet up no one will notice the hem!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Work Clothes Capsule
I have a lot of work-only clothes, and my work-only clothes don't really fit who I feel I am outside of work. Once something has been designated as a work-clothes item, I rarely wear it for anything else.
So given the wardrobe I'm working towards, I think it's going to be better to separate the work clothes from my other clothes. I tend to borrow tops into my work wardrobe, but very rarely will I borrow clothes from my work wardrobe into my every-day stuff (except for my black blazer).
Here are the pieces I'm thinking will work for my work wardrobe, more detailed than my general wardrobe.
I'm more set for work clothes than I thought. I've been living without some items like the sheath dress and navy blazer for a while.
I can definitely cut out a few of these pieces. I could ditch the white patterned cowl top as I've never been in love with it, and the embellished tank is a bit see-through (I always have to wear a blazer on top of it). I like it but it doesn't fit with who I am outside of work. The tan cardigan I have was a gift but I rarely wear it (I look much better in black and navy), and the emerald cardigan I got on sale from J. Crew. I probably only need one cardigan to be honest, and to be brutally honest it's neither of the cardigans I have already. I'm thinking a smoky grey cardigan would fit in with the look I'm trying to achieve, maybe from Burda 03-2013-107
I think I'll separate these clothes out from the rest of my wardrobe, which should make it much easier to get ready in the morning. Plus from the looks of things I'll be able to focus on making and wearing fun clothes, which is, well, more fun!
Things I need to make or buy:
Navy Blazer - Probably buy the next time Ann Taylor has a sale, not sure I'm up to making a blazer just yet
Grey Dress Pants - Probably can figure these out on my own
Aloha Shirt - Ready to make this as soon as I muslin out the pattern
Black Sheath Dress - Probably buy, but I have a navy wool crepe I could make a sheath dress from
Black Skirt Replacement - I can make this one, just need the material
So given the wardrobe I'm working towards, I think it's going to be better to separate the work clothes from my other clothes. I tend to borrow tops into my work wardrobe, but very rarely will I borrow clothes from my work wardrobe into my every-day stuff (except for my black blazer).
Here are the pieces I'm thinking will work for my work wardrobe, more detailed than my general wardrobe.
- Black Blazer - have
- Navy Blazer - don't have
- Tan Cardigan - have
- Emerald Cardigan - have
- Black Dress Pants - have
- Grey Dress Pants - don't have but could make from Vogue 2907 with this suiting from Mood.
- Dark Grey Skirt - have
- Navy Pencil Skirt - have
- Black Skirt - have, need to replace
- White Button Down - have
- Blue Button Down - have
- Lavender Button Down - have
- Teal Cowl Shell - have
- White Patterned Cowl Shell - have
- Light Blue Embellished Tank - have
- Muted Purple Polo - have
- Corporate Branded Polo - have
- Aloha Shirt - have materials (including buttons!) and pattern (Burda 04-2012-116)
- Black Sheath Dress - don't have
I'm more set for work clothes than I thought. I've been living without some items like the sheath dress and navy blazer for a while.
I can definitely cut out a few of these pieces. I could ditch the white patterned cowl top as I've never been in love with it, and the embellished tank is a bit see-through (I always have to wear a blazer on top of it). I like it but it doesn't fit with who I am outside of work. The tan cardigan I have was a gift but I rarely wear it (I look much better in black and navy), and the emerald cardigan I got on sale from J. Crew. I probably only need one cardigan to be honest, and to be brutally honest it's neither of the cardigans I have already. I'm thinking a smoky grey cardigan would fit in with the look I'm trying to achieve, maybe from Burda 03-2013-107
I think I'll separate these clothes out from the rest of my wardrobe, which should make it much easier to get ready in the morning. Plus from the looks of things I'll be able to focus on making and wearing fun clothes, which is, well, more fun!
