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Lookbook

Buffalo Gals: Don’t Feed the Bears

Polyester+Fake Fur+Knit=One of my favorite Buffalo Gals Looks
One of the main the ideas behind this Look Book is that I wanted all of the pieces I put together for Grace to  be interchangeable.  Meaning that, I want Grace to be able to pull any top, bottom, and accessory out of her drawer and be able to wear them together…and have them look like they are supposed to be together.
(Grace is really into dressing herself, BY HERSELF which means we often get some interesting outfits.  I wanted to make her a set of clothing that was cohesive enough that she could pull any of the pieces together without looking like she is being raised completely unsupervised.)
But, even though everything is supposed to be interchangeable, I have to admit…
this combination is one of my favorites.
Here’s how I made it:
The rust colored top I made from a vintage pattern.
It is actually supposed to be a size 2 dress but with a few changes here and and a couple of other changes there it is now a size 4 top.  AND…it is made from some vintage polyester taken from my mother-in-laws basement.
You can’t see in the photographs but this polyester has a tiny diagonal texture to it that is pretty awesome…as if being polyester wasn’t awesome enough for me.
Grace likes the pockets best.  (She calls them “bear hand” pockets.)
I made them from the left over scraps of a blanket I made awhile back.
I love the texture and interest they add to the top.
I also like the idea of the pockets on the outside instead of placed in the seam and hidden.
Next we have the shoes…
I didn’t make them.  I wish I did but, no.
I bought them on sale at Old Navy for right around $20.
Grace and I both love them and they go with every single out fit that I made for the Look Book.
(Hooray for only having to buy 1 pair of shoes this fall!)
Now, let’s talk knit.
I made Gracie’s leggings from some knit that I bought at FIDM for $2 a yard.  They were really easy to make and a great project for those who are just beginning to sew.
(If you want to make some you can use either Dana’s  or Ashley’s tutorial. They each have different ways of making leggings but both methods are easy and almost fool-proof.)
As for the shirt, I didn’t make it.  In fact, I didn’t make any of the T-shirts you will see.  The shirt Grace is wearing is a whitened up hand-me-down from Simon.
I am a HUGE fan of the plain, white T.
HUGE.
So why didn’t I make some?
Because I can buy them for $3 at Wal-Mart.
I can’t even buy knit to make a T-shirt for $3.  Which means that buying them saved me time and money (both of which are needed) so Wal-Mart it was.  And since none of the t-shirts are central to any of the looks I don’t feel guilty about it either.
 (At some point I’ll post about the retro T-shirts I made for Grace with vintage knit but none of those are part of the Buffalo Gals Look Book…so for a hand-made T-shirt from me you’ll have to wait.  If you think it makes me less of a seamstress so be it…I’m not ashamed…sometimes you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. )
Alright so we covered the top, t-shirt, leggings, and shoes.  That’s everything!
Now all that is left to do is ask:
Was the rust colored polyester really as bad as you thought it would be?
I hope not, because Grace and I are kind of in love.
Have a good weekend everyone and we’ll be back again on Monday with more of Gracie’s Buffalo Gals Look Book.
-liZ

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Comments

  3. Sweetbug Studio says

    Polyester kind of scares me:) Could it be the one piece blue satiny outfit I recall my mother wearing once for an evening out when I was young? I think I thought it was pretty at the time!?? I do love your approach to the wardrobe with the “Buffalo Gals” theme. And how perfect that these fringe boots are SOOOO in this year! Great work–can’t go wrong with leggings and a tunic style top!

  8. Jessica at Me Sew Crazy says

    oh my goodness – this has got to be my new favorite thing of yours. I am in love with this look! Like everything about it, I want it for me, for my girls, and for everyone I know. I love love love this!!!

  9. Palak says

    So cute! that rust color is one of my favorites! She looks like she loves it. ps. I also really like the granimals tees from walmart. They are reasonably priced and hold up well.

  15. Beverly says

    I think this is so cute! And I have to say, that material looks JUST like the material that my grandmother used to make me, my sister and a cousin identical dresses when we were small. They were the same rust color and had the diagonal texture. I loved that dress!

  18. Lucinda Poel says

    Buying a $3 tshirt doesn’t make you less of a seamstress – it simply makes you SMART! I do the same thing:) And that top is so great! I bet your daughter loves the “swingy-ness” of it!