A Tale of Two Outfits.

Well, I'm really only excited about one, but to support the catchy title, I'll show you both.  First of all, I'm going to go ahead and acknowledge the wrinkles.  They are numerous and they are huge.  I get a little excited when  I envision an outfit and someone who can wear it (usually my daughter) is close by and pliable enough to get them to oblige me by trying on, taking off, trying again, and posing for pictures.  Today, in the middle of a marathon study session, she took a break and tried on some clothes for me.  This is completely harkening back to the days when I played "dolls" for hours, and started making clothes out of socks for Barbie (sometimes real Barbie, but usually generic) and her friends.  I should have gone into the fashion industry but didn't know I had any real interest until now.  Fortunately, I can still participate and not be the weird lady down the street who still plays with dolls.  I shop tirelessly for vintage and current thrift and estate sale finds, usually for the aforementioned daughter who, because of her size, lucks up on a lot more great outfits than I ever do.  Being her mom, however, I do get a lot of pleasure out of dressing her up and seeing how gorgeous she looks.  So on with the tale:

The jumpsuit has been on Etsy for a long time.  I get lots of inquiries, but so far no sale.  The measurements seem off because while the hips are pretty roomy, and the elastic waist can accomodate up to a size 10, this is still very much a size 6/8.  Sydney is an 8/10, and she's pretty much stuffed into it, so the label is correct.  It's made for a size 6 but the numbers just don't add up.  Until today, I had some bad photos posted of the jumpsuit on a hanger in my living room from last year.  The mannequin doesn't work with slacks, so anything pants-related was relegated to a coat hanger until Syd came home from school, lost a few pounds, and became my full-time volunteer living coat hanger.  These pics are SO much better.  I know the season is technically over, but hey, this is the Midwest and we could get an 80 degree Thanksgiving so I'm hopeful that this will still sell.  Besides which, not everyone lives in such an unpredictable climate.  And people who aren't me go on vacation to warm places.  

After doing an estate sale a few weeks ago, I was given the task of cleaning the place out to get it ready for a new owner.  As much as I sold, there was still so much there.  I resorted to giving things away.  I even called in a service which will haul away for free.  His payment is the "goods" he gets to keep.  Still, after at least five trips there with three guys and a truck, it seemed like I'd never finish.  I loaded up some bags for Goodwill and in doing so, came across this Jessica McClintock red taffeta skirt.  The Twenty-One dress is one that my daughter found early in the sale process.  It never made it to the sale because she "pre-shopped" and snagged about six adorable dresses for herself.  This one turned out to be a little too small but before she was able to take it off and toss it into the Goodwill pile I had an idea.  I'd been focusing on the gorgeous bodice all along, and while I don't personally do "layers" (they make me crazy) I know that they expand your wardrobe choices even further.  Being tiny means that you don't often feel or look overstuffed, thus, layers can be in your repertoire.  The dress worked fabulously as a blouse.  The belt is a match for the fabric of the dress, but I didn't understand the buckle, so I think it was just a coincidence.  While it doesn't work with the dress as a dress, it totally works with the dress as a blouse.  Voila!  

And there you have the wrinkles, which in my excitement, I didn't even notice.  The barely visible shoes are Style & Co., from the same sale.  Can we say under $20?  She's toting one of my finds from last year's "hoarder house" haul, a red and blue beaded bag, and wearing a pair of vintage earrings that I've had for a long time.  Like everything else, they're for sale, but they don't seem to want to leave me which is fine.  I get attached.  To everything.  Know what I'm attached to now?  This awesomely elegant look!