Reduce, Reuse, UPCYCLE! My Latest Project: 2 Old Men's Shirts = 1 New Shirt Dress

2 Old Men's Shirts = 1 New Shirtdress 

Greetings!

I can't believe it's almost August already! It's definitely hot here in NYC and I have been living in comfy and cool dresses. I normally gravitate towards flow-y bold prints and color with my materials, but when my husband handed over some old shirts he was discarding, I was inspired to do an upcycling project for myself with a little more polish.  

The Project:

I don't currently own tailored shirtdress, so I decided to create one! 

I had a blue shirt and a white one, so I decided to go with a color blocked design. Keeping blue on the bottom, I was thinking it might be a little more flattering and would wear over time better than the white would. I sewed the pieces together with French seams, which give the overall dress some structure for a clean and crisp look!

The Result:

I'm really happy with the result! It's such a sleek and versatile piece; a blank canvas to change up with so many different accessories. Here I've photographed it with one of my best vintage clutch finds and a staple in my wardrobe for this summer- It's leather, made in Italy, and only cost me $15 :)  

TIP: If you want to invest in some high quality accessories, but don't have a lot to spend, try some vintage shopping! For me, I love the thrill of the treasure hunt, the quality in which things were made in the past, and having a unique item that's not hanging in every department store in the country. If you're intimidated by a thrift store or a vintage shop, check out eBay online - I've found some great pieces on there.

You don't have to be an expert seamstress for a project like this, so it's a great beginner sewing project idea. Also, something like this would be a great way to preserve memories by using old shirts from a loved one! I hope I've added a little DIY inspiration to your week! 

Cheers,

     Erin 

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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).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have a great Tuesday, and thanks for visiting! 

Cheers,

 - Erin

http://www.erinelsie.com 

Follow along my every day on Instagram:@ ErinBlank_Designer

A Tale of Two Great Transition Pieces, One Great Print, and Making the Best of the Things You Cannot Change!

Happy Friday! 

The creative process, much like life, rarely ever goes as planned, and I suppose that's why it's called a creative process. I'll often have something in mind when I first find fabric, and then when I begin to work with it, the design usually goes in a completely different direction. 

When I first found this vintage skirt, I grabbed it right away. I was intrigued by the rich, bold print and the large panels of fabric (nearly 5 yards in one skirt - for those that don't know, that's a lot for one skirt!). The skirt construction was not great and initially I thought I'd just repair it and perhaps wear it myself. When I finally got around to working on it, as I stretched out the large panels I really fell in love with the unique print and felt like it should be put into pieces that could really make the most of it. There was such a large amount of fabric put into the skirt, it actually did this print a disservice and this became an inspiring project for me. 

I had enough fabric to make 2 pieces and I'm really excited about the final results. Both pieces are basically canvases for the bold print that will transition you perfectly into fall. They are also super versatile, an easy fit, and one generous size. 

Graphic Tribal Modern Flapper Dress

The shape of this dress is much like the flapper dresses that liberated the ladies in the 1920s, just ramped up with this modern tribal print. I feel like it captures that flapper spirit - easy to move in and simple yet still feminine.   

 *There are hidden, optional side ties. You can wear the dress boxy and free or use the ties to cinch the waist in various ways. 

For more info and to shop, click here

Graphic Tribal Print Kimono

Kimono style tops are a trend that will remain a season-less staple in my wardrobe. Wear it over your swimsuit now and then with booties and jeans in the fall. This is definitely one of my favorites. The print leaves no boring angles to this kimono. 

For more info and to shop click here

I love being able to bring new life to awesome fabric and embracing wherever the creative process takes me. And much like I never know where the creative process will take me, I also never know where life will take me. Today I am blogging to you from the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport. I'm wrapping up a freelance gig and my original 9:45 am flight was cancelled and I must wait until 5:50 pm to fly back to NYC! One perk of this tiny airport, free wifi and the employees are super nice - true southern hospitality. One downside, it's a tiny airport so there are not many options when your original flight is cancelled. The barista in my current coffee shop is taking great care of me. Her genuine kindness really helped to subside my initial frustration,  and I I am at peace with just trying to make the best of it all. At least I'll have plenty of time to read through the fashion magazines I picked up (I'm a sucker for those giant fall issues), and to dive into my current book. 

 Hope you all have a lovely weekend ahead and hopefully I can make it home and start mine soon!

xo
 -Erin

http://www.erinelsie.com 
Follow along on Instagram: ErinBlank_Designer

The Easy Piece of Summer, Swathed in Beautiful Prints!

Oh how time is flying by! I can't believe that July is almost over. I have been trying to enjoy summer here in NYC, but mostly busy in the work shop plus a 7 day stint in jury duty. I am so happy to be finally putting new pieces out there!

