Ahhhh, you guys! Me Made May (and thus, the daily photographs) is almost over! Can I get a FUCK YEAH!?
This is going to be a longer than usual round-up, because I went on vacation and obviously I had to change outfits a couple times each day. That’s what you do on vacation, right? ps, sorry in advance.
5/24, Saturday
Dress: Lady Skater
Shoes: Keds
First day of our vacation! Here we are en route to Santa Rosa Beach, at a food truck somewhere in Alabama. I knew we’d spend the day in the car, so I opted for a comfy knit dress. I’ve always thought this dress was very fall-like, due to the colors, but the fabric is definitely summer-appropriate as well 🙂
5/25, Sunday I
Pajamas: Lakeside pajamas
I’ve been wearing various other me-mades throughout the month that haven’t made it into photos (workout wear, pajamas, leggings, underwear, etc), so here’s some proof! I brought two pairs of Lakeside pajamas to wear while on vacation – the ones you see here, plus a new set I made a couple days before (I used this cute strawberry print cotton lawn to make them, if you were wondering!)- and wore them all week. In addition to being awesome pajamas, they also make a great swimsuit cover-up! Although, to be fair, I started out wearing the set and ended up in only the shorts(+ bikini top, obvs) by the end of the week.
Speaking of bathing suits…
5/25, Sunday II
Swimsuit: Papercut Patterns Soma Swimsuit (no blog post on this… yet! But here’s the link to the pattern :))
Sunglasses: Franco Sarto
Hat: Scarlet Begonia
Hell yes I came with a handmade swimsuit! THREE, in fact! This is the first – the result of my pattern testing for Papercut Patterns a couple of months ago 🙂 I haven’t had a chance to write up a proper blog post, but here’s a sneak preview 🙂
5/25, Sunday III
Top: Refashioned from a men’s Hawaiian shirt
Shorts: Rite of Spring shorts
Shoes: Keds
After spending all afternoon at the beach (no, really, I laid up on a float and bobbed around in the ocean for hours and it was glorious), I reluctantly put on clothes and walked around the shops with Landon. I didn’t buy stuff, but I did buy liquor. Priorities, y’all.
Also, that shirt. This is the third vacation I’ve dragged it to (and no shit, I literally wore that same outfit last May HAHAAHAHA whatever, it’s good, I’m not apologizing for shit), so it’s basically my official vacation shirt at this point. Unfortunately, it’s also way too big now. My alterations were pretty shoddy (it was a very last-minute job), and I’m thinking I may just need to send it to the nice Goodwill Bin in the sky at this point.
5/26, Monday I
Swimsuit: Papercut Patterns Soma Swimsuit
Sunglasses: Franco Sarto
Hat: Scarlet Begonia
Exact same get-up as the day before, but check out how different it turned out! This is version 2 of the Soma Swimsuit, and the second one I tested (yeah, I tested both. I wasn’t asked to, but after making the first one I kind of went crazy. I almost made 3, tbh). I used this version to play with stripes and decorative elastic, and I LOVE how it turned out. Seriously, my favorite swimsuit ever! Again, expect a blog post on these bad boys soon 🙂
Oh yeah, and that bratty kid in the background is my niece 🙂 I told her she could photobomb my picture and she sure did me proud.
5/26, Monday II
Dress: Sewaholic Lonsdale
Shoes: Fergalicious
I wore this for a dinner out with my parents+Landon’s parents (the first time they met! It went very well :)), and unfortunately forgot to take a photo until right before bed. Oh well! Also, I love this dress and I should totally make it again.
5/27, Tuesday I
Swimsuit: Closet Case Files Bombshell
Sunglasses: Franco Sarto
Hat: Scarlet Begonia
Last bathing suit! This is one I made last year, and I still love it 🙂 Especially good for those days when I realized I’ve just been drinking beer and eating key lime pie all weekend and oh god it’s time for the beach. Hahahaha!!
5/27, Tuesday II
Shirt: Thrifted
Skirt: Tilly’s Miette
Shoes: Fergalicious
Post beach, Landon and I spent the afternoon in Seaside, checking out the cute houses, the shops, and drinking free wine (the best part!). Again, with the top – that’s another unofficial vacation top (that I bought… 3 years ago, at the Goodwill on Santa Rosa Beach, ha!) that’s about to get the Goodwill shaft. It’s just too big 😦
5/28, Wednesday
Top: Cropped Briar
Skirt: Cascade
Last day on the beach! I thought it would be fun to take the photos of my Cascade by the cascading waves (you can’t even tell in this picture but they were AMAZING that day!). The wind was blowing like crazy, and I think it makes for a really cool picture 🙂 This picture also vaguely reminds me of <a href="this picture from the Little Prince, which makes me happy 🙂
5/29, Thursday
Dress: Belladone
Shoes: Sam Edelman
Necklace: Fabu
Back to Nashville! It was at this point that I realized we were almost at the end of May – and I haven’t worn some of my favorite stuff! So out comes the Belladone 🙂 I tried to style this a little differently than usual – I generally wear it with brown or yellow, but I do like the red 🙂
5/30, Friday (today!)
Dress: Simplicity 1803
Belt: Thrifted
Necklace: Chatterblossom
Shoes: Born
My other favorite dress – and our star pattern for the OAL. I love this pattern and I’m glad I finally have a reason to buckle down and make another! Which reminds me – the sewalong starts on Monday! Eep! 🙂
Speaking of which – those of you who are participating, do you feel like you need a post that covers fabric selection? I was planning on skipping straight ahead to cutting and marking, since I figured most everyone’s already chosen their fabric (and thus makes a post on fabric selection a moot point) – not to mention a lot of y’all are sewing different patterns (which means different fabric requirements) – but you tell me!
Sooo I guess that’s almost it for Me Made May! We do have one more day of the month (and you bet I’ll be wearing me-mades and begrudgingly taking a photo, ha), but I’m not going to include it in this round-up because it doesn’t fit with my ~schedule~. Sorry! If you want to view the rest of the weeks, here they are:
Me-Made May: Week 1
Me-Made-May: Week 2
Me-Made-May: Week 3
Me-Made-May: Week 4
I also have a Flickr Album of all my MMM photos, if that’s more your jam.
If you’re sick of looking at me, that’s ok too – I’m sick of looking at myself at this point :B
I am glad I participated this year, because I definitely learned a lot about what’s lurking in my closet – namely, that there is WAY more than I think there is! Seriously, so many pieces didn’t even make it out this month, and that’s kind of sad considering I only repeated one skirt and a couple of tshirts. I’ve had some size fluctuations over the past couple of years, which means a lot of my summer wear doesn’t fit anymore (and while I altered some of it – such as the Simplicity dress I’m wearing today – a whole bunch of it got sold/donated instead). After that giant purge, I was under the impression that I didn’t have a lot left to wear in warm weather – which is clearly not the case! With that being said, despite my overabundance of clothing, there are still tons of pieces that my wardrobe is lacking. I’ve got plans to make more separates, including shorts (gah, I can’t believe I didn’t wear shorts once this month, wtf?) and tshirts, as well as workout wear, loungewear, and more bathing suits! Serious question… how many bathing suits is too many? They are REALLY fun to make, ok.
How did your Me-Made-May turn out (if you participated)? Did you learn anything life-changing about your closet? Are you SO sick of taking photos? 🙂
Ohh, I almost forgot – I promised y’all outtakes! Let’s revel in the unflattery together:
Most of my photos end up looking like this haha. I dunno why, but I always close my eyes when the picture is being taken (not to mention… whatever my mouth is doing. I guess I was in the middle of talking haha. OK FINE I BASICALLY NEVER SHUT UP)
If anyone happens to see where I left my arm, I’d appreciate your help.
