A Challenge Entry & The Little Black Book of Style

Here's a late entry for the Blogging Society Challenge to enjoy over the weekend:

Aldina:



"I bought a soft cotton shirt, crisp white color, and the biggest one I could find so I could have room for scissor mistakes. I even looked specifically for one with a breast pocket. I laid it on the floor with a form-fitting pencil dress over it, and cut out the form of the hips and waist. I cut the sleeves off to elbow length so I could have room for mind-changing and mistakes (those go hand in hand for me :)). I knew I wanted to keep the dress feel of the shirt - dressy, crisp, business-like, and masculine, but I also wanted to show my flirty & girly style so I went with a nautical theme. I chose dark blue pinstripe soft cotton material to accent the dress with, and I first added it to the hem of the dress, that way I can actually wear it in public :). I kept the "swoosh" circular hem, like what it was on the actual shirt. Then I added to the sleeves, I kind of added a mock-fold to them, but I really wanted it to be wide so it balances out the wideband at the hem. I contemplated what to do next, but I finally the pinstripe fabric to the collar, and played around with the fabric belt I had, whether to use it as a belt, a tie, or a handkerchief in the breast pocket. It worked out just right as a tie, with red stockings,and blue wedge shoes. The dress was done in 4 hours, the first week of the challenge, and it was all sewn, no glue, pins, etc."

Good work, Aldina! What a fantastically cute outfit!

I recieved The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia in the mail today (thanks ShopDiary!), and I must say I absolutely adore it. It is written in a casual conversational tone (not unlike the tone used by the more down-to-Earth-yet-fabulous fashion bloggers), and it's full of solid advice. This book isn't for fashion disasters or the fashionably clueless, but rather for the stylish woman looking to refine her closet and gain a better sense of self. With beautiful illustrations by Ruben Toledo, advice from designers and fashion insiders, and lots of fashion history (Nina Garcia really knows her stuff!) to accompany the general body of the book, The Little Black Book of Style is truly a must-read!

I'm not sure if I'm legally allowed to do this, but here's an excerpt from the book on men's button-down shirts that I think is a perfect supplement to this Challenge post. If I get yelled at/threatened I'll take it down...

"A classic men's white shirt:
The classic white shirt is as key to American style as blue jeans. It is chic and simple. Practical and unpretentious. It can be paired with jeans (Jackie O. in Hyannis), black pants (Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction), a long skirt (Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday), a gown (Sharon Stone on the red carpet). It is also uncredibly useful to cover up a bad outfit when entering a good hotel (Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman).

The test of time:
Nobody knows who the first woman to throw on the man's shirt was, but she is the kind of woman I'd like to meet. You know she understood the appeal of effortlessness and a complete lack of pretension. As early as the 1920s, during the birth of the garconne look, women were photographed in men's shirts. In the 1950s, Audrey Hepburn liked to wear a man's shirt and tie the tails twice around her tiny waist. In 1977, Diane Keaton's eponymous character in Annie Hall wore the shirt, several sizes too large - and incited a craze. And in 1998, Sharon Stone stepped onto the red carpet in a lavender Vera Wang skirt and her husband's white shirt, tied back with a dragonfly pin. Don't say you weren't impressed. The white shirt has endured decade after decade. Any time a cool girl or a designer throws a man's white shirt into the mix, we are reminded of the power that comes with that crisp simplicity. And is there anything quite so sensual as seeing a woman in a man's white shirt?"

Blogging Society Challenge Entries - Post 4

Welcome to the final post of the Blogging Society Challenge! Woohoo!

I think the Challenge has been pretty successful, don't you? I wish more of the people who had signed up actually participated (I recieved about 30 sign-ups, and only 9 entries), but I'm really happy that anyone even deemed my eccentric little idea worth signing up for. It has been wonderful seeing what everyone has come up with!

What do you guys think about how the Challenge has gone? Did you like participating? If you didn't participate, did you enjoy seeing the entries? Would you be interested in doing another, different Challenge at some point in the future? Any feedback is welcome!

And now, without further ado, I give you the final entries from the Blogging Society Challenge. Applause, please. They are quite fabulous.

The Grey:



"I'm being exceptionally lazy about everything and I blame dark depressing November nights by the way, but on a sudden whim I cut up some paper and put together this collage, based on the outfit I was going to create."

