Last minute outfit

So I really wanted to write a blog post today, but also had no excuse to leave the house. I spent the day in my pajamas doing my annual reread of Harry Potter. Luckily, I was saved from my solitude (ok, I was thoroughly enjoying it, but was ready for an excuse to get out) when a friend texted me and asked to meet up. Which meant getting ready in a hurry. And this is what I threw on.

I guess there's been a definite theme to my outfits lately: black on black + denim. Today was no different. I did my summer shopping this past weekend, and have been itching to wear these new shorts from Forever 21  ever since. (My goal was to buy work-appropriate clothes...I bought things like the shorts, a cut off t-shirt, skull headband, and skull dress...fail.) I love the high-waisted trend going on right now. I have a rather long torso proportionately, and the high waistline helps to lengthen my legs and shrink my torso. Plus, what's not to love with those spikes?!

The jacket is also from Forever 21 from a few years back, but I had grown bored with the plain denim. I sewed on these cute shoulder epaulettes from Hobby Lobby for a cheap wardrobe update. I absolutely love weather like today where shorts and a jacket are appropriate! And once again, the studded boots make a reappearance (told you  I'll wear boots all summer, even with shorts!).

My favorite article of clothing to wear when I'm getting dressed in a hurry and need something that's guaranteed to be cute and flattering is a black tee. I got this one at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame last summer. It's simple, but the slim fit and v-neck make it flattering, while the skull design gives it edge. (It's rare I go a day without wearing some sort of skull apparel, and there was no time to accessorize!) And paired with the black shorts and boots, this outfit goes from simple to statement.

What are your go-to items when you want to look cute in a hurry?

Black on Black: It's All in the Details

Who says monochromatic outfits have to be boring. Unsurprisingly, I often find myself in head-to-toe black on a regular basis (it's not like black is my favorite color or anything...), but I find the single color combo to be anything but lackluster. And, especially in the springtime, far from making you fade into the shadows, black is the best way to stand out in a crowd.

Today's outfit was all about the little details to keep an all black outfit exciting. I didn't want to overdo the accessories because I wanted the focus on the fun shoulder details (I learned that they are called "epaulettes" the other day) on my shirt. I broke up the rest of the look with a few more fun accessories: my studded belt that I wear almost daily, spiked flats, and a wristful of black bracelets.

The shirt I got at Goodwill (and now that I've graduated college and have to be a mature adult, I will no longer try to wear it as a dress). The jeggings are from Hot Topic. The spiked flats are from Target, and they were the best $20 I've ever spent. Here is a close-up of the flats from Target's website. I refuse to wear sandals in the summer, so these are my alternative, and I adore them. Also, this is the first and only pair of flats I've owned, because I've never found a pair that a) are comfortable or b) don't make my giant feet look like boats.

And lastly, a close-up of the bracelets, two of which are from Hot Topic (typical), the other from Sequin. I love mixing up which bracelets I pair together to create new looks

What are your thoughts on black on black outfits?

DIY Day: Studded Asymmetrical Dress and Boots

New seasons always make me want to invest in a new wardrobe. Unfortunately, that isn't always feasible on a college budget. But, thanks to some Pinterest inspiration, a pair of scissors, and some studs, I was able to give a few items in my closet a much needed update yesterday.

I bought the following items a while back (please excuse the stain on my carpet; I drink wayyyy too much coffee and unsurprisingly spill it everywhere). The dress was a $3 thrift store find that fit really well despite being overly conservative with a high neckline and hem that hit mid-shin (I suspect it was supposed to be a maxi dress, but with all the stretch I managed to squeeze the size "petite small" over my six-foot frame). I bought it anyway, figuring that one can never have too many black dresses (er...at last count I had thirteen). And, for $3, I wouldn't be heartbroken if my desire to DIY was a total flop. 

The boots I snagged on sale at Target a couple seasons ago. They were never quite as edgy as I wanted them to be, but I wore them to death anyway. Finally bored with them, I thought they were another perfect DIY candidate.

First, the dress. I found my inspiration at NastyGal, and decided it would be easy to recreate a similar style. I folded the dress in half and cut a diagonal line from the back hem up to mid-way up the front where I wanted the shortest point to be. This created a nice, flowing, asymmetrical hem, and made it  much less conservative. Next, I cut a V to create the matching plunging neckline in the front and back. Last, I studded the neckline both front and back with 1/2" pyramid studs that I got at Studs & Spikes. 

If you're going to do your own studding, I recommend at least purchasing a dart awl for studding, otherwise it is quite difficult to poke through the fabric. I used a pair of pliers to bend the prongs on the spikes, which was fine for the thin fabric of the dress, but much more difficult for the thicker material of the boots. I will update this post with a picture of how the dress looks on when I get a chance to wear it! I was really pleased with the result.

Ta-da! The finished dress

Next the boots. Man, were these a lot of work. Which basically means I watched an ungodly amount of Netflix yesterday during the process. Anyway...

I used the small 1/4" pyramid studs and 1/2" conical studs in an alternating pattern on the toes and tongue, and the 1/2" pyramid studs down the back. After my experience, I would highly advice against using really small studs on such a thick material. The prongs on the 1/4" studs (the 1/2" worked just fine) barely reached through the material, which made it hard to bend the prongs down. But so far at least my feet haven't been stabbed...

Front and back views.

Has anyone else undertaken any DIY wardrobe updates lately? Or have any advice to offer when it comes to adding studs and spikes to garments? I'd love to hear your feedback!