Original photobomb did it better
Look at the fear in Amelia’s eyes hahahahahaha
I just think this is cute. Amelia doesn’t care much for being held (despite my consistent grabby hands at her), but she loooves having her butt scratched.
Hey, that’s almost a good picture! Until you zoom in a bit…
That, my friends, is the face of a cat who’s completely given up on life.
Ok, this is my favorite outtake and the one that made me laugh the hardest. This is a really unflattering picture of both of us – I’m pulling some kind of weird face (again, seriously, probably in the middle of talking) and Amelia just looks PISSED.
If that doesn’t look like the devil incarnate, I don’t know what does.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
LLADYBIRD 
But aren’t you wearing shorts in one of those pictures??
HAHA omg you are totally right. This is what I get for attempting to write a blog post at 6am hahaha
Haha, your niece looks so funny 😀 Love that pic!
yacurama
I have a looooong MMM update to do today as well, since I was also away for the last week and half! Not only are there multiple clothing changes, but the weather was so varied I had to pack basically everything! 80’s and sunny to chilly high of only 50 to a downpour!
Soooooooo…. I accidents swapped the “name” and “email” fields….. And am already getting spam. 😦 would you mind deleting my comment above? Thanks.
Shit, girl, I’m sorry! I took out the email, hopefully that will eliminate the spam problem, but if it doesn’t, let me know and I’ll delete the entire comment 🙂
Love your MeMadeMay, Lauren! Also – I cannot WAIT to hear more about those swimsuits! You look like a freaking model in all of them and I’m so JEALOUS! I’m thinking of shamelessly copying the stripey one…
You should! I’m gonna sound like a broken record here, but… TWINSSSS!! Except you’ll be WAY more model-esque in your suit than me, ha 🙂
I love how unimpressed the cat is in some of those pics! Hahaha! I love the photo-bomb as well. Uh, is there even such a thing as too many bathing suits?! I LOVE the Soma and your striped one is amaze-balls!
the round up was awesome but the pissed off cat photos have me laughing out loud and plotting to get my at into photos just so i can do out takes with her looking equally pissed off!
Hahaha do it! Pissed off cat photos are my favorite! 😀
And you’ve sold me on the Soma swimsuit! I also really love your Lakeside pyjamas and have to talk myself out of the pattern every time I see yours. They’re not quite my style and I have to remember that I couldn’t get your amazing fabric. But the swimsuit is go.
They’re not really my style, either, but I feel like pajamas are something you can kind of play around with (and honestly… the more I wear them around the house, the more I’m thinking about making that top for regular day wear. Especially in a drapier fabric; it would be super pretty!). Also, they’re really fun to make 🙂 But yesss, swimsuit should totally be a go 😀
Oh my goodness – that was the funniest post with Amelia looking so ticked off! UR right – she is totally ticked off! LOL!! I about spit out my drink laughing.
Loved the photos of the outfits – every time I see a post like this, I get more inspired to get my own wardrobe all me-made. Your outfits look great! I’ve been sewing a lot more lately, still working on getting fitting issues figured out. So frustrating to work hard and then the outfit just doesn’t look good because of fit. And, while I love my Renfrew, I want to do some other things besides the very forgiving knits.
Ahh, yeah, I know what you mean about the whole fit saga. I really wish I’d saved some of my older me-mades from years gone by because you can really see how much I’ve learned in terms of fit (and am still learning! Always learning :)). It’s a process, and you’ll end up with a bunch of wadders, but at least it’s a fun learning process (well, for me anyway). The fact that you are already sewing knits is a good sign, though, since most people are too afraid to tackle them.
Ha ha, Amelia! Please DO talk about fabric selection. I suck at it, and it’s probably a larege part of why I stopped sewing garments. Love the swimsuits especially, but everything looks great!
I will get a post together for Monday! Thanks for the input 🙂
I agree, please talk about fabric selection!