Lalaliu:







"I basically bought these two large white men's button down shirts at the thrift store today for 85 cents a piece.I spent a good deal of my afternoon in front of my mirror rearranging the two shirts in different combinations to make a dress. It's a little unfinished, a few safety pins in certain areas would make it a little more wearable..haha (dresses falling apart would not be a good thing)."

That's all, folks. I'm glad to end the Challenge with two such amazing entries!

The first Blogging Society Challenge is now officially over.

Blogging Society Challenge Entries - Post 3

Can you guess what today is? The day before the deadline for the Blogging Society Challenge! So if you haven't sent me your entry, get a move on, people!

I finally got my entry together. Sorry it took me so long! Here it is:

I ended up with a totally different kind of outfit than I expected. I'm not usually a plain black-and-white kinda gal. But when I created the skirt, it suddenly became clear that simple and chic was the way to go. I feel very classy and elegant in this outfit.

To make the skirt, I put the shirt on my bottom half and turned it around. I tucked the collar under, wrapped the sleeves around, and tied them together in the front. It was surprisingly easy, and way more wearable than I thought. I'm thrilled! You can find a close-up of the skirt here.

For the curious, the t-shirt is H&M, the tights are from Marshall's, the shoes are from DSW, the bag is from Kohl's, the earrings are from a county fair, and the shirt/skirt is my dad's.

Now for some other fantastic entries:

Kimberly:

"Here are my blogging society challenge photos. No one was around totake a full length picture of me, so I hope these are okay. I pinned an oversized mens shirt back with one of my favorite pins and I paired it with a high waisted black miniskirt. I also popped the collar and rolled up the sleeves for added drama. Because it is cold in Boston I am wearing tights and boots, although you can't really tell from the pictures."

Bigglassesgirl:

"I chose to layer two mens shirts, cuff the sleeves, and belt them to create a kind-of doctor's aesthetic, and paired that with some slouchy boots and dark jeans."

Well, that's it for now! I'm hoping for some last-minute entries, but overall, I think the Challenge has gone very well. I love your outfits, everyone! Thanks for participating!

Blogging Society Challenge Entries - Post 2

Are you ready for the next few Challenge entries? They are fabulous! Darlings, your creativity blows me away!

Jenn:


"I went with a crisp, white women's shirt (my husband is 6'3' and I just couldn't conceive of how to wear one of his shirts in an appealing way). I also chose to 'simply pair it with items in [my] wardrobe' because I am not exactly a seamstress :) I still hope you like it."

Audrey:






"I have a pretty organic approach to reconstructing/redesigning items. I investigate the seams and initial construction a lot before beginning, so that I can work as much as possible with the original integrity of thegarment. I favor clean, long lines. I began by removing the sleeves, because I like the lay of the shoulder length. Then I took in the sides to slim the piece and create a pseudo capped sleeve. Next the collar was reshaped and a colored button added to create a visual interest at the top, and some freehand, top-stitching was done to add a bit O' texture to the front panels. Finally, I used the sleeves as ties on the back. Leaving the cuffs with buttons and all, seemed a fun homage to the garment's previous life."

Hooray for Jenn and Audrey! How fantastic do they look?! Don't you just feel all inspired to create/send in your own entries?! I know I do. I deserve a few blows for not posting my own entry yet, seeing as I'm the one who is running this Challenge. I'll post it by November 10th though, which you should remember is the new (and final!) deadline for the Challenge. Please send your photos in! I can't wait to see them!

Attention:

The deadline for the Blogging Society Challenge deadline has been extended to November 10th. Please, please, please email me your entries!

*Badge courtesy of the Grey of Six O'Clock Style

Blogging Society Challenge - Entry Post #1

Are you ready to be blown away? Here are the first of the entries for the Blogging Society Challenge! Doesn't everyone look fabulous?! I love how all the outfits are so different!

H of Candid Cool

"It's originally a men's military shirt it's made of nylon so it's got an interesting sheen-y kind of texture. I had it tailored to fit me."

