I don’t think I have ever been more excited to write a post! There is so so much to share in this post so let me get RIGHT TO IT so that you can make it all the way to the end. Trust me, it’s worth it!
Clearly, I made this outfit. You know that because you follow me on instagram right? Ruffles have been on trend for months now but in deep emerald green and with a little more coverage than the off-the-shoulder styles of late, they make a perfect transition into fall.
Sometimes when you sew you have to let the fabric guide you. I was shopping in my local glorious fabric store, Britex, for some fabric with a vague idea of a look in mind. Britex has beautiful fabrics but is very pricey so I hiked up the the 4th floor where they stock their fabric remnants. I found a yard a half of this green silk followed by this iridescent poly for $5 a yard and I knew what a glorious match they would be.
Sure, it may take some cajones to wear ruffles on your top and pants and knots on your feet. Would you believe that when I left my apartment at 8am last Friday in New York I was scared of how people would look at me? Scared, which is ridiculous considering I was staying in Times Square so compared to the deformed Frozen characters and Naked Cowboy, I was relatively tame. However, no matter where I went that day, which included a coffee shop, Sephora, 2 parties and a lunch spot, I got stopped repeatedly by people telling me they LOVED my outfit. That was all the confidence I needed to give an extra twirl in the street to show off my ruffles! And combined with my bauble earrings that you know I’ve been rocking for a few posts now, it was the perfect look. It was breathable and airy, intellectual and architectural, inviting and comfortable, and BRIGHT.
The look was made complete by the fine braiding hands of the Amika stylists, who at one of our fashion week parties braided my hair so well that I slept face down so I could wear it again the next day! And with the fabulous photography of Angie Garcia, I am able to let this look live on in such a beautiful way. I love how she captured the movement of my designs – if ya’ll are ever in Dallas you should shoot with her (see what I did there?) !
Photos by Angie Garcia.
Zara Shoes, Coach Swagger Bag, everything else with ruffles made by me. I know you can’t get my exact look but who wants that anyway? The point is to take a damn chance with fashion and wear something unique! Something with volume, something that makes you feel a little saucy. Try something new! Check out some of my favorite pieces below for an awesome ruffle look:
Finally- the MOST exciting part of this post is that Project Runway season 15 starts tonight and I am going to play along tonight as a virtual contestant! I am calling it Project RealWay. What does that mean? It means watching the show every week, and challenging myself to create an item with the same materials and financial constraints, while supplying my own judges and commentary. What’s awesome about this is that you can follow along in REAL TIME by watching my instagram stories and providing feedback and input into the design! Then, I will post a short video with highlights of the week and the final look. You can comment and vote along with the judges on your thoughts, and provide me with real time support as I virtually sew my heart out! Check back every week to see the recap video (and of course to follow my regular posting schedule!) to weigh in on your thoughts! You can also follow or post the #ProjectRealWay hashtag on instagram and twitter to see my posts or give me your thoughts!