Yes ma’am! 🙂
I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s cat is often very unphotogenic!
hahahaha unphotogenic cats are the BEST, aren’t they? 🙂
I love, love, love the stripey swimsuit!!!
I love your stripy version of the Papercut swimsuit – that pattern is COOL!! I am so glad they included a one-piece variation though because I really don’t think I have the guts to pull off a bikini – haha ^__^ Also love your hat and those Fergalicious shoes! 🙂
LOVE the outtakes!!!! Cat facial expressions are the best, aren’t they? I am forever making faces too; in at least 8/10 of my photos I’m closing my eyes, making some weird face or posing in some totally bizarre way – haha!! ^__^ Glad to know I’m not alone!
Omg, dude, I seriously take like 40-100 pictures for every outfit shoot I do (not the MMM ones, obviously, but regular blog posts) because I’m making a weird face in about 80% of them. It’s annoying trying to weed through them (although kind of hilarious too, haha), but it is what is is haha. You are definitely not alone!
LOVE the kitty facial expressions going on here! sell some of your too big clothes to me!!!!
I unloaded most of them, but I have a few summer pieces that haven’t made it to Etsy yet. If you’re interested, send me an email and I’ll show you what I got 🙂
Your vacation looks like it was a blast and your makes are always so inspiring. Must go sew things!
There Amelia is!! 😀
She’s a good sport and she loves her mommy, bless. If she really wanted to be the devil incarnate, she could make herself much much pointier; you know what I mean. (And I would never say this to the other cats, but tortoiseshells are the very most beautiful, right, Amelia?)
Despite the bitchy face, she really is a good sport 🙂 You should see the way I throw her around – she won’t let anyone else sling her over their shoulder, but she’s ok with me doing it 🙂 and yes, Amelia and I both agree that torties are the most beautiful ❤ 🙂
I’m excited for the sewalong! Not only did I buy the pattern last weekend, I made a franken dress using the skirt, which I loved sewing. I might be using some Nancy Drew fabric for it while sewing with you!
Awesome!! And yaaay, can’t wait to see your fabric 😀
I loved your vacay pics! And the outtakes, hilarious! But I’m obsessed with your bikinis!!! I think they are the greatest. I can’t wait till you post about them ! I’m a very beginner sewer and would love to make them so all your tips will be greatly appreciated! Please tell us wear to get swim suit fabric and what is it even made of? I’m clueless! Anyway great post !!!
I’m excited to post about them! They were REALLY fun to make and I’m dying to make more already 🙂 As far as swimsuit fabric… I don’t actually know what makes it different than any other lycra – I really just went into the store and asked for swimwear fabric and was led to it, ha. I got mine at Spandex House in NYC, but I know there are online sources as well. I’ll try to see if I can round up a couple of places when I post 🙂
This year is the first year I’ve contemplated a MMM pledge. In the end I chickened out, and instead of making the pledge and documenting; I tracked what me-made clothes I wore this month.Next yearI think I can commit as I am competent enough in my skills to produce enough of a wardrobe AND take time to document it.
That’s such a good idea! You will definitely be prepared for next MMM 🙂
Great outfits, and those bikinis both look fab! Your cascade picture reminds me of some of SewBusyLizzy’s cascade photos, what with the beach and all.
Yeah, they do kind of look it 🙂 Except I’m in boring ol’ Florida, not gorgeous Aussie like her! 🙂
To those of us in rainy England, hours from the sea, Florida is looking anything but boring right now 😉
The swimsuits are my favorites. I love the blue and the stripey ones the best. I may ‘attempt’ to copy them as well, and I can’t wait for your post. (I remember seeing the one about the blue suit last year.)
I would love for you to talk fabric selection for the upcoming dress. I have made two of them already, with different results for each. It is a favorite pattern of mine and I am ready to try one more. Would love all of the input you could give. Can’t wait! 🙂
Your outtakes with your eyes closed and your mouth in that position made me laugh out loud! Hilarious. I have some pretty great shots like that too.
