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Writer's pictureLonda

Chico Shopping & Snooping Report – March 5, 2015


YES! I bought each of these for $19.99!!!

YES! I bought each of these for $19.99!!!


I not only ‘Snooped’, I BOUGHT!  Run to Chicos NOW gals – as there are DRASTIC markdowns on great things available!  I brought home these 3 sweaters – all in my favorite colors – for $19.99 each!  The moss green sweater is a ‘jacket’ – VERY long.  The multicolor one goes GREAT with some jeans in my wardrobe, and the Periwinkle has sequins on it and is just plain pretty!  Periwinkle is the TOP best color for ANYONE in my humble opinion!


Front-T-TShirt

This burn-out diagonal stripe front tie T was quite nice – but not worth the money IMHO.  Note the direction that the diagonals run – up and OUT towards the shoulder.  This is the way to use ‘stripes’, gals!  Running this way, you’ll look larger in the shoulder and smaller in the hips – and who doesn’t look better with those illusions?  Most of us DO look better with these lines!  Note in the next photograph how simple it would be to extend the center front lower hem edge into the ‘ties’.

TieExtension-Shape

Turn under a narrow hem and stitch to finish the edges of this front tail extension for tying.


This top caught my eye right inside the door, but NOT because of the VERY hard-to-wear black and white stripe.  Again – in my opinion (and shared by fashion guru Nancy Nix-Rice and in her GREAT Looking Good wardrobing book, Black and White is NOT the best color combo – for hardly anyone.

At any rate – I like the top.  The front is completely double – of the same fabric.  The 7 tiers of different grain cut stripe knit are simply stitched right to the top, wrong side tier to right side of the top, starting at the LOWERMOST edge.  Then the tiers that cross the neckline edge, are laid right side to wrong side of the underlying top layer, stitched around the neck, then flipped out into place on the outside.   Each of the tiers are left unfinished along their lowermost edges.  This idea is really a version of my Tiered (circular) flounce top in Flirty Flounces.  I envision it done with lace and solids – take a dive ito your stash and see what you could find!  Cut on the bias, even woven fabrics (think sheers) would work!


7 Tier double front stripe knit top

7 Tier double front stripe knit top


Check out the hemline on this next top….It would be really EZ to duplicate…read on.  Start with my Terrific T Knit Top Pattern. Take a 6″ wide cross grain strip and slash it up to within 1″ of one long edge.  I would use the nice, sharp Titanium Rotary Cutting Blade.   Next, just turn u p the lower edge of the top at a length (once adding the fringe) that you desire.  Cut off, allowing for a 1.5″ hem.  Interface the hem allowance.  Press up and lay a strip of Wonder Tape along the wrong side at the top of the hem allowance.  Remove the tape paper cover.  Press the right side of the upper non-cut edge of the fringe to the tape.  NOW…twin needle stitch with a Stretch Twin Needle 4.0/75 OR execute a cover hem.  Simple – and really fairly quick!  

printTselffringe

There was an entire display of this soft BLUSH color.  I loved this jacket.  See how the overlays of lace add textural interest?  The base fabric was rayon/linen blend I believe.  Note how the edge is finished by turning it deeply to the outside, under a bit, mitered corners, and stitched.

blushlacejacketfullview

This next top is why I sew knit tops…and you should too!  Excuse me, but $99??????  It is a soft print, but easily duplicated with some paint, and some stencils on a cream base T.  AND, I’d sure skip the light accent border around the hipline.  THAT would not be flattering on anyone’s hipline, the way I see it.

expensiveprinttop

I guess I”m finally getting used to tops sticking out underneath jackets – but now it appears to achieve the ‘look’, one just stitches on a woven fabric ‘trim’ to the bottom of the jacket as in this polka dot addition to the bottom of this black sweater jacket.  In my mind, it limits it’s use in a wardrobe.  Just my opinion…

wovenhangingtrim

For an accent band at the hipline, try it in the same color as the top as on this top above.  Again, it is a sheer woven fabric.  You can see how this one edge is just longer than width of the hemline.  What I’m holding then just hangs down at an attractive angle.  SIMPLE!

hangingoutofjacketpiece

Always check out the prom/bridal wear department of your local chain store.  This is just a heavy cotton lace laid right over top of the knit base, and then by itself as sleeves.


laceovert

PANTS?  I took 6 pair into the dressing room and not a single solitary one of them was attractive.  I’m pretty much in shape, though I do carry some extra on my legs – as many of us do.  Again, in my opinion, all these ‘slim’ pant styles are way way way too revealing!  Not even comfortable.  At any rate, here is the inside of the ‘tummy tuck’ feature of this slim pants.  It is just a band of fairly firm woven fabric stretched across the front a bit tighter than the pant fabric itself, and hooked in at the waistline and the side seams.

I”ll make do with the pants I have – or SEW MY OWN as long as the styles are so tight! Although I have seen some Palazzo pants out there – mostly in prints – for spring.  I picked up a crinkled poly knit pair in black while I was in Florida in January.

slimpanttummyband

There you have it – my afternoon ‘escape’ of Snoop Shopping – and some buying.  Comment away – let me know YOUR opinion on all the TIGHT pants.  Send me pics of what YOU make from my suggestions.

Spring IS around the corner!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Th 5, 2015

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