“You are beautiful, in every single way.”
Howdy ya’ll! I know its been a damn long time since I’ve been here and posted anything worthwhile, but mama’s back … and with a tutorial!
So a while back, a few years ago, maybe 2 or 3… I was perusing some tawdry gossip-y paparazzi website that probably buys photographs of celebrities doing everyday activities with the blood of orphaned Ukranian babies or something, and I happened upon a picture of Christina Aguilera (who I love, by the way… her voice is incredible) wearing a skirt that resembled a pair of sweatpants, or a sweatshirt; a fleecy gray fabric complete with drawstring waist.
I immediately loved it (as a matter of fact, so much I saved the picture as a reminder!) and made a mental note to get one if I ever saw one anywhere, but never did. Then, quite a while later, on the same website, I saw another picture of her wearing a different one, but a similar style/concept.
Hey! Nevermind the titties… focus on the skirt!
At this point, I shook my fist at the screen and said “Curses!” She has two, and I can’t even find ONE?! Well, she is a multimillionaire 5-time Grammy winner who gets clothing and accessories thrown at her left and right for nothing, so I guess she has access to a lot more than I do, but still. Could such an item of clothing be so hard to find?
Apparently.
Four years or so later after finding that first image, I’ve yet to find such a skirt in any store, anywhere.
So I took it upon myself to make this article of elusivity (thats definitely not a word). It just seemed like such a comfy alternative to shorts or capris on a warm day, just to throw on with some flip-flops and t-shirt, I had to have one.
It was pretty easy to make, and so here I give you my tutorial for a “sweatpants skirt.” It probably would’ve been better if I had taken photos of each step as I was making them, but I didn’t, so here are some poorly drawn (in Photoshop) step-by-step illustrations.
First, you’ll need a pair of sweatpants. The looser the leg the better, but any pair will work really. It doesn’t matter if they have elastic ankles or not, or if they’re cropped or not- mine were- because the bottoms are going to get cut off anyway. If you’re unsure about your sewing/cutting skill, use a cheapo pair to start with, don’t use a pair of $90 Juicy Couture sweats and eff them up so bad you feel like a dick. This is all about trial and error and seeing what works and what doesn’t. Don’t waste really “good” sweatpants on this unless you’re super confident you know what the hell you’re doing.
Second, you’ll need a sharp pair of scissors that will cut through fabric easily. Sweatshirt fabric and fleece are harder to cut “clean” than most fabrics, so this is really important. I’ve got a handy dandy pair of $35 dollar F.I.T. approved seamstress scissors that work excellently and are probably the one investment I made in the school store that was worth it (aside from Fabriano watercolor paper, which is drool-worthy).
Third, you need lots of safety pins or straight pins. Again, I have quite a stash of both thanks to my F.I.T. days. You’d be surprised how long a big ass box of straight pins lasts.
Fourth, you will need a ruler or measuring tape. This isn’t 100% necessary, as any straight edge (book, folder, etc) will do.. but they’re easier to maneuver.
Fifth, you need either a sewing machine you know how to use, or a needle and thread. There’s not an immense amount of sewing involved here, so doing it by hand is totally acceptable and not terribly time consuming. But if you’ve got a machine, then work it girlfriend.
Got all your materials? Good. Now we’re ready to rock & roll!
- So you take your sweats and put them on, and stand in front of a full-length mirror. Make a mark on each leg where you want the skirt hem to hit. Its not going to be sewn, its going to be a rough edge (see the first picture of Christina to see what I mean) so you can change it later if its too long. Just don’t go too short, unless you want it short, because obviously you can’t add length back.
- Take them off and cut along each mark on each Then put them back on and make sure this is the length you want them. If not, re-mark, take them off, and re-cut. Repeat until you’re satisfied with the length. ANY length will work, I made mine just a smidge above knee length.
- Cut along the inside seam of each leg, going up towards the crotch. Then cut directly across the crotch, across the crotch seam (if your sweatpants don’t have a crotch seam, thats okay, that just means they were made using a pattern that had 2 pieces instead of 4). Now you should have a completely open pair of “pants”- the outside seams and waistband should be totally intact.
