tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86611539089946367992024-03-05T20:20:54.903-08:00Breath of Fresh WearUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-57808830911280459632022-09-05T16:54:00.006-07:002022-09-05T16:54:48.963-07:00Rose Cafe Bustier + M7971<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NYC-JxcLi_Yg7o2cZ9UhlZumPILnUuAWtcup4EUyjU7cWei47Wn-iSMo1l9Nxs_qmYj9TXmHh-m044tPQVqBqNlhkKC51-3gil8hepSQCAbv-CR2T8WA3zM90h7nIgavZlPUl0Wa4mHKdn_3Iq_C3v2eI_mwrIGY86t9R_0O1AJRTMVVKL1Kw-sU/s2048/IMG_6060.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NYC-JxcLi_Yg7o2cZ9UhlZumPILnUuAWtcup4EUyjU7cWei47Wn-iSMo1l9Nxs_qmYj9TXmHh-m044tPQVqBqNlhkKC51-3gil8hepSQCAbv-CR2T8WA3zM90h7nIgavZlPUl0Wa4mHKdn_3Iq_C3v2eI_mwrIGY86t9R_0O1AJRTMVVKL1Kw-sU/w480-h640/IMG_6060.JPEG" width="480"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoes | Coclico</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> I finally made the very popular <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/928865664/updated-soft-cup-bustier-bodice-dress-eu" target="_blank">Rose Cafe Bustier</a> dress pattern in a gorgeous deadstock Amour Vert silk. A few months back I met up with a lady I know from the sewing internet and she took me to <a href="https://fabrixsanfrancisco.com/">Fabrix</a>, which mostly stocks deadstock/leftover/overstock fabrics, and which I definitely recommend if you are in SF. It is the type of place where you probably never know what you are going to find, but you'll probably always find something good. In this case, this 100% silk (which has an abstract animal print and is such a pretty rich berry color in person) was only $6.99 a yard! I bought 3 yards but wish I had bought a little more. I initially thought about turning it into a slip dress, but the slip dress pattern I have is cut on the bias, and this fabric isn't very wide, so I decided against that because I was worried that there was not enough extra fabric to recover from any mistakes. After seeing a few inspiration photos online, I landed on making a Reformation style dress (sample photo below) by using the RCB pattern for the bodice, mashed up with the <a href="https://somethingdelightful.com/mccalls/m7971" target="_blank">McCall's 7971</a> for the skirt. I also decided not to make a toile, to test the fit, and decided to just cut right into the silk.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsa_ZrDIJcQr8RuGyLTHWFmCwn9xijG4NWFYxSiSDSRoJ7L6fSTLVvoM6j0PH1JrY1p87GDd2vqwndC-7yqNUw6TblnT046YZ9lPrLt7WFKQlD02e1dhjH0Lrrw0tluaac8Ibp8fR8-PdURgCrYU4WK6i8zSyllQtjUjsMJvwZK439Mhq_KY6z8xIW/s1515/IMG_5980%20(2).JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1515" data-original-width="1169" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsa_ZrDIJcQr8RuGyLTHWFmCwn9xijG4NWFYxSiSDSRoJ7L6fSTLVvoM6j0PH1JrY1p87GDd2vqwndC-7yqNUw6TblnT046YZ9lPrLt7WFKQlD02e1dhjH0Lrrw0tluaac8Ibp8fR8-PdURgCrYU4WK6i8zSyllQtjUjsMJvwZK439Mhq_KY6z8xIW/w308-h400/IMG_5980%20(2).JPEG" width="308"></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span></span></span></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2022/09/rose-cafe-bustier-m7971.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-52454413698625397582022-09-01T20:28:00.003-07:002022-09-02T15:26:11.037-07:00Mexico City: Outfits & Shopping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEnQTgw8BxPcxeOFFeqHt9BOsaqtg4VOMRMWLxxRYhWqlxIYsGrqj7wJFJtQD6ZZiudI3lhfOHCrx1lQMgwES7z3nGHvMJJCD2ww9580KlxCs_Q1GPxiCnUE5IUUiG7VnAspW3G1UPNXm5r88N-EKwzYFrG1h3my0goWftaYyFsofrgXvg16rDOlr/s2048/IMG_5972.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEnQTgw8BxPcxeOFFeqHt9BOsaqtg4VOMRMWLxxRYhWqlxIYsGrqj7wJFJtQD6ZZiudI3lhfOHCrx1lQMgwES7z3nGHvMJJCD2ww9580KlxCs_Q1GPxiCnUE5IUUiG7VnAspW3G1UPNXm5r88N-EKwzYFrG1h3my0goWftaYyFsofrgXvg16rDOlr/w480-h640/IMG_5972.JPEG" width="480"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windbreaker | Oiselle<br>Pants | Rag & Bone (secondhand)<br>Purse | Me Made (Free <a href="https://allwellworkshop.com/full-moon-bag">All Well Full Moon Bag</a>)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I'm a chronic over-packer, but when I went on a recent trip to Mexico City I restricted myself to a carry-on and purposefully left room in the bag, anticipating I was going to do some shopping. I basically wore the same thing everyday but here is a look at those outfits, along with some photos of the shopping (All of the brands are Mexico based brands and I did not get all of these pieces, btw).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> I think the MVP article of clothing was the above windbreaker, which is the Oiselle <a href="https://www.oiselle.com/products/april-showers-anorak?variant=32956681519189">April Showers Anorak</a>. I bought it on clearance about two years ago and never really needed it in Dubai, so it's been mostly sitting in my closet. It's very lightweight and has a hood and front zipping pocket. The sleeves have elastic ends so they fit snugly and it is very easy to squash into a ball and fit into my purse (the circle purse above) even when it was full with a wallet, phone, keys and hand sanitizer. I would say it is more water resistant than outright waterproof but worked well when we got caught in the daily light rain. (It was of no use in the full-blown thunderstorm.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span></span></div></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2022/09/mexico-city-outfits-shopping.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-11143853963377789602022-06-07T21:34:00.001-07:002022-06-07T21:34:45.638-07:00Office Attire <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kej8GX04Ero3F6zR9Zycx1APEGy4qRAaATb-liRHwnqGXCpaQVJgN3tirErmvkR1G7WCrV6ZU67cz2NwP0_s2fsYAupt2_3wCbLvm4G3lDpkZWN4HmrjpvtnoO1x87AsUSRMRN0WlrhkkQz7y59GzHNCBucwIzUilMbWO2C2O4_z8rTNnAB216Q7/s2048/IMG_4078.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8kej8GX04Ero3F6zR9Zycx1APEGy4qRAaATb-liRHwnqGXCpaQVJgN3tirErmvkR1G7WCrV6ZU67cz2NwP0_s2fsYAupt2_3wCbLvm4G3lDpkZWN4HmrjpvtnoO1x87AsUSRMRN0WlrhkkQz7y59GzHNCBucwIzUilMbWO2C2O4_z8rTNnAB216Q7/w480-h640/IMG_4078.jpeg" width="480"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Recently, every time I open Instagram I swipe the app closed about 10 seconds later. It feels noisy and chaotic, which I'm taking as a reminder that if I want good old-fashioned fashion content I should get back to writing and reading blogs. I did some travel in April that involved a week of working in-person in an office - an office that crucially had a pretty good bathroom selfie-mirror. I was equipped with only a very small portion of my wardrobe, so I thought I'd share my actual week of carry-on-suitcase work outfits. To set the stage: it was in the Bay Area, so the weather was temperate (and hot a few days) and the dress code was lax. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span></span></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2022/06/office-attire.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-56669260630395331312022-03-06T10:29:00.007-08:002022-03-06T10:30:59.255-08:00Wedding Guest<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFGfYlJj9ca79cTnyLL2XP2jec3bOaP76LlwzVQxt1p9Gmb5PX_5sri5sp3knGLmsLQUfuhlLebSYxTniBZ_VHUUcFFu7IB2e0W66jBA3B5VieosVcewqLzKYKFKxVUXNU2t_bCCkcDHzvufpb6zItSLuBlPvs8LmMcMbzfI8H2NX4TS2AO4830d-p=s855" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="661" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFGfYlJj9ca79cTnyLL2XP2jec3bOaP76LlwzVQxt1p9Gmb5PX_5sri5sp3knGLmsLQUfuhlLebSYxTniBZ_VHUUcFFu7IB2e0W66jBA3B5VieosVcewqLzKYKFKxVUXNU2t_bCCkcDHzvufpb6zItSLuBlPvs8LmMcMbzfI8H2NX4TS2AO4830d-p=w494-h640" width="494"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Image from TVPStore on Etsy.