The Tiny Closet

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Today, I want to give huge thanks to be sharing a beautiful meal with family and friends.  Also, I'm incredibly thankful for such a warm community here.  For those of you who visit The Tiny Closet or have been following for a while, 

thank you!

  You should know it means the world to me :)

jersey dress: The Tiny Closet Collection / harem pants: Bottega Veneta / heels: Ivanka Trump

A couple nights ago, I made this dress all quick-like to go out to a bar with some friends.  I loved it so much I thought I'd wear it for this holiday dinner!  I paired my silky jersey dress with some luxy wool harems and new suede olive green heels.  Mmmm, comfy.

So Happy Thanksgiving to you and I'll see y'all back on Monday!

Bon appétit!

  hat: Santee Alley / top (normally a dress): American Apparel / skirt (normally a dress): All Saints / boots: Buffalo Exchange

So with the days very suddenly much cooler now, I am finally closing the chapter of Summer.

Moving on to October and the rest of Fall, you can get ready to see some newer looks and experimentations from my magical closet!  

And I want your input!

Have an idea for an ensemble or style you're dying to try but afraid it won't work?  

Got a new piece you love but can't seem to rock it with anything in your closet??  

Maybe I can help :)  

From my Tiny Closet to yours, this season, I'd love to hear some requests of what you'd like to see me style/wear/coordinate.  Let me be your guinea pig!  

If anything, maybe it'll give you some new ideas where you may be feeling stagnant or bored.  Let me know!

See ya back here next week!

I've been wearing this fun, nautical-type boatneck top a lot this past week.  It seems to go with everything.  

I've been talking about romper and jumpsuit shopping for a bit now.  Spring and Summer always remind me that one-pieces are all I really want my Tiny Closet to be made of.  

If only....

If only I could find the perfect collection.  But the search has been so difficult just to find one!  And I mean, I did find one.  But I want another one maybe?

I was way past tired of not finding exactly what I was looking for in a romper or jumpsuit until I was browsing vintage sewing patterns on Crafty Paneen a few weeks ago and I found the absolute perfect jumpsuit sewing pattern from the 80's!  

I snatched it up quick.

Instead of going straight to the obvious knit or white linen to make my classy, one of a kind jumpsuit, 

I chose to go a completely different route and instead, chose a statement print.

Tropical prints on mens clothing in particular is super fresh and urban right now, and I totally wanted to play with that modern style using this old sewing pattern.

Of course, I did take the liberty of making a few simple alterations to the pattern.  I gave myself short sleeves and also put elastic on the sleeves and legs so the jumpsuit would wear more like a track or sweatsuit.  This made it look a bit more classic hip hop, which I wanted but it wasn't too obvious due to the modern print.  

Working with this pattern was brilliant because it reminded me that even though I design clothing for myself, 

I don't always have to create from scratch every time I want something I can't find in the stores.  That can easily become a hassle.  

There's literally thousands of sewing patterns, old and new, to browse through online and in stores to either make yourself or have made for you!  

jumper: vintage pattern from Crafty Paneen / shoes: Vans / lips: M.A.C. Ruby Woo / nail color: American Apparel White

From time to time, sewing special or basic pieces is a wonderful step to creating a one of a kind wardrobe and wearing what you love.   

With your own choice of fabric, prints, and sizing the possibilities are endless! 

Just like a gal's Closet should be :)

Last weekend, while shopping with my dad at one of my favorite Indian boutiques in the Fashion District, I spied the prettiest all white tunic.  Instead of wearing the proper size (traditional tunics aren't meant to be too fitted), I decided to try a slightly smaller size anyway and wear it as a lil mini dress.   With my petite stature, it's a challenge finding dresses that hit me at the right length.  This fitted tunic worn as a dress had a length too perfect to pass up.

It's not normal that I wear an outfit made up of mostly new items(!!) so I'm excited to begin weaving them into my Tiny Closet keepers.

Keep visiting for more style mixing!

When I'm not sewing and blogging, I work a few days a week down the street at a cute restaurant.  It's fun and fancy so I enjoy thinking up fabulous little ensembles to run around in when I'm there.

I've been getting a lot of outfits with this Robert Rodriguez top.  I absolutely love this Tiny Closet keeper!!

And speaking of "keepers", my ensemble on Sunday was completely made up of them!  My chiffon waterfall skirt I've worn all sorts of ways for years now.  And my trusty suede booties, what haven't I worn them with??  

Check it out:

top

bandeau & high waist pants

jeans and leopard slippers

skirt

as a top on the beach

layered with blazer and pants

 top: Robert Rodriquez / skirt: Forever21 / booties: Jessica Simpson / belt: Forever21 / accessories: Kukuly's

booties

a jumpsuit

harem pants

I've really been into accessories lately.  I dunno, something just clicked in my stubborn minimalist head and now I want rings on every finger and bracelets on both wrists.  This phase couldn't have come at a better time!  I feel a bohemian Summer coming!!!  

Keep visiting for more Tiny Closet tricks :) 

I've been unusually excited for Spring these days...

 and while practically everything in my Tiny Closet is fit for all seasons, I do have a few pieces that shine extra bright for specific times of the year.  

Like these coral pants.  Short of florals, they just scream "Spring" don't they?

And in preparation for the spirit of Spring (ahem, Cochella), I gave my pants a simple bohemian styling with a swinging, draped top and bigger curls on my head, with a middle part.

top: Santee Alley / bra top: Free People / pants: Zara / sandals: Santee Alley / rings: Kukuly's 

I also picked up a few Tiny treasures at my new favorite store in downtown, Kukuly's.  I was again, unusually drawn in to this store of fabulous bohemian jewelry and accessories but trying new things seems to be the theme for my lil wardrobe so far this year.  

I'm enjoying tweaking my look with small changes.  While I do have a simplistic signature style, I love all the subtle changes I can make even with the Tiny Closet that I have.

See how I've worn these pants in the past:

with stripes

with leopard

Check out these punchy coral pants!  You'd be surprised how far this color can take you...

I take that back.  Do what you want with your wardrobe!  

But consider adding a circle skirt to your Tiny collection maybe?

Here's why:  next to the almighty high waist pencil skirt, the circle skirt is the most feminine skirt you can own!  In one move, you can completely and classically "fem-ify" your entire look.  Throw on wedges / Toms / Keds / boots / heels and a tee and the circle skirt will pull it allllll together.  Effortlessly.

And that's exactly what I did.  I grabbed one of my favorite day dresses and wore it as a striped top.  Then I tucked it into my linen circle skirt and topped it off with a pair of Toms. 

While taking a walk in my favorite park in downtown in this ensemble, I thought a few photos of this trio would be fun.  I traded my Toms for these cage lace-up heels and flirted very lady-like for the camera.

tee: StyleMint / circle skirt: Tiny Closet Collection / heels: Forever21

And maybe you recognize this top?  It's a dress!  In Tiny style, I wear this piece all sorts of ways.  Two of the ways, you can check out are here and here.

So if I've been at all convincing in this post, get a circle skirt!  They look good on everyone, fabulous on all figures and sizes and not that this is important but... 

men adore them on us!

Shop for one or make your very own circle skirt using this tutorial by Geneva Vanderzeil, my favorite diyer!

See you next week!

Always marinating in simplicity, I've really settled into a minimum frills look.  So every now and then I like to add a bit of influence from a friend to enhance my style.  And when I have a hard time giving it back, that's when I know I have to get one for myself.  I think of it as a shopping screener :)

Hope you're enjoying your Monday!