"And pull your hair back from your face."

That was always my mom's advice when I would ask her how an outfit looked. She was and is a firm believer in showing off your face. It's also helpful to note that I wore half of my hair covering my face in my teenage years. Long bangs, too-deep side parts, weird front curls, you name it, it was over one eye. Anyway...

My fall refashion challenge (see previous post!) is going well. Slowly but surely, I'm remaking duds into do-ables. Admittedly, I took a sewing rabbit trail and made a dumpy pair of $4 Target pants into cute cutoff shorts and then dove into transforming one of Anthony's million white tshirts into a feminine, slouchy embellished tee for me. I was actually really happy with the results and will post a pic of it once I wear the outfit again.

On another ambitious note, the 1-15 Infantry Battalion is having a Christmas formal this December. DRESS-UP TIME!!!!!!!!!!!! I do appreciate a grown-up party, and am excited to make my dress this year with the help of a vintage dressform that my brother-in-law and his pretty wife gave me for my birthday. It's ready to go in our front room, adjusted to my generous body proportions.

I burned my already-blind eyes out on Pinterest looking for the spark of an idea as to what I wanted to wear, and I found it. It's gorgeous and I already ordered a lace swatch from Mood Fabrics (NYC, baby!) so that I'm not tempted to abandon this project. See the link below for my inspiration -- it's the bold red lace dress in Erdem's Spring/Summer 2011 collection -- which, by the way, is pure perfection.

http://www.erdem.co.uk/collections/spring_summer_2011.php#pic1

And no worries, my modern modest madams, I will add an inch or two to the hem, as I have seem to misplaced my Alexa Chung thighs.