I always got a new dress for Christmas when I was a kid. My mom always let me pick out the pattern and the fabric that I wanted and I loved it. My Christmas dress was often made from a rich velvet that always made me feel that magic of Christmas. I haven't had a new Christmas dress in several years. Last week on Thursday, I was thinking about this and thinking about how nice it would be to have a dress this year. And I thought I'd procrastinated too long again because there was no way I was going to pull off a Christmas dress before Sunday when my first thoughts of making it were on Thursday. Then I remembered a skirt that I bought a while ago that had been hanging in my "to refashion" pile and I had a bit of inspiration. So, I didn't end up with a dress, but I did come up with an outfit that I really love and it even made me feel a little bit like I had put on a velvet dress, but for a lot less money.
I've made a lot of effort in this past year or so to wear more thrifted items. I think I've gotten to the point where I am wearing about 75% thrifted clothing. I hardly even shop anywhere but the thrift store for clothes. This Christmas outfit is kind of a culmination of that effort - minus the shoes and tights, it is almost completely thrifted or made from items in my stash. The skirt was refashioned (using this tutorial -same one that I used for this skirt) from a longer skirt with a smaller waistband that I got for $3 and it's kind of a silky fabric, so it had a touch of fanciness to it. The sweater is also thrifted - it is a basic elbow length black GAP sweater that I have had since early this year and have found so essential to my wardrobe. I think I paid between $2 and $4 for it.
I did have to buy the ribbon for the belt, but the flowers are made completely from fabrics in my stash - my favorite is the yellow plaid wool that I thrifted. I'd like to do a tutorial for this, hopefully by next month. I've seen these belts around the web for some crazy prices and they are so easy to make. I made mine in about an hour the night before I wore it and had several hot glue gun burns on my fingers to prove it! But it was definitely fast, easy, and inexpensive to make.
It was nice to bring back some of that magic of Christmas from my childhood. I've really tried to relax and take it easy this holiday season and it seems to be working - I'm so enjoying the holidays this year, really enjoying watching my kids get so excited. I hope you are having a wonderful time celebrating also!
