Reusing Ruffles

My quarantine secondhand shopping continues, courtesy of a nice birthday gift card to ThredUp from my aunt and uncle - thanks, Aunt T and Uncle B!

(Pro tip: Don't forget to tell your family and friends about your eco-shopping goals, and you may get a pleasant shift in gifts!)

For some reason, I was feeling super feminine, likely in reaction to all the sweats and tees I've been wearing while working from home. I'm eager for the days when I can dress up at the office or for a night out again.

Not quite ruffles, but I loved the ruched neckline and bold floral pattern on this Calvin Klein blouse. I can see pairing this with a blazer for client meetings. It was listed at gently used condition for $15.98 (73% off of $60 retail).

Next up, this new with tags Ann Taylor Loft blouse. I love the delicate ruffles, and plan on wearing this as a great day-to-night option. A steal for $21.99 (65% off $55 retail). 

Cute but casual, this mustard sweater from J. Crew is lightweight and good for spring or fall. Plain enough color to go with many things, but I like that the ruffles add a little feminine touch, so it's not your everyday cardigan. Like new condition, this was $31.99 (74% off of $110 retail).

Finally, I keep adding to my collection of "day to night embellished black flats". I love that the ruffle on these Francesca's flat is functional, securing the shoe to my foot. These were like new condition for $27.99 (48% off of $48 retail).

I'm all set now for when things start to reopen... or if I decide to up my game for my office video calls. :) 

If you've been laid off during this pandemic, don't forget online consignment as a way to make some income, as well as stock up on interview duds as you reenter the workforce. All of the above came to just under $100 in like new condition, or 64% off of the $273 retail value.

Secure Those Slipping Shoes

I got these cute flats off of Buy Nothing a while ago. I love the scalloped front edge detail, and they're generally really comfy. Except, with the first step, it was immediately evident I couldn't wear them all this. There wasn't just a little slippage - my full ankle came out with every step. I just knew that I would spend more time trying to keep these on by gripping my toes than would be worth it, so I needed to find a way to secure them or move on.

A couple You Tube tutorials later (Example 1, Example 2), and I had my method planned; I would add an ankle strap. You can do this to secure loose shoes, or if you just want to mix up the style.

The first step is the add a loop coming up from the back of the shoe to feed the strap through. Now the inside of my shoe already this small piece of elastic inside. If you're doesn't you can still do this project, but you'll need a sturdy needle to sew through the back of the shoe. With this in place, I can secure my loop to this piece of elastic instead.

Next, I feed my loop material, a strip of black material about 2-3" long, through the elastic in the back, and sew a couple stitches to form the loop. The length of the material depends on where you're securing it on the shoe and how far you want it to stick up (that is, how wide of a strap you'll be adding). The material also depends on the finish of your shoe and appearance you want. I chose a black elastic from an old bra strap!

Add a couple more stitches to secure your loop inside the shoe. You can see how it sticks up about an inch past the top of the shoe.

Then, simply feed the strap of your choice through the loop, and secure around your ankle! Some people choose a true ankle strap with clasp. I've chosen a piece of ribbon that I can tie in a big floppy bow. Alternatively, you could choose something embellished like a pearl anklet.

If you choose something like a nylon ribbon, you can finish the edges by holding a lit match to the edge for just a second. The heat will melt the edge and prevent it from fraying.

Since we didn't secure the ribbon to the loop, you can swap that part out as you like, changing it to fit your style of the day. Or if you started this project just for style (not to secure the shoe in place), you can remove the strap entirely, and tuck the loop into the back of the shoe.

With this 10 minute fix that costs less than a few dollars, you can save a pair of shoes that were not usable and even change the look to give them the value of several pairs of shoes.