DIY - Cargo Vest

I'm sure I've said this before but this DIY is so easy that anyone and I do mean anyone can do it.  All you need are two items. There is no gluing, sewing or waiting involved in this DIY.  Once you are finished, you'll have a vest you can wear year round!  A cargo vest has been on my wish list for some time.  I started by looking for one that fit my pear shaped body on every website available.  I found lots that I loved but none that would fit my generous hips. I finally decided that I should stop searching and start making.  Then the search began for a military shirt or light jacket.  I really wanted solid olive but I've been searching for a couple months and keep coming up empty.  Finally on Saturday, as {msL} and I headed home from The Sweet Life of Alexandria we decided to make a stop at my favorite thrift store (Goodwill Alexandria). This store just so happens to be close to an Army base. Also being close to DC means there are lots of military men and women in the area. I didn't find a solid olive jacket (I'll keep looking) but I found a camouflage jacket that worked perfectly and fit!

The jacket was on the long side, which I liked and didn't have any patches.  Sometime patches are great but I wanted a plain vest that I could dress up or down. Bonus that I wouldn't have to remove any patches.

Supplies

Military Shirt/Jacket      $6.29

Scissors                already owned

________________________

TOTAL                             $6.29

No need to measure or mark this shirt.  I would be cutting right along the seam of each sleeve.

1. Select your shirt or jacket.  I chose a light weight shirt because I wanted to be able to wear this vest year round. 

2. Turn the first sleeve inside out.  This step allows you to see where the seams fit on the inside of the shirt.

 3. Make a starter cut along the outer seam.  Be sure you are only cutting the sleeve and not the seam or the shoulder. 

 4. Turn the sleeve right side out and continue cutting.  Cut as close to the arm seam as possible.  Make sure you aren't cutting the seam stitching or the rolled edge of the shoulder. You don't want the jacket to come apart.

5. Clean up the edges.  You might need to use a smaller pair of scissors to get under the edge of the seam.  The shirt I chose is made of rip stop fabric.  It tends to fray a bit and I wanted to make sure I got all of the stray threads and edges.


6. Repeat steps 2 - 5 on the second sleeve.  While you are doing this. you could start planning your first outfit.  I mastered cutting in kindergarten so it doesn't take much thought. Also, because I have a little ADD and don't take Ritalin, my mind tends to wander.

The finished vest!  See, I told you this was the easiest DIY ever!  You can put those cutting skills from kindergarten to good use.

L to R - Debra, Marthia, Jessica, and me

I wore my vest to the DC Big Flea Market on Sunday. As you can see I had to throw it on with some sequins to offset the seriousness of the camouflage. I attended a tweet up and I'm writing an article for GalTime.com.  It will be up later in the week.  Best of all I met new friends; Debra Cincioni of Moms of America; Marthia Sides,  hostess for the day and singer extraordinaire; and Jessica Johnson consultant and anti-human trafficking activist.

The best comments on my vest were from older men who were obviously former military.  I love it when my clothing makes an impression.  I'm sure my $6 vest will get lots of wear. It's a fun addition to my wardrobe and one of my quickest DIYs ever.

Even Thrifty in the Heat

One of the reasons that I love thrifting is that you can buy an item with one intention, you get it home and find all sorts of possibilities. I bought this vest last September on my trip to NYC. It's a men's wool, suit vest.  I thought I'd wear it during the winter to jazz up my plain sweaters and long sleeve tees.  The weather the summer has been extra hot.  I've been looking for ways to spruce up my tanks and light outfits.

Three count them, three thrifted items in this outfit!

Vest - thrifted via Goodwill, Pants - thrifted via Goodwill, Tank - Target,
Shoes - Kohl's, Hat - Eugenia Kim for Target, Bracelets - thrifted via Finders Keepers, F21 and Gift
Watch Pendant - Gift

I'm showing this outfit again as part of a blogger challenge on Everybody Everywear.  This month, bloggers are showcasing their thrifted outfits. I'm also going to make a big announcement tomorrow about thrifting and budgeting.



Casual Sparkle

I wore this outfit to a casual brunch at the home of friends on Sunday.  I've been looking for a slim cut pair of cargo pants for a while now.  I'd love to wear super skinny cargos but these flatter my shape better. They are a good compromise. It is my way to wear the trend in the way it suits me best.