Things I need to make or buy:
Navy Blazer - Probably buy the next time Ann Taylor has a sale, not sure I'm up to making a blazer just yet
Grey Dress Pants - Probably can figure these out on my own
Aloha Shirt - Ready to make this as soon as I muslin out the pattern
Black Sheath Dress - Probably buy, but I have a navy wool crepe I could make a sheath dress from
Black Skirt Replacement - I can make this one, just need the material
Capsule/French-Inspired Wardrobe
Now that I'm done with graduate school, I'm theoretically going to be able to have time for all this sewing that I want to do. I was thinking about refreshing my Tim Gunn project but I think that's just going to remain a giant unfinished project. I'll probably dismantle it soon although I recently read Tim Gunn's book on style and thought he made some excellent points. In fact, some of his ideas really inspired me to update my own style.
Now I've been really fascinated with clearing out my closet and building a wardrobe that actually works for me. It's like waking up one day, looking in the closet, and saying, "Wow. None of this is really working for me. Except for my prized Burberry trench (which I purchased with a bonus one year). That can stay."
Somewhere in all of my online wanderings I stumbled across the idea of a 10-piece wardrobe, or a French-inspired wardrobe. Having a few items that are really awesome in quality sounds really nice! When I moved to Dallas a two years ago, I had to pack up most of my stuff and only bring what clothes I needed for work. I was wearing all my best stuff at my new job for the month I had to wait to move into my new apartment and have my household goods delivered. It never really clicked that I could update my whole outlook on clothes by continuing to live that way.
I feel like the 'rules' on most 10-piece wardrobe websites are a bit fuzzy. . .I mean, if 'basics' like t-shirts don't count, then theoretically I could have 100 t-shirts that I rarely wear! It defeats the purpose of having a small wardrobe. I get that one might want to keep three of the same basic black t-shirt or tank top around, since one wouldn't want to do laundry every night.
Also, some people count outerwear like jackets and others don't. I kind of like the Project 333 idea because it seems more realistic as to the exact number of pieces one actually has in the closet.
I guess the point is that I want to develop/curate a small wardrobe of nice clothes that I wear all the time. I probably could extend this to patterns (so many evening dresses I'll never make!) and my fabric stash!
I'm not French by any means, but I'd certainly like to be considered stylish and chic. So I think until I have completed building my wardrobe, every time payday gets here I'm going to buy one item I don't have (or the materials for it) that is on the list. I'm no where near a good enough seamstress to sew all of my own clothes, but there is quite a lot that I think I could make.
My work is a bit more conservative and formal that I would prefer to dress, so I might break off a subset of these clothes as a "work capsule" since I don't really wear my work clothes outside of work.
I tend to look best in neutrals like white, black, and navy, so I don't think I'll have many tans or browns in here. I also look great in reds and vibrant blues so I think those will be my accent colors, although I've had great success with some shades of purple and green.
Here is a first draft. Obviously if you do this exercise at home your list would be different. I list the brands of some of my clothes to help me keep in mind where I got what.
Outerwear
1. Trench Coat - have, Burberry trench
2. Leather Jacket - have, Wilson's leather
3. Jean Jacket - need to replace, Levi's trucker jacket
4. Black Blazer - have
5. Chanel-inspired jacket - need to get materials, will most likely make Vogue 8804
Bottoms
6. Black Dress Pants - have, Banana Republic Martin Fit Lightweight Wool Trousers
7. Jeans hemmed for flats - have, need to hem
8. Jeans hemmed for heels - have, probably need to hem a bit
9. White Linen Pants - have materials and pattern (Burda 2012-04-121), need to make
10. Dark Grey Skirt for work - have, Ann Taylor
11. Navy Pencil Skirt for work - have, Ann Taylor
12. Black Skirt for work - need to replace, will probably make McCall's 4783
13. Denim Skirt - have
14. Chanel-inspired skirt to match jacket - need to get materials, pick a pattern. Most likely McCall's 3830, McCall's 5523, or McCall's 3341
Tops
15. White Button Down - have, Brooks Brothers (I also have the same shirt in a light blue and lavender)
16. White Silk Blouse - don't have, need to pick pattern
17. Silk Chiffon Blouse - have materials and pattern (Vogue 2850), need to make
18. Basic T-Shirt - have, Banana Republic Timeless V-Neck in black and white
19. Basic Tank Top - have, Banana Republic Timeless Tank in black and white
20. Breton Top - don't have, would like to get a St. James one in white and navy
21. Sweater - have materials and pattern (McCall's 6796), need to make
22. Bow-Tie Blouse - have materials (except buttons) and pattern (Style Arc Tiffany)
23. Polo Shirt - have, muted purple Ralph Lauren polo
24. Raglan Top - don't have, need to get materials for Burda 02-2013-127
Dresses
25. DVF-inspired wrap dress - have, will need to replace soon with another Vogue 8379
26. Kate Middleton ISSA knockoff - don't have, need materials to Frankenpattern Vogue 8921 and McCall's 5752 (which I don't have but will probably draft the tie)