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"> I'm going to a wedding in June and have been toying with the idea of making my outfit. I have been without my sewing machine for the last month and it has made me eager to dive into a complicated project with a high-stakes fabric. The dress code is cocktail. Right now, there are three ideas in the running:</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. The Vintage Look</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span> I recently purchased the sewing pattern at the top of this post. It's a Vogue pattern that was released in 1971 and designed by Italian designer <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/158925">Alberto Fabiani</a>. </span><span> </span><span>I love the full sleeves and that voluminous</span><span> cape-like thing in the back. </span><span>I wasn't able to find my exact size, this pattern is probably 1-2 sizes too large, so I'll have to take it in a little. (As an aside, I wish Vogue made their vintage designer collaborations available for purchase. Currently, you have to hunt down old versions through Etsy or eBay, and I'd bet they still have them in their archives. Maybe it comes down to a contractual and/or IP issue and they legally cannot? On the other hand, Vogue doesn't even make their current patterns available via pdf so it could be a lack of tech savvy and vision.)</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> What I am thinking, with this dress, is to keep the shape the same but make it a short, mini dress, that I wear with towering velvet heels or maybe over-the-knee boots. I love it in white with a bejeweled neckline (although that would likely rule it out to wear to a wedding) but otherwise am picturing a brocade fabric, something with a luxurious texture or maybe metallic threads running throughout.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span></span></span></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2022/03/wedding-guest.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-61481553956479489642022-01-21T04:48:00.000-08:002022-01-21T04:48:25.887-08:00To Sell (Out)?<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvp_CLTBljX0k9X5f80AeBvaw4-IbNF3IApXP0BUQnJ5fQN8g7C2s7_OtNeVAyQzMgiV2JZLoQEFYER54e6gtOVjWCigBvXnlrfe_9GsaoEo-Ff8hLlnvwFvo_Ltp8pSdYWBFJWw333rDLjC6gCJblCsNbAvzbu15FIExwyieFGhYSNTLrw7Z1jnIu=s2100" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1575" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvp_CLTBljX0k9X5f80AeBvaw4-IbNF3IApXP0BUQnJ5fQN8g7C2s7_OtNeVAyQzMgiV2JZLoQEFYER54e6gtOVjWCigBvXnlrfe_9GsaoEo-Ff8hLlnvwFvo_Ltp8pSdYWBFJWw333rDLjC6gCJblCsNbAvzbu15FIExwyieFGhYSNTLrw7Z1jnIu=w480-h640" width="480"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the open mic night. | Alice + Olivia Jacki Dress</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">For the last 6 years or so I've been very into New Year's resolutions. I like them to be specific, light-hearted and not time-bound (other than within the year) so that you can't have already failed in February. For me, the resolution is usually something that I already want to do but reinforces that it should be prioritized for that year. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Past resolutions have included: start a blog (check), perform at an open mic night (check), </span><span>learn to sew (check),</span></span><span><span style="font-size: large;"> take a kite surfing lesson (check - turns out kite surfing is not for me) and last year's was: do a pull-up (half-check - I've been getting much stronger and am now able to do one chin-up). </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>One of the resolutions that I have been mulling over for 2022 is to try selling something that I've made. </span><span>I had a full closet before I ever sewed my first piece of clothing but I don't plan on stopping sewing anytime soon</span><span>. I like making things as a way to tap into my creative side, have fun and relieve stress. If I keep sewing in order to reap those rewards it makes sense to send items off with other people who might like them, instead of letting them sit unused or infrequently used in my closet (and assuming there are any other people out there that would like them). </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span></span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2022/01/to-sell-out.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-68014557691716164452022-01-17T09:42:00.003-08:002022-01-21T05:27:13.647-08:00Malhia Kent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uw6LoUIJBzWM1wrQAR1EKULkME9We299ZImXvfStcwIAKpGZNaUOhxzz2JlvbVui-Zfgu9-gF8k6RlsBRwTs-CQVX1Jju1qHJeD_6yCE28SdNpE7VsYy_ZCAQS4GeiJWrW_JQTnLk1E/s2048/IMG_8308+%25282%2529.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Malhia Kent" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_uw6LoUIJBzWM1wrQAR1EKULkME9We299ZImXvfStcwIAKpGZNaUOhxzz2JlvbVui-Zfgu9-gF8k6RlsBRwTs-CQVX1Jju1qHJeD_6yCE28SdNpE7VsYy_ZCAQS4GeiJWrW_JQTnLk1E/w480-h640/IMG_8308+%25282%2529.JPEG" title="Malhia Kent Fabric" width="480"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Happy New Year! I thought I'd start the year off by talking about a trip from 6 months ago, when I visited Paris and </span>one of the coolest fabric stores I've ever seen. The store is <a href="https://malhia.fr/en/home/">Malhia Kent</a>, which makes fabrics for haute couture and pret-a-porter brands. All their fabrics are made in France and while you can't buy the designs that they produce for haute couture brands, their storefront is PACKED with other offcuts and small samples. Usually all these little pieces are 10 euro a meter, but I happened to be there during a rare sale, so they were half-off. They also sell fabric on the roll by the meter and while I don't remember the full price for those it was quite a bit more (understandably so - they are gorgeous). The store is also <u>cash only</u><b>,</b> so I sent my main squeeze to find an ATM and I started picking through the tables, contemplating how much fabric I could squeeze into my carry-on luggage. I found some amazing pieces and spent the first few weeks just staring at them. Finally, I got up the nerve to cut into one of the pieces and make a garment.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span></span></span></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2022/01/malhia-kent.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-57218622331322390692021-10-26T06:29:00.001-07:002021-10-26T08:08:45.251-07:00Lamentation for Fall (Y'all)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufa3SVxPfnYCFND6XE5WtTiDw3W9Wm4YEpTos3KZIw_kFAJVrTBPAHJE04ThkcS7imADNOabwV4xUiTuTZNOs_bETXT8UCESt_1bZOImsM8MCnaS3m1vguz-NERaNzylbXgFteh3ugVM/s2048/IMG_9559.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufa3SVxPfnYCFND6XE5WtTiDw3W9Wm4YEpTos3KZIw_kFAJVrTBPAHJE04ThkcS7imADNOabwV4xUiTuTZNOs_bETXT8UCESt_1bZOImsM8MCnaS3m1vguz-NERaNzylbXgFteh3ugVM/w480-h640/IMG_9559.jpeg" width="480"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacket | Secondhand Frame Denim<br>Skirt | Secondhand Alice + Olivia<br>Patch | Badaboom Studio</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"> When we moved here, someone told me that Dubai has two seasons: summer and hell. Thankfully, we are re-entering summer and not a minute too soon. Daytime temps are flirting with the high 90s, nighttime temps are often in the 80s and humidity is only coming sporadically. I feel the ecstasy of a woman able to go outdoors without her umbrella, sunglasses and chilled water bottle (because even with those things, I nevertheless ended up as a distraught puddle of a person after brief sojourns outdoors). </span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span></span></span></p><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2021/10/lamentation-for-fall-yall.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-86836293781251631522021-10-17T07:56:00.005-07:002021-10-17T23:49:48.294-07:00Going Country<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgkwuXBOE0jtP94vYQAzhTHUSLoCzZs41pnwXHwKOakGuxd382E0LRQeGjBDMb76HfaisvmTo0H_wsr4EEhFgBIsHPwtT7BHxO5M4-pSBfOLx6Qf0E4B5S76moWDmM7xDvDvxiBEtRZw/s2048/IMG_8999.