Travel light with a day dress which converts to evening wear

 Travel Light

 A blue day dress made glamorous with DIY decoration of hite feathers and mock pearls on the cuffs. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

At a wedding I was impressed by my friend's blue dress with white feathery and pearl decoration on the cuffs of the sleeves. Her outfit looked very smart and expensive and glamorous. She told me she had sewn on the decoration herself. She makes a lot of craft items, using pieces of decoration. For example, masks. Her dress has a wide circular swing hem added on. But the top is a simple blue shirt-waisted style. It is the contrasting colour which is effective and the soft effect, like feathers and lace. Her outfit is completely unique. She must have spent a reasonable amount on the fancy decoration. But even so, much less than an expensive dress. 

Day and evening

What is interesting is that you can transform a shirt waisted style into something so glamorous with the sleeve decoration. It\s like adding a black bow at the neck of a white blouse. 

Pin or Brooch

If you are handy with a needle, or even a pin, you can create a new outfit for a wedding, or Christmas party, or a birthday or anniversary, or any special occasion. If you think a pin is too DIY, you could buy a pair of matching brooches.

Shein has modestly prices items. But some of the brooches look a bit stiff. You might do better with a search for feather decoration for hats.

Holiday Transformation - Two Looks

When on holiday, you could take pin on decorations in your handbag, and transform or white or blue or black dress with contrasting decoration for the evening. A new look. Less packing. You won't get caught out by a sudden invitation. Nor will you have to find room in your suitcase to bring home a new outfit bought for the special occasion. 

You can also buy lace gloves with feathers decorating them. you could cut off the glove fingers and leave sew the cuff attached to the dress sleeve. 

What can you do with old, unworn and unwanted shorts sets and sarongs? Turn them into dresses

Mdo and mend, said government leaflets on the UK in WW2.

Are your cupboards full of items bought abroad, which no longer fit, are the wrong style?

Are they sitting at the back of your cupboard, doing nothing, taking up space?

A friend of mine, Timmy, told me, "When my father died, I found boxes of shirts, unworn, in the packets, still with the labels on. What was he saving them for?"

I found electronic items still in the box unused at my late uncle's home. Plus neck ties.

Unused clothes are the easiest leftover items to deal with.

WW2

My mother lived through WWII when you could not get new fabric. Clothes rationing was introducd on June 1st 1941. The catchphrase was Make Do and Mend.

Food rationing did not end until 1952. The government issued booklets on recipes using leftovers, and how to reuse items.

Householders became adept at repurposing items.

Sheets Re-used
I remember how my mother would cut up old white sheets to make hankies when somebody was suffering from a cold.

Sheets which had a hole in the middle were recycled by cutting them down the middle lengthwise and sewing together the outside seams.

Could you turn a white cotton sheet into a wedding dress?

For weddings dresses, parachute silk was reused.

Covid-19 Masks
More recently, during Covid-19, I have seen videos showing how you can make masks out of scarves and socks.

I have been stuck at home for weeks due to homestays in Singapore.

I started going through my wardrobes, looking out old items to wear. I found at the back of cupboards, unworn items.


Short and T-shirt Sets
Look at these two sets of shorts and tops, one green with seahorse, one blue with mushrooms. They

had sat in my cupboard for years.

This week I got them out. I wondered whether to wear the tee-shirt without the top.

The tee-shirts fitted. To my surprise, I could get into the shorts. they were uncomfortable, tight on the waist. Besides, with my being overweight, not very elegant. However, I was loathe to start taking the scissors to them, in case the experiment did not work.

I asked my hsuband, "Should  I wear the outfit with the shorts?" 

He told me, "I don't like shorts on women. Or on men, for that matter."

That settled it. Nothing to lose. I had to cut up the shorts. I considered several possibilities. Make them into a scarf, a hat, a jacket. How about a simple edging to extend the length of the tee-shirt?

