picture?

i add anything and everything. i don't think i own any clothing i have not altered somehow.....much to my mothers dismay...i recently turned a boring old navy skirt into a bustle skirt, adding buttons, neon blue silk, and some bustling of course...

seems like i sometimes go a little overboard....i just want to add trim.....and feathers......and ribbon.....etcetcetc....

I recently took a old pinstripe jacket and turned it into a corset vest.

The bell bottoms crack me up. Are you a re-incarnated hippie? I did that in the 70s, still have on amazing patchwork pair. No way I could fit into them now.

I used to embroider my clothes.

I do reconstruct tops and skirts, adding panels and flounces, gussets.

Me, I tend to take clothes that are functionally good on the playa (breathable, fire resistant, etc) and then add glow patterns to it. I'm not a huge fan of adding tons of dangly bits and fur as many people seem to be. This year's project involves adding a useful glowire logo to the back of my duster so I can wear it at night.

I buy old overcoats from thrift stores and either add fur cuffs and collars or replace the whole inner lining with fur. I also add lace, fringe, strips of other fabric, etc. I'm getting better and more creative about altering clothing, now that my sewing machine and I are getting better acquainted!

I've been saving squeakers from old plush dog toys and sewing them into the lining of my furry outfits. It doesn't look any different, but makes a surprising fun sound when you give me a playa hug. :-)

I just took some khaki boys' cargo shorts/pants and created a utilikilt. A pair of women's size 2 cargo pants with zip-off legs were my base. Took off the legs, salvaged the leg zippers for another use, slit the garment up the back thru the waist band, detached the waist band all except for the snap closure, made pleats everywhere it wouldn't foul up a built-in pocket, added fabric from the legs to make the rear of my kiltie, including a patch of new waist band, cut out pockets from all the other cargo shorts and sewed em on, re-attached the waist band, took the salvaged D-rings and sewed em on at the waist band. Even had to put a wee pocket centered in front over the cod piece area cuz i scorched it with an over-hot iron.

Now I'm rummaging thru my fabric and notions to see what fun colors of ruffles trim I can add at the hem to turn my drab little khaki utilikilt into a Fabulous Utili-Tutu. It just goes against the grain for me to sew up something so drab, so I gots ta add color! And bling. I'm borrowing a friend's Bedazzler and I'm gonna go NUTS.

old panties + random strips of fabric = Crazy frilly panties!!

I tried on the cutest coat ever while on a lark in SF... and it cost TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!

All ruffles and brass buttons and pirate queen finery.

So what did I do? Bought a $1 red blazer at the flea market, about 3 yards of pre-made red satin ruffles and about $10 worth of brass buttons and made my own $10,000 coat for $20.

And the best part was it came in red!

So last year I brought a backpack...and it was a hassle when it came to getting down on the dance floor... So this year I wanted to get a utility belt. Problem is I'm on a very very tight budget this year and pretty much have to make everything I'm going to wear this year - and I'm NO seamstress... Sooooooo...I once made a post inquiring about where to buy utility belts and somebody posted that they made theirs out of cargo pants. What a great idea. so I ran with it.

I went to a local thrift store and picked up a large black leather & silver studded purse for $3 and some black cargo pant jeans for $3. Total of $6. Went home, cut out the pockets off of the cargo jeans, and then covered them with the leather pieces from the bag and silver studs, combined the purse strap and pants waist and this is what i came up with. scissors and glue gun were the tools I used. the purse even had a perfectly sized ring for my horn cup! YAY! I am so proud of the results, considering it's my first attempt ever at something like this. You can see the photos under my profile :)

when in doubt neon spray paint some awesome stencil and add strategic sexy sexy cuts!