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgkwuXBOE0jtP94vYQAzhTHUSLoCzZs41pnwXHwKOakGuxd382E0LRQeGjBDMb76HfaisvmTo0H_wsr4EEhFgBIsHPwtT7BHxO5M4-pSBfOLx6Qf0E4B5S76moWDmM7xDvDvxiBEtRZw/w480-h640/IMG_8999.jpeg" width="480"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks Jess for the photos!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> That photo looks like it should be the cover of my country album, no? I recently went to the wedding of one of the most fashion-loving ladies that I know. When she and I lived in the same city we used to go shopping and window-shopping all the time, talking about the latest trends and debating their merits. Whenever I went to a party at her place I knew it was an opportunity to debut something unusual or bold. Her enjoyment of style, plus the fact that this was my first in-person wedding since Covid started meant I was going to dress to the nines. Here are a few of my looks from the weekend:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span></span></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2021/10/going-country.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-16014920636569889302021-10-05T05:14:00.002-07:002021-10-05T05:14:34.944-07:00Secret Separates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbR_35xly1UVktuVWrnYIC2WK41es4yMN2lZ8AhaYlqzNOQkN0-VN3-Jk4yK84oyI0ZDUrFKbm1rHnLWUq10T9yCzuLz2h3Gb_4IdfUCNk59leymA0IHkDBCCbfw_sxEkyLBsXUUBV4k/s2048/IMG_9765+%25282%2529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1757" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbR_35xly1UVktuVWrnYIC2WK41es4yMN2lZ8AhaYlqzNOQkN0-VN3-Jk4yK84oyI0ZDUrFKbm1rHnLWUq10T9yCzuLz2h3Gb_4IdfUCNk59leymA0IHkDBCCbfw_sxEkyLBsXUUBV4k/w550-h640/IMG_9765+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="550"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I know my outfit is good when I have an urge to blog about it. This dress is actually secret separates, made up of the free <a href="https://peppermintmag.com/sewing-school/wrapskirt/" target="_blank">Peppermint Wrap Skirt</a> pattern and a self-drafted top. The fabric is the <a href="https://atelierbrunette.com/en/fabrics/6827-oasis-night-fabric-3202020001099.html" target="_blank">Oasis Night Fabric</a> from Atelier Brunette, which I had the pleasure of buying in person from their Paris store. That store, by the way, is incredibly cute, and if not for luggage limitations I could have absolutely done some damage in there. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">For the skirt, I made the Size A with minor modifications: adding one pocket in the side seam and using a slightly different (i.e. less precise) construction on the waist tie. (W</span><span style="font-size: large;">ith the pattern and dark colors, no one can really tell.)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span></span></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2021/10/secret-separates.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-58205804540623987852021-03-23T07:11:00.002-07:002021-03-23T07:11:24.131-07:00Ring Things<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYbhzTv7MIuOpXPFZDaf3GwpTS9JtBUR9nEYRrrKDN9ik-yUNLNvvvwoXjWqnCcPvgPGyvFMfmPviab-wQ8X98ckHZxGFnE3iVf7GNVQv5SKIJZ8qpE89UsplhvNofwpW7rJfuvJrltw/w480-h640/IMG_4078.JPG" width="480"><br></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> Do you ever have an idea that, while it almost certainly isn't original, is one you thought of before anyone told it to you, and so it makes you particularly proud of it? For me, my Anniversary Ring is such an idea. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Every year, on our anniversary, my gift from my main squeeze is a ring, purchased at some point during the past year. It doesn't have to be expensive or a have a particular look or feel. A perfect example would be one we found at a secondhand shop while traveling. After 20 or 30 years of marriage I'll have a diverse collection of rings that carry a lot of significance, evoke memories from throughout our relationship and that I can rotate through wearing depending on my outfit. I also have something to keep an eye out for whenever we are traveling and there is no guesswork over what to get me for our anniversary. A win-win, if I say so myself.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span></span></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2021/03/ring-things.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-50567188770344781002021-02-28T00:34:00.006-08:002021-02-28T00:36:37.230-08:00Frida's Garden<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ewTQYvdWlJvmcl9QxoUnDd-sPd4P6je9rsgw_pWWuobWZiEcX_rcI17Sf_m7doLEVqV819WQ86jtHSLi78JfFzWvWfrRjAb1mctXO1QK2B4sQUSFRcXaqAJbg9nY4PHGSMaMAuSN0Rw/s2048/IMG_3510+%25282%2529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1535" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ewTQYvdWlJvmcl9QxoUnDd-sPd4P6je9rsgw_pWWuobWZiEcX_rcI17Sf_m7doLEVqV819WQ86jtHSLi78JfFzWvWfrRjAb1mctXO1QK2B4sQUSFRcXaqAJbg9nY4PHGSMaMAuSN0Rw/w480-h640/IMG_3510+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="480"> </a> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> (Sorry this is pushing twice, the new version of Blogger has a button - in a place of prominence - that un-publishes your post and I accidentally clicked on it.) I'm not sure it has been a particularly joyful start to 2021 for me, but at least one of my first sewing projects of the new year is radiating enough joy for both of us. The first time I wore this dress out, I got in my building's elevator and immediately got a compliment from a lady, which is about as good as you can do when it comes to outfit feedback. <br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I absolutely fell in love with this Alexander Henry fabric print, entitled, Frida's Garden. It was on sale at one of my favorite CA fabric shops so I decided to treat myself and order, hoping the discount mostly offset international shipping. I knew it needed to be made into a party dress, and I look forward to wearing this to any and all bbqs, bashes and birthday parties once we're all able to safely have those again. </span> <br></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVGb75ihWyqnU6jzZL_xASf-PFiufU6oBKjv96bgItTGlkmR7h6DvZkUSkWfkkTnH5kMJP5xVcQBudpO38OnCkU2hbOw3jqncqZVrK-QkX_Fi4NsBmLrL7g1zrkO0wTpDzQHUP6zmD1M/s2048/IMG_3461+%25282%2529.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1462" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVGb75ihWyqnU6jzZL_xASf-PFiufU6oBKjv96bgItTGlkmR7h6DvZkUSkWfkkTnH5kMJP5xVcQBudpO38OnCkU2hbOw3jqncqZVrK-QkX_Fi4NsBmLrL7g1zrkO0wTpDzQHUP6zmD1M/w456-h640/IMG_3461+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="456"> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span></span></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2021/02/fridas-garden.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-51927160179374674982020-12-31T03:49:00.001-08:002020-12-31T05:23:40.987-08:00Best Clothing of 2020 (Me Made)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYILpF477Tiqi-cAqJmuob_keavhHsAUajND4925ZnhsiKJ5oo8GJ0aAUeNVxULZ6fOtA2IFFHw3C3B8Foz3IImxNFZIPhO-ZBgpuLZKj4J9psjjjHPZPkfEpm6CdQXHwSFKQ-9iYWbKM/s2048/IMG_1435.