What I Wore Archives - TheEyreEffect

18 June, 201518 June, 2015

Gingham circle skirt, ice cream print, and a cherry on top

I shared little snippets on Instagram when I was making this gingham circle skirt, and I have been dying to actually do an outfit post with it, because I love it. Even though I made a few mistakes and it’s kind of imperfect, I don’t care. It’s everything I hoped it would be!

This skirt was a test run for a circle skirt I plan to make from T.A.R.D.I.S. fabric I found at Joann’s (also I just saw this fabric, and now I need it too), because I really didn’t want to jump right in on expensive fabric, and I didn’t follow any online tutorials for making a circle skirt. I’m not a pattern follower, what can I say? I break rules.

I haven’t decided whether I will be re-shooting the tutorial I shot as I made this skirt; since it was a test run, and since I didn’t follow any patterns, there were a few things I forgot to do (or didn’t do when I should have) that I’d like to rectify in the tutorial. Such as adding a pocket in the side where it buttons up, the order in which I sewed a few seams, and my choice of buttons for the side. They’re all small things that I’m really glad I discovered this time around so that my T.A.R.D.I.S. skirt can be perfect.

But even with mistakes, who doesn’t love a good gingham circle skirt? It is everything a girl could want in her retro wardrobe: twirly, doubles as a tablecloth (I have heard that joke SO MUCH ALREADY), has lace. I even added a somewhat twee heart pocket on the outside because… why not? Gingham circle skirt, ice cream print tee, and a cherry on top | www.eccentricowl.com

I might be addicted to making myself circle skirts now, though; now that I know how to make them and know that I don’t have to follow the rules online, which all tell me that you can’t actually make a knee length (to me) circle skirt on any width fabric because you have to keep the fabric folded and… I broke that rule.

And now that I know that pockets are not as scary as I thought they were, and that I can do things other than adding a zipper (which I hate) for closure options, I’m excited to make a few more!

My posts might be sparse in the next week or two, though; about two weeks ago (I think I mentioned in my fitness post) I had what I thought was just a pulled muscle, but it turned out that my hips were so misaligned that my right leg was an inch shorter than my left. I dealt with the pain for two weeks, thinking it would just get better (muscle pain usually does, with stretching and massaging) but… no such luck. So I finally visited the chiropractor and got my out-of-place hip adjusted, but I still have some pretty messed up muscles in my hip. Which means I have to not walk around or lift or do anything that would stress those muscles as much as possible until they heal. DIY circle skirt, ice cream print tee, and a cherry on top | www.eccentricowl.com

Gingham circle skirt, self-made | top, c/o Oasap (old) | shoes, Modcloth | glasses, c/o Firmoo | headscarf, thrifted

I got in semi-trouble from my husband for even photographing this outfit. He is infinitely more concerned about my hip than I am (which is a good thing) and suggested that perhaps I shouldn’t do things to stress the muscles. Translated: no more outfit shoots until my hip is better. Which is good advice.

So, until I can walk without muscle pain, I’ll be limited to posting the tutorial I have ready, and Whole30/fitness (well, not fitness right now) updates.

I hope you are all having a fantastic week so far! It’s almost Friday!

P.S. I finally have a newsletter to send out, which will be a monthly recap of the most important posts + things I loved from other places, so if you want to be on the list to receive it and send me feedback, click here!

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12 June, 2015

Silver Propet shoes, florals, and stripes

I am very excited to review and show you the second pair of Propet shoes, which are a pretty silver flat with laser cutouts. These, as they suggested, do fit much better in the toe and are every bit as adorable and comfortable as the leopard print ones. I actually really love silver as a flat, too; I find that I rarely wear black shoes, but white tends to get very scuffed, and I’m not in favor of a nude shoe ever. So silver is a great substitute neutral.

I love that these have the cutouts in them; it’s perfect for what I’m guessing is going to be a very hot summer. Shoes that let the air in are a must for me right now! And I could wear these all day without discomfort. I have to say, I think these flats are much prettier in person than they are online. But I do tend to like seeing people actually wear garments I’d purchase online, rather than just viewing the sole picture of them. I can see myself styling these with so many things — in fact, today I slipped them on for my monthly checkup with my midwife, and even though I wouldn’t have originally grabbed a silver shoe with what I was wearing, they were perfect!

Overall, I am really glad that I had neglected to check pricing before I agreed to work with Propet; otherwise I would have missed out on a great opportunity to try shoes that are both comfortable and adorable, and I would have never been able to recommend a good, affordable (according to those I know who have gotten them before) brand of orthopedic shoes to people who do need them. Florals, stripes, and silver Propet shoes | www.eccentricowl.com It’s funny how sometimes what you thought was a mistake on your part turns out to be a good thing — in my case, stretching the general price range of items I would normally promote to include some higher-end products. I am sure there are very few people who actually think as critically as I do regarding price points, but there are also very few people whose closets are roughly 75% thrifted, so… you know. It’s hard for me to judge what actually is a reasonable price, and what is overboard because I’m used to spending about $10 or less per garment or pair of shoes.

