Firecracker's Blog

WIW: sporty luxe

March 2, 2015

This weekend was the Sewing and Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, about an hour or so south of Seattle. I made my annual pilgrimage to the site of all things sewing, to soak up the inspiration (and buy some fabrics and patterns).
Here's what I wore one day to shop and see the pattern-makers' fashion shows and the other day to do a little more shopping and to attend a banquet of the American Sewing Guild, a group for home sewers. Lots of fun. I went sporty-luxe, with new snake-print sneakers! Hope it worked--what do you think?

The outfits:

1-3 (worn to Expo, for shopping and attending fashion shows): black skirted leggings (Eileen Fisher); layered gray, black, and ivory print knit asymmetrical tunics (made by me); black denim cropped moto jacket (Free People); black and white snake-print sneakers (Mephisto); mauve packable raincoat (Mycra-Pac); black and brown snake-print cross-body bag (Aimee Kestenberg).

4-5 (worn to Expo and ASG banquet): black harem pants (Eileen Fisher); gray, black, and white hatchy print tee (made by me) layered under black sequin cap-sleeve sweatshirt (made by me); sneakers as above (for shopping); black suede booties with gray cuff (Paul Green, Barbie) (worn for banquet); not pictured: same coat and bag as above.

Thanks for looking! As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

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Posted in the What I Wore category
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

15 Comments

  • CocoLion replied 9 years ago

    #5 -- I'm sure you wow-ed your colleagues in this outfit.  Fashion Week, front row!

    And the first outfit is super fun, really great details from the back too.

  • Ruth M replied 9 years ago

    #1 - This is great! I love how your footwear echoes your tunic (I wonder if you wisely picked your footwear first, and added cohesively from there).  I like how the hem of your tunic ends just slightly above the hem of the skirted leggings (fortuitous - or did you sew the tunic with that proportion in mind, I wonder). Love your perfectly-fitting moto and the zip detail on the back.

    #2 - Again, great choice of footwear for shopping, switched out to booties that are so perfect with those harem pants, completing your dressy, glamorous and totally original outfit for the banquet. So beautifully done!

  • Jaime replied 9 years ago

    Love your tunic in the first outfit and I can never resist a good harem pants look!

  • AM replied 9 years ago

    Love both of these. They really made me smile. And when I read "made by me"  -- well, it makes my head spin. So, so, so impressive.

    #1 - I love the different layers. The hem of the skirt is to die for. Love the toughness of the jacket with a flirty yet contemporary dress. And then the sporty vibe with leggings and shoe -- it just keeps my eye roaming and exploring every detail. So fun. So fresh.

    #2 - It's amazing the transformation of these outfits when swapping out the footwear. Love the contrasting textures and the harem pants. I'm a big fan of short sleeves over long sleeves but this takes it to a new level with glitz. So well done.

    And how do you take your pictures? I'm exploring new camera/equipment. And my DH just bought a remote (with cord) trigger button accessory. Thanks.

  • jackiec replied 9 years ago

    You nailed sport luxe!!! Comfy & chic. But wow that second outfit climbs to amazing with those booties :) :)

  • Angie replied 9 years ago

    WOW. 

    YOU NAILED IT. With extra flare. Soooo 2015. Killer all round. 

  • replied 9 years ago

    I  agree 100% with AM's observation: the way you use accessories and shapes and textures  "just keeps my eye roaming and exploring every detail." Did you say those are two tunics layered in pic #1? Wonderful use of the skirted leggings to showcase them. As Ruth M said, the hemlines work together like they were made for each other (in your case, that's not just an expression!). I especially like the A-line silhouette -- please show us more. #2 has great panache, especially with the boots. I can't get over how well you integrate your handmade items with store-bought finds. What is your usual starting point when you decide what to sew -- a great fabric, a pattern, a specific thing you'd like to add to your wardrobe? (Probably all three.) I was sure you were going to say the sequin tee was one item you hadn't made -- fooled again! 

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 9 years ago

    Thanks, all! I will come back later (after work) with a longer response and will answer your questions!

  • rachylou replied 9 years ago

    Wow, can't tell you how much I love these outfits, esp. the tunics, and I'm so feeling the colour palette.

  • replied 9 years ago

    Wow! Two absolutely wonderfully, luxe, arty, sporty outfits. Love the items made by you of course.

    Can I just say that I am *sew* jealous (pun intended) that you have a sewing guild for home sewers in America. The UK does not hold home sewers in very high esteem I'm afraid. We have an embroidery guild I think..that I know of. We do however have similar sewing exhibitions though. I bet you shopped up a storm!

  • catgirl replied 9 years ago

    These are both so amazingly creative!  I am in awe as usual. T he asymmetric tunic look Is particularly inspired.

  • frannieb replied 9 years ago

    Both these outfits are amazing. Wow, wow, wow !!!!!  Adoring the tunic in pic one.

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 9 years ago

    back to answer your questions. . .

    CocoLion--ha ha! It's fun to go to fashion shows where I actually know, or have met, the designers.

    Ruth, I got the sneakers recently, and this was their first outing. I definitely started with the sneakers in creating outfit 2. But also, when I go to Expo, I like to wear things that I've made from my favorite designers' patterns, so I can stop by their booths and show them what I've made. With outfit 1, I kind of wanted to show the tunics, and I thought they'd go nicely with my new sneaks.

    shevia, high five! I've got to say, these harem pants are a big favorite of mine.

    AM, thank you so much! I have a little Pentax camera, and I prop it on a railing to take my photos. I aim it at the door you see behind me, zoom a little bit, set the timer, press the button, and then go stand in front of the door. Then I crop and lighten the photos using Preview on my Mac.

    gauche, yes there are 2 layered tunics in the first outfit. One is sleeveless and the other has sleeves. They are made from the same pattern, but cut out so that the angles mirror each other. (It's the designers' idea, not mine.) Usually I start with a fabric or a pattern I like, and I would say less often from an idea of something I'd like to have in my wardrobe. That said, I won't pursue a fabric or pattern unless I can envision it as something I'd wear and would like to have in my wardrobe. I've gotten better about that!

    Diane, it's too bad you don't have a home-sewing guild. Funny thing is, I didn't even know ours existed, though, until I moved to Seattle.

    thank you, rachylou, Alaskagirl, and Frannieb!

  • Deborah replied 9 years ago

    Hitting it out of the ball park!  Love both outfits and and am wowed by the sneakers.  I think they work so incredibly well because of the tonal connection between them and your outfits.  Just brilliant!!

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 9 years ago

    Thanks, Deborah. I couldn't resist the reptile print on the sneakers. :)

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Welcome to my style blog. Dressing is something all of us do each day, but for me it is also a hobby. I like to find new ways to wear the clothes I have, make new clothes to add to my wardrobe (yes, sewing is another hobby!), shop for clothes, read and discuss fashion. Following You Look Fab has fueled my interest in taking outfit pictures to see where I've been and to get different perspectives on style. Thanks for joining me. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts.