"Talk to me Goose"

I hope everyone got that Top Gun reference! It only makes sense to use it since today I am talking about the aviator leather jacket :) I cannot pretend that this jacket is one of the things that I pulled out of the closet with dust on it because it is the jacket I probably wear the most. This is the jacket that makes me pray for cold weather just so I can wear it!

The thing is, my friend recently re-addicted me to Smallville and I have spent the last 2 months catching up on the seasons I have missed. And as I was catching up on season 9 Lois wears the cutest outfit and it reminded me of an aviator and I loved it!!

So this is my inspiration for this blog post! Isn't it so cute?! Ok, well I think it is and so I created my own version of the outfit:

A loose fitting shirt underneath my aviator leather jacket, zipped up and topped off with a great scarf! Ta-da! So easy. And just one more way for me to wear my favorite leather jacket :)

The Ominous Pleather Pants

In my search for more clothes that I do not wear in my closet I found my pleather pants. Before I bought them I thought "there are so many things I can wear these with", and then -you guessed it- I actually couldn't. Well, maybe not couldn't, more like to lazy to figure out how. So, I thought this would be the perfect item today.

As I searched for a way to wear them I found lots of different ideas:

You can pair them up with a mini-dress and some black heels!

Going out on a date? Try the blazer with a billowy shirt and black booties.  

My favorite :) Comfy and chic all at the same time.

Give it a hippie look with a loose fitting shirt and a small belt. Then add some bulky bracelets to finish it off!

Ok, I cannot just give you an idea and then not even put it to the test myself, so I took the idea of adding comfort to these pleather pants and here is what I came up with:

I paired it with my most favorite Roxy sweatshirt, and because it wasn't long enough for my liking I added some length with a gray cami underneath. And you can't see this, but I am wearing those black booties that I love so much :)

Alright, now there are plenty of ideas! No reason you can't bust out the pleather and rock it!

Fabric Flowers Tutorial

I had a ton of fun with the tutorial of how to add lace to a cardigan, and I have seen friends who have already used this and they looked great! (Andrea, your cardigan turned out great!). So I have decided to do another how-to and this one if SOOO easy! Get ready for lots of fun reinventing something simple and turning it into something chic! (all these exclamation points, do you think I am excited about this one?)

Ok, so to get you pumped I have added a couple of pics to show you what we are doing:

Have you guessed it yet? 

Fabric flowers! Ok, so this is so easy and I have done it myself to some of my tees and it only took 20 min and my shirt was ready to wear. 

1st Step:

You want to get a plain old tee, I personally am using one that I got from Gen-X in Utah. I got this tee thinking I could wear it with anything, but then found that I wasn't. They are super cheap there if you don't have one already, or they have some at Hobby Lobby. I am hoping, however, that this tutorial will help you just add to something you already have :)

2nd Step: 

Round up your materials. You will need:

1.  Strips of fabric to make the flowers (this will depend on how big you want them. For my little ones I used 1 inch x 6 inch fabric pieces. 

2.  A sewing needle and thread to match flower fabric

3.  Scissors

4.  No sew heating bond (optional). 

3rd Step:

Ball up fabric, and place that ball where you want the center of the flower to be. Sew up through the shirt and back down through the fabric to secure the center of the flower. 

4th Step: 

Twist the fabric and then wrap it around the center of the flower. 

6th Step:

Once you have wrapped all of the twisted fabric around the center, sew up and down the same way you did the center and secure the rest of the flower. I usually do this 5 or 6 times all around the flower to secure it. 

Voila! One flower done :)

Now that you know how to make one flower you can continue to add them to the shirt in a cluster until you have reached your desired look. 

7th Step: (this one is optional).

I like to take a couple pieces of the leftover strips you haven't used for flower and use them to cover up the thread on the inside of the shirt. 

Take some "No-sew bond" (you can get it anywhere, I get mine from walmart. 1 yard for 2 bucks). Follow the instructions of how to bond fabric to fabric. 

Use a clothes iron to bond the fabric to the No-Sew Bond. 

Peel the protective paper off the back of the sealant. 

Now place the sealant side of the fabric onto the shirt, over where the thread is you used to sew on the flowers. 