27. LBD sheath dress for work - don't have, most likely will get J. Crew's Emmaleigh in Super 120s
28. Cocktail Dress - have, Burda 04-2012-128.
29. Denim Shirtdress - have materials and pattern (McCall's 5847), need to make
30. Maxi Sundress - making now, Vogue 8870 (trendy item, most likely won't last a year and I'll replace it with another sundress)
Some immediate thoughts:
I like dresses. A lot. I have a few other dresses in my head that I'd either like to make or already in my current wardrobe. I have three or four other dresses that I could have listed but didn't.
I haven't listed very many tops - most online sources give a 2:1 ratio of tops to bottoms. I have a handful of t-shirts that I like to wear and some other random tops that are work-only tops. This makes me think I need to separate my work clothes from my "me" clothes (I'll never wear a work-only top or bottom outside of work). Who I feel I really am really is in conflict with the person I feel I'm supposed to be at work. Maybe a sign I need to get a different job?
I go tango dancing at least once a week. Excepting the cocktail dress, I don't have anything nice enough to wear to milongas.
I have a couple layering pieces like cardigans but haven't listed them.
This doesn't include my whole sleepwear wardrobe I'm making - I have two cami-and-tap-pant sets, a silk nightgown and peignoir set and a cotton Japanese-inspired PJ and robe set in the pipeline.
I'll have V8870 done sometime over the weekend (it's super easy; I'm at the attach-the-straps and make-the-bodice phase), and then I can hem those jeans and cut out my linen pants.
Now I've been really fascinated with clearing out my closet and building a wardrobe that actually works for me. It's like waking up one day, looking in the closet, and saying, "Wow. None of this is really working for me. Except for my prized Burberry trench (which I purchased with a bonus one year). That can stay."
Somewhere in all of my online wanderings I stumbled across the idea of a 10-piece wardrobe, or a French-inspired wardrobe. Having a few items that are really awesome in quality sounds really nice! When I moved to Dallas a two years ago, I had to pack up most of my stuff and only bring what clothes I needed for work. I was wearing all my best stuff at my new job for the month I had to wait to move into my new apartment and have my household goods delivered. It never really clicked that I could update my whole outlook on clothes by continuing to live that way.
I feel like the 'rules' on most 10-piece wardrobe websites are a bit fuzzy. . .I mean, if 'basics' like t-shirts don't count, then theoretically I could have 100 t-shirts that I rarely wear! It defeats the purpose of having a small wardrobe. I get that one might want to keep three of the same basic black t-shirt or tank top around, since one wouldn't want to do laundry every night.
Also, some people count outerwear like jackets and others don't. I kind of like the Project 333 idea because it seems more realistic as to the exact number of pieces one actually has in the closet.
I guess the point is that I want to develop/curate a small wardrobe of nice clothes that I wear all the time. I probably could extend this to patterns (so many evening dresses I'll never make!) and my fabric stash!
I'm not French by any means, but I'd certainly like to be considered stylish and chic. So I think until I have completed building my wardrobe, every time payday gets here I'm going to buy one item I don't have (or the materials for it) that is on the list. I'm no where near a good enough seamstress to sew all of my own clothes, but there is quite a lot that I think I could make.
My work is a bit more conservative and formal that I would prefer to dress, so I might break off a subset of these clothes as a "work capsule" since I don't really wear my work clothes outside of work.
I tend to look best in neutrals like white, black, and navy, so I don't think I'll have many tans or browns in here. I also look great in reds and vibrant blues so I think those will be my accent colors, although I've had great success with some shades of purple and green.
Here is a first draft. Obviously if you do this exercise at home your list would be different. I list the brands of some of my clothes to help me keep in mind where I got what.
