Welcome to Week 2!!! What an exciting start to the Project Run & Play Season 10 (don’t forget to head over to their blog and vote for Lily Shine!). I am sooooo eager to share with you my second look, the Hand-Me-Down Makeover Challenge. For this week I created four different items, made from upcycled clothing or hand-me-down items: a lace/clip-on-earring headband, a muumuu style night gown underlayer into a collared button down top, lace linens into a tiered ruffle skirt, and broaches/tie tacks/clip on earrings/button embellished shoes. Recently, I’ve been doing a lot of great custom pieces for Hailey Faria Photography. I know she goes bananas for vintage styles and unique looks, and that this week’s entry would be a treasure for her to photograph. She quickly obliged, and we headed to a local book store in Kailua (thank you Book Ends!!!) to capture the outfit in the midst of thousands of timeless treasures, books!!!

Read on to find out how I created each item in the look.

Let’s talk about the top. I used Violette Field Thread’s Josephine Top Pattern as a starting point. I slimmed down the silhouette so it wouldn’t be poofing over the sides of the skirt waistband too much. I rounded the tips of the collar piece so it was more vintage styled. I used the waistband sash piece, lengthened, as a necktie. I shortened the flutter sleeve piece to be a bit slimmer and less full. I omitted the ruffle strip down the button placket but kept three rows of dainty pintucks as a clean and simple detail.

The shirt was created from fabric I cut out of a muumuu I found at a second hand shop (see the before/after collage at the end of this post). The overlay was a sheer floral with a lace trim that I ended up creating some ruffled boot socks with as well! I think the lavender print is the perfect pop of color against the creams, golds and antiqued whites of the skirt.

The ruffled skirt was made from cutting strips of lace from tablecloths, napkins, doilies, pillowcases, valances, and a bedskirt that my mom had handed down to me in my own pattern. I am not a big doily fan (yet) so creating this skirt was a great way for me to preserve the linens in a way that is much more “me.” Some of the lace items were dated back to the 20’s! It took a bit of courage to make the first snip, but knowing my vision of the outfit in mind made each cut a bit easier.

A great trend right now is high-waisted skirts with suspenders, and I wanted this skirt to be a modern take with a vintage flair.

The straps were made from an embroidered pillow case, and the underskirt was a window valance with a lace trim.

Lastly, the shoes. They are my favorite piece in the entire ensemble because they are a true walking treasure box! My mom had saved all these jewelry pieces from family members who have passed over the years. There are broaches and pins dating back into the 20s, 40s, etc. that are so full of character. A few vintage Detroit Tiger pins can be spotted; these shoes are full of home state pride! A whole collection of clip on earrings, bracelets and necklaces were handed down from my Great Aunt Margie, who was one of my moms most adored family members. My mom would always tell me stories about how well dressed Margie was, how she loved to shop, dress up and had such impeccable style for her day. I am pretty sure if Margie and I were to have met, we would have hit it off as the best of friends! I see these shoes as an heirloom jewelry box coming to life.

I used one of Margie’s earrings in the headband, trimmed with a narrow strip of lace.

It was amazing to see these handed down linens and jewelry pieces transform into an adorable outfit for K, one I know she will cherish forever. It was an emotional week of reflecting on the family members who have gone before, to think of where they wore their tie tacks and earrings and what life would be like back then. This outfit has truly become a timeless treasure!

If you love what you see, be sure to head here to vote for my entry! Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement in this adventure!!!