I have said this many times, I love your clothes, you have the best style. Omg I want that yellow and white ginger skirt! That is the best outfit, followed by the stripey bikini.
Looks like you had a fun vacation! I love both of your soma bikinis, plain and stripey! And you can totally pull off that hat, I would look ridiculous 🙂
welp, just looked and the soma swimsuit has a high waisted option… guess i need to make one. i’m sure it’s advanced as hell but a girl can dream??
also i LOVE the pic of you holding amelia in the studio and laughed so hard at the zoomed in face.
It’s NOT advanced tho! If you can make a tshirt, you can make a bathing suit. Come ovs and we can sew swimwear together :3
Those cast outtakes! Amazing! But seriously, your wardrobe is so awesome. I dream of being as put together as you one day lol! Looking good!
*cat outtakes
Super swimsuits, I’m almost ready to attempt one since our HOA has two pools..that we haven’t used. Me Made May was an eye opener for me and made me push myself to try new things. I used your handy tutorial on inserting an invisible zipper for my Hollyburn skirt 🙂
Aw, yay! I’m glad the tutorial helped you 🙂 That’s something I will never ever tire of hearing haha 🙂
Also – TWO pools? That you haven’t used yet??? Girl… you have got to take advantage of those. Or else I will for you, ha 🙂
Oh no, now you’ve almost sold me on making my own bikini! And I promised myself I would never touch that stuff OR lingerie after a very, very traumatic sewing experience with bikini bottoms… 😀
Too bad ha ha ha! You have to make swimwear now!! >:) lol
I know I totally creepered on your instagram, but I freaking LOVE your papercut patterns bikini. I just came on holiday and am terribly sad they didn’t release it before I left. Next time I wrangle a sewing machine that baby is right near the top x
Great sewing! The bathing suits are cool, especially the bombshell one. I used to have a vintage 1940’s bathing suit in blue like this. It had more ruching down each side,had boning and a zip at the back to do it up! I did swim in it too! Felt very glamourous except when it got wet it weight a ton! Got strong arms from trying to stop myself drowning though! There’s always an upside to vintage glamour!
Hahah omg, I love that story! I’ve always wondered if those old fabric suits were super heavy when they got wet, because they seem like they would be 🙂
The fabric wasn’t knit fabric but like a heavy grograin taffeta. The zip eventually seized up and I had to stop wearing it. I washed it and sold it at a market where I had a stall. Still wish I had it, though!
When I was a kid I had a groovy 1950s swimming suit of elastic ruched floral rayon. On holidays my family and I would swim in these really hot thermal pools at the camping grounds which had quite a bit of sulphur in them! By the end of the two week holiday all our swimming suits had holes in them – the sulphur in the water had rotted them away!
I’ve only recently started sewing clothing so I wasn’t able to participate this year but I look forward to next year. I’ve found soooo many patterns that I want to try through others (like yourself) that did participate :). Thanks for the inspiration!!
Ermahgahd NEED THAT SWIMSUIT PATTERN!!! That Soma pattern is fricking amazing!!!!
Been loving your me made May outfits, three swimsuits isn’t enough you need one for every day of the week! Think all tortie cats must be related, ours looks like a cross between Oscar the Grouch and a Gremlin!
Poor Amelia; the things our wee beasties put up with. And I am NOT buying that bikini pattern, however desperately my brain wants to. I already have 3 bathing suits I rarely wear. I will stay strong, no matter how awesome you look in them. And it’s funny how we “save” our favourite me-mades during MMM, isn’t it? Particularly when they’re dresses. Can’t wear them too early because then we don’t have them to look forward to, right?
lladybird.
I sended you a hidden note on your facebook. it looked awkward xD
regards
Ok so now I really want to raid you wardrobe. Love the bikinis too and the photobomb is brilliant although I was so hoping the kid was just a random stranger!!