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1463" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYILpF477Tiqi-cAqJmuob_keavhHsAUajND4925ZnhsiKJ5oo8GJ0aAUeNVxULZ6fOtA2IFFHw3C3B8Foz3IImxNFZIPhO-ZBgpuLZKj4J9psjjjHPZPkfEpm6CdQXHwSFKQ-9iYWbKM/w458-h640/IMG_1435.jpeg" width="458"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Top - <a href="https://www.bobbinhood.com/free-downloads/free-patterns/">Bobbinhood Kids Crewneck</a> (Free) / Pants - Hacked McCall's 7610</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: large;"> Almost a year ago to the day, I sat down to try and sew my first piece of clothing, turned on my sewing machine, forgot that since I bought it in the States it wasn't the right voltage and then promptly heard a loud pop, followed by the lights in our apartment going out, since I had tripped the circuit breaker. I thought the machine was dead (it's not like I could plug it in again to see if it was still operational) and it felt like the sewing gods were really raining on my parade. A few days later + a voltage transformer I plugged in the machine again and was delighted to find out that only the lightbulb on the machine was blown, and the rest seemed to be working fine. I then sat down and made my first piece of clothing: a laughably bad skirt (sadly I only have the one photo and no pictures of the inside - also please note that one sad button). I knew it was rough but was so psyched that I even styled it and sent a picture to my friends (who still receive way too many photos of my clothes and are continuously supportive). Afterward I watched a few hours of sewing videos and a few days later tried again. The second one was a lot better (and looked a hell of a lot closer to the picture on the pattern).</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkgs9nG2R3kGoJ6IzxGeyK-pH-QkIzCykCVD-ss8Tb9k7yCUJtI3e0f4JmRqaIdRvKkJVVexkRtq8FCgJcqdzLsPUwspAlm4Rak8HzNeb7ArdIINX8aQ3PuFRss0gRWDwflg70fudgu8/s2048/IMG_1742.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkgs9nG2R3kGoJ6IzxGeyK-pH-QkIzCykCVD-ss8Tb9k7yCUJtI3e0f4JmRqaIdRvKkJVVexkRtq8FCgJcqdzLsPUwspAlm4Rak8HzNeb7ArdIINX8aQ3PuFRss0gRWDwflg70fudgu8/s320/IMG_1742.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHWmvUYpeT_tgKTar3FFoDNhSBEnmn4qCoJAWSbAuYH0i0yZEZmorKLmJeaCeQu59s9UQ0i9WKFl7qCDpEicOGl94gw3eUFW-27fG8SQoUkiLfzuqto_mLDWuShf32h1aQABcfS5B2u8/s1024/IMG_1741.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHWmvUYpeT_tgKTar3FFoDNhSBEnmn4qCoJAWSbAuYH0i0yZEZmorKLmJeaCeQu59s9UQ0i9WKFl7qCDpEicOGl94gw3eUFW-27fG8SQoUkiLfzuqto_mLDWuShf32h1aQABcfS5B2u8/s320/IMG_1741.jpg"></a></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"> I've basically sewn something almost every week since. I've repurposed most of my early (really bad) projects into fabric for testers, linings, pockets etc. but I've kept a few things to remind me of how far I've come. I'm really proud of what I've been able to learn the last year and am so glad I started learning to sew in the age of the internet. With minimal comment, here are some of the projects that I was most excited about or were otherwise important to me over the last year. </span></p><p><span></span><span></span></p><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/12/best-clothing-of-2020-me-made.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-59655475800536886712020-12-21T03:21:00.000-08:002020-12-21T03:21:05.726-08:00Best Clothing Purchases of 2020 (RTW)<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTiP7HY5E-K2dgT5GIsjwkYSHq-Jfw3sZGUsqVlXQZvm13koKg0BQ0TK8Ummtzq-KNzcwxHdXvjJDCpQHnJAd-1Tpb_drDDcdUHG5dE0ICdkkdLp7h_2dhzqDIfaF9-WTIX0AqpWA42YA/s2048/IMG_0414+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Coclico Sandals" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1463" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTiP7HY5E-K2dgT5GIsjwkYSHq-Jfw3sZGUsqVlXQZvm13koKg0BQ0TK8Ummtzq-KNzcwxHdXvjJDCpQHnJAd-1Tpb_drDDcdUHG5dE0ICdkkdLp7h_2dhzqDIfaF9-WTIX0AqpWA42YA/w458-h640/IMG_0414+%25282%2529.jpeg" title="Coclico Review" width="458"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max Mara Blazer & Citizens of Humanity Jeans (both secondhand), Coclico sandals</td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-size: large;">If you'll kindly allow me to put on my clothing tunnel-vision goggles for a moment, I thought I'd look through my list and see what my favorite clothing purchases of the year were, as divided into two categories: ready-to-wear and me-made. Today is ready-to-wear (and if you want to travel to years past I have best & worst/superlatives from <a href="http://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2019/12/2019-purchases-highs-and-lows.html" target="_blank">2019</a>, <a href="http://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2017/12/2017-superlatives.html" target="_blank">2017</a> and <a href="http://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2016/12/2016-superlatives.html" target="_blank">2016</a>). </span><div><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://www.outdoorvoices.com/products/w-Hudson-4in-Skort?variant=21464275746894" target="_blank">Outdoor Voices Hudson Skort</a> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(not an affiliate link) </span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"> Without a doubt my most worn item of the year was this skort</span><span>, <span style="font-size: large;">purchased in January 2020 i</span></span><span style="font-size: large;">n size small. I have two actually, one in navy and one in black and I wear them weekly, although honestly probably more like 2-3 days a week. I don't have a ton of photos in them, probably because they are a little more understated/everyday, so here's some love to the wardrobe workhorses. The skirt, made out of leggings material, has a pair of attached shorts underneath, with a phone-sized side pocket on the shorts and a zip pocket on the front of the skirt. They are easy to wear in the heat, the built in shorts make me feel comfortable to wear them when I'm out zipping around on my e-scooter or playing golf and with the pockets I can often go purse free to run errands. This is also currently number one with a bullet on the list of things I'd love to be able to sew for myself. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqrP8DG4O5jdFz5kYpEjK6E1gwrUBaRb08swsku9KUTkI8L6akgew2aAf9MRp130kZjBdPAzL4hDmorvw4szXM2wDumVwFJFxZUffc9NU1tQ34cCDbSTo4zgJPzVVFahnx6qrY8YHhQc/s2048/62587552-A44F-43A9-B069-725ACBA40BC6.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Outdoor Voices Review" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqrP8DG4O5jdFz5kYpEjK6E1gwrUBaRb08swsku9KUTkI8L6akgew2aAf9MRp130kZjBdPAzL4hDmorvw4szXM2wDumVwFJFxZUffc9NU1tQ34cCDbSTo4zgJPzVVFahnx6qrY8YHhQc/w481-h481/62587552-A44F-43A9-B069-725ACBA40BC6.jpeg" title="Outdoor Voices Skort" width="481"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: Levi's jean jacket and Bally purse (both secondhand)<br>Right: Me made top, Finding Nemo bandaid</td></tr></tbody></table><div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZFY-w1huXgP2oDn9UQIxkphWoTC9D02KRAnNLxoBUFv0OtRyxVOUIe2_hHlMybjBXAnyddxiumugEceSDNaWoCAZNnoIofhoOJLoSRXSpwQPc6j-tBi_Ps_1okuS4CuFlTCD_Zi_lis/s2048/IMG_0907.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZFY-w1huXgP2oDn9UQIxkphWoTC9D02KRAnNLxoBUFv0OtRyxVOUIe2_hHlMybjBXAnyddxiumugEceSDNaWoCAZNnoIofhoOJLoSRXSpwQPc6j-tBi_Ps_1okuS4CuFlTCD_Zi_lis/w480-h640/IMG_0907.jpeg" width="480"></a></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span></span></span></div></b></span></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/12/best-clothing-purchases-of-2020-rtw.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-5684715610611096322020-10-21T07:32:00.003-07:002020-10-21T07:37:07.586-07:00Tie a Bow on It<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yO20IPo3glgjOmhDfboyC5FKA66jTD-x6Tk6grQEkCWs8Teba_cDvxEJ-pcL2D6CIhia-Uu42RqYVEqgdbVnOVt_VL6aO9eHBxkOx_1-vmiH5EaKz_F3_1U7vraXm54c4xm5OKZz-XY/s2048/1155BDC8-1301-476A-80B8-9FD7A3E33369.