Christy

"Here, I took an XL men's shirt, put it on upside down (so the collar is in the small of my back and the hem is creating a collar around my neck), rolled the giant sleeves way up, and buttoned it asymmetrically across the front, then I belted it with the cummerbund. I love the way this looks but it's not the best outfit in terms of arm freedom. My range of movement there is a bit limited, so this outfit may be only for events that don't involve much reaching and gesturing. "

Daiane

"I finally managed to put up my outfit for the Challenge. Well, I actually did 2 outfits, you'll see them in the pics...

"The one with the bag is more casual, and appropriate for daily wear, out and about (I'm sending 2 pics, because in one of the you can't see the shoes). The other outfit which includes a LBD is a little more formal because of the embroidery on the dress, I hope you can see it. The photo is not that great, but I did my best :D I tied the shirt up in a little country style, and added the yellow shoes. "

Those are the only pictures I've received so far, so make sure you keep sending them in! A bunch of people signed up for this Challenge, so I'm expecting many more photos. I also, of course, have to post my own entry. I'm working on it!

Thanks to the lovely ladies featured in this post for their participation! ♥!

A Challenge Reminder

THIS IS A REMINDER FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE BLOGGING SOCIETY CHALLENGE. YOU HAVE UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER TO CREATE YOUR OUTFITS AND SEND ME PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE. PLEASE DO SO AND GAIN MY ETERNAL LOVE.

Now here is some inspiration from a recent post on Hel Looks:



If that doesn't convince you that you can create a fabulous look from a men's button-down shirt, I don't know what will.

NOW HURRY UP, LADIES!!!! I HAVE RECIEVED ONE CHALLENGE ENTRY, AND IT IS LONELY!

Let the Challenge Begin!

Okay, the moment we've all been waiting for has finally arrived.

Let the Blogging Society Challenge begin!!!

The Challenge starts now. You have until the end of October to come up with an outfit involving your men's button-down shirt, take a picture of yourself modeling the look, and send it in. If you want to write anything about your experience or describe how you made your look, it would be great if you could include that in your email. Please send your entries to me (fashionyblog@yahoo.com) as soon as you have the photograph(s) ready - I would love to recieve them before the deadline so I can post them up ASAP! Please note that I will be away at Teen Vogue's Fashion University (Eeee!) the 26th - the 28th, so I will be posting about the event on those dates instead of posting Challenge pictures.

I will be sending an email with this information to Challenge Participants to make sure that everyone knows what's going on, and I plan to change the original Challenge post to include the dates so that you can find all the information all in one place. If you don't recieve an email in the next hour even though you are a Challenge participant, you are probably one of the many people who didn't provide your email address. Shame on you!

I am excited to see what people come up with, and I will hopefully be posting pictures very soon. Please send them in as soon as you can! Thanks to all the participants, and especially to Daiana of Sweet Fancy Treat for all her help!

Alert! Alert!

Just a reminder that tomorrow (Sunday) is the last day you can sign up for the Blogging Society Challenge! If you want to participate, get your (extremely toned and beautiful, I'm sure) butts in gear and email me!



Let's go, people! I am pumped and ready in an annoying cheerleader kind of way! I'll be the one with the impeccably stylish uniform and the megaphone.

Oh dear, am I taking the metaphor too far? It's late. I'm tired. Forgive me. (Or better yet, email me...)

Badges, Inspiration, 'n Things

Now that I'm getting so many takers for the Blogging Society Challenge, I think it's time to put out the badges I made that you can use to promote the Challenge on your webpage. Here are the badges:

<a href="http://modernmagik.blogspot.com/2007/10/blogging-society-challenge-lets-do-it.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/diditrocious/bloggingsocietychallengebadge-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Participate!" /></a>

<a href="http://modernmagik.blogspot.com/2007/10/blogging-society-challenge-lets-do-it.html" target="_blank"></a><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/diditrocious/bloggingsocietychallengebadgee.jpg" border="0" alt="Participate!" />

They won't have the pink border around them (that's just on my blog), and you can copy and paste the codes anywhere that takes HTML. I would really appreciate it if you would use the badges - people can sign up until Sunday, so anything you can do to get more participants would be great. Plus, they're snazzy and signify how proud you are to be a Blogging Society Challenge participant.

Speaking of snazzy, check out this men's shirt that Kaisa's mom altered:

There's some inspiration for you!

If you haven't signed up yet, go for it!

I've got plenty of amazing participants, but I can always use more!

I will be posting dates next week.

Some Inspiration...