It isn't very pretty, but I like to do it so that I do not have to worry about the thread coming loose in the washing machine. 

You are done! Hooray! See it isn't too difficult. Here is my finished product:

Now your simple tee is simply chic-i-fied. Have fun wearing what feels like a new shirt!

Office Wear to Anywhere

I want this blog to help everyone, which is why I went with something that probably every girl has in her closet (because I am guessing that not everyone kept a jean button up shirt from years ago). So I decided to go with the button up collared shirt. It isn't as if the collared shirt ever went out of style. In fact, this puppy has held its own for a while with slight variations (thank goodness we came back from the 60's LARGE collar).

So why am I picking something that technically doesn't need that much help? Well, because it is something that has sat in my closet for about 5 years after I quite my desk job at Dyn Corp. The thing is, I am not really an office dresser. I am a casual kinda girl and so I tried to figure out a way to make this office wear something I could where anywhere.

Here's what I started with:

Not too bad, just a regular ole green collared shirt.

So, how to make this a little more wearable for me? When in doubt, add a scarf....oh, and some jeans, a long cami to go underneath that matches the scarf and top it all off with some simple dangly earrings and a messy ponytail/bun. 

(sorry about the lack of background variety. Turns out this is the best place to set the camera when I have to take pictures of myself, so I wouldn't get your hopes up on a new background anytime soon!)

Something that looks as casual as myself. Let me know what you think!

A Visit From The 5th Grade

Ok, don't laugh when I tell you this because it will show you just how much of a pack-rat I am, but in my search through my closet I found this denim shirt that I have had since 5th grade. In fact, I would dare say that I have not worn it since then. And this is part of the reason that I started this challenge :) To stop buying new clothes and just figure out how to wear the ones that I have....since 5th grade. (I am just still a little shocked at my inability to throw anything out.)

So, denim has become the new in thing, but just because denim is in didn't mean this shirt was:

Ok, first let me tell you all the reasons I was not wearing this shirt:

1.  It reminds me of an 80's farmer.

2.  It is too short, and the sides go up really high so it just adds to the lack of length.

3.  Not very flattering :)


So what to do with this shirt? First I needed to tackle the length. I needed to find a way to wear it so that it was not an issue. The best way? A high-waisted skirt. No plaid because that would add to the farmer problem, but something feminine because denim isn't the most feminine fabric on the planet. Also, a high-waisted skirt would help with the "not flattering" part because it would bring it in at the waist.

So I added a ruffly high-waisted skirt, a silver sequin belt, a silver bangle bracelet, a multi-chain brown necklace, and some brown bootie shoes and here's what I got.

Not too shabby :) 

I'm going to be honest, I almost gave up on this shirt, but now i'm glad I didn't! It's days like these that I can appreciate being a pack-rat and never being able to let anything go :)

In With The Old

As I was looking through my closet for something to wear this morning I realized that I cycle through the same clothes day after day, and all my other clothes are collecting dust. So I have decided to take on a little challenge of my own, and I invite you to take it with me. I am taking clothes that I have not worn in a while and figuring out a way to make them work with fashion now.

First item of business:  these yellow tights/leggings. (remember that we don't judge the photography skills...as I have none).

I bought these tights two years ago at Ross for 3 bucks while in a big color kick. I thought that they would be more like leggings, but as it turns out they are see-through like tights. For this reason they have sat in my closet because I was too lazy to find a way to wear them and so, they are my first challenge.

They are super cute with the buttons on the side and even though the color is a very vibrant yellow (if I could take pictures well you would be able to tell better) I figured I could do something with them. And then it hit me to follow my own advice! Did I not just show you guys pictures of sundresses with bright tights underneath? I have been so fixated on the sundress part that I forgot about the tights.

So, I grabbed a fall appropriate dress with absolutely no yellow in it (this is a big step for me because since I was little everything had to match color wise), a fun black rocker belt, black booties (a fabulous Goodwill find. I get so proud of myself when that happens), and of course, bling.

And here is what I came up with:

The best part is now I know how to wear my tights :) And all I had to do was take my own fashion advice.

Have any pieces of clothing that just sit in your closet, unloved? Send me a pic at modestfashionsense@gmail.com and I will help you figure out how to wear that lonesome piece. Or take the challenge on your own and send the pics in. Don't be shy, show off that creative fashion spirit!

The Blazing Blazer

For as long as I can remember, the blazer has always been a symbol of the old, the wise, the educated...but mostly the old. When I wore one I was transformed to 20 years beyond my years. Which is why...I stopped wearing them. But then this magical thing happened and it seems so simple now, but I couldn't figure it out then. Roll up the sleeves! It's GLORIOUS (i am thinking of Blue at this point, and hopefully at least one person knows what I am talking about)! The simple idea of rolling up the sleeves of a blazer has made this once old-timer jacket a fashion yes for us youngins today.

So pull out that old blazer you have stashed away. Don't have one, take one of your mom's! And then roll those sleeves up and wear it with pride! My favorite way to wear mine? With lots of BLING. This is the perfect thing to wear that chunky necklace with, along with a billowy shirt (and now I am thinking of Deb. All these movie references today).

Here are the pics to illustrate my point. I hope they get you as excited as they do me!

Love this look! If you want to look effortlessly gorgeous, here is the perfect example of how to do it! Put your hair in a messy bun, throw on a loose comfortable top, next the blazer and top it all off with some bling. Voila! Perfecto. 

Obsessed With Cuff Pants

I have to say that if one trend has caught my attention and obsessive tendencies, it is DEFINITELY the cuff pant. So cute, and modest all on their own. Now be careful, because we are not talking 80's MC Hammer pants (which I owned, in almost every color. Don't judge), or pirate pants. Be careful that you are picking a neutral color like black or gray because that is the difference between 2010 fall fashion and 1985 fashion.

I am loving the comfy aspect of the pants, and also the way that you can wear them with just about anything. My personal preference? Cuff pants, with a loose fitting tee or dress it up with a more elegant shirt. Whatever you do, wear them with heals. Pick boots and you have a pirate. Flats might work, but be careful that they are not making these comfy pants look more like sweats.

Here's the pics to help you love the look: (Now, some are immodest, but remember the cardigan could fix those!)

These are my favorite! Personally though, I would have hemmed them up because the length is making her legs looks shorter than they are.

This is a cute cuff pant from Modcloth.com (you know, that cyber boutique I can't get enough of?)

Have fun with this look! I know I will :)

The Bib, Not Just For Babies

The bib necklace has been all over the fashion scene. It is worn with t-shirts to elegant gowns and it looks great with both, so it is safe to say that this is a piece you might just want to get a hold of. And don't be afraid of its size, the bigger the better!

Now as this is a modest fashion blog, I am going to tell you all about how the bib necklace can help you dress modestly! Yes, a necklace helping you dress more modestly. Hear me out. We all have those shirts and dresses that are great everywhere except where they show too much cleavage, and we have just stuck with putting a cami or tank under them, which is okay, but now we have an even better choice. The bib! All you do is throw on that shirt or dress that needs help in the cleavage department, and then put on that bib statement necklace and voila! Here is a  picture (as always!) to help you see what I mean.

This is the perfect example of how the bib necklace adds just enough to the top of that low lying shirt, and depending on the bib you get, they usually have ribbon ties which means you can raise or shorten it to the shirts level.

Here are some other ways to wear the bib!

This bib is perfect if you only want to buy one because of its neutral colors. 

Another example of how it adds to the top of a shirt, but also give that big bold statement that has stuck around for over a year, and I don't think it is going away any time soon! Luckily, because I am in love with the big and bold :)

A Little Lace Goes A Long Way

I know I have been on a cardigan kick, and I promise I will take a break...right after this post! I have found a simple, easy, and did I mention cheap, way to update your old cardigan. And as this is a blog is about sharing fashion secrets, I would love to share mine with you.

Lace has been everywhere, but be careful cause a little lace goes a long way, and too much...well...lets just leave that to late night gentleman's clubs. A wonderful example of how it can be done right? Well, here are some pics! But remember to keep reading after the pics, and I will show you how to create that chic look in a oh so simple way.

Cute right?! I just love the feminine touch! Ok, so here is the first step to creating this look at the price of just a few dollars:

Step 1:

Get yourself some uber cute lace. I got mine from Hobby Lobby, but even Walmart is stocked with this wonderful fabric decor.