Outerwear
1. Trench Coat - have, Burberry trench
2. Leather Jacket - have, Wilson's leather
3. Jean Jacket - need to replace, Levi's trucker jacket
4. Black Blazer - have
5. Chanel-inspired jacket - need to get materials, will most likely make Vogue 8804
Bottoms
6. Black Dress Pants - have, Banana Republic Martin Fit Lightweight Wool Trousers
7. Jeans hemmed for flats - have, need to hem
8. Jeans hemmed for heels - have, probably need to hem a bit
9. White Linen Pants - have materials and pattern (Burda 2012-04-121), need to make
10. Dark Grey Skirt for work - have, Ann Taylor
11. Navy Pencil Skirt for work - have, Ann Taylor
12. Black Skirt for work - need to replace, will probably make McCall's 4783
13. Denim Skirt - have
14. Chanel-inspired skirt to match jacket - need to get materials, pick a pattern. Most likely McCall's 3830, McCall's 5523, or McCall's 3341
Tops
15. White Button Down - have, Brooks Brothers (I also have the same shirt in a light blue and lavender)
16. White Silk Blouse - don't have, need to pick pattern
17. Silk Chiffon Blouse - have materials and pattern (Vogue 2850), need to make
18. Basic T-Shirt - have, Banana Republic Timeless V-Neck in black and white
19. Basic Tank Top - have, Banana Republic Timeless Tank in black and white
20. Breton Top - don't have, would like to get a St. James one in white and navy
21. Sweater - have materials and pattern (McCall's 6796), need to make
22. Bow-Tie Blouse - have materials (except buttons) and pattern (Style Arc Tiffany)
23. Polo Shirt - have, muted purple Ralph Lauren polo
24. Raglan Top - don't have, need to get materials for Burda 02-2013-127
Dresses
25. DVF-inspired wrap dress - have, will need to replace soon with another Vogue 8379
26. Kate Middleton ISSA knockoff - don't have, need materials to Frankenpattern Vogue 8921 and McCall's 5752 (which I don't have but will probably draft the tie)
27. LBD sheath dress for work - don't have, most likely will get J. Crew's Emmaleigh in Super 120s
28. Cocktail Dress - have, Burda 04-2012-128.
29. Denim Shirtdress - have materials and pattern (McCall's 5847), need to make
30. Maxi Sundress - making now, Vogue 8870 (trendy item, most likely won't last a year and I'll replace it with another sundress)
Some immediate thoughts:
I like dresses. A lot. I have a few other dresses in my head that I'd either like to make or already in my current wardrobe. I have three or four other dresses that I could have listed but didn't.
I haven't listed very many tops - most online sources give a 2:1 ratio of tops to bottoms. I have a handful of t-shirts that I like to wear and some other random tops that are work-only tops. This makes me think I need to separate my work clothes from my "me" clothes (I'll never wear a work-only top or bottom outside of work). Who I feel I really am really is in conflict with the person I feel I'm supposed to be at work. Maybe a sign I need to get a different job?
I go tango dancing at least once a week. Excepting the cocktail dress, I don't have anything nice enough to wear to milongas.
I have a couple layering pieces like cardigans but haven't listed them.
This doesn't include my whole sleepwear wardrobe I'm making - I have two cami-and-tap-pant sets, a silk nightgown and peignoir set and a cotton Japanese-inspired PJ and robe set in the pipeline.
I'll have V8870 done sometime over the weekend (it's super easy; I'm at the attach-the-straps and make-the-bodice phase), and then I can hem those jeans and cut out my linen pants.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Capsule Makeup Kit
I know this is a sewing blog but I really wanted to blog about this and don't really have a better outlet.
I've been playing around a lot with makeup lately, and have really been inspired by this "capsule" or "portable makeup kit" makeup idea. I've been getting back into makeup (when I was in college I must have had half a Clinique counter in my makeup kit) and it's really intimidating! There are lots of new products out now, and new techniques on how things are done. Like concealer. I had no idea that under-eye concealer was a thing, only for spots and discoloration. I really don't remember all of these light-reflecting concealers being around 10 years ago. C'est la vie.
I usually don't wear a lot of makeup (maybe some lipstick on an everyday basis), and have been looking for an easy way to incorporate wearing makeup to work and such. My time is valuable; I don't want to be spending 30 minutes putting on makeup when I can spend that sleeping in!
