1 Super 80's Dress Upcycled into 3 new Pieces

1 Super 80's Dress Upcycled into 3 New Pieces

Greetings!

I hope you all are well. I am currently covered in fabric remnants and thread, and loving it! I'm working on a whole new slew of garments, have one of my first little boutique retail deals pending, and I'm excited (and exhausted!) about what's ahead!  

Way back in September, I shared a couple of potential vintage upcycling projects with you. And as life happens, I didn't get to work on all of them right away. Well I did tackle this floral 80's number, so I thought I'd share the results! 

Before:

Below is the entry from my original blog post, the before photo, and the results! 

The Super 80's Jewel Tone Floral

Ok, ok, I know what you're thinking, but all I see is potential! This is a before photo of a thrifted dress. If I were tall, it could probably be worn as is and look super chic, but on me - it's a bit much. It's also just a little confining to wear in it's current state. The print, however, is great - a rich palette of jewel tone florals that I absolutely love for fall. Transformation in progress...

After:

I didn't finish this in the fall as I had planned, but I think that jewel tones are universally flattering on lots of skin tones and season-less. I think this floral transitions right into Spring beautifully. I ended up creating 2 tops and a headband from the remaining piece of fabric. It's pretty fulfilling when there are zero scraps from a sewing project. I truly hate to waste awesome vintage fabric as I always just have a small limited amount. 

Jewel Tone Side Tie Crop Top

I pretty much remade this piece inspired by the top of the original dress, but with a few changes to keep it modern. The shoulders and neck still feel a little 80s, but it's more sleek as just a lone top. It is entirely open on the sides with ties that you can secure however you like. There is a zipper up the back. I've become a huge fan of the crop top and glad that the perception doesn't always have to be trashy. The key is proportion and pairing it up in a chic way!  

Shop this Top! 

Jewel Tones Floral Tie-Back Top

The style of this top is a complete departure from the last top. It has an easy fit, with a gently flattering drape away from the body. I always let the fabric drape and "speak" to me. When I removed the whacky bottom from the original dress, I immediately saw this breezy top. I also added a few details with reclaimed gray denim and lace, and a tie in the back. These details help to break up the print and keep it from feeling overwhelming.  

Shop this top!

Wide Reversible Floral and Denim Tie Headband

And lastly, I loathe the thought of wasting even the smallest amount of vintage fabric. I was able to create this sweet reversible headband as a result of that! That beautiful jewel toned print on 1 side and gray reclaimed denim on the other. You can also fold it in half for a thinner width and a different look. 

Shop this Headband!

And there you have it! I love giving old things new life, and salvaging great fabric.  Okay, I'm going to keep on keeping on! Thanks for visiting! Have a lovely weekend!

xo,

     Erin 

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Giveaway Winners and SALE time!

Hope you all had a great week! 

I'm happy to announce the winners of my Mother's Day Giveaway! A big congrats to Sylvia and Jill! Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter, and please know that the winners were chosen at random through the website affiliate I used for this contest. I promise I will do more of these in the future so please stay tuned! 
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Also, I've discounted some items in my shop up to 40% off! You can check that section out by clicking here: SALE! 

Shop the SALE!

Have a great weekend, Happy Mother's Day wishes, and thanks for visiting! 

Cheers,

 - Erin

http://www.erinelsie.com 

Follow along my every day on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer

A little Bold, a little Boho, and a lot Versatile - the Super Vests!

Greetings! 

I can't believe it's already May. I hope you all survived your Monday! I'm staying busy, trying to get new items up in my shop. I have accumulated some great vintage fabrics for spring and summer and I'm overloaded with inspiration. I'm so excited about these 2 new items - a fresh take on the idea of a vest. They are uniquely different, but both so versatile. Mix them with winter layers, throw them over shorts (or pants, or a dress), or even use them as a swimsuit coverup! They are also both a generous one size fits most. I hope to complete a few more of these soon!

