Vintage Homemaking: How to be well-dressed on a smaller clothing budget

I'm feeling homemakie. 
One reason I'm feeling this way is because of Viva. Some of the weekender is still haunting me. Mainly, the dressing up. I really like dressing in my clothes but being home and freelancing a lot tends to keep me in my PJs.



Since my last job, I have lunch once a week with some of my previous co-workers. It's fun, but it gets me out of the house and often I run errands on that day. It's a great excuse to wear dresses.


I love dressing like this everyday!


I crafty thing I discovered when I was re-organizing my vanity was using empty bottles to hold some of my eyebrow and lip liners. 


Also, I grabbed an unused kitchen jar that was fat and squatted for my lipsticks.


Also, I decided to put in my hair rat. This, ladies and gentlemen, was six months in the making. It's a bit larger than I need, but great filler for my snoods.


I attached it to the back of my hair and rolled it up rather loosely. Because it's going to be in my snood, I didn't have to worry about it being so exact.


Presto!


I put a little sunscreen/moisturizer/foundation on this face and I'm good to go!


I added my little white dress clip for flair, but I lost it when I was out and about today :(
It's not a huge loss. I rarely wore it and it was the least expensive dress clip I owned, but still.


Ah, now I feel better. I feel like myself. I guess I need to get out more and put forth the effort, right? How often do you dress up? Or, if it's not dress up, just put yourself together? And I love these tips!

8 comments:

  1. Hey Shelley, you look fantastic in those pictures!! I have no tips for dressing up, but I would like to put a vote for that wrap dress to be your next repro pattern! I'm going through some seriously frustrating weight fluctuations at the moment, and while I've managed to snag a few good wrap dress patterns, I'm really in love with that one!! Anyway, loving the blog, keep up the good work :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. That dress is fabulous on you! I too work from home most days of the month, and it's very easy for me to fall into the trap of wearing the same pair of jeans or corduroys and the same shirt or two and sweater. So boring. I feel better when I look better, so I need to make the effort. I'm doing Me Made May for the first time this year and I'm hoping it will kick me in the seat of my pants to get a little more dressed up, even just for me. It's not like it's hard to put on a cute cotton dress... I just have to remind myself to stop being lazy and do it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You look wonderful!

    I do not own a lot of vintage and the vintage I do have does not currently fit. I do, however, like to dress vintage inspired most days. For example, today I have on black capri's and 3/4 sleeve button down shirt. I find your blog very inspiring! Now to find the time to sit down and sew!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree, you look stunning and I've been coveting these great wrap dresses every time you post one. I'm planning my own knock-off using this similar modern pattern: http://butterick.mccall.com/b5898-products-44974.php?page_id=147

    But a repro would be even better!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Aw, thanks you guys! I've thought about reproducing the wrap dress, but the pattern takes up so much paper! Especially the front parts of the skirt. I'll think about it, though. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. (let's try that again) I think putting the smaller pieces inside the lines of the bigger pieces would work. Either the sewist can trace off the smaller ones, or cut them out. It's the outline of the piece you need...

    My sister and I go out to lunch once a week. Meaning the two work at home folks go outside in something not "schlepping/stuff I can try on sewing over". Maybe even ... a dress! To get truck tacos!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Just a quick comment as I'm kinda tired. Thanks for the "Rat" idea !!! I have super fine hair...a lot of it mind you but I struggle to get the fullness I'd like for some styles and I hadn't thought about making a rat. I'll start saving my hair tonight. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Roxanne, you can also buy rats at a hair supply store. Its a puffed mesh that matches your hair color and those work too :)

    ReplyDelete

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