The basic concept is to have on hand a small kit that includes everything you need to put together a full makeup look; this keeps you from having to lug all your makeup around with you wherever you go.
Bobbi Brown advocates having such a kit, although this article on her website is the closest thing I've found that hints at it. She discusses it a lot more in her books; here's the Google Books link to one of her book previews that has some info.
Lisa Eldridge is a makeup artist and beauty blogger that I recently found, and I think she's incredible. She has some great tutorial videos and recommends everything from drugstore makeup to high-end stuff. The video that inspired me to put this kit together is this one. One point she made in her blog (or in the video somewhere - I forget) is that she usually starts with a tinted moisturizer and then makes herself up over the day. The idea that you don't have to start out completely made up really opened my eyes that this might be something that really works for me.
I also found this really nifty blog post about putting together a makeup kit for carry-on. Some of the stuff doesn't really apply for the kit I'm putting together (I'm bringing in full-size makeup containers), but some of the other ideas are pretty useful, like the makeup tools and dual-use products.
This is the kit I'm putting together to keep at the office, although I plan to take at least the brushes home weekly to clean them. I'm splurging a lot here, but this can definitely be adapted with drugstore-level makeup.
Something to Hold Stuff In: Everything starts with a cute bag. I like this one from LeSportSac, although any small cosmetics bag or quart-size Ziploc bag will do. Something that's not too big or small, that can fit everything but not something you'll be tempted to throw the proverbial sink into.
Tools: I have a good set of brushes at home, but I don't want to be carrying them everywhere. So a good touch-up set of brushes is essential. I bought Japonesque's touch-up kit off of Amazon, but Sephora and Ulta carry a few sets that would work also; some even come with their own cosmetics bag, so you might not even need the bag above! I'll probably add a retractable blush/powder brush eventually. I also picked up a travel eyelash curler. I'll throw in a pencil sharpener for good measure.
Foundation: This doesn't actually have to be foundation; it can be a tinted moisturizer or BB cream. Right now I plan to stock my kit with the Two Faced Tinted BB Cream I already have, but I haven't been impressed with the product and will probably try something else when it runs out. If you don't stock this with a multi-purpose product you'll probably want to keep a small container of moisturizer/primer and sunscreen in your bag also.
Concealer: This stuff is really new to me. I picked up a Clinique Airbrush Concealer for under my eyes and the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage (although if you get the Undercover Pot it includes powder). Both of these are recommended by Lisa; I can't say I've tried either of them yet but I'm hopeful. I haven't been impressed with Bobbi Brown's concealers, even when applied by her makeup artists.
Powder: I don't find it necessary to set all of the tinted moisturizer I put on, but it's nice to powder my nose and forehead. I picked up this one, although something like Revlon PhotoReady should be OK.
Blush: I've never been much of a blush girl, so I'm just taking along a Bobbi Brown blush that I already have in a work-friendly color (Tawny).
Lips: My lips get pretty dry at work, so I'm always trying to keep them moist. I'll probably use a lipstick I already have in a strong work-friendly color (Plum Rose), and I'm trying out the nude lip look with a lip pencil and gloss.
Eyes: The idea here is to have a small palette of shadows that work well if you also want to fill your brows in. I have pretty full brows and never really played with brow liners, but there are tons and tons of brow kits out there that have include some tools as well as a couple colors that could be used as shadow or liner. I'm using a quad from Chanel (Dunes) that I bought when I took on my new job and it's fallen out of use. I also picked up an eyeliner pencil and mascara.
Other Miscellaneous Stuff: A travel packet of makeup remover wipes, hand cream, ibuprofen, tooth brush and travel-sized toothpaste.
What do you think? Have you put together something like this, and what products are your staples?
I've been playing around a lot with makeup lately, and have really been inspired by this "capsule" or "portable makeup kit" makeup idea. I've been getting back into makeup (when I was in college I must have had half a Clinique counter in my makeup kit) and it's really intimidating! There are lots of new products out now, and new techniques on how things are done. Like concealer. I had no idea that under-eye concealer was a thing, only for spots and discoloration. I really don't remember all of these light-reflecting concealers being around 10 years ago. C'est la vie.
