Happy Wednesday!
Thanks everyone for bearing with me as I make a few changes to the blog, mostly the addition of new content. As always, though, it will always be relevant to anyone who wants to live the champagne life on a beer budget. Or Diet Coke, whichever you prefer!
I’ve mentioned previously that I am a poor newlywed college student and that comes with many demands, oddly enough, on my wardrobe! I’m expected to:
- dress “like a young professional” while I’m teaching my classes as a graduate student
- dress for my on-campus job
- dress casually while in class
- dress for performances {choir dress is ugly and uniform, other choir dress is our choice but black and formal}
- dress for other performances {something like “Sunday Best”} during the day time
- dress for recitals {ball gowns}
- dress for auditions and job interviews
- dress up to meet the inlaws
- dress up to go to church
- dress appropriately for professional rehearsals
- dress for dates with the Hubby!
- casual outfits
- dress for the gym or the pool
- dress for girls nights
Sure, sure. Some of these are unique to my major {I don’t think pre-meds or business majors need a closet full of ball-gowns} but many of these are real needs for college students and other young wives! And how am I supposed to accommodate all these demands on a newlywed’s budget? Especially since many college towns don’t have H&M or other places to buy cheap clothes, and the options drop to almost nil when you include the Tall & Curvy Factor! Dress pants are high-waters on me! Appropriate length skirts are NOT appropriate on this body! Nice blouses aren’t supposed to show the bottom of my belly button, right? And yes, I do buy my pants online, on-sale for $30 a piece. I own two pairs of black pants. Boring. And even when I order online there is no guarantee that they’ll be tall enough, wide enough in the hips, and are rarely quality products. Not worth it!
So what’s a girl to do?
Make her own clothes!
Admittedly, this outfit is a bit simplistic but it fulfills several roles. I wore it to work on Monday. I’ve paired it with a black cardigan and worn it as my “Black Dress” to performances. I’ve worn it to teach in. And the creation is so easy it’s almost criminal! In fact, you’ve seen something similar from me once before.
Sorry that the image is so bad. My husband took with my iPhone before I downloaded the Camera+ app that makes all iPhone pictures better.
All you have to do to make one for yourself is:
- Get a length of fabric that wraps 1 1/2 times around your body. $5 with coupon
- Fold it in half “hamburger-style.”
- Sew together the two cut edges.
- Cut a length of elastic to fit around your chest, just under your underarms. $0.75
- Sew that length into a loop or a circle.
- Sew it onto the “ugly” side of the fabric, 1 inch below the top of the dress, using the zig zag stitch.
- Flip it right-side-out.
- Wear it!
Normally I’ll have step-by-step pictures, but I made this dress 6 months ago.
For this outfit I’ve paired it with a red cardigan and a belt. Had I thought about it, I’d also be wearing a necklace, but sometimes when you’re running late to work you have to forgo the final touches.
Dress: $5.75 Homemade
Cardigan: $30 from Lane Bryant {one of my last retail-price purchases}
Belt: $5 from Eloquii’s going out of business sale
Outfit total: $40.75
Thanks for joining me today!