Up-Up-Cycled

This is a new bag I just finished and photographed today. I'm really productive sometimes, I think it's the A.D.D. The flap was a shirt that I got years ago at the best thrift store ever: Red, White & Blue in Hamilton, NJ. I had turned the shirt into a (terrible) bag when I first started sewing. I never ended up selling it (since it was terrible!) and recently went through my old bags and tore them apart to source for fabric. This is one of my favorites! Love the tattoo inspired image and of course the idea of rebel. I'm also working on photographing my bags a little differently. Outside, without the mannequin and the leopard print. A little simpler, to show off the bags. Hopefully I will see some increase in views/sales.

In other news, I decided that the work khakis could be easily fixed, so I didn't have to buy a (not) new pair. When I finally can make this my living and quit my job, I am going to burn them along with the hideous button down shirts I am forced to wear. I mean c'mon, button down shirts don't work for females!!

Happy Not New Year!

Ok, so here it goes, my first ever blog post. I've created this blog to document my journey of buying only second-hand clothes for the next year, with a couple of exceptions. Of course, I will be buying new undergarments! The jury is still out on shoes, I am kinda skeeved out by it, but might make an exception for an amazing pair! Also, I already have a million pairs of shoes, and don't really need anything new! The year-long project/blog seems slightly daunting, but I'm not committing myself to posting everyday. Otherwise, I might be committing myself! Will they let me craft in the institution?

Wow, there are a lot of exclamation points in that first paragraph. Perhaps I should not blog while drinking coffee.

I've been thrifting since high school (RED, WHITE, & BLUE!!!) but it's never been my only source of wardrobe. When I started making handbags a few years ago, I was using funny t-shirts as fabrics, and have continued that and expanded upon it. For many of my bags now, the only new fabrics I have purchased are the lining (for continuity) and the interfacing. Even though each and every one of my bags in unique, I use new purchased black satin for the linings for every bag.

My first amazing find is a one-piece leopard shorts jumpsuit. I am usually anti-shorts, but these are long and loose so I'm ok with it. Animal print is my absolute fave, but this is the first all leopard outfit I've owned. When I described it to my BFF she said it sounded a little scary. We'll see how it goes, if I don't end up wearing it, I can always source the fabric for bags!

ttyl, xoxo