Friday, May 28, 2010

And what I wore to grade



I started the day in jeans and a tee shirt, which I hadn't planned to photograph. But during my laundry haul (3 1/2 flights of narrow stairs, necessary greetings to folks on the street, and 1 1/2 blocks of lugging), they kept sagging and falling, until I was almost guilty of pants on the ground, so I changed in this thrifted dress I haven't figured out how to wear yet.
I like the dress, and I have been on the thrifting look out for a denim dress since it's now quite trendy. While this petite dress generally fits (even at the waist), the shape is a wee bit awkward. But the more I've worn it today, the more comfortable I felt. Even though this lacks the strong utility elements of more current denim dresses, I like this dress because it feels functional but still femme-y. It's a bit late 90s with its princess seams and angled breast pockets, but the late 90s weren't so bad.
I have some ambitions of lightening the dress through a salt wash or other methods. Has anyone has any luck fading denim?
(and I'm still grading. Stupid laundry and other household labor has taken me away from my work duties).

Edit: Yes, I coiled the laces, highly imperfectly. The blogosphere tells me that it's called an Eastland Knot. Click here for a tutorial, complete with awesome illustrations.

Dress: Talbot's petites, thrifted
Belt: from a pair H&M pants
Necklace: street vendor in Hawaii
Shoes: Eastlands, via Alamo Shoes (Chicago)

9 comments:

  1. I love your dress! And your shoes! What chic preppy combo! It looks cape cod lobster bake ready while still looking cool and young... like you!

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  2. I agree, the shoes and belt totally take it out of the '90s! I've never thought of lightening denim, but now it sounds like fun! Let us know if you figure it out!

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  3. Does it feel awkward, for reals? Because it doesn't look awkward at all. In fact, it looks exactly like what I need to round out my summer wardrobe. . .

    Also, OMG - are those shoelaces perfectly coiled? If so, an if this were the late '80s, I might've pounded you and stolen those laces. Now, I'm simply overjoyed at this photographic evidence that the coiled laces are back!

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  4. It does not look awkward at all- looks like it fits you perfectly. You could play around with different belts and maybe a scarf too. I've been looking for a denim dress too.

    As for lightening denim there are some fairly easy things you can do but they are kind of toxic? You can wash denim in diluted bleach (do a test spot first) Or you can buy those Rit Lightening dye products.

    I have used bleach in the past and it does the job. That beng said I like the dark color of your dress because you can carry the dres over into the fall in that shade.

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  5. Love this dress. Wish I could find cool things like that when I go thrifting.

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  6. @La fille: I am conflicted about lightening, because I hate bleach. I heard that rock salt can remove a bit a color though too. And a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution. Maybe I'll try it with a thrifted skirt first.
    @A-Dubs: they are coiled/knotted. I don't know if they are "back" but I'll do it anyway until one of the popular girls makes fun of me!
    @Merith: I get a lot of hits or misses, and a lot of stuff in NY is pretty picked over. Mostly I just try to keep and open mind and sometimes I end up taking things back to the shop (I figure it's giving money to charity either way, so it can't be all bad!).

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  7. AW, I can show you how to coil your laces. It's just like making a noose and don't ask me how I know that. Also, is it weird that I am replying to you on Rad & Anne's blog?

    Rad, that dress is great on you and it doesn't look awkward the way you've got it going on here. I like the darker colour.

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  8. i've been looking for a denim dress just like this forever now with no success (don't want to pay too much!). will have to check out thrift stores around here!

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  9. @La fille: I am conflicted about lightening, because I hate bleach. I heard that rock salt can remove a bit a color though too. And a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution. Maybe I'll try it with a thrifted skirt first.
    @A-Dubs: they are coiled/knotted. I don't know if they are "back" but I'll do it anyway until one of the popular girls makes fun of me!
    @Merith: I get a lot of hits or misses, and a lot of stuff in NY is pretty picked over. Mostly I just try to keep and open mind and sometimes I end up taking things back to the shop (I figure it's giving money to charity either way, so it can't be all bad!).

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