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Vogue Jumpsuit" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yO20IPo3glgjOmhDfboyC5FKA66jTD-x6Tk6grQEkCWs8Teba_cDvxEJ-pcL2D6CIhia-Uu42RqYVEqgdbVnOVt_VL6aO9eHBxkOx_1-vmiH5EaKz_F3_1U7vraXm54c4xm5OKZz-XY/w640-h640/1155BDC8-1301-476A-80B8-9FD7A3E33369.jpeg" title="V1708" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Earrings are Banana Republic from 2016</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: large;">When I first saw this jumpsuit pattern I knew I had to make it (pattern photo is at the end of the post). It is semi-naked, has pockets, and felt like it would be the perfect garment to vote in. I was right, it was! (For me that basically meant sitting at a computer thousands of miles away but I was pleased I was able to figure out the citizen abroad voter registration, at all.) The pattern is the Vogue 1708 and, annoyingly, only available in paper pattern form, so I picked it up the last time I was in the States. Also, as an aside, instructions on the "Big 4" patterns (Simplicity, Vogue, Butterick and McCalls) don't always make a lot of sense to me. It could be that if I had more of a traditional sewing education (instead of mostly YouTube) they would, but I find I struggle with them and there are NO additional aids (real photos, videos, sew-a-longs) which seem to come standard on indie patterns. This Vogue pattern is also almost DOUBLE the cost of an indie pattern, but, you know, no one forced me buy it, so, I digress. <br></span><span style="font-size: large;"> I was adamant that I wanted to make it in a bold print fabric, like the model on the pattern. I ended up scouring my local fabric haunts and nothing jumped out at me. This jumpsuit requires just under 5 meters of fabric for the outside AND the lining (so almost 10 in total) and every time I saw a fabric I liked I tried to imagine wearing 10 meters of it and it killed the vibe. Enter this clipped dot linen/cotton blend fabric. The dots give it a little personality and, even though I'm sure I'll stain this almost immediately, the light color and fabric make this feel desert appropriate. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span></span></p><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/10/tie-bow-on-it.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-8187057208278340302020-08-09T21:16:00.003-07:002020-08-29T02:48:39.929-07:00The Sew Flow<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqs-l7k5LDDufoLQDfaAWl0W8-R9URYUZ99cTCjqggwtI9gJsq9Sz1lZzWMJ5bfRMhhtALqRFjB3MLHI6D0G7KnrK72JAQdl8lUo1P87rBMHgoxi48yCxnKwRR3GY1QxlE7xCSdJsJiM/s2048/IMG_8156+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqs-l7k5LDDufoLQDfaAWl0W8-R9URYUZ99cTCjqggwtI9gJsq9Sz1lZzWMJ5bfRMhhtALqRFjB3MLHI6D0G7KnrK72JAQdl8lUo1P87rBMHgoxi48yCxnKwRR3GY1QxlE7xCSdJsJiM/s640/IMG_8156+%25282%2529.JPG"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Self sewn: mask, dress and bag<br>Jacket: Secondhand Levi's<br>Shoes: Coclico</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I guess this is just a sewing blog for the moment. Over the last few months I have thrown myself into sewing. Partially because I was still mostly living that indoor lifestyle, between Covid and the harsh summer heat here. The other part is that I have fallen in love with it. It is meditative, creative and fun. </span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> In the image at the top, I sewed the mask, the dress and the bag and was pretty pleased with myself at how the outfit came together. Below are some of the inspiration photos for the dress. One is an image I saw online somewhere and the other was the window display at Carolina Herrera. I made my dress out of quilting cotton and when I saw that rich blue color I knew it would be prefect. I used the McCalls pattern M7948 as my base pattern, in View C and added pockets. I also left out the small opening in the back of the neck because it could slide over my head without it. This </span><span style="font-size: large;">wasn't my first attempt at this dress (I first sewed it in the fabric that I also used to make the mask above) and in the next version I'm thinking of adding a fourth tier, but not necessarily making it longer. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I particularly love the billowly silhouette and think the dress is best in motion. I don't have any great photos where I'm not standing still but I'm determined to get an "action" shot of it. </span></span><br>
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<a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/08/the-sew-flow.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-54449474135589605522020-07-19T22:05:00.001-07:002020-07-19T22:08:54.287-07:00Sustainable What? Part 1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JcCznL8k9SVixAVQ1ZgI76eyKnL_sPdcx1YW8jPxjDDIsGsTeAZBwjd-K1VoWlzN631YBF7VlQFfzSZTLn1KsUp8hfhIl8djaMMSJuqTNPEidp-_XHc4G5YrVpgut0EHHrS8vHBjyWU/s1600/IMG_7751.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JcCznL8k9SVixAVQ1ZgI76eyKnL_sPdcx1YW8jPxjDDIsGsTeAZBwjd-K1VoWlzN631YBF7VlQFfzSZTLn1KsUp8hfhIl8djaMMSJuqTNPEidp-_XHc4G5YrVpgut0EHHrS8vHBjyWU/s640/IMG_7751.jpeg" width="456"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Self sewn Clyde jumpsuit from the recently released Elizabeth Suzann patterns<br>Backpack: Clare V Agnes</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I sat down to write about a jumpsuit and over 1,300 words later I instead have this post and nothing about the jumpsuit, so more about that garment will come in a to-be-written Part 2. </span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;"> Back in April of 2013, a garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed resulting in the injury of over 2,500 people and the death of over 1,000. You might have read about the Rana Plaza collapse, either at the time or in one of the many think pieces written about it since then, calling into question the true price of fast fashion. Several well known brands did business with this factory, including Primark, Zara, Mango and Walmart. The building had been deemed unsafe and yet garment workers were sent back into the factory to keep production going. </span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;"> At the time I was living in New York and a good part of my clothing was made up of fast fashion purchases. I was developing an interest in learning where my clothing was made, and by whom (which was then and is now still surprisingly hard to discern as there is a real lack of transparency from brands), as well as having more disposable income than I had had in the past and I remember Rana Plaza making a big impression on me. Starting in 2014 I began tracking my clothing purchases in a spreadsheet, so I could get a better idea of what I purchased and from where. It wasn't driven by ethical concerns, exactly, but rather to help me answer questions I didn't know the answer to. How much money was I spending in a year? Were the clothes new or used? How long did the clothes I buy last? How happy was I with those purchases after a year or two? </span><br>
<span style="font-size: large;"> This practice has helped me significantly reduce new fast fashion from my life. Ethical concerns aside the pieces often didn't make the grade: falling apart more quickly or having poorer fit or more uncomfortable fabrics. It has also caused me to more deeply grapple with the idea of sustainability and fashion. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The design, production, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of clothes has costs and I believe that when clothes are cheap for me the consumer, it does not mean that those clothes are in fact "cheap", instead it just means that someone else in the supply chain is paying the price in order for them to be that way. </span><br>
