3.09.2011

vintage safari jacket

men's hanes t-shirt, vintage 1980s leopard silk jacket, seven jeans, HOPE stockholm pumps, Baggu reusable bag (with sack of onions inside), vintage Coach kelly bag

a while ago i was inspired by some photos of a past-season animal print APC jacket, and so i was really excited when i stumbled upon this lovely silk vintage animal print zip jacket on etsy. the leopard print is just right, and after taking it to my trusty dry-cleaner/tailor for a freshening up and some tweaks (i had the sleeves taken in a bit), it is now perfect as a lightweight spring/summer piece. (an alternative to the ubiquitous denim jacket!) i'm going to wear this all the time come spring.

some of you may remember that i refreshed an old banana republic camel coat a few months ago by getting the sleeves shortened. i think it's one of the most economical ways to enhance an existing item in your wardrobe or a vintage find. 

have you 'remodeled' any items in your closet recently? let me know if you have any fun DIY or style/fit tweaking tips and ideas!

p.s.: just realized that i'm kind of channeling an 80s vibe in these photos. ha! :P but whatever. i'll balance out my undying love for skinny jeans and hot pink and leopard print by staying clear of the shoulder pads!

12 comments:

  1. You kept it simple and effortlessly chic. Love it! Ponytail and hoop earrings would look so sweet with that outfit.

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  2. You have such a way with proportions and toning things down. I think I would have saw that jacket and thought "whoah, that's loud." And yet, I see this outfit and don't think that at all! It fits great on you! I love that you are so daring and experimental yet never come across contrived, precisely because of how you are able to tone things down. Quite a feat.

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  3. Love it - and your reusable bag looks like the Jil Sander shoppers which are all the rage right now ;)

    I got two pairs of jeans altered after the denim stretched too much. Got them taken in at the waist, and got the legs tapered on one pair. Such a great way to save a pair of jeans and give them a longer lease.

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  4. that leopard print and hot pink combo is seriously fabulous.
    funny you mention this - i came home yesterday and decided to lop the sleeves of a blouse to make it 3/4 length. im quite scissor-happy in altering garments from fit to style , but my sewing skills are hardly up to scratch - id love to have your drycleaner as my local!

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  5. As soon as I saw this photo I thought 'APC!' - definitely reminiscent of the APC leopard coats.

    It's so good that you that you can see something and are able to think - "that would be perfect if I nipped in the wasit, shortened the arms" etc. I NEVER think like that - or I do, but think those thoughts in a wistful "if only I could.." way. Never actually think these things are possible and easy! Altering garments still seems like a bit of a mission in my head. Definitely a skill though to see the potential is something. Lovely outfit - the shopping bag is oh so Jil Sander! :) x

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  6. Dani: thanks! i don't wear hoops or dangly earrings but i'd definitely add a pair of wendy nichol stud earrings to finish it off! :)

    Pret a Porter: ah, i tend to be very impatient especially once i see the potential in something. haha i'm definitely all about the instant gratification! your kimono sounds amazing. would love to see you do a post on it :)

    S: gosh, you are too sweet. thank you!! :D whether or not i'm successful with all the random inspirations i try to incorporate is arguable, but i have become more open to trying out more 'out there' elements. curiously, i was A LOT more conservative style-wise when i was a teenager and stuck to a lot of safe basics from the Gap, etc. but now that i'm in my 20s i have a more 'whatever goes!' attitude. i wonder why that is? have you experienced something similar? it's really fun even when it doesn't work! :)

    Ammu: i've only had jeans hemmed. i should do some more experimental denim tweaking on my own since i did take sewing classes 2 years ago and need to take out my sewing machine again.

    as for the Baggu bag, the Jil Sander leather shopper *does* look suspiciously similar...:/ but Baggu definitely has been around for longer with their signature design! anyway i swear by my baggus - so handy for so many uses.

    son: thank you! i'm lucky that i've had the same drycleaner for almost 6 years now. it's a husband and wife team and they're super sweet. so nice to work with a small local business and with trustworthy people who know you. i love 3/4 sleeves - it makes a huge difference in elevating a look.

    Olivia: haha - i did the same when i came across it on etsy! something about the print just has the perfect color/pattern combo...it's really empowering to be able to visualize how you'd tweak something, especially vintage. this is how designers think, no?

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  7. That's funny that you mention being conservative during your teens, because I was the exact same way. I think it wasn't even the fact that I was a teen in the 90's, therefore, minimalism was huge. But I shopped at places like Gap because it was safe. I think I'm pretty conservative now, more because I try to be really practical lately, but I was a lot more experimental in my 20's as well. I think in your 20's, you definitely gain a certain confidence to wear something that might raise a few eyebrows that you might not have had in your teens.

    You wear your clothes with such confidence! I hope these blog relationships last, because I would love to see how each of us evolves and grows through the years :)

    Oh, and I use Baggus too! I love that you can stick one of them even in a small purse, just in case!

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  8. I love the way you've styled it, with the Hope pumps. The jacket looks fantastic on you, I also thought "A.P.C" immediately! I hardly ever buy vintage anymore, just because I don't see the possibilities like you do. There's always something that you'd have to alter, and I don't think I can see what that would be and how I'd change it.

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  9. That is a great leopard print! Once the weather warms up, I'm taking a few coats in to have the sleeves shortened. It takes me so long to get around to taking my clothes to the tailors. I wish I could sew well enough to do the alterations myself.

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  10. I can't stop myself from remodeling finds. It just makes the difference -- a few extra dollars to make the fit just right.

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  11. Another great outfit! The leopard print isn't overwhelming, I like it a lot!

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  12. S: so funny that we had the same style habits in our teens :D i've just found that going with my instinct is the best way to go as i've gotten older.

    Garderoben: i think you get the hang of it eventually. i was afraid to buy vintage a few years ago, but after seeing many similar styles in expensive shops like APC and others, i've really come around to valuing the importance of shopping quality vintage.

    jennifer: i know - i do know how to work a sewing machine and do basic hand sewing...but i'm afraid i'll mess up on an actual clothing piece.

    jocy: yes! it's also really fun to learn about the history of the style and the garment. much more meaningful than always buying what's currently in stores...

    fleurette: thanks! the print is almost a neutral for me...:D

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