...for the Blogging Society Challenge. You have all week to sign up; please do!


Yes, the girl on the left made her skirt by folding her father's shirt. Amazing! I also like the photo on the right's casual attitude that reminds me of a certain Sex & the City episode.


I like the mixture of the fabrics on the left dress, and the Carolina Herrera-esque pairing of the high-waisted dark skirt with the button-down shirt.


I love everything about the outfit on the left, and the quirky mix of volumes on the right.


All three outfits- Simple, clean, and classic with a twist.

All pictures are courtesy of the Sartorialist.

See how many options there are? This Challenge is gonna be fun!

Blogging Society Challenge - Let's Do It!

Thanks so much for all the positive response on the Blogging Society Challenge! I am so psyched to do this! It's time to get organized and make this happen!

First of all, I think I'd like to make an executive decision* and say that we will start with the second option. The second option, if you recall, is this: Everyone who is participating (Both bloggers and readers!) will start with a men's collared button-down shirt:



You know, the generic crisp white thing that is almost universally owned by every male alive. No, you don't have to include a tie, and if you don't have a white shirt, you can substitute a colored one. Then, during the appointed amount of time, everyone will get to work styling the shirt. The goal is for each participant to end up with their own uniquely fabulous outfit incorporating the shirt. To do this, anything goes. You can tear apart the shirt and re-sew it into a dress, applique fabric onto it, tie-dye it, or simply pair it with items in your wardrobe - whatever you need to do to make the shirt part of an outfit that showcases your personal style. Don't feel like you can't participate if you don't know how to sew; heck, I can barely sew on a button! When you are done with the challenge, you will take a photograph of yourself modeling your creation and send it in.

Sounds fun, right?

The challenge starts on Monday October 15th and ends on October 31st.

If you're up for the challenge, please shoot me an email or a comment that includes your first name (or your internet alias), email address, and blog address (if you have one...readers are free to participate too). Nothing is set in stone until we decide on all the details (I'll understand if you have to drop out because you're away during the dates we choose for the challenge), but I'd appreciate it if only those who are serious about participating send me emails. If you want to participate, please email me before Sunday October 14th. And please keep an eye on the blog! You don't want to miss out on the upcoming planning!

Also, it would be great if you could get the word out about the challenge! I can try to make badges for people to place on their blogs, but I'm no graphic designer. If badges are your kind of thing, it would be fantastic if you would make them. Please email me if you think you can help in any way! I'd like the Blogging Society Challenge to be as amazing as possible, and it can't happen without some help! Please, please, please spread the word!

I know this sounds like - well, a lot - but I promise it will be heaps of fun! Onward ho!

------------------------------------------
*I have made this executive decision simply because it makes things a lot easier. If this Challenge is a success, we can try something complicated next time, but I think it makes sense to start with something simpler. I hope this is okay with everyone

Blogging Society Challenge

Okay, so this is probably a crazy idea for something that will never happen, but I just thought of it and it sounded exciting.

Beth over at The Vintage Society has been doing Society Challenges, which I totally love. She and her friend take a trip to a budget store (like Target or Forever 21) and pick out an item that they will both plan an outfit around. Then, using different items from the store, they put together their respective outfits and come out with two different - but fabulous - ensembles. Cool, right? Well, here's my idea....

There are so many bloggers with fantastic style. And all the American bloggers (well, at least most of them) have access to certain chain stores, like Target for example. Wouldn't it be amazing if several bloggers picked an item from the website of a store they all had access to to plan their outfits around, and then had maybe a week or so to go to that store and put their outfits together? If the item wasn't in store, they could get the store to order it in. And they could post the picture online when they were done. I think it would be amazing to see what people came up with. Our blogging community is so unique and fun, and it would be great to organize a Blogging Society Challenge.

Not to steal your idea or anything, Beth. It's just a thought. And a fun one, at that. If people are up for it, we could actually plan it, but for now, I'm just musing.

Update: I just thought of an even better idea that wouldn't exclude international bloggers or people who don't have certain stores nearby. How about challenging bloggers to style something classic that is everywhere, like a mens' button-down shirt? Bloggers could do anything from pairing it with their own clothes to tearing it apart and resewing it into something fantastic. Oooh, sounds exciting! Please do this with me! Let me know if you're interested, seriously!