I want to thank Propet for letting me try out their shoes and ramble on about the weird things that I notice! I especially want to thank their representative, who has been the sweetest person to talk to, and who lives in Washington as well! Which I am prejudiced for.

If you need orthopedic shoes, or you are interested in more supportive shoes in general, definitely check out Propet, and don’t be afraid to reach out to a representative for help! I am thinking I might need to buy myself these tennis shoes in fuchsia (if I can justify having two pairs of workout shoes, since I just bought some elsewhere) because.. who doesn’t want a pair of bright pink workout shoes? I mean… okay, I might be a little bit obsessed with pink at the moment. But still.

Shirt and belt, thrifted | skirt, c/o Oasap | shoes, c/o Propet (find here) | glasses, c/o Firmoo

What plans do you all have for the weekend? My husband and I are going to the drive-in movies tonight to see Jurassic World and Pitch Perfect 2, which should be really fun (also, if you live somewhere that doesn’t have a drive-in movie park, come here and I’ll take you because it is the best way to watch movies ever.), and I am hoping to go garage sale-ing tomorrow, and then Sunday we start the process to make a short film for a couple we know who want to raise awareness for foster care.

And I’m excited to share the project I completed (and posted peeks at on Instagram) this morning; I’ve gotten more into sewing again, and made myself a circle skirt that I’m actually quite pleased with. I’ve discovered that I am not a pattern person — I really hate following patterns, because they never fit me correctly and there’s always something I dislike about them. But give me some fabric and free reign (with Google on hand should I come across an issue I can’t solve and my pattern-dependent mother can’t help with) and I’m in heaven! It turned out much better than I had expected, although there were still a few mistakes that I’ll know not to make next time, and I am so in love. Circle skirts are the best.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Happy Friday!

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8 April, 20157 April, 2015

Polka dot dress and striped headscarf

Polka dot dress and striped headscarf | www.eccentricowl.com Lately, I have realized something about myself: I don’t like making new friends.

Now, that’s not to say I don’t like people. I love people! I loved growing up next to my uncle who had nine kids; I love my in-laws and their huge family; I loved working as a barista and a secretary and chatting to new customers daily; I love throwing big parties and being the recipient of big parties.

But making new friends is something else. Maintaining a new relationship past the awkward “how much do I share/we need to hang out often” stage and into the “I will tell you everything/we could go months without seeing each other and be okay” flow is just… hard. Making new friends totally drains me. And to be honest, so does staying at big parties without my “anchor” person (my husband, best friend, or friends I’ve known for ages), being expected to socialize with people I rarely see, or, sometimes, being at family events from either side when there are many children running around with minimum supervision. (All the kids are fairly well behaved, mind you, but still.)

I’m not sure why this is. I’m a friendly person. I’m known for liking to talk. I don’t find it hard to converse; in fact, I find it hard to stop talking sometimes. However, that’s my “mask”; some people retreat into themselves when faced with strangers, I talk about anything and everything to hide the fact that I feel awkward and nervous. Perhaps that’s part of why I always feel drained in new friendships; I feel as though I have to fill the silence so nobody feels awkward, because I’ve been in so many situations where there was silence and I felt awkward.

Perhaps it’s my tendency to take charge. Kids need corralling? I will head them off. Dishes need clearing? I’ll take those. People want attention? I’ll try to make them feel comfortable if I can. New friends aren’t talking much? I’ll make up for it by oversharing! And by the end, I’m just craving alone time, to sit by myself and not be spoken to or needed, to recharge in the quiet, to not have to talk or entertain. Polka dot dress and striped headscarf | www.eccentricowl.com

I told my husband once that making new friends is hard, and he laughed at me. I am very much the more outwardly social person in our relationship, and someone on the outside might classify me as the extrovert and him as the introvert. But after reading articles about extroverts and introverts, how they gain energy, what they need, what they hate, what they like… I think really, I’m just an outgoing introvert, and my husband is a shy extrovert. I need quiet and alone time to recharge — introvert status. He loves big groups and gets energy from a crowd — extrovert all the way. I would gladly entertain myself with a book all day and not have to talk to anyone — definite introvert. He needs to see people and do things to pass the time — definite extrovert. He considers everyone his friend. I only consider people I actually hang out with consistently my friends (everyone else? acquaintances.) Polka dot dress and striped headscarf | www.eccentricowl.com

Shirt, dress, and belt, thrifted | boots, Kohl’s | headscarf, Modcloth | glasses, c/o Firmoo | earrings, Target

And, though I am the “talkative” one, I actually prefer friends who talk more than I do, because then I don’t feel as though I have to entertain them, while he prefers people who let him talk too. So while outwardly, I look more social and he’s the quiet one, inwardly, I think our roles are flipped. At home, with just him I tend to be the quiet one while he is the talkative one. I tend to sit in my corner at well-known friends’ parties, while he’s the one hanging out and talking and being the social butterfly (of sorts; his talkative is not like my talkative.) When I’m really comfortable with people, I tend to observe and listen rather than talk and entertain.

