Come visit Charleston’s premiere art museum for free this Saturday from 10am – 1pm. Aside being able to admire world-class art, the museum will have face painting, performances by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Argentine Tango society and more!

Thank you Gibbes Museum of Art for keeping Charleston cultured!

Brit

Well, with the Spring Fashion bringing in Peplum Skirts, now is the time to go find that long flared hem skirt at Goodwill. Why? Because of this great DIY project, brought to you by A Pair and a Spare blog!

DIY PEPLUM SKIRT

What you need:

• - A flared hem skirt from Goodwill
• - Scissors
• - needle and thread or sewing machine and thread
• - Pins

How to:

1. First remove the flared part of the skirt using scissors.
2.  Cut the flared section into two panels to go on the sides of your skirt. Do this by putting the flared section on around your waist and working out how much fabric to remove to have the peplums sitting on the sides with about a 10cm gap in the middle.
3.  Hem the edges of the peplum pieces
4.  Pin the peplum pieces to the skirt.
5.  Sew the peplum pieces onto the skirt.
6.  Hem the skirt.

Then wear! Who would have thought you could make something adorable from a long flared hem skirt!!!

AND of course, I have a spin on this….make the Peplum Detachable! Because let’s face it being versatile is much better and creates more outfits!

How to create a Detachable Peplum skirt:

Complete step 1-3 ( but don’t forget to hem the skirt)  of the DIY Peplum Skirt tutorial then:

1. Cut off a 4 inch wide piece of fabric from the bottom of the skirt. Cut off the two ends, now you should have two 4 in wide pieces of fabric.
2. Sew together the two pieces, sewing only the bottom and the top of the pieces….basically creating a tube from the fabric.
3. Measure around the top of the skirt. Cut the tube down to size to fit the skirt.
4. Sew one end of the tube closed. Turn the tube inside out, like you do with tights to get the hem on the inside!
5. Sew the other end of the tube closed. Create a button-hole to one end and sew on a button to the other.
6. Put the tube on with the button in the back and centered. Pin the two peplum panels on each side of your hips meeting in the center with 10cm in between.
7. Take off the tube and sew on the peplum panels.
8. Done, detachable peplum skirt!

Andddddd you don’t have to wait for spring to wear, simply pair with black tights. Perfect!

Brit

1. Peplum Hems: Skirts, shirts, blazers….everything! Wow I am obsessed with this look. It’s so classic, tasteful and absolutely adorable! Did I mention the peplum shirt can help mask that lower tummy budge that you put on over the cold and harsh winter, until you shed the weight for summer! There is no set way to wear peplum, but I recommend not to pair a peplum top and bottom together. I also recommend that if you wear a peplum bottom you wear a slimming and understated top!

2. Metallic bottoms. Be sure to grab up a pair of metallic pants, shorts or skirts for this coming spring! But please wear it correctly! The common denominator, that I noticed on the runways in which designers featured metallic, was: neutral colored top. Allow the metallic bottom to be the focal point and limit distractions by featuring a neutral colored top or layers of neutrals on top!

3. Bold Prints. This is the most eye-catching trend of Spring 2012. Not only can you wear bold prints singularly, for example just a bold print pair of heels or a bold print t-shirt, but prints are being mixed and matched from head to toe! Don’t fear if two prints aren’t the same, that is part of the appeal. When wearing prints from head to toe focus on colors that coordinate between 2 or more prints to create a seamless “clash” of prints!

Do you have a favorite trend of Spring 2012?

Leave us a comment or better yet a picture of you in your favorite spring fashion!

Brit

This year Goodwill is partnering with a fabulous non-profit known as the Cinderella Day Project! http://cinderelladaycharleston.com/about/

The Cinderella Day Project is a group who is on a mission to ensure that any girl, regardless of her financial situation, can feel like a Princess on her very special day-PROM! The group spends months rounding up dress donations, accessories, and hair and make-up supplies to fill up their “boutique”. This year Cinderella Day will be held on Saturday March 3rd at the Dream Center in North Charleston.  The girls who attend will have the opportunity to explore the boutique full of dresses and the like with their very own personal shopper! Each girl will get to take home an entire prom outfit and even have their hair and make up done on the spot!

Goodwill will be donating some gorgeous dresses as well as putting on an awesome morning fashion show featuring beautiful models from Robin Lee Models (http://www.robinleemodels.com/#!about) as well as fabulous volunteers!

If you have a  prom dress to donate please do so and help to make prom magical for many local high school girls!

Brit

When in the choc-a-holic mindset one does not think ” After I gorge myself on all of the candy I can possibly eat…. where will I store the remainders?” But don’t worry I’ve found an adorable and easy DIY way to store your left over candy!

