All Dressed Up

Got out my suede Ann Taylor Loft skirt to wear to my birthday dinner last night, and remembered this great blouse I made last year. It was my first attempt at working with a knit/stretchy fabric (fitting is tricky!). I fell in love with it when I saw it in the sale section; it's got great texture, lacey but with all these slubs on it like boucle, and the streaks of blue really sold me on it. I liked it so much, I went back and bought the same fabric in four different color combinations! The blouse itself I made from two different patterns: well, primarily from one pattern, but using the more sensible construction techniques of another. I love the v-neck, gather in the middle of the bust (done with clear elastic tape), and cap sleeves. If had to do it over, I'd do a facing instead of hemming the neckline; the fabric was incredibly hard to turn a narrow hem on!

Since it was raining, for a finishing touch I added the green suedecloth trenchcoat I made last fall. The length fell exactly at the bottom of my skirt and the whole look was very put-together (for me, ha-ha!). At Carrabba's, a staffer on his way in met me at my car door with an umbrella, and said he didn't want me to get my "pretty green dress" wet!