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Gardening in High Heels

cultivate a beautiful life

November 17, 2016

On A Shoestring: Party Down with an Up-cycle

November 17, 2016

In case you haven’t heard, the holidays are nearing, so Amy and I have dedicated this On A Shoestring to party fashion. Except we’re throwing in the always headache producing fun task of altering clothing that doesn’t quite work. I mean, a lot of times, you’ll find something that’s cute but not quite your style or fit, but you buy it anyway because it’s cheap. Come on, it can’t be just me.

Y’all, this up-cycle was a challenge. I deviated from the “doesn’t quite fit” route to the “doesn’t quite look fresh anymore” route. I wanted to re-purpose a shirt that I have with a stain on it into something I could wear again. Kinda like this.

I was hoping I somehow, possibly through osmosis or genetics, would be able to nail it on the first try. I mean, I only had one shirt and one piece of fabric, so it was more than the first try, it was the only try.

Sadly, if my mom passed along any sewing genes, today wasn’t the day they decided to grace me with their presence. I’mma brag for a sec: my mom is a mad-genius crafter. She sews, quilts (by hand and machine), knits (garments! Stuff you can wear!!), cross-stitches, makes freakin’ lace by hand, and just knows all the craft things. Me? Well, I can spray paint….

My original plan was to remove where the yoke would be on this shirt where the stain appears and replace it with a fun fabric panel. I’m downplaying my skills a little. I can sew and I do own a sewing machine. But when I got to the “sew it on and hack the shirt up” stage, I froze. I didn’t think ahead to just how to do this. I sewed the hem to the patterned fabric. I stabbed myself one too many times with straight pins. And I didn’t thread my sewing machine properly so the top thread had too much tension on it and snapped.

Attempted to up-cycle this shirt and replace the back "yoke" area of this shirt with floral fabric

Attempted to up-cycle this shirt and replace the back "yoke" area of this shirt with floral fabric

At this point, I took it as a sign that it wasn’t meant to be. Too much work for a shirt that has been laying in the laundry room for over a year.

On to Plan B.

I had this dress in the donate pile because I’m not a ruffle person. It’s a cute dress, but I feel like I’m wearing a crumb catcher when ruffles get involved so close to my face. So I thought, “If I were going to a party and I had nothing to wear, but I had scissors and could accessorize, this is what I’d do.”

Up-cycling an old dress with ruffles into something to wear to a holiday party. Making it more modern!

I cut the ruffles off. Both rows of ruffles.

Up-cycling an old dress with ruffles into something to wear to a holiday party. Making it more modern!
Of course, I also added accessories because those are any cheap girl’s best friend, and tada, made this polka dot dress more modern and more me. Like last month’s On A Shoestring, tights make this outfit more than it really is. I’m intentionally mixing patterns – polka dots and plaid – but it works because the colors are in the same family and the prints are varied sizes. Then, I added a belt to coordinate with the tights and bring it all home.

I also LOVE this necklace, so on it goes to add more sparkle, which is a must for a fancy occasion.

dress-after-door

Up-cycling an old dress with ruffles into something to wear to a holiday party. Making it more modern!
Details on this outfit:

Dress: Hue
Belt: Purchased at Ragged Row years ago, label has since rubbed off
Tights: Xhileration at Target
Booties: dv dolce vita at Target
Necklace: Chloe & Isabel
Lack of me in pictures: weird sinus-y headache/cold thing

You’ve gotta see what Amy over at Amy and Angie did. Again, being so clever with this dress-to-skirt thing!

What would you up-cycle from your closet for a party?

I’m collaborating with Amy over at Amy and Angie on a series of posts to re-imagine how we dress, decorate, dine, and more all on a shoestring budget. We’re on a mission to show you that it doesn’t take a Rockefeller-sized closet (or house) and budget to have a good life!

Up-cycling and refashioning an old dress into something you'd wear. Sometimes you just need to take some scissors to it!