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</div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/07/sustainable-what-part-1.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-85675040172036531552020-06-23T01:15:00.003-07:002020-06-24T05:30:11.795-07:00DIY: Sir the Label Dress<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimU-Uvl-tpJ1GwFnjMxOp7x5KW-sYOb_g56B0jvMdFrvMrW3a9MWVZDl9SG2pOC6Iw83Kgewz73bSwIscH9e-Q4H86WLkWHWFvlIC11dPbJ9V4MFhyphenhyphenBXOHdEb02QwJYlDqHr8Q5KfJpIk/s1600/IMG_0831.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="DIY Aramis Dress" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimU-Uvl-tpJ1GwFnjMxOp7x5KW-sYOb_g56B0jvMdFrvMrW3a9MWVZDl9SG2pOC6Iw83Kgewz73bSwIscH9e-Q4H86WLkWHWFvlIC11dPbJ9V4MFhyphenhyphenBXOHdEb02QwJYlDqHr8Q5KfJpIk/s640/IMG_0831.jpeg" title="DIY Sir the Label" width="480"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Made the mask too.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Oolala. That's how I feel in this dress, which I finished sewing last weekend. It is made out of a luxurious deep green linen and while the dark color and floor-length skirt make it look formal in photos I think it looks more daytime appropriate in person. (Plus you can't tell this but I'm wearing it with white sneakers.) It started, as a surprising number of things do these days, with an Instagram ad. The ad was from Sir the Label, a new-to-me Australian brand whose romantic, skin-bearing dresses instantly caught my eye. However, the dress this is based on, <a href="https://us.sirthelabel.com/products/aramis-maxi-dress">the Aramis</a>, retails for $480 (oddly enough in both USD and AUD) so t</span><span style="font-size: large;">hat wasn't going to happen.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Plus, their version has no pockets (that I can discern) so I figured this was a great candidate for a DIY. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqbNiSJtxs9eTDD2JPIeqeBU8kCUJUOqsdW5w-sZ-SZRMjxSwrgGYGYIHAyjsYRduJ0A-po01Q9rXMX4JJrVkjecK5AODRxXvcWgT_cRaZUDuORLeA2t82LwReRQGFadXXD4v5JqtgiI/s1600/E93F989D-78B1-42C4-B4D2-F847D3ABB54B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqbNiSJtxs9eTDD2JPIeqeBU8kCUJUOqsdW5w-sZ-SZRMjxSwrgGYGYIHAyjsYRduJ0A-po01Q9rXMX4JJrVkjecK5AODRxXvcWgT_cRaZUDuORLeA2t82LwReRQGFadXXD4v5JqtgiI/s320/E93F989D-78B1-42C4-B4D2-F847D3ABB54B.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Q8NT_8NQX7vbgto5nb8mPLmpeSPeC7Xz8HBI8YtgMp0jhbFURLbiqRg1_H1zeIB5hffwxQ51mleA_MhaS3QZGIIYkKmsSoOlPOO5rx0JL2N6nCAk8u3M7xC15XYPnvzL8EWCkg4r5gA/s1600/IMG_0811.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="DIY Sir the Label" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Q8NT_8NQX7vbgto5nb8mPLmpeSPeC7Xz8HBI8YtgMp0jhbFURLbiqRg1_H1zeIB5hffwxQ51mleA_MhaS3QZGIIYkKmsSoOlPOO5rx0JL2N6nCAk8u3M7xC15XYPnvzL8EWCkg4r5gA/s640/IMG_0811.jpeg" title="DIY Sir the Label" width="480"></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/06/diy-sir-label.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-76616815386448454802020-06-14T10:21:00.000-07:002020-06-14T10:21:17.250-07:00DIY: Ulla Johnson Skirt<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHa2iHLhBoebgJQhGdXMZp6FwcG1MwG1DshvYjWJXtgxEaHf5JdorzwAg0akmwHGDrARDcG2x9VmEIrGAilGnqJLK1JPoLz-JDh2O0OaGwm8DwthahtgiLiT0ggP9Ia37nb3dJQwcFyqI/s1600/IMG_7215-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img alt="DIY Ulla Johnson Skirt" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHa2iHLhBoebgJQhGdXMZp6FwcG1MwG1DshvYjWJXtgxEaHf5JdorzwAg0akmwHGDrARDcG2x9VmEIrGAilGnqJLK1JPoLz-JDh2O0OaGwm8DwthahtgiLiT0ggP9Ia37nb3dJQwcFyqI/s640/IMG_7215-1.jpg" title="DIY Ulla Johnson" width="480"></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I also whipped up this top out of some scrap fabric, but it has since been cut up for use in other projects.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I'm pretty darn excited because I made this skirt ::pumps fist circularly and makes a wooing noise:: This is one of the first items I've tried to make where I didn't have a pattern and was basing it on a photo. This photo, in case you are wondering:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjptfKLgvKw8Xj7F5-GLQdHxNufkYdaTA97l21skKsi7jAP8ZA6rhtD9dwn1AkkG8lhFTL0Hs93wc32QRPm0jV2U2pU3vJkLCCi3GdcQSew40EyiFofYg_f6v6VyJa5ZGEX4Cprs13km8/s1600/IMG_4766.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1042" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjptfKLgvKw8Xj7F5-GLQdHxNufkYdaTA97l21skKsi7jAP8ZA6rhtD9dwn1AkkG8lhFTL0Hs93wc32QRPm0jV2U2pU3vJkLCCi3GdcQSew40EyiFofYg_f6v6VyJa5ZGEX4Cprs13km8/s400/IMG_4766.jpeg" width="260"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ulla Johnson, RTW 2020</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> You'll notice that in the photo, the garment in question is a dress, whereas mine is a skirt. While the skirt came together in a relatively straightforward manner, that was not the case with the bodice. I tried to struggle through it before I figured the garment was trying to tell me something and I should stop banging my head against the wall turning what was apparently meant to be a skirt into a dress (plus, skirts are so versatile). I had purchased 5 meters of cloth, thinking that would be enough (it was <u>not</u>), so I barely had enough to make my first attempt at the bodice and nothing left for a do-over. Also (and I acknowledge that this is a bit of a false comparison) this skirt cost me about $20 in fabric (plus two days of my time) whereas the Ulla Johnson one is closer to $800. No doubt it is much better made and the fabric is probably nicer but still!</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/06/diy-ulla-johnson-skirt.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-36712894050040670222020-06-13T04:59:00.000-07:002020-06-13T04:59:01.321-07:00Confront Our History<span style="font-size: large;">The last few weeks have been especially horrifying, inspiring, depressing and hopeful. I think that if you are looking for anything from resources to book recommendations to organizations or BIPOC businesses to support then a quick Google search will yield more helpful results than I can provide. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I did however want to highlight two items, both of which really resonated with me:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: large;">The first is this 2019 NYT article, </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/black-history-american-democracy.html"><b>America Wasn't a Democracy Until Black Americans Made it One</b></a><span style="font-size: large;">, by </span><span style="font-size: large;">Nikole Hannah-Jones, who won a Pulitzer for her work.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">The second is a June 4, 2020 podcast from the Ezra Klein show with guest Ta-Nehisi Coates. You can find it anywhere you listen to podcasts or <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/6/5/21279530/ta-nehisi-coates-ezra-klein-show-george-floyd-police-brutality-trump-biden"><b>here</b></a>. </span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have a good weekend, thanks for stopping by.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-88450003776960186782020-04-19T05:29:00.000-07:002020-04-19T05:29:46.787-07:00Sew Sew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> How are you? I haven't felt like writing much recently because I don't know where to start. I'm pretty comfortable saying that I know how I </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">feel</i><span style="font-size: large;"> about this global pandemic. It's assured me that my emotions are very much functioning, as they have run the gamut over the last month. However, what I am still trying to figure out is how to </span><i style="font-size: x-large;">think</i><span style="font-size: large;"> about this global pandemic. How to come up with a thesis or a framework. Not having one makes it difficult to process the crushing amount of information that you could consume, daily. All of that to say, I don't have any answers, mostly questions, but I hope you are doing alright.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJyhqgFO4anQs35fZ7kZyg4wkWbaawXwMHchs0iXuaaqtb9_DVG_ErEovfFSEzjiocAk5nuWDCN0fqEi9GgkL27Ebc8fVNkfYKM7yPJefnWrDxvJ983I-m2fnNOU95ZNJNc95RPFK5k8/s1600/IMG_5603.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJyhqgFO4anQs35fZ7kZyg4wkWbaawXwMHchs0iXuaaqtb9_DVG_ErEovfFSEzjiocAk5nuWDCN0fqEi9GgkL27Ebc8fVNkfYKM7yPJefnWrDxvJ983I-m2fnNOU95ZNJNc95RPFK5k8/s640/IMG_5603.jpeg" width="480"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> When I want to fully concentrate on something else, I have been turning to sewing, which is a new hobby for me. My mom is a talented quilter and sewer (sewist?) and she taught me the basics of the sewing machine when I was young. However, I promptly forgot everything and didn't really engage with sewing until a year or so ago when I attended a 3 hour sewing workshop a friend got me for Christmas. I loved it so much that I bought a sewing machine that week (I have the Janome 2212) and made myself a few lackluster pillows. I didn't have a lot of space in my apartment then for setting up the machine, so I didn't sew much at all. Jump to January of this year, where with a bigger space and more free time I decided to tackle sewing clothes from patterns. The same friend (which btw Jess, I'm so glad you seem to get me every year in Secret Santa) got me a Bluprint subscription and so I watched a few tutorials about how to use a pattern and other basics and I was off. </span></div>