More recently, during Covid-19, I have seen videos showing how you can make masks out of scarves and socks.
the first hing I did was cut off the waistband. I considered pulling out the white rope. However there were several rows of shirred stitching. So I decided to make that into a headband.

Once the waist band was cut off, the straight top could be sewn onto the tee shirt's hem.

I pinned both ends together with safety pins. Previous experience had taught me that if you start with tow items together at one end, as you sew along, one slips so that one piece overhangs. To prevent this happening, I started sewing from the middle, held both ends tightly together, and sewed along.

I did a running stitch on the reverse for fast results.

This is the result.
I am so happy with my new dress. I love the seahorses. I love the colour.

My next post will show the blue outfit.

About the author
Angela Lansbury
Author of How To Get Out Of The Mess You're In
About the author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

I and my family have lived in the UK, Spain, the USA and Singapore. I am a travel writer and photographer and teacher of English A level and English as a foreign language.

Please come to a Toastmasters International Club where the English clubs have a language evaluator or grammarian.  We also have French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Tamil and other language clubs based in Singapore and many more online around the world which because of Covid-19 are now meeting online.

I am President of Braddell Heights Advanced, meeting the first Wednesday of the month, Usually on Zoom. But the other Wednesdays have workshops on app learncool.sg

Incoming president Faith from July 15th 2020 change dates and platforms so please contact the club.

Latest is only two meetings each month.

For meetings learncool it is quicker to type and easier to remember: 

 tinyurl.com/BHACOOL

Useful Websites On Speaking and Languages

https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club
translate.google.com
duolingo.com

https://www.duolingo.com/enroll/vi/en/Learn-Vietnamese

https://www.facebook.com/groups/polygotcommunity/

Other Useful Posts By Angela Lansbury Author

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogs
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/04/how-to-say-thank-you-in-several.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-yourself-in-english-spanish.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/01/second-set-of-portuguese-words.html 

Please share links to your favourite posts

What to do in cold weather - how to turn a scarf into a hood as I did in Hanoi, Vietnam

Flag of Vietnam.

Problem
In Hanoi in the north of Vietnam they have four seasons. In December 2018 the temperature dropped from one day to the next, from 6o degrees f to fifty. The local Vietnamese people had donned padded jackets with imitation fur edge hoods.

We were still wearing two or three layers of summer clothes. We did not want to spend on another, heavy jacket which would not fit in our suitcases and would be too hot to wear in tropical Singapore.

Cold Neck
Standing at a bus stop, we had a cold wind on our necks. Those sunhats which cover the neck are also handy against breezes.

Silk Scarf
I had with me a silky scarf. ('Thai silk' which is a good imitation of real silk). Unfortunately, the silky scarf kept slipping off my head and neck.

Hooded Scarf design
I remembered how I had turned a scarf into a hooded scarf a few months previously in London, England. I had looked at a hooded scarf and realised it was hardly more than a scarf doubled over, seamed from the middle a few inches.

One version had the point cut or folded in diagonally, secured with just a couple of stitches. Another had stitching rounded to fit the head. If you don't mind having a point, you can just leave it oblong on top.

Scarf - Sew
You could buy a cheap scarf, or do as I did and sew up the scarf you already have. In an emergency, when cold, just sew one line of stitching quickly up the straight seam and never mind about shaping it.

Sewing Kit
How? Where do you get a sewing kit?

With luck, and planning, you or your partner will always carry a sewing kit. If not, sewing kits are cheap from cheap shops, sold in lots of supermarkets UK and worldwide, and novelty shops in Hanoi, Vietnam.


Hotel Sewing Kit from Sunline Paon Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Our hotel the Sunline Paon supplied a small sewing kit in the room. The needle was so tiny that two of us struggled for ten minutes and could not get the thread through the tiny hole. We tried widening the hole with the end of a safety pin. Still no luck.

I went downstairs to reception. The girl on reception struggled for a few times. Eventually she did it!

Now, what do you do?

Seam from top right of picture. Scarf folded down on right to show where seam ends.