I usually don't wear a lot of makeup (maybe some lipstick on an everyday basis), and have been looking for an easy way to incorporate wearing makeup to work and such. My time is valuable; I don't want to be spending 30 minutes putting on makeup when I can spend that sleeping in!
The basic concept is to have on hand a small kit that includes everything you need to put together a full makeup look; this keeps you from having to lug all your makeup around with you wherever you go.
Bobbi Brown advocates having such a kit, although this article on her website is the closest thing I've found that hints at it. She discusses it a lot more in her books; here's the Google Books link to one of her book previews that has some info.
Lisa Eldridge is a makeup artist and beauty blogger that I recently found, and I think she's incredible. She has some great tutorial videos and recommends everything from drugstore makeup to high-end stuff. The video that inspired me to put this kit together is this one. One point she made in her blog (or in the video somewhere - I forget) is that she usually starts with a tinted moisturizer and then makes herself up over the day. The idea that you don't have to start out completely made up really opened my eyes that this might be something that really works for me.
I also found this really nifty blog post about putting together a makeup kit for carry-on. Some of the stuff doesn't really apply for the kit I'm putting together (I'm bringing in full-size makeup containers), but some of the other ideas are pretty useful, like the makeup tools and dual-use products.
This is the kit I'm putting together to keep at the office, although I plan to take at least the brushes home weekly to clean them. I'm splurging a lot here, but this can definitely be adapted with drugstore-level makeup.
Something to Hold Stuff In: Everything starts with a cute bag. I like this one from LeSportSac, although any small cosmetics bag or quart-size Ziploc bag will do. Something that's not too big or small, that can fit everything but not something you'll be tempted to throw the proverbial sink into.
Tools: I have a good set of brushes at home, but I don't want to be carrying them everywhere. So a good touch-up set of brushes is essential. I bought Japonesque's touch-up kit off of Amazon, but Sephora and Ulta carry a few sets that would work also; some even come with their own cosmetics bag, so you might not even need the bag above! I'll probably add a retractable blush/powder brush eventually. I also picked up a travel eyelash curler. I'll throw in a pencil sharpener for good measure.
Foundation: This doesn't actually have to be foundation; it can be a tinted moisturizer or BB cream. Right now I plan to stock my kit with the Two Faced Tinted BB Cream I already have, but I haven't been impressed with the product and will probably try something else when it runs out. If you don't stock this with a multi-purpose product you'll probably want to keep a small container of moisturizer/primer and sunscreen in your bag also.
Concealer: This stuff is really new to me. I picked up a Clinique Airbrush Concealer for under my eyes and the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage (although if you get the Undercover Pot it includes powder). Both of these are recommended by Lisa; I can't say I've tried either of them yet but I'm hopeful. I haven't been impressed with Bobbi Brown's concealers, even when applied by her makeup artists.
Powder: I don't find it necessary to set all of the tinted moisturizer I put on, but it's nice to powder my nose and forehead. I picked up this one, although something like Revlon PhotoReady should be OK.
Blush: I've never been much of a blush girl, so I'm just taking along a Bobbi Brown blush that I already have in a work-friendly color (Tawny).
Lips: My lips get pretty dry at work, so I'm always trying to keep them moist. I'll probably use a lipstick I already have in a strong work-friendly color (Plum Rose), and I'm trying out the nude lip look with a lip pencil and gloss.
Eyes: The idea here is to have a small palette of shadows that work well if you also want to fill your brows in. I have pretty full brows and never really played with brow liners, but there are tons and tons of brow kits out there that have include some tools as well as a couple colors that could be used as shadow or liner. I'm using a quad from Chanel (Dunes) that I bought when I took on my new job and it's fallen out of use. I also picked up an eyeliner pencil and mascara.
Other Miscellaneous Stuff: A travel packet of makeup remover wipes, hand cream, ibuprofen, tooth brush and travel-sized toothpaste.
What do you think? Have you put together something like this, and what products are your staples?
Pattern Review - Kwik Sew 2257
After a long hiatus, I'm back! I'm not sure if this is a permanent return to blogging or if I'll drop off the face of the internet once more.
I made these (photo pending) for my fiance, which he loves quite a bit. He says they're very comfy.