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<a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/04/sew-sew.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-58555117422425097692020-03-12T05:31:00.004-07:002020-03-12T05:36:27.214-07:00Johanna Ortiz x H&M Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwajPX2haxQFco4Ha4DGd89MqCllDm9jhXQV9H-iSiREVD7wBGJIpwZ5GX6FxAy4hdzils5vcAYCDKLLJ0X7SME4Ii2RD3eoNRkf32Ez8cDhFf4nz3oX8BBeszrNXM31omtH7M9PXpWk/s1600/IMG_0608+%25281%2529-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Johanna Ortiz Review" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwajPX2haxQFco4Ha4DGd89MqCllDm9jhXQV9H-iSiREVD7wBGJIpwZ5GX6FxAy4hdzils5vcAYCDKLLJ0X7SME4Ii2RD3eoNRkf32Ez8cDhFf4nz3oX8BBeszrNXM31omtH7M9PXpWk/s640/IMG_0608+%25281%2529-1.jpg" title="H&M Johanna Ortiz" width="456"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> In minor, lighthearted, low-stakes news, the full Johanna Ortiz collection dropped at H&M today and I'm going to review it. </span><span style="font-size: large;">I felt a little torn about this because for the last few years I've been moving away from buying from any fast fashion brands and otherwise would try to only buy H&M secondhand. On the other hand, I'm a long time Johanna Ortiz fan (</span><a href="http://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2017/07/fashion-weekend.html" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>my first JO dress</b></a><span style="font-size: large;">) and want to support her collection to help it be a commercial success. If you don't know her, Johanna Ortiz is a Colombian designer (</span><a href="https://www.vogue.com.au/fashion/trends/the-story-of-colombian-designer-johanna-ortizs-meteoric-rise-in-fashion/news-story/776d7ea54c0658ebe87495eb280804ea" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>read a profile here</b></a><span style="font-size: large;">) whose clothes I always think of as colorful, flirty and expensive. I feel like 3 years ago I remember her dresses retailing for around $1,000 (still too expensive for me but I bought secondhand or otherwise heavily reduced - they often appear on TheRealReal.com) but recently I've been seeing them retailing for closer to $1,500-$2,500. In this collab, nothing that I saw is over $70. </span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I was curious to see what she would do with H&M and what the quality of the pieces would be. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Obviously, the fabrics are going to be different from what is in her normal collections. </span><span style="font-size: large;">As a petite lady I also always appreciated that her sizing ran a little smaller and was curious if that would carry through in the collection. My thoughts are woven throughout below, but my overall impression was positive. I think there are a few items where fit was sort of strange (on me at least - and I'll point it out below) but that otherwise I thought it was a cute and well-done collection for the price. Most of the dresses had pockets, a few were lined and a lot of them had cute details like semi-open backs or covered buttons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is what I tried on:</span></div>
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</div></div><a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/03/johanna-ortiz-x-h-review.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-48449419334672014202020-02-26T02:44:00.001-08:002020-03-04T07:37:10.480-08:002020 Challenge <span style="font-size: large;"> I've been trying to figure out what I want to focus on for 2020, closet-wise, and I think I finally have my answer. Recently, I pulled some clothes out of a storage bin and was surprised there were a few pieces in there that I love but hadn't thought about recently. I've been passively mulling over the idea of wearing every piece in my closet at least once over the next year and then seeing </span><a href="https://www.featherfactor.com/2020/02/on-wearing-every-item-once.html" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>this post</b></a><span style="font-size: large;"> about it by Feather Factor was the last push I needed - I'm doing it!</span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcggTccvHqOluflLgNgrHJXV9oqyNB0MsfsyuA_so_BnGkncA9FDDADt1xG3Vlire1HBBwWXoSyEA-5lV6lA5lssQRitJ2TDg2c2dCrFuTeke4HerTUOIm9o72dA5agmJ8LRZo3W5zbgk/s1600/C665845A-B245-4FE2-BA1E-DAEA74A67B34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1281" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcggTccvHqOluflLgNgrHJXV9oqyNB0MsfsyuA_so_BnGkncA9FDDADt1xG3Vlire1HBBwWXoSyEA-5lV6lA5lssQRitJ2TDg2c2dCrFuTeke4HerTUOIm9o72dA5agmJ8LRZo3W5zbgk/s640/C665845A-B245-4FE2-BA1E-DAEA74A67B34.jpg" width="512"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jacket from 2017, but otherwise just wanted to throw this up here so there is a photo in the post.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I think it'll be a fun way to get reacquainted with my closet and also be a way to assess if there are some things that I need to let go of. I initially hesitated because I know there are some pieces I'll have to reckon with and also because part of me was worried I have more clothes than there are days of the year, which isn't something I needed confirmed. I did some quick math and while that isn't the case, I am definitely not living that capsule wardrobe life. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Since I want this to be fun, this is how I'm going to do it:</span><br>
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<a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2020/02/2020-challenge.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-62647061909311778672019-12-29T00:29:00.000-08:002019-12-29T00:30:25.525-08:002019 Purchases - the Highs and Lows<span style="font-size: large;"> I keep an excel sheet of all of my clothing purchases (going back to 2014) and at the end of each year I'll go through and evaluate how I feel about my purchases for the year and this year I am pretty darn pleased. Even the lows aren't really that low. I think part of that is because at this point I have, if we are being honest, a lot of clothes so the only things I'm buying throughout the year are things that really catch my eye, because I've got the basics, and then some, covered. The only thing I was a little disappointed about was that I wanted to get myself to a point where 50% of my purchases this year were secondhand, and I've been trying to hit that goal the last two years. Last year I was at 42% and I thought this was the year I'd finally do it. In part due to my move earlier this year, where the secondhand scene hasn't been as convenient or plentiful as in California, this year I actually fell down to 37%, instead of inching closer to 50%. I would say there is always next year but I don't think that is going to happen, so I'll have to come up with something new to target. I usually limit myself by budget each year (2019 was $200 a month) but I know a lot of people also limit by total item number (I feel like 20 or 25 pieces per year is a number I've seen thrown around a lot) so maybe some combo of those two in 2020? We'll see.