- Now here’s the tricky part. Turn them inside out, and using a ruler or measuring tape (or your straight edge), hold it against the waistband and run it down the pants, making a mark and then pinning along the straight edge. Then, do the same for the other side.
- Turn them right side out and put them back on. It should resemble a skirt, there shouldn’t be any inappropriate body parts showing and no open seams anywhere. If its really lumpy, or the seams are uneven, take it off and re-pin it more smoothly and try it on again. There shouldn’t be a big fabric bump in the back on your ass, or in the front either. This is also a good time to make sure the length is where you want it to be, if not, re-cut. You won’t have another chance to do so.
- Once you’re satisfied with it, take it off, turn it inside out and sew along the pins. DO NOT CUT OFF THE EXCESS FABRIC UNTIL YOU ARE 110% POSITIVE THE SEAM LOOKS OKAY AND IS IN THE RIGHT SPOT. You can always use a seam ripper and start over, but you can’t if you’ve cut off the rest of your “backup” fabric.
- Try it on again. At this point, it should be a totally finished skirt, you can cut off the excess fabric about a half inch away from your seam, and it will be ready to wear. If not, rip out the seam and go back to step 4 and try again.
Hopefully this made sense. If not, go have a few shots, come back and try it again. It probably will. If not, e-mail me and I’ll answer any questions you may have.
DO NOT BE BUMMED OR DISCOURAGED IF IT DOESN’T COME OUT LIKE MINE, OR AS GOOD AS YOU EXPECTED, ON THE FIRST TRY. Its all about trial and error with D.I.Y. projects- thats the beauty of them!
And if anyone reads this and knows where to get a skirt like that, I’d still consider buying one… if Christina’s got two, why can’t I?
“Oh, Guinness, from start to finish…”
February 11, 2009, 9:20 pm
Comments Closed
Daphne Guinness … check out the bag & shoes!!
Wordless Wednesday: Daphne Guinness
“I want you all over me like L.A.M.B.”
My newest sneaker obsession: L.A.M.B. Meihana sneakers in midnight/molasses. I think they’re so cute!
Even Gwen Stefani herself loves them…
I’m a big Gwen fan, I think her style is pretty wicked and I just think shes adorable. Gwen was the lead singer of the ska/pop band No Doubt from 1986 (when they were called Apple Core), before leaving in 2003 to release her own solo CD, ‘Love Angel Music Baby.’ Admittedly, when I was in high school, I was a bit too “hardcore” and punk rock to be into a band like No Doubt, but after graduating, getting into the real world and growing up a bit I realized I really liked them, and I didn’t have to stick to one type of music to be credible or prove myself to anyone. Songs like ‘Bathwater‘ and ‘Underneath it All‘ are just good songs, period. So thats when I started to notice Gwen and her style, which has undergone many different variations since then. My favorite Gwen is blonde Gwen, but the ‘Return of Saturn‘ pink-haired Gwen is a runner up. Her hair and makeup style in the videos for ‘Ex-Girlfriend‘ and ‘New‘ were just awesome. But lately I think she’s hit her stride; her style is just where it should be. Not too serious, not too stuffy, yet not as juvenile as it has been in the past (like the blue hair/bindi dot phase).
So therefore I adore her clothing/accessories line L.A.M.B. and have since July 2003, when Gwen made her very first handbag line for LeSportsac. I got a first season LAMB print “hella hobo” I for my birthday that year, and nobody had a clue about what it was or that Gwen even had a line. Then all of a sudden, that fall, pictures of Carmen Electra, Paris Hilton, Cameron Diaz and Pamela Anderson with that same bag started popping up everywhere, and people caught on. After that, I was a die hard Lambie: I bought a bag from every season in almost every print that was made. I’ve since sold a lot on eBay, and some on L.A.M.B./No Doubt internet communities, mainly because I just had no use for many of them and never used some of them, and I’m a firm believer in the philosophy that things like that are meant to be loved and used, not just collected, and if I’m not using them I should sell them to a home where they will be. But I’ve kept quite a few, and everytime I use them I get compliments (specifically anything Donegal Plaid). Of course, as is the way with most things on eBay, people were willing to pay over $400 for a bag that retailed for $120 or less… but it was LAMB-mania! Gwen learned from this, and started up her lux line of bags after parting with LeSportsac after creating LAMB for LeSportsac for 4 seasons (fall/winter 2003, spring 2004, summer 2004 and fall/winter 2004).
