Outfit: Tied with a red bow

Cardigan: Thrifted

Dress: Merona

Obi Belt: Kwik Sew 3758

Shoes: Alfani

I’ve worn the belt from that Kwik Sew pattern a whole lot more than I’ve worn the dress.  I have plans to make several more – in my opinion it’s the perfect obi belt (not that you need a pattern to make one, but since I already have it…)  I love red belts – I’ve been looking for a good patent leather one all winter, but I have yet to find one that is both reasonably priced and available in my size.  I bought this dress for six dollars at Target this week, while I was picking up Brita pitcher filters.  It’s got a metallic plaid pattern, which I love, but it’s not as fitted as I would like, thus the belt!

I wear a lot of long sweaters and jackets now – I keep trying with the shorter styles, but I just don’t like them on me nearly as much.  I’ve also noticed that I suddenly own a great deal of black, which is funny because I owned exactly one black dress (for funerals only) for at least five years.  I’ve decided that I like wearing black because I’m so very, very pale.

I once made the very ill advised decision to dye my hair black.  I thought it would be dramatic, and it was, but I have naturally blonde hair – the roots, when they came in, looked like a bald patch!   I had to have the black dye removed, and since then I’ve varied from platinum (lighter than my natural shade)  to dark brown and my current very dark red.  I do like the dark hair, because I like contrast, but I’m pretty sure I won’t ever dye it black again.