Gray Graphic Super Vest 

For more info or to Shop this item, click here!

Denim Paisley Super Vest

For more info or to Shop this item, click here!

Also, today is the last day to enter my giveaway! In honor of Mother's Day, I'm giving away 2 of these super fun reversible, and adjustable beach sacks, made by me! There's no purchase necessary and several easy ways in which you can enter! (only 1 is necessary):
1. Start Following me on Twitter @ErinElsie_Blank
2. Like the ErinElsie FaceBook Page .
or
3. Simply share something you admire about your mother or your most motherly figure on the comment section at the bottom of my previous blog post! (click here for my previous post of scroll down).

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Have a great Tuesday, and thanks for visiting! 

Cheers,

 - Erin

http://www.erinelsie.com 

Follow along my every day on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer

Mother's Day Giveaway! Win a this super fun Reversible Beach Sack!

Happy Monday Folks! It's Giveaway time! 

I truly admire my mom, and in honor of her and all Mothers out there, I've decided to a fun Mother's Day giveaway. There's no purchase necessary and several easy ways in which you can enter! (only 1 is necessary)

1. Start Following me on Twitter @ErinElsie_Blank
2. Like the ErinElsie FaceBook Page.
or
3. Simply share something you admire about your mother or your most motherly figure on the comment section at the bottom of this blog post!

And for the prizes? I'm giving away 2 of these super fun reversible, and adjustable beach sacks, made by me! One side neutral, one side with a super bright print. It's made of vintage fabric and some upcycled denim is used on one side of the straps.  

Have a great Monday (and week) everyone!

Cheers,

 - Erin

http://www.erinelsie.com 

Follow along my every day on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer

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Spring things are blooming in the workshop...

Greetings! Happy Weekend! 

We are nearing the very end of March, and I can't believe that there are snow flurries floating past my window. At least spring is blooming inside the home studio! I have been super busy these past couple of months with freelance styling work, and day dreaming about all the spring things I want to make when I can get back to my design studio. 

Finding beautiful vintage, dead-stock, and thrifted materials is really the launching point for what I create. I let the materials inspire me and go from there. I haven't had much time to dedicate to my usual materials hunt lately, and with almost perfect timing, two dear friends have given me some fabrics and items that are just filling me with all kinds of spring inspiration. 

I have known my friend Jessica for years, and although we are separated by distance, we stay connected through our vintage love. We are very different, but clicked beautifully when we met, and she knows me very well. Her and her mom love to shop for antiques together and often collect items that make them think of me. It's touching to know that a distant friend thinks of you at little moments, and better than that, they send me these lovely curated boxes of fabrics and vintage bits to repurpose into new modern items. I was so excited to open my most recent box from her and my excitement was met with an awesomely curated bunch of goodies! I'm sharing my favorites with you, and a little bit of the  design ideas that they invoke.    

It's great to get actual mail in such a digital age, but even better when it's accompanied with a hand written note.

Put a bird on it! The print on this royal blue vintage fabric is so sweet yet modern. I foresee a simple tank, letting the beautiful print take the stage. 

Blue clovers? I absolutely love this vintage fabric from the 60s and the quirkiness behind the idea of a blue clover print. 

I feel like bold and basic colors bring a freshness to spring- and I'm particularly excited about this tiny, but bold geometric print. 

In addition to fabrics, she also included these bits and baubles :)

I fell instantly for this embroidered piece and I wish I had more of it. I can't decide what to do with it yet...

These little vintage remnants really take me back. They remind me of the kinds of things I would get from my grandmother, Elsie. I wonder where they originated and the stories they tell.  

It's hard not to like these bold necklaces. Vintage costume jewelry is such a fun and inexpensive way to revive your wardrobe options. 

My friend Julia purged her closet for spring, something I wish I was better at! She sent over a bag of old fabrics that exceeded my expectations. They are screaming, "flow-y dresses"and "breezy tops"- can't wait to work with them!