I also adore the clothing line that she started shortly after the LeSportsac line, and her new “lux” handbag line is fantastic as well. About 3 years ago one of my surprise Christmas presents from Jay was a pair of black ‘Baby’ sneakers and since then I’ve kept a close eye on her shoe line too. For those of you totally unfamiliar with L.A.M.B., heres a brief history thanks to Wikipedia:
“L.A.M.B. is a fashion line by American singer Gwen Stefani, the lead vocalist of the rock band No Doubt and a solo artist. The line manufactures apparel and fashion accessories. The line was founded in 2003 but made its runway debut the following year in 2004. The fashion line manufactures accessories like shoes, watches, bags and a fragrance called “L” as well. The name is an acronym of her debut solo album Love.Angel.Music.Baby.
The line is influenced by a variety of fashions cultures, including Guatemalan, Japanese, Indian and Jamaican styles. Stefani came from a line of seamstresses. This further inspired her to launch her own fashion line. The line achieved popularity among celebrities and is worn by stars such as Teri Hatcher, Nicole Kidman, Paris Hilton and Stefani herself.
The fashion line made a runway debut in the spring collection of 2004,[1] and achieved mainstream success at New York Fashion Week in 2005 and currently makes an annual gross income of $90 million. The line, as well as the fashion shows were well received by critics and appreciated the indulgence of a celebrity into the fashion world. An additional fashion line was also launched by Stefani called Harajuku Lovers intended for those who, like her Japanese back-up singers, share a love for Kawaiiness.”
I’m a big fan of her Harajuku Lovers line too, and I have a few bags and clothing items from it. Harajuku Lovers is lower on the price scale than L.A.M.B. and is a bit more youthful, whereas the L.A.M.B. line is classier and a bit more adult for lack of a better word. Both lines have fragrances; and all of them are delicious.
Some highlights of the L.A.M.B. line for me have been:
Donegal Plaid military coat, Fall 2004
Cheetah hoodie, Spring 2007
Double breasted leopard coat, Fall 2006
Where did my LAMB go? hoodie
If you’re interested in seeing more or purchasing something, here are some L.A.M.B. and Harajuku Lovers links-
Gwen Stefani L.A.M.B.
“You should never argue with a crazy mind.”
This past Friday I went to the Condé Nast building to visit the Teen Vogue offices with Jay’s sister, Jennifer. In case you are unaware, Condé Nast is the home of most of the popular magazines on the shelves today: Vogue, Teen Vogue, Allure, GQ, Glamour, Lucky, etc. As I posted in Cupcake Rehab, while we were there, and eating lunch in the cafeteria (where I ate a very tasty caesar salad, might I add), I happened to see none other than André Leon Talley wearing what seemed to be a bejeweled skullcap emblazoned with ‘OBAMA’ and what looked to me to be an American flag in rhinestones.
Now, when I saw the hat my first thought was “Where did he buy that? It looks like something you’d buy at one of those tourist shops in Times Square.” Then I thought to myself, “Yanno what self? Its highly possible thats a freakin’ Galliano design or something.” Well… this is a lesson to always listen to your first instinct, because today I happened to read this article on The Cut, and in case you’re too damn lazy to click a link, I’ll quote it for you.
Vogue editor André Leon Talley has taken to wearing a black knit hat emblazoned with “Obama” in rhinestones. “I bought it from a man on the street who was selling these out of the trunk of his car,” Talley said. He wore the hat to Oscar de la Renta’s pre-fall show on Monday and plans to order more for Christmas gifts. The sparkle doesn’t stop there: Talley ordered an overcoat with Barack’s face in crystals on the back to wear to the inauguration next month. Love.
Hilarity.
Now I’m off to watch ‘Unzipped‘ to see Mr. Talley in all his glory hanging out with Isaac Mizrahi in Paris. Sans rhinestone Obama hat.
Andre Leon Talley's bling bling Obama hat