I used a Texas A&M licensed cotton quilting fabric (I believe it was around $9.95/yard), and probably bought 2 1/2 or 3 yards. Elastic was probably $3 at JoAnn, as well as a big spool of matching thread. So even though it wasn't the cheapest gift to make, it probably was a lot cheaper than pajama pants from the Texas A&M bookstore!
I took off about 2 inches on the waistline and 3 inches on the bottom. He didn't want a fly, so I folded the fly part of the pattern over when I cut it out.
I'm not sure the elastic installation was the easiest, but it does look nice and it won't twist in the washer, both good things.
I'll definitely make these again for him; hopefully they turn out even better!
I made these (photo pending) for my fiance, which he loves quite a bit. He says they're very comfy.
I used a Texas A&M licensed cotton quilting fabric (I believe it was around $9.95/yard), and probably bought 2 1/2 or 3 yards. Elastic was probably $3 at JoAnn, as well as a big spool of matching thread. So even though it wasn't the cheapest gift to make, it probably was a lot cheaper than pajama pants from the Texas A&M bookstore!
I took off about 2 inches on the waistline and 3 inches on the bottom. He didn't want a fly, so I folded the fly part of the pattern over when I cut it out.
I'm not sure the elastic installation was the easiest, but it does look nice and it won't twist in the washer, both good things.
I'll definitely make these again for him; hopefully they turn out even better!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Tim Gunn's Basic Dress - Completed!
This still needs to be hemmed, but I've been toying with not hemming it (so lazy!).
Friday, February 25, 2011
Cost Breakdown - All Occasion Top
I decided to track a cost breakdown for each item, it might help someone else out (and help me realize how much I'm saving or not-saving in doing this project!).
Fabric - 2 yards of Floral Mesh from Gorgeous Fabrics, $16.00
Thread - Gutterman Sew-All Thread, I don't remember if I got it on sale or not, $1.99 full-price
Elastic - Dritz 3/8" Clear Elastic, I also don't remember if I got it on sale, $2.29 full-price
Total: $20.28, minus shipping and taxes. Not bad!
Fabric - 2 yards of Floral Mesh from Gorgeous Fabrics, $16.00
Thread - Gutterman Sew-All Thread, I don't remember if I got it on sale or not, $1.99 full-price
Elastic - Dritz 3/8" Clear Elastic, I also don't remember if I got it on sale, $2.29 full-price
Total: $20.28, minus shipping and taxes. Not bad!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tim Gunn's Any Occasion Top - Completed!
I'm only sort of happy with the way this one turned out. Maybe later I will update this with a different pattern or material. I used a mesh from Gorgeous Fabrics, and used Ann's Mesh Tutorial to make the top. It's very soft and comfy, and I really like the print. However, the seams get very bulky very quickly.
I used clear elastic in the shoulder seams, front band, and arm scyes. The elasticated seams turned out very stiff; I hope that it softens after I wash it. I also sewed the sleeves in flat.
I made my 3" swayback correction in the back, but I think the next time I make the pattern up I'll use a different method that won't warp the shape of the piece so much.
The pattern itself is very nice. The seams line up nicely and everything comes together very quickly. You can check out the full pattern review here.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Vogue 8382 Completed!
Well, almost completed. The photos are pre-hem, and I also need to finish up some things on the inside (end of zipper, raw edges on pleats).
I think it fits great, although when I make this pattern up next time I will take a little bit out of the center back. When I made the swayback alteration it looks like there's a third pleat in there. It also looks like I don't need to add back the entire 3 inches on the bottom that I took out at the waist.
The pieces on this fit really well together, even with my alterations. I also don't think the slit in front is too low, although we'll see what the boyfriend has to say about it when he gets back.
I was really happy with the invisible zipper job that I did on this; the bodice/skirt seams line up perfectly! While a few of my other seams don't line up as well, I'm really proud of the invisible zipper I did on this dress.
The pieces on this fit really well together, even with my alterations. I also don't think the slit in front is too low, although we'll see what the boyfriend has to say about it when he gets back.
I was really happy with the invisible zipper job that I did on this; the bodice/skirt seams line up perfectly! While a few of my other seams don't line up as well, I'm really proud of the invisible zipper I did on this dress.
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