Sequin Top - Macy's (no longer available), Knit Vest - Macy's (no longer available), Pants - Avenue,
Shoes - MIA via DSW, Belt - Talbots Outlet, Ring - DragonWeave Jewelry via Amazon.com

I got these shoes last summer. They are a great alternative to sandals.  They're open but they have a little more coverage because they are booties. They also have a very low heel, so they feel like flats.

 

I have loved this ring for a while and decided I couldn't wait any longer.  It arrived last week.  Everyone wanted to try it on and I got tons of complements. It's definitely a conversation piece.

SALE is not a four letter word...

It's sale time! YAAAY!  I love this time of year when the weather is still warm enough for short sleeves but you might need a jacket and you can get away with boots or tights sometimes.  The stores are getting rid of their summer merchandise and stocking up on winter. Lots of them are offering sales, mid-season, pre-season, post-season, who cares!? A sale is a sale.

ASOS, one of my favorite net sites is having their mid-season sale. For the uninitiated, ASOS is a British company that is now also catering to the US.  I'm thrilled because their fashion forward items are fantastic. They have great sales and they carry items in a huge range of prices. Plus, they are offering FREE SHIPPING both ways.  Which means, if the items don't fit, you won't even have to pay to return it to them. You can't lose. I bought two dresses (less than $25 each) and a tank ($10) yesterday that will be fantastic transitional pieces. They are spring/summer pieces that can be worn into the fall with a jacket or sweater. Did I mention that ASOS also sells Petite, Plus, Maternity, Men's, beauty products, and tons of great shoes? Check them out.

Coldwater Creek is another site that has a wide range of sizes. They are currently having a 25% off sale. That's 25% off of EVERYTHING! They have great basic and casual pieces. I also love some of their interesting jackets to jazz up a basic black dress or pants. I got an email this morning and loved the suggestion they had for layering.

photo credit: Coldwater Creek

I love the idea of using a vest under a casual jacket to add layers but not bulk. It's fantastic! I think that my NYC thrift store vest will be making an appearance like this very soon.

Shopping various web sites can help you to find cool new pieces at great prices. Don't forget to hit the sales.

Thrify NYC

As part of our trip to New York, my sister and I decided to avoid the big department stores and shop the thrift and vintage store route. It was an adventure and we couldn't lose. Great style at bargain prices!

We both scored some great items. Keep in mind we stayed on the Upper East side. This worked to our advantage because the women of the Upper East side like to donate their barely used, "I'm bored with that", "I've been seen in that" clothing to thrift stores and charities.

The first day, we hit a Goodwill store that I had heard about. It took some digging, as most thrift stores do but my sister found a vintage 1960's Harris Tweed coat, in blue and purple hues for only $19.99!  A new one can cost over $300. I found this vintage, like new, Coach Willis bag.  It is in perfect condition.

My apologies for the picture quality. A better camera is in my future.

Day two we hit some of the charity thrift stores. There are four within a three block stretch on 3rd Avenue. I saw some good items, tons of designer shoes that were too small for me, Burberry trenches that didn't fit, an Armani coat that was priced a bit high, a Marc Jacobs bag that showed too much wear, and a vintage Etienne Aigner purse (not my style) that still had its tags! My sister walked away with a great wool jacket and a cashmere sweater for less than the price of a nice dinner.

On day three we went back to the Goodwill store to look for some vintage t-shirts. We didn't find any that we liked but we both walked away with a great menswear vest. Menswear is still in this fall and I'm excited to incorporate the vest into my rotation.

As we were headed toward the register, my sister spied a silver mesh bag. As she picked it up I said, "That looks like a Whiting & Davis." I have a long love affair with Whiting & Davis, going back to the days when I used to look at the one my mom has owned since the 50's. Luckily, now it's mine. They are known for their metallic mesh evening bags. As luck would have it, I was right!  The bag was not vintage but a current style and in brand new condition! Of course I couldn't leave without it.

My bag looks just like this one. It's currently selling for $120 - $150.  I got it for only $7.99!  Thanks to my sister and the ladies of the Upper East Side! 

We left the city on Sunday with a vintage winter coat, wool jacket, cashmere sweater, a vintage Coach bag, two wool menswear vests, and a Whiting & Davis bag for less than $150. That is the current price of just the Whiting & Davis bag.  Score for the sisters!!