</span><br>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">High: </span><span style="font-size: large;">Hecho in Mexico</span></b><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasoj0DsAfu8n9AZR3qfzqEl8hzjJGXiq1cMCo9GTYBiqfX-sEt6IHijtlLAFMF-S5UJTTJ2V8YY4XVjjMuecbyaxbYyCMzz3KaA7DorM4Wndm6l5BiGHq98Kl4HMU1-aS62wfNm708GI/s1600/IMG_2294+%25281%2529-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="carmen rion skirt" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasoj0DsAfu8n9AZR3qfzqEl8hzjJGXiq1cMCo9GTYBiqfX-sEt6IHijtlLAFMF-S5UJTTJ2V8YY4XVjjMuecbyaxbYyCMzz3KaA7DorM4Wndm6l5BiGHq98Kl4HMU1-aS62wfNm708GI/s640/IMG_2294+%25281%2529-1.jpg" title="Carmen Rion" width="456"></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> A unequivocal highlight this year was this outfit that I got from the </span><span style="font-size: large;">eponymous brand </span><span style="font-size: large;">Carmen Rion in Mexico City. The line is made in Mexico and plays beautifully with color and volume (and I first heard about them from Cait - so thanks, girl). Walking around the boutique I fell in love with this pleated wrap-around skirt right away. It is hard to tell in the photos but it has about 4 different fabrics and each fabric section is a different color and weight. My main squeeze is actually the one who grabbed the open-back linen top for me to try it on with. I thought it looked too big on the hanger and had passed it by. When I tried them together, it really felt like a fashion revelation. I felt like a queen in that dressing room and I felt like a queen when I wore it to a wedding later that week. Just writing this makes me want to go figure out how to work it into my day-to-day wardrobe because I don't want to wait for another special occasion. Unfortunately, the skirt is pretty warm - part of it is definitely wool - and the top is pretty naked, so we'll see what I can do.</span><br>
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<a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2019/12/2019-purchases-highs-and-lows.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-27044110271020407912019-12-21T08:56:00.000-08:002019-12-21T08:59:21.909-08:00Bonjour Winter<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2TnXNdrYx-4wpf-BYKdRxPKvwC7qhocumpFw5o0COeplzPdauGL8Hrzjz66Go6u-uccm2WMq-x3AKT6r7gPIThLvI4qR9X7OxZUVqyNoZErdRcG79mOOdLlbu1FdAXuRKCcNtE0PnG8/s1600/IMG_3472.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2TnXNdrYx-4wpf-BYKdRxPKvwC7qhocumpFw5o0COeplzPdauGL8Hrzjz66Go6u-uccm2WMq-x3AKT6r7gPIThLvI4qR9X7OxZUVqyNoZErdRcG79mOOdLlbu1FdAXuRKCcNtE0PnG8/s640/IMG_3472.jpeg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Figured I'd go with a non-standard Paris photo.</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I was in Paris earlier this month and enjoyed the opportunity to wear some winter outfits as well as do some secondhand shopping. I actually have winter clothes with me in Dubai but I think I underestimated what it feels like to be in 35 degree weather (Fahrenheit, 2 degrees Celsius), seeing as how it has been a minute. For example, I brought a headband beanie, but it was not enough and I ended up buying this cute beanie from the boys section of a Monoprix. I also ended up wearing my <a href="http://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2017/03/review-uniqlo-ultra-light-down-jacket.html">Uniqlo jacket</a> as an extra layer under all outwear. (As an aside, I've had that jacket for about 2.5 years and I still like it so much, especially that it has deep inner pockets and outside zip pockets, both of which are nice when traveling.) </span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sutsnb-Of5NydYK2BtufB3-N3UAvBTxI4DnoQojkZzj-wdUmV2jgY71xf8DRcW6ypHiyW6ACiJ8m-R8Z2FUlu9AvOfqK_9xBKYrgCmLmXFnAHzbZWMdbCnoc-eM5Mu-8K9p23rK3pfc/s1600/IMG_3440.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sutsnb-Of5NydYK2BtufB3-N3UAvBTxI4DnoQojkZzj-wdUmV2jgY71xf8DRcW6ypHiyW6ACiJ8m-R8Z2FUlu9AvOfqK_9xBKYrgCmLmXFnAHzbZWMdbCnoc-eM5Mu-8K9p23rK3pfc/s640/IMG_3440.jpeg" width="480"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Jacket | BlankNYC Suede Moto Jacket<br>Long Sleeve Shirt | Amour Vert<br>Dress| Proenza Schouler<br>Leggings | Zella<br>Boots | Blondo Liam</b></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.breathoffreshwear.com/2019/12/bonjour-winter.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8661153908994636799.post-65934876831244986762019-12-05T02:10:00.000-08:002019-12-05T02:10:02.727-08:00What a Waste<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVQDdxqV8uccIfZN_ni4rcOs6C2FZOQI1tppoklZityVIgII2t7AQhirQhjZj_42Vu_GT1pNjEcdPVT6-hZOImszU_GjQTmCwBYLEZRqyoqVpMtPlq0fYdslsOqrNCuMJ3X6toRhkzYM/s1600/IMG_3074-1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVQDdxqV8uccIfZN_ni4rcOs6C2FZOQI1tppoklZityVIgII2t7AQhirQhjZj_42Vu_GT1pNjEcdPVT6-hZOImszU_GjQTmCwBYLEZRqyoqVpMtPlq0fYdslsOqrNCuMJ3X6toRhkzYM/s640/IMG_3074-1.jpg" width="457" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> When I moved to Dubai, I was curious about what the secondhand scene would be and I came expecting nothing. So far, I would say that there isn't really one, although I recently had a few leads on places to check out, so I remain optimistic. (When I'm being very optimistic I think maybe I can help start a secondhand scene here!) But back to the here and now I recently discovered a new company,<b> <a href="https://onlyethikal.com/">Only Ethikal</a></b>, that focuses on more sustainable fashion, so I'm counting that as a pretty big win.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDVcETMra1GuyD4ByOSnbPIBwrqN4bbhjWf6ZkzFaf31dnw7dGHeei7RHmKJJo5VFqNAYhOdGsymb9kOeAMwEP3uLHGAhbbtimeva6_mmiCy52A9nWR59yizkvCVh_SAwm4gDL5zsqRY/s1600/IMG_0145-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDVcETMra1GuyD4ByOSnbPIBwrqN4bbhjWf6ZkzFaf31dnw7dGHeei7RHmKJJo5VFqNAYhOdGsymb9kOeAMwEP3uLHGAhbbtimeva6_mmiCy52A9nWR59yizkvCVh_SAwm4gDL5zsqRY/s640/IMG_0145-1.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">I ended up changing out the sandals above for a more comfortable pair to actually wander around in</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I met the founder (who was very cool) at a fashion week event in a "Eco Pop-up" subsection of the event. She had left her more traditional finance job and started the company, promoting brands that focus on things like up-cycled fabric, fair wages and a healthy working environment. Also, the designs were really cute and almost everything she sold had pockets, so of course I had to support her and buy a dress. We joked about how a lot of people in Dubai seem to find the concept of used clothing pretty unappealing and she mentioned that initially a lot of people balked at the fact that she referred to the clothes as made from industrial or fabric </span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>waste</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b>(I think this is the same as what I've heard in the States referred to as deadstock fabric). Which, haha, fair enough.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Anyway, here is the dress. The fabric is really light and breathable making it easy to wear in the sun, it is modest yet cute and, as I mentioned, I'm very into the pockets. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKG06jNyl8gAjlA4yqd9MAzQgLvL7kB8PXQ6LRzD-BZQwPOnac4eAVr48leu7U8lleJw84xZjAV9_X2jVy1mJSYRONjxChQlXozK_26khCV6fOrQbGKpYnuKE6NwiUFjhd-G2Xm4N8gM/s1600/IMG_0160-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwKG06jNyl8gAjlA4yqd9MAzQgLvL7kB8PXQ6LRzD-BZQwPOnac4eAVr48leu7U8lleJw84xZjAV9_X2jVy1mJSYRONjxChQlXozK_26khCV6fOrQbGKpYnuKE6NwiUFjhd-G2Xm4N8gM/s640/IMG_0160-1.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I'll get to brainstorming on a better name for the fabric and thanks for stopping by!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2