From land to sea: the last stripes of summer

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Work has unfortunately picked up for me, but just wanted to pop in with a quick hello and some forgotten photos. This striped set has worked hard this summer both separately and together, from serving as a beach cover-up, to dinner wear, to something fun for the office. If you’re not big on sewing, this similar affordable skirt and peplum top are back in stock (listings say they run small).

H&M; swing jacket and shorts (old), DIY top, Warby Parker sunglasses c/o, clutch from the Philippines

A few of you asked for a tutorial on this top, which was more of an accidental creation using scraps than a well-planned, quality piece…

I unfortunately don’t have any in-process photos, but started with two long and wide rectangular pieces of stretchy fabric. Standing in front of a mirror, I crisscrossed the pieces in front of my neck and tied a knot behind my neck. I then wrapped the other ends of the rectangles around my sides snugly until they met in the back. Secure by having a friend pin down the back center. Take off the garment, turn it inside-out, and sew the back center together from the inside. Lastly, I put the top back on and tied a small knot in the front right where my belly button is. This was to keep the hem from riding up and showing too much skin. If the straps around the neck get too bulky, you can taper down the shape.