Apothecary Style Candy Jar

What you need:

• Glass candle holder from Goodwill
• Glass jar with glass lid
• Super glue

If you can not find a glass candle holder do not fear! You can spray paint it what ever color you’d like. But be sure to incorporate the color by spray painting the lid of the jar the same color! Also be sure to pick up a round wooden base from the crafts store.

How to:

1. Take the glass lid off the jar and turn the jar open side down

2. Apply super glue to the top of the candle holder. Adhere to bottom of the glass jar.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/diy-apothecary-jarsthis-old-ch-155958

If you are working with a non glass base:

1. Spray paint the candle holder, the round wooden base and the jar top.

2. Super glue the bottom of the jar to the top of the base.

3. Super glue the candle holder to the bottom of the base.

Super cute and easy way to display your left over candy! Did I mention this is great for birthday parties or even at a wedding candy station?!

Hope you had a sweet Valentine’s Day,

Brit

The one line that was continuously repeated from our end was ” Yes, the dress is from Goodwill!”. We had so many shoppers who could not believe you could find such  gorgeous gowns from Goodwill…but it’s true you really can!

If you weren’t able to make it out this Sunday here’s what you missed

Brit

Goodwill will have an awesome exhibit full of beautiful gowns, all which have been donated and all of which are for sale….at spectacular prices! Oh ya, and we will be giving a gown away for free, simply drop by our booth, check out our dresses, and register!

Here’s a Sneak peek

That’s just a sneak peek, we’ll have many more gorgeous dresses and accessories!

Check us out!

Brit

Kelly Clarkson

The little black dress is classic and looked very nice on her, it smoothed her figure out and accentuated all the right places. But would it be wrong if I said it was a little….boring…, especially since she is rocking the dark hair and… …bangs. Couldn’t she at least worn some awesome pumps?Yawn.

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton

Blake looked great. A classic outfit all the way down to his boots, were those alligator?! Love.

Ek, Miranda Lambert’s outfit wasn’t my cup of tea. But what really got me were those earrings! I couldn’t find a great picture of them, but really…pink…huge…glittery…. was she purposely trying to match the microphone?

Madonna

Of course…I loved Madonna’s outfit!

The headpiece,  the gloves, the boots…even the robe was awesome!

The black mini was a-ma-zing. Minus the gold gladiatoresque skirt, this dress could totally be rocked for everyday wear! Can we expect another Spartan inspired summer?! I kept my knee high gladiator sandals!!

What’s your take on Super Bowl 2012 fashion? Any favorites?

Brit

So of course, when I stumbled upon these earrings from Anthropologie I immediately thought: PERFECTVALENTINE’SDAYWEARRRRRR

And as usual, I researched a way to create them at home. And found it b.i.n.g.o

What you need:

• Lace ( you can buy lace trim at the fabric store or simply pick up something lacy from Goodwill and cut it out. Chances are the Goodwill route will be cheaper….)
• Clear nail polish
• Pearl colored beads
• 2 jump rings
• 2 earwires
• 2 eyepins
• scissors
• pliers

The How-To:

1. Cut out the lace patter you would like to use for the earrings. Be sure you can cut out two identical sections of pattern.

2. Cover any thin spots on the lace with clear nail polish to strengthen it

3. Attach the jump ring and then the eyepin to the lace.

4. Add pearl colored bead

5. Cut the eyepin, leaving just enough of the pin to create a small loop

6. Add the earwires

To get a fancier look, try finding hollow flower shaped earring component like this:

To achieve this look, you would simply add the eyepin, slip this over, add the pearl colored bead, then create your loop to attach the earwires!

Voila!

Where will you wear these?,

Brit

I’ve found some awesome outfits which could be worn out with your man, out with your girls or at home having vin chaud with your cats..; )

Outfit #1: Valentine’s Day Girl’s Night

Who say’s you can only have a great time on the most commercialised Holiday known to man-kind with a guy?

Wrong, you can have a great night out with the girls! And for that night, I suggest a sweet and flirty dress, like this one from modcloth.com. Imagine yourself  channelling the pin-up girls of the 50′s in this adorable dress! Pair with a killer pair of open toe pumps and red nails= unstoppable!

Outfit #2 Date night with the Beau

I am so in love with this dress from asos.com! What’s so perfect about it is A. It’s super sexy, without letting it all out and B. its versatile so it can be dressed up ( I’m thinking black tights and patent leather pumps) or dressed down ( tightless and black flats) depending on where you’re being taken out ; )

Outfit #3: Cozy with the Cats

All alone? Don’t fret, this is what you need: 1. Funny movie from redbox 2. Ice Cream 3. Super comfy pj’s….like these from target.com and they have cute kittens all over ‘em, awwww

What does your Valentine’s Day look like?

Brit