GAP dress and jacket | Target Wedges and crossbody similar | HM belt
Primary colors are my fave
ever, so it's always easy for me to pull together something patriotic. I'm especially in love with this
jersey knit dress from Gap. It's super lightweight and swishy. Bonus.
Happy, happy Fourth of July and lots of thanks and appreciation to the men and women who serve our country!
relaxing in the front yard sitting in my newly built Adirondack chair
listening to the giggles of my little kiddos
reading The Hobbit because it's been 22 years since I read it for the first time
sleeping in late every morning
hating my lack of focus
wondering why summer has to go by so quickly
sewing lots of home decor pieces like drapes and bench cushions
eating fresh blueberries with flax seed and yogurt from Orange Leaf
watching season 4 of Downton Abbey and loving the pig scene
wearing lots of maxi skirts because 1) they're breezy and 2) they hide so much
You know
that time I said I'm always afraid of putting together a July 4th outfit that literally looks like an American flag? Yep. I went there. And the surprising thing is, it's not so bad. Not sure why I didn't go for it before. Just don't expect me to look like a Christmas tree. Not doin' it.
Then again...my gramma always did
say 'Never say never'. HA. Happy 4th of July!
A well-appointed bodice overlay onto a strapless dress creates a look so stunning and unexpected it speaks for itself. Clean-cut, but not too boring. Understated, but more sophisticated. (Admit it: sometimes a cardigan over a dress is just too easy!)
Chic Girl's Tip | Texture and pattern can make or break a project. Using a cream knit fabric would have been serviceable but less interesting. A fancy, bridal lace would have clashed with the playful vibe of the dress. This woven lace is tone-on-tone with the cream in the dress while the diamond shapes imitate the chevron color pattern. A perfect match.
What You Need
--Strapless Dress
--1 yard fabric (same for lining if needed)
--7 inch zipper
--Blouse to use as pattern
1. Trace a blouse and sleeves in one piece to create the blouse overlay. Make sure to leave an extra inch in the center of back seam when cutting the back pieces to accommodate a zipper.
2. Machine stitch blouse front and back together at shoulder seams. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for lining, if necessary. Insert zipper into back center seam, placing zipper 1/4 inch below raw of neckline.
3. Pin blouse overlay one inch over top edge of dress on front and back.
4. Topstitch blouse to garment, tucking zipper tail to inside. (If you're using a lining, stitch the lining to the dress before this step.)
5. Angle sleeve portion of blouse down slightly so front and back ends meet 2-3 inches below top of dress. Topstich in place.
6. Trim excess zipper tail on inside to prevent bunching on outside.
7. Turn raw edge of neckline to inside 1/4 inch. Press and topstitch to finish.
8. DONE.
LOFT skirt and zebra tee | Kohl's So sandals | AE watch | H/M shades
Thanks to the sudden heat wave over Indiana, I'm currently in a heat-induced survival mode, and unfortunately, my appearance shows it. What's a curly girl do in such crazy humid temperatures but twist the hair up, wear 100% cotton
everything and hope she comes out on the other side NOT looking like a wilted flower?
I've discovered I can have it all with this outfit--fabric that's sure to breath with a print tee that's as chic as it is fun. And such an outfit is, to put it bluntly, wildly awesome. HA.
Kristina J. Copyright 2014