It’s been quite eye-opening to me; it explains why I like blog friendships (on my terms, in my pajamas, no pressure to chat on the spot) and why I can talk to anyone at church or, in the past, work, but feel less comfortable pursuing relationships outside of those areas. It explains why I, the “social” one, don’t like going places where there will be new people I have to talk to. It explains why I preferred my job as a barista, where no customer could befriend me outside of work and there were no holiday events, to my job at Hallmark, where there were holiday parties with employees I had to attend that felt too intimate for a work relationship.

And I know labels are beginning to be old news, that people redefine who they are every day, but I like “fitting” a certain mold. Maybe I’m not an obvious one, but knowing I am more an introvert than extrovert is comforting. I’m not just really weird for being social but not liking having to make new friends.

What about you? Do you consider yourself to be more of an extrovert or an introvert? Shy or outgoing? No label? In between? I am curious to know if there are more people like me.

Happy Wednesday!

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26 March, 201526 March, 2015

Vintage plaid and a flower crown

Vintage plaid and a flower crown | www.eccentricowl.com I have been wanting to wear this pretty plaid dress from Stranger Bird Vintage ever since I got it (along with this gorgeous bohemian dress), but it needs a little bit of tailoring. Which I knew when I chose it, but uh… girl should have known better. I’m SO bad at fixing the clothing I get right away, and I’ll admit that I’ve had skirts sit in my “hem” pile for six months. Hemming literally takes like ten minutes.

So I’m quite glad that being pregnant has helped fill the dress out a little more, along with this belt, because I’m not sure where my sewing machine is any more and today was the perfect day for a vintage plaid dress. The sun is shining, my flower crown was calling, and I decided I could just make this work without tailoring it for now. Lately I’ve been feeling like I really need to step it up with eating healthy and taking (easy) walks every day that I can. It’s crazy how even in accepting the changes in my body, this pregnancy is super different from the last one. I did start out 10lbs heavier this time around, which makes it harder. Starting out 10lbs heavier and then having gained 10lbs during the last 17 weeks means I’m already nearing the max weight of my first pregnancy. I don’t feel like I look any heavier than I did last time, but the numbers and the way my pants fit are telling me I am.

The thing I have the hardest time with is breakfast and lunch. By the time I get Asa fed, I’m far too lazy to make myself food as well, and I really, really need to just find meals to put together that will feed both of us instead of two separate things for him and for me. I also go the easy route these days feeding him — there’s been a lot of oatmeal for his breakfast lately, which I can’t eat.

Vintage plaid and a flower crown | www.eccentricowl.com I know part of it is just laziness — however excusable that is, being pregnant and chasing around a 14 month old — but the other part is truly the fact that I still have a LOT of food aversions and on a day to day basis, my stomach’s preferences change. Some days, veggies and fruits sound fantastic. Other days, they make me queasy. I swear, if this child is not a girl, I will be shocked.

So I think I will try focusing more on getting myself moving on a daily basis, whether by taking a walk in the sun or by doing a good prenatal yoga routine on the rainy days, and limiting the “bad” foods to an actual serving size instead of, you know, the entire bag of M&M’s. (Okay, I haven’t done that yet. But it sounds really good.) Vintage plaid and a flower crown | www.eccentricowl.com

Dress, c/o Stranger Bird Vintage | flower crown, self-made | belt and shoes, thrifted

I definitely don’t think being pregnant gives me the “right” (or whatever you want to call it) to eat whatever I want. I mean, we don’t suddenly become garbage disposals once we’re gestating. But with food aversions and cravings, I believe it’s definitely okay to give yourself some leeway while pregnant; when you actually cannot stomach anything but ice cream, it’s better to just eat the ice cream than starve, you know?

Mental health is important, too.

I hope you are all having a wonderful week! Happy Thursday!

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24 March, 2015

Striped maternity dress and red cardigan

In eight days, we will find out what the gender of this baby is. I am SO excited, and very curious to see if my gut feeling and all of the old midwives tales are true. I already automatically refer to the baby as the gender my gut tells me it is, even though there’s a 50% chance I’m totally wrong, and when I accidentally referred to it as that specific gender, my husband went “Oh, really?”

He refuses to guess, because he doesn’t want to get his hopes up either way. Striped maternity dress and red cardigan | www.eccentricowl.com My guess is a girl, though. This pregnancy has been so very different from Asa’s that I’m hoping my instincts are right. I still can’t stand overly meaty dishes; I still get gaggy and occasionally have to throw up in the morning, I crave sugar all the time… I can’t drink water or talk in the mornings due to that pesky gag reflex… it’s interesting. I also feel like the baby might be sitting lower this time, which is usually normal since it’s baby 2 and muscle are all more relaxed.

Maternity dress, earrings, and cardigan, Target | shoes, Modcloth | belt, thrifted | Glasses, c/o Firmoo

We will see on April 1st whether I’m right or wrong! Meanwhile, I will be researching fun ways to reveal the gender to our families. If you have any good ideas, let me know!

Happy Tuesday!

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