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1 Comment · Labels: On A Shoestring, Outfits Tagged: holiday, holiday outfit, ootd, party, party outfit

October 20, 2016

On A Shoestring: Transition Summer Clothes

October 20, 2016

Okay, I don’t know about y’all, but I don’t really dress seasonally appropriate. I don’t put summer clothes in storage and bring out the winter stuff. I like to have it all at my fingertips (sometimes to the detriment of my schedule in the morning), but sometimes that leaves me looking really not right for the season. And cold. I’m a person who likes to be warm. Oh, and save my money.

Enter a new series: On a Shoestring. I’m collaborating with Amy over at Amy and Angie on a series of posts to re-imagine fashion, food, decor (sorry, there’s no f-word for that) and more all on a shoestring budget. It doesn’t take a Rockefeller-sized closet (or house) and budget to look good.

It's so easy to take your summer outfits and make them fall-ready and fabulous, even on a budget!

Today’s mission: transition summer clothes. I love my summer dresses, but they don’t always scream autumn. And I’m like, I paid for it, I’mma wear it as much as I can! Gotta keep that cost-per-wear low.

I took this adorable summer dress (from Rosewood Boutique in Sewickley – they’re currently having a going-out-of-business-25%-off sale) and added three really budget friendly elements to make it jewel toned and weather-friendly.

Take any summer dress and easily transition it to a fall-ready outfit.

It already started out with a fall color, navy, so the transformation process was pretty simple.

First thing’s first: add in structure, especially with a flow-y dress like this. Nothing screams structure more than a good leather jacket (yeah, yeah, yeah, leather jackets aren’t cheap, but find one that fits within your budget and buy it. Take care of your clothes and it’s great investment.)

After the leather comes some tights. Stay warm, right? I buy most of my tights on clearance at Target. They have amazing patterned tights and beauties like the ruby-hued ones I’m rocking.

Finally, a dark vampy lip. Hell, even a berry lip will do.

Transition Your Cloest To Fall -- add leather! Love this jacket!

Transition Your Cloest To Fall -- add tights

Transition Your Cloest To Fall -- add tights

Transition Your Cloest To Fall--add dark lipstick.

You absolutely have to check out how Amy refashioned a white lace dress into a cute skirt and totally nailed a cozy fall look. For $3. Three stinkin’ dollars! Killin’ it.

Here’s the details on what I’m wearing. Everything was already in my closet. I just had to mix it together.

Dress: ETWO (from Rosewood Boutique)

Jacket: BB Dakota (from No. 14 Boutique – see it here another way)

Tights: Merona, Target

Booties: Old Navy

Lips: Notion, Ultra Matte Lip from ColourPop Cosmetics

Transition Your Cloest To Fall-Three Easy and Budget Friendly Steps

How do you transition your summer clothes?

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2 Comments · Labels: On A Shoestring, Outfits Tagged: fall essentials, fall fashion, fall outfit, leather jacket, no 14 boutique, old navy, ootd, rosewood, target

May 28, 2016

Wear to Where: Summer Party

May 28, 2016

We’ve made it to the last day of Wear to Where! It’s appropriate to that outfits we’re styling and sewing today are party clothes. We also figured that since it’s Memorial Day weekend and it’s the unofficial start of summer, we’d show off the best picnic and summer party outfits.

Courtney, Cat, Kimi, and Erin all look wonderfully festival and summer party ready.

Wear to Where: What you can make to wear to a summer party that'll have to looking hot but saying cool!

Today is the last day of Wear to Where: Spring Edition. Catch up with everyone on the tour this for more outfit inspiration!


BEANIE AND TALBOT
| CALL AJAIRE | COTTON CASHMERE CAT HAIR
CREATIVE COUNSELOR | GARDENING IN HIGH HEELS
GLITZ A BEAUTIFUL LIFE | GRACIOUS THREADS | HATTIELU HANDMADE
HAYES DAYS | LIBRARIAN FOR LIFE + STYLE | MARY MARTHA MAMA
MUSINGS OF A SEAMSTRESS | NICOLINA.CO | PAISLEY ROOTS
SPROUTING JUBEJUBE | TEAL AND POLKA DOTS
THE WHOLESOME MAMA | WALLY AND GRACE
WILD + WANDERFUL | WINNING WIFE

What would you wear to a summer party?

