all we are is stars

lucius and his first mustache finger : tara mcpherson

for my second pleated skirt attempt, i combined it with another diy project i've had on my "to do" list since last summer - making some sort of space garment. originally, i was planning on making a galaxy t-shirt dress but then decided it might be more fun to make some custom fabric instead. i used this "going to space" tutorial from unicorn parade almost to the letter except i didn't have any spare brushes on hand (besides tooth brushes for splattering) so i stuck to medicine droppers for applying the bleach & dye and used my gocco to screen print the stars instead of hand painting them. 

since my last skirt ended up so stiff & sculptural and was a polyester blend (and, polyester interferes with the bleaching process,) i went with a much thinner bottom weight this time made from 97% cotton/3% spandex. i cut the front and back fabric pieces out before bleaching & dying and ended up going through the entire process a few times until i was fairly happy with how it looked, and then screen printed the stars. i used strips of the untouched, crisp black fabric to make an extra-thick waistband (6cm wide instead of 4cm) and finished the hem off with black bias tape to pull it all together.

i'm really happy with how the skirt came out, especially since this was my first attempt at bleaching & dying fabric (i've never even tie-dyed.) it would have helped to have a few hubble pics of nebulae on hand for reference on the larger shapes but i didn't think about doing this until the very end. one thing is discovered is that bias tape is pretty much my new favorite thing EVER as straight & decent-looking hems continue to pose a major challenge for this beginner seamstress. overall, i'm completely smitten this skirt & the adorable little stars - it's incredibly lightweight but still stiff enough to keep its sweet silhouette and i love the polished look of the bias tape!

xoxo

☆ c. emilia ☆

*outfit details: vintage lace half shirt/wedding dress top // pleated skirt pattern - diy couture // black lita - jeffrey campbell // rings - forever 21, ebay 

inspiration - mich dulce hats

images: via mich dulce

although i'm in love with mich dulce's spring/summer 2012 hat collection, i can't help but feel even more inspired by her collection from last year. the colors, the mix of vintage & modern and the playful yet sophisticated designs - these hats capture the essence of my dream spring 2012 wardrobe: neutral creams & grays with pops of yellow, muted pink and cerulean blue.

i've always been a huge fan of hats but never seem to wear them as much as i'd like. most vintage hats really make it tough to make an outfit look modern - i tend to save them for special occasions to pair w/ a party dress, with the exception of my bowler hat. i've played around with making paper hats before and will be experimenting more with those in the spring but what i'd really like to do is make an investment in a mich dulce hat (or similar.) there are several incredibly talented milliners on etsy that i also have my eye on but i really am in love with mich's quirky creations!! 

as far as fashion resolution go, i'm going to try and cram in all those unused hat days from the past into a spring season chock full of fancy & fun head accessories. what sort of fashion resolutions are you making this year?

xoxo

☆ c. emilia ☆