Step 2:

Measure it to the cardigan. You will want to decide if you want the lace to go all the way from the top to the bottom of the cardigan, or if you want the lace to end when you reach the design on the bottom (if it has one like this cardigan does).

Step 3:

Ok, once you have your lace cut to measure, you will need to pin the lace next to the band the buttons are on. You will do this for both sides of the cardigan (the band with buttons and the band with button holes).

Step 4:

Sew the lace onto the cardigan with one line, pretty close to the edge of the lace and the beginning of the band. Then you will sew the bottom of the lace to the cardigan, and the top of the lace to the top of the cardigan. This should secure the lace if it is not to ruffly. If it is ruffly (like mine is in the picture), then you can just sew small sections of the outer part of the lace to the cardigan. These sections should be so small that you won't see them, and for my cardigan I only needed 3 small sections to hold it to the cardigan firmly, but with the small sections it still lets the lace bubble up and add dimension. Again, however, you don't have to do that if you don't want, and you won't have to if you choose a lace that sits flat when you pull it straight. If you do pick a lace like this then you will make sew two lines down the length of the lace: one near the button band, and the other down the middle. If you do this, make sure the thread is the same color as the lace.

Step 5:

Ta da!

This is the cardigan I finished! You know it was easy if I could do it. Now go make a cute and stylish cardigan of your very own for the price of lace and thread. Good Luck!

The Sundress, Just For Summer?

This post is in reference to the question posted by my good friend Kristen :) Can we wear a white tee under a tube top dress/sundress? YES WE CAN! (technically it is a free country and you can do what you want, but fashionably, it is a yes!).

First reason why...I found it in Vogue. (Did I find a picture of a tank over a white shirt in Vogue...I think you know the answer to that question). It is a simple and easy way to make that sundress work in a modest way.

Now maybe you are asking yourself "why is she talking about the sundress and it is fall, almost winter?". This is a wonderful question, and the reason is that the sundress is PERFECT for fall, and here are some pictures to prove it!

This one is my absolute favorite, and I am thinking about wearing it tomorrow in fact! I am sure that everyone has tights, a cardigan, and a belt. Done, you have yourself a fall outfit with your little summer sundress.

Colorful tights were in last season, and they are definitely in this season. They are also perfect to keep your legs warm and of course to look fall chic in your cute sundress.

Get all of the wear you can out of your sundress by just pairing it with simple accessories! And (drum roll please) the biggest reason to talk about sundresses right now?........Because they are on sale! Stores are going to be putting them on clearance now that summer is over, but you know the secret now. So go get yourself a new one, or spruce up the one you have. Good luck!



**And remember, if ever you have a question about something you would like to modify to be modest or really about anything, just email me at modestfashionsense@gmail.com and I will add it to my blog. If you are thinking it, it's a good bet someone else has too, so lets all work together to be chic and stylish while keeping our standards :)

How To Wear The Simple Tank Top

Now I am hoping when you read the title that your immediate thought was not "I know how to do that, I just throw it over a tee shirt". Bad girl! That is the last thing I want you doing with those tank tops.

Thank goodness for fall and the amazing cardigan! This may seem like the easy obvious fix to cover up what the tank top doesn't, but you would be surprised just how many tanks I see over a white shirt. If I were to suggest any accessory for this fall it would be a scarf and a cardigan.

There are many reasons why the common cardigan cover-up is such a good idea. First, layers are always in. When you layer up with a cardigan it adds that special touch to any outfit. Second, cardigans are super comfy. You don't feel like dressing up for the day, but don't want to look like you just stepped out of bed? Great, you can satisfy that urge to by comfy with a tank top, cardigan and a cute fabric scarf. Lastly, the cardigan is very feminine.

So here are some images of cardigans that I love, and the looks that are easy to create with probably whatever is already in your closet!

The comfy chic look

Just because that tank top you have has ruffles, doesn't mean a cardigan doesn't work perfect over it, in fact, it makes it look even better!

Bwahahaha, Ok, I'm sorry, but I couldn't help put this picture up. See, it looks awful. No more ladies. Say "NO" to the tee shirt and "YES" to the fabulous cardigan :)