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Leave a Comment · Labels: Outfits Tagged: ootd, outfit inspiration, spring outfits, summer outfits, summer parties, wear to where

May 27, 2016

Wear to Where: Sports!

May 27, 2016

Today’s Wear to Where is showing off your best sports attire. Summer is the time for baseball and the most important part of baseball is tailgating in the parking lot before the game.

My sporting attire consists of a shirt that has 412 splashed across it (as modeled so awkwardly here) so I’d have to say that these lovely ladies are much more imaginative and stylish than I am when representing their favorite team. Check out Jessica, Ronda, Kat, and Nicole root for the home team.

Summer is the time for baseball and hanging out in parking lots shotgunning beer beforehand. Today's Wear to Where shows off the best sports attire.

Tomorrow is the last day of Wear to Where: Spring Edition. Catch up with everyone on the tour for more outfit inspiration!


BEANIE AND TALBOT
| CALL AJAIRE | COTTON CASHMERE CAT HAIR
CREATIVE COUNSELOR | GARDENING IN HIGH HEELS
GLITZ A BEAUTIFUL LIFE | GRACIOUS THREADS | HATTIELU HANDMADE
HAYES DAYS | LIBRARIAN FOR LIFE + STYLE | MARY MARTHA MAMA
MUSINGS OF A SEAMSTRESS | NICOLINA.CO | PAISLEY ROOTS
SPROUTING JUBEJUBE | TEAL AND POLKA DOTS
THE WHOLESOME MAMA | WALLY AND GRACE
WILD + WANDERFUL | WINNING WIFE

What would you wear to tailgate?

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Leave a Comment · Labels: Outfits Tagged: ootd, outfit inspiration, sports, spring outsfits, summer outfits, tailgate, wear to where

May 26, 2016

Wear to Where: Summer Wedding

May 26, 2016

Today’s Wear to Where is something that’s either you love or hate: a wedding. You’re either thrilled to share in the love of two people or you’re bitter as hell because you’re always invited but never the one throwing the party.

Too cynical? Moving on..

Today’s fashionably dressed wedding guests are Katy, Amy, and Meghan. I’m all about the lace overlays and Meghan’s pop of pink shoes!

Wear to Where: What to wear to a summer wedding to look fantastic and stay cool and comfortable.

Check them out and be sure to follow us along for the rest of the week for more outfit inspiration!


BEANIE AND TALBOT
| CALL AJAIRE | COTTON CASHMERE CAT HAIR
CREATIVE COUNSELOR | GARDENING IN HIGH HEELS
GLITZ A BEAUTIFUL LIFE | GRACIOUS THREADS | HATTIELU HANDMADE
HAYES DAYS | LIBRARIAN FOR LIFE + STYLE | MARY MARTHA MAMA
MUSINGS OF A SEAMSTRESS | NICOLINA.CO | PAISLEY ROOTS
SPROUTING JUBEJUBE | TEAL AND POLKA DOTS
THE WHOLESOME MAMA | WALLY AND GRACE
WILD + WANDERFUL | WINNING WIFE

What would you wear to a summer wedding?

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2 Comments · Labels: Outfits Tagged: ootd, outfit inspiration, spring outfits, summer outfits, wear to where, wedding outfit

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Who’s Angelica?

Life Un-styled Blogger, Gardener, Shoe Lover..among other things

I'm here to encourage and empower you to grow where you're planted and embrace the weeds that sometimes pop up. I'll share inspiration, products I like (and you may too), and stories from the garden.

Gardening In High Heels is for badass babes who aren’t afraid to get a little messy. Want to learn more? Start here.
           

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