The first of the new things are a group of kimono-style tops. For me, inspiration starts with the fabric, and these tops are the perfect canvas for displaying beautifully printed and dyed fabric. I have been hunting and collecting some beautiful vintage fabrics, and I hope that the new pieces to come give them a new life and add to their story. This is certainly one of the most versatile trends of this summer. They are an easy way to add a pop of color or print to your basic pieces. They are also so great to travel with as they can be worn with shorts during the day, as a swimsuit cover up, and even dressed up at night.

Violet & Gray Tie-Dye Boho Kimono

Click here to Shop

Turquoise Tie-Dye Boho Kimono

Click here to Shop

Red Vines & Floral Boho Kimono

Click here to Shop

Graphic Tribal Print Kimono

Click here to Shop

Beautifully Bold Red Print Kimono

Click here to Shop

Please follow along this week for other new items!

Wishing you all a great week ahead! 

Cheers! xo,
 Erin 
http://www.erinelsie.com 
Follow along on Instagram: ErinBlank_Designer

Many Thanks to:

Photography by the one and only Ben Kulo http://www.benkulo.com/

The red-headed beauty, Stéphanie Rupe, stephaniearupe.wix.com/stephaniearupe

Live in Color: Sharing a few bits from my inspiration board...

Greetings!

I hope you are all having a good week. I'm in the midst of some freelance work by day and my own work on an ErinElsie collection by night. Getting inspired is always a great stress reliever for me so thought I'd pass along the gesture by sharing some of my most favorite bits of  recent inspiration. 

Above, some bathing suit designs by the artist, Sonia Delaunay circa 1920s.

Image found here: stylesight.com 

Sonia Delaunay was a painter, illustrator, textile designer, and clothing designer who was a pioneer of abstract art beginning in the 1920s. In 1964 she became the only woman to have had an exhibition at the Louvre Museum in her own lifetime. Learn more about this artist here: britannica/Sonia-Delaunay

Two models in Sonia Delaunay beachwear, 1927. I gravitated towards this image right away and love that these outfits could indeed look great in black and white or as colorful prints. 

Images courtesy of blog.stylesight.com

How fun are all these pieces on the below vintage pattern? I'm still loving the trend of 2 piece sets and crop tops. There were so many fun takes on it in the late 50s and early 60s.  

Image found here: pinterest

I love sifting through old advertisements. Sometimes they can feel so dated and sometimes they can feel surprisingly modern. This ad below was for beach towels and I love love the prints and the idea that you could mix these patterns in a look. 

...and in the studio

I'm working on a few beach-y carryall bags. If perhaps you're intimidated by putting bold prints in your wardrobe, then try incorporating them with accessories. 

I'm also loving how this array of kimono-style tops is turning out! I'm trying to get this all out in the next couple of weeks.  

Alright, and now time for that glass of wine...I hope your week is going well, and if not - hang in there, the weekend will be here shortly!  Many thanks for taking the time to read along.  

Cheers friends,
 Erin 
http://www.erinelsie.com 
Follow me on Instagram: ErinBlank_Designer 

A Trend, A Treasure Hunt, and Time with the Parents!

Trends come and go, and while I enjoy the spectacle of it all - I am generally tentative to jump on board. I tend to gravitate towards quality basics and eclectic statement pieces that I simply love and know I will not tire of quickly. To my surprise, one trend I am enjoying is this kimono-inspired soft jacket look. They are an easy way to add a pop of color or print to your basic pieces. They are also great to travel with as they can be worn with shorts during the day, as a swimsuit cover up, and even dressed up at night. 

Photo Courtesy of MissWhiteSmith Blog

My Purple Boho Big Shirt

I made a beautiful purple one, that sold rather quickly- and it has inspired me to make a collection of them. One size fits all, in an array of prints. Scouring everywhere for awesome fabric in beautiful colors and prints is what I love to do and lends itself perfectly to this project. I have already tracked down some of the materials online. It's pretty amazing with technology that you can buy vintage fabric from France- so excited for that to come in! Next, I will take my fabric hunt on the road. My parents are flying in from Louisiana this morning and I'm so excited! They are going to be Brooklyn residents for the next couple of days and it will be great to just spend some quality time with them. After hanging in New York - we are going to do a little road trip up the coast Mystic, CT and Newport, RI perhaps. I plan to derail the trip a couple of times for some fabric treasure hunting, I just can't help myself! Have a lovely memorial day weekend and I will report back soon!

As always, many thanks for following along on this creative journey! 

Be Well!
xo
 Erin 
http://www.erinelsie.com
Follow me on Instagram: ErinBlank_Designer