How To Seam
Fold the scarf in half horizontally. Sew a simple seam a few inches down from the fold, long enough to cover your head.

Scarf sewn into hood. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Success
That will keep you warm until you can find a beanie hat to buy or fly back to a warm country. The part which covers your neck can also secure a second scarf as a neck warmer.

I now appreciate an upright mandarin collar. you could do lots of other things. For example, sew the scarf hood to a jacket collar, or even a blouse collar. Add a pom-pom.

Or sew another scarf inside for extra warmth and contrast lining. Tie the lining scarf under your chin whilst leaving the long tasseled end hanging.

But, back home, you are now without your favourite scarf. You have a winter item and you are back in summer weather.

Unpick
In theory you can unpick the thread again for summer or warmer weather. How securely should you sew it? Double thread would be more secure. I sewed a simple running stitch, but back-stitched every inch or so to prevent it tearing open.

The sign outside St Joseph's cathedral says no baseball hats. However, I imagine my scarf would be allowed.

Travel information
For hotels
booking.com
Comparison site:
https://www.clicktripz.com/rates/search/index
For airlines
travelok.com
vietJetair.com (Comprehensive list of budget airlines in Wikivoyage.)
For transport
https://www.grab.com/vn/en/

Language
Duolingo.com 
(Remember to click on the sound symbol to hear how words are pronounced.) 

Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Cheap T Shirts for making matching outfits

t shirts for only a pound in a variety of colours? Just what I need.  I have been through my wardrobe. I have shorts in patterns and t-shirt with slogans and pictures and they clash. I need plain colour shorts and plain colour t-shirts to make up sets to wear.

Otherwise I have loads of separates which don't match anything. But the family have banned me from buying more clothes because I am spending too much and the wardrobes are overflowing yet aI claim I never have anything to wear and to out looking bizarre with two many clashing patterns, or take hours to dress.

Yes, I know the problems with cheap tee-shirts. Wear it once and it's stained.  (Answer is to tie - dye it.) The seams split. The fit isn't right - too tight or too baggy or just not smart enough for the nice restaurant at lunch or supper.

Needs ironing if it's cotton. Cheap and nasty if it's synthetic, and the fabric won't match anything else.

I still feel I must look at the website. What do I find. Most of those lovely colours, the emerald green and bright orange are only for children. Ladies long sleeves are black, or white, OK, that goes with a lot of things. Ladies are also in pink and yellow. But what If I want long sleeves to guard against mosquito bites and dengue fever? I can wear a jacket or blouse on top of a short sleeve tee. To get navy I would have to buy a men's size. Best to go into a shop to see the sizes and colours and fabric. Good for a gift for a meeting, Xmas, or summer picnic or barbecue, sports day or running club or give or lend to a friend for jogging together.

http://www.poundshop.com/fashion/clothing?p=2&utm_campaign=HFPS-TS-26-03-16&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Newsletter

Sewing an outfit
If you want matching shorts, at that price you can afford to buy two pairs and cut shorts. Or use the second pair to make a wide strip into a wrap around skirt to wear over bikini bottoms or shorts which don't match but provide a flash of contrasting colour. You could even buy three to make matching shorts, t shirt and long sleeve shirt or jacket. Use a spare strip to add a scarf or attach it as a mock scarf. Make a belt to match from strips seemed and turn inside out. Sew both narrow end edges straight or in a v-shape.

Pocket using No sew Velcro
To make a safety pocket for your keys, travel card or credit card or phone, use a strip on the inside for a pocket. To fasten sew a loop and a button. Or a slit edged with blanked stitch and a button which matches or contrasts. Or iron on or sew on a piece of velcro (stick and loop tape).

If you can't get to Poundland for summer offers, also look at Primark. Primark has white crew short sleeve t-shirts for ladies from £3. Stores are in UK, Wales, Ireland, the USA and Europe.
See
primark.com

Angela Lansbury, travel writer