DIY Floral Maxi Dress

Can we take a minute to appreciate this gorgeous fabric? Believe it or not, I also picked this up from a discount bin at one of my favorite fabric stores in my area. I originally didn’t know what to make with it but for $2.97 a yard, it went in my fabric stash. So when my best friend said she wanted her girls to wear anything with a touch of pink for her baby shower, I knew exactly what fabric I was going to use. 

I decided to make this ruffled off shoulder, a line maxi dress. The shoulder strap was a last minute addition that just added an instant touch of glam to a simple silhouette.  

Thanks for stopping by! 

~Olà~

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DIY Blush Pleated Maxi Dress

There is something about neutral colors that just make anything look uber chic and expensive, especially blush tones which happens to be my favorite. I found this pleated fabric last year and knew that it would make a gorgeous maxi dress. So when i looked in my fabric stash and found a matching knit fabric in my stash, I figured I would skip a pleated bodice and make something form fitting and flattering to compliment the full, pleated skirt of the dress.

To add a little va va voom, I cut the bodice to showcase some cleavage, dipped the back and added straps. I also padded the bodice so that I can always skip a bra and still have some support. So here, I paired it with a matching bralette for some extra details. I threw on my blush tone maxi shirt dress over it and got some serious compliments while walking down city center.

Thanks for stopping by! Till next time

~Olà~

DIY Ankara Dress With Handmade Floral Neckline

Can we start by admiring this dress? Isn’t it such glam? I was gifted some ankara fabrics by an aunt while I was in Nigeria and this gorgeous salmon print with lime green details was one of them. I immediately knew that I wanted to highlight the lime green and decided to do that with these handmade organza flowers, and I added some crystal beads in the centers to give an extra pop.

I cut the organza in 6x40inchs strips, folded it into half lengthwise and the sewed a long stitch down the length. I then gathered the organza from both ends and hand sewed it in a circle to form the flower. I know it sounds complicated, but it really isn’t though it does take some time. But I would gladly do these flowers again and again, I love them that much!

I added a hi-lo peplum to the hem and created a bit of drama by forming a kissing pleat at the back. The pleated detail was a bit of a risk because I didn’t know how it would turn out, but I think it came out great. I love how this dress came out, but I’ve been in a pants mood lately. Watch out, lots of pants may be coming soon!

DIY Two Tone Wrap Dress

If you follow my IG stories, then you might have seen the story of this dress, as I posted a picture (see it below) with just the fabric pieces draped on my mannequin while I was plotting out its construction. Surprisingly it wasn’t very difficult to accomplish and even though I made some mistakes along the way, I got it done in a pretty decent time. 

Can I just gush about these fabrics? The vibrant yellow and this gorgeous floral piece. I picked up both fabrics from a discount bin at one of my favorite shops on two different locations so I can’t really give any details of the fabric specs but it has a great drape, and I knew that they would be beautiful paired together. I had a lot of yards to work with for this dress so I ended up lining it with the same fabric, which I think made the colors all the more vibrant, but at the same time, quite heavy.

I also initially planned for a sleeveless dress but since I’m learning to get familiar with constructing different types of sleeves, I decided to add a cold shoulder, double layered flare sleeve and looking at the finished product, I’m glad I did.

I cut the skirt as a four piece flare with the fabric folded in a triangle and that was also very easy to do because trust me, anything more than two pieces scare the crap out of me but four pieces are definitely better than eight that’s for sure. 

My only regret with this dress is that I did not apply the two tone to the back as well, as opposed to the solid yellow.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Till next time,

~Olà~

DIY Floral Kimono: Flare Sleeve Detail

One of my must have items for Spring/Summer is a maxi kimono, isn’t it yours as well? If it isn’t you should honestly re-evaluate because it is such an easy piece that adds instant drama to any outfit. Be it a simple midi dress, shorts and a tank top or pants and a tank like I have on here. You can take any simple outfit and turn it into a fashion statement with a maxi kimono.

For this particular kimono, I added flare sleeves for a little something extra. I picked up this floral fabric about a year ago on a fabric spree and I initially planned on making voluminous pants with it but it ended up being a little too lightweight and I definitely did not want to line the pants so I shoved that idea for another day and impulsively cut out this freehand A-line kimono instead. You likey? I likey.

Here, I went for the drama by styling it with a jogger and heels but my favorite way to style this kimono is with a simple, black mini tank dress. Either way, its stunning.