 The subtle drama you can create by elegantly mixing prints...

I love a maxi dress with sleeves- so elegant, versatile, and flattering on so many shapes. The perfect item to throw in your suitcase.

Now time to dive into all this design work ahead of me. Enjoy the weekend and thanks for following along.

XO,

-Erin

http://www.erinelsie.com 

Follow along my every day on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer

Seeing RED, sharing my favorite vintage finds of late.

  Happy Wednesday from sunny and snowy NYC! 

I'm often too busy during the holidays to take on a personal project for myself; so when I snagged this brilliantly bold, vintage dress, I thought it was perfect as it only needed a few alterations. I wanted to have at least one new jazzy go-to piece with the multitude of events I had approaching and the lack of time I had to prepare for them. 

This particular dress was old, but the fabric was in great condition. I reinforced the seams, and shortened the hem. The color and print were so vibrant, I thought it might be more flattering as a shorter dress. A bonus about this fabric was that it draped beautifully and barely wrinkled- turning this dress into a great travel item. Our Christmas consists of 3 parts- Connecticut, New York, and Louisiana. I stuck it in my suitcase as we headed down to Louisiana to celebrate Christmas Part 3, the New Year, and my cousin Sarah's wedding.  

With all of the packing and unpacking I had been doing, at least the only item I forgot upon arriving in Louisiana was an evening clutch. This was a perfect excuse to do some last minute antiquing- hehe.  My brother agreed to let me stop at my favorite consignment shop in Thibodaux while en route to my cousin's wedding in New Orleans. I was a little bummed at first as I ran through the entire shop and found nothing- unusual for me. Then, my husband pulls out this vintage jewelry box in the perfect shades of red and gold and proposes the idea that I use it as a clutch- brilliant! For someone who often discourages me adding anymore items to our tiny NYC apartment- it was very sweet and memorable of him to help.

The velvety and gold box had a mirror in it, which made it even better as an evening bag. 

Some of my best vintage finds are the ones that tie in with memorable moments, and these certainly do. The wedding was a great way to cap off a wonderful and whirlwind Christmas vacation with family and friends. Congrats to the bride and groom, Sarah and Ben- well wishes for a happy marriage!

 (Hanging with one of my favorite ladies at the wedding festivities- my Aunt Estherlina)

Okay, now I must get back to work! I leave 2014 feeling superbly grateful and I enter 2015 prepared to work hard on my goals and make the most of what each new day brings. Best wishes to you as we kick off 2015! 

Sincerely,

-Erin

http://www.erinelsie.com 

Follow along my every day on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer

Classic...check! Chic...check! Timeless...Check!

Classic and cozy, chic plaid scarves have stood the test of time and remain style staples.  When I found some vintage Pendleton skirts, with torn seams and missing zippers, scarves seem like the perfect way to give the fabric a new life in a versatile and timeless piece. Pendleton wool is and has remained a high quality fabric, made in America. Although the vintage pieces I found were in rough shape, the fabric was still going strong.

 Here are the first couple of scarves, and I'm trying to get more done in time for the Holiday gifting! I'm a true believer in buying quality over quantity; beautiful pieces that quickly become your favorite go to items. I think investing in great, classic scarf definitely fits that bill.

Cobalt Plaid Scarf

This plaid was such a great find. The brilliant and bold colors make it a standout piece, while the plaid pattern keep it classic and timeless.

Classic Red Plaid Scarf

It doesn't get much better than this one- you can't go wrong with a classic red plaid.

Violet and Black Plaid Super Scarf

I love that you can easily dress this one up or down. It's extra long, giving it such a lux feel and versatile styling options. A perfect item to throw on a chic and comfy traveling outfit. Here in New York, I feel that way about outfits almost everyday! 

To shop all ErinElsie scarves at hats, Click Here.

Have a great week everyone! 

Cheers,

-Erin

http://www.erinelsie.com 

Follow my every day along on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer