The First Week of Summer {What I Wore Sunday}

Outfit:
Dress: Marshall's
Belt: Ross
Cardigan: Thrifted
Shoes: Gift

Hello! It feels like so long since I last posted...well, life's just been so busy! Last week my uncle and some of his children were visiting, and my grandma, who usually babysits some of my cousins while their parents are at work, asked me if I could take over for her for the week. Monday, Thursday, and Friday were spent babysitting, then relaxing with some sewing and movies at home (I recently purchased BBC's Hamlet with David Tennant...Ahh! It's amazing!). That week was also part of a church convention, and the latter part of it was spent in fellowship with friends and family. Oh, and there was so much food! I didn't think I'd ever want to eat again, haha! I helped out in the kitchen on Wednesday and Saturday, cooking and making decorations. I made a papercut banner to hang above the food table, and convinced my sister and a few friends to help make tissue paper flowers. The decorations turned out so cute, and we got so many lovely comments! And best of all were the edifying sermons and essays read throughout the convention--I feel I learned so much!

Monday marked the start of summer quarter for me...and I must say, I'm excited for these summer classes, though I know they'll be a challenge...especially as the weather improves!

That was my week! How was your first week of summer?

{Guest Post by Lizzy}

Hello followers of Deck out in Ruffles!

 My name is Lizzy. My friend, Sammi, and I run the blog Pretty Modest. Our goal is to show young women you can still be very stylish and stay modest. At the moment I am raising funds for our pastor to get to Africa by wearing one dress for 30 days. It has been hard but I am so glad I have been given the chance to change lives. If you would like to learn more about what they are doing over there check out they'r blog. Here are just a few of my favorite outfits so far. Check em out! :)

Day 1

Day 4

Day 11

Day 13

Day 14

If ya'll would be so kind, go check out our blog. :) Thank you Vicki for having my guest post. Your are on of my favorite bloggers and your style is so adorable! You have been very helpful in lots of ways. 

Hope you all have a lovely day!

Keep Shining, Lizzy <3

Isn't it cool how many unique ways Lizzy's able to style that one dress? And for a good cause too!(: Thanks so much for posting, Lizzy!! And on a quick side note--I'm done with finals, which means that I'll be back posting very soon! I'm excited to share what I've been up to.(:

How to Sew a Tunic {Guest Post by Sarabeth}

Hello, all! It is my pleasure to guest post here at Decked out in Ruffles! Thanks, Vicki!

My name is Sarabeth and currently I am a rising 3L (Third year law student!). Before law school, I got my degree in English, concentration creative writing, concentration fiction and before that I got my high school degree at home. Yes, I was home schooled K-12. It works!! While reading cases and writing briefs, my mind is often plagued with creative thoughts and ideas for all the clothes I want to make or blog posts I want to write. I love designing. The reason that I started Delightfully Feminine was because I want to show girls that there is an alternative to what the world tells us we have to be and how we have dress. I love to find ways to dress beautifully,fashionably, modestly AND frugally and I want to share that with others!

Today, I will be sharing a post with you of how to make a cute shirt in just one sitting--without a pattern! :)

  

 To make shirts like these, you will need:

 

Fabric 
 A shirt that fits you well 
 buttons
ruler
tailors chalk (Or a fabric marker of some kind)



First decide how you want to lay your fabric out. Because this was striped, I wanted to center the design, but with a print or solid, you wouldn't really have to worry about that, so you could cut two pieces out at once. You lay the shirt over the fabric.



Take your ruler and depending on how flowy of a fit you want, measure and mark your way around the fabric. I measured 2.5 inches away from the edge of the shirt. (In the diagonal striped shirt pictured above, I did not cut it as generously, so it has a closer fit.) You may also determine just how long you want the shirt at this time. I made mine tunic length, but it's really up to you. The reason you trace the shirt is to get the basic shape--where the sleeves are, where the waist curves in, etc. This is why it's best to use a more form fitting shirt so that the shape will be more flattering. After you do this, you should have two shirt-shaped pieces of fabric.
 
***I am so sorry! I got so into the project that I forgot to take process pictures... but it really is not that hard! ***

Next, take your two pieces and pin them right sides together. You may at this point alter the neckline. I wanted a boatneck so I measured in from the sleeve the same length on both sides and cut a very shallow neckline (About 1 inch) all around that area, leaving the shoulders intact for the sleeves. Aren't you excited?! You don't have to make and attach separate sleeves! Now sew the sides of the shirt (up the "armpit" area) and the shoulders of the shirt, leaving the sleeve area unsewn (for obvious reasons!) You will now have a basic shell of a shirt with unfinished hems on the bottom, sleeves, and neckline. Now would be a good time to try on the shirt to be sure that it fits you evenly and to decide how long/short you want the sleeves to be. Then, all you do is hem the raw edges and add buttons to the shoulder seams to embellish (if you so desire). This is such a versatile method. For my diagonal striped shirt in the first picture, I did all the above steps except I did not change the neckline until after I hemmed all the edges then I just made small gathers at the top for a shallow "v". I also cut the shirt out on the bias for a more interesting shape to the stripes and for a more "drap-y" fit. I used elastic thread and sewed over the shoulder seam and gathered it for interest and then added buttons on top of the seam. Just use your creativity and try the "raw" shirt on and try different neckline styles, sleeve styles, and hem lengths. Play with it! Here's a closer shot of the other shirt:

 

It's all in the details...

 

Here are my lovely vintage buttons. The fabric is also vintage. Judging by material and colors, I'd say it's probably from the 70s. I love it! I am so blessed to have been given a bunch of vintage fabrics and buttons and I love how they add a unique twist to modern styles.



It took a little bit of time to decide what buttons I wanted and since I love a little gold with the nautical theme, I stacked tiny gold buttons on top of the blue ones and I really liked the effect. Stacking buttons is becoming one of my favorite things to do when embellishing. These are for sleeve detail. Depending on how you cut your fabric, you may want a belt to give definition to the waist. I made matching belts out of the same fabric by simply cutting strips of fabric, sewing them right sides together, turning them right side out again and finishing the ends. Here is how I styled the shirt:



Tuck the tunic in and use the belt at the waist of the skirt! (My sister took these pictures, and I am so happy she did! Thank you, Chelsea!)

 

It's such a summery fresh look.

 

Side/detail shot... I just think the buttons add just the right interest for a finishing touch.

 

I *quickly *made a wardrobe change and put jeans on to show you how it looks as a tunic. I post this for a lesson in the versatility of tunics--tucked in or out.



While we were taking outfit shots, we met this beautiful little creature, so I thought I'd share. :) I hope this inspires you. If my directions are unclear, please feel free to ask questions. I'll answer comments and emails. Happy sewing everyone! :)

Aren't these shirts too cute?! I think I'll have to make one (or a few) for myself! I love tunics, since they can easily be worn with either jeans or a skirt.(: Thanks so much for posting, Sarabeth!! Make sure you check out her lovely blog!

{Guest Post by Olivia}

Hey y'all! I'm Olivia from Fresh Modesty and Working with Eager Hands! I love Vicki's blog and was thrilled when she asked me to do a guest post waaay back in April for her busy week here in June. It sure crept up fast! :D

 I write my fashion blog to try and be an encouragement to Christian girls who desire to dress modestly, yet fashionably, and with a tight budget. My motto is, "Dress outside your box, but inside His book!" I usually post 3 times a week with an outfit or two and an Awkward and Awesome post.

 This particular ensemble is just an every-day-do-chores-take-a-walk-play-with-siblings kind of outfit.

The shirt is a fun color, and complements the green in the skirt nicely, even though they're slightly different. Thankfully the waistband of the skirt is low and slimming, because the shirt is semi-thin and looks bad with bulk underneath. I rarely wear my hair just down without a braid or clip or flower or curl, but this day it seemed appropriate and matched the relaxed, easy style of the outfit.

Outfit details:

 Shirt: Thrift store!

Tank: A Trendy Top from Walmart

Skirt: Thrift store! It actually looks home made. :P

Flip flops: Target

Drop earrings: Thrift store. Is that gross?

Hope y'all have a fantastic day, and thank you so much Vicki for this opportunity! Y'all take care now, ya hear? I'd love it if you stopped by my blog and said hello! Blessings!


I really love the combination of bright colors! It's perfect for spring or summer! Thanks so much for posting, Olivia! Be sure to check out her amazing blog!

The Proverbs 31 Husband {Guest Post by Kristen}

"Kristen is a 20 year old stay at home daughter. She blogs over at True Elegance, makes and sells jewelry, and is a photographer. Kristen homeschools her brother, cooks, and budgets the groceries in order to prepare for being a housewife someday. She helps in her family's ministry, "A Pastor's Friend". They encourage and help pastors of small churches. Kristen enjoys playing the piano, singing, writing, and reading lots of mysteries."


Proverbs 31 says in verse 11 “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” In verse 23, it talks about her husband being known in the gates where he sits among the elders. He was obviously a wise man that studied the Scriptures. Otherwise he would not be welcome among the elders. “Through understanding is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:” (Prov. 24:3) I know that we so often look at Proverbs 31 as being about the virtuous woman. But what about her husband? What I get from the chapter, is that she feels secure and loved. Her husband trusts her. That speaks volumes. He praises her in verse 28. Don’t you feel happy and content when someone praises you? So I think that much of the success of the virtuous woman is due to having a strong, godly, wise husband.

So the big question is, would the woman of Proverbs 31 have been virtuous if her husband hadn't been what HE needed to be? Big question, huh? So you can see just how important it is to marry the right man. Don't think you can change him into what YOU want him to be, or what he needs to be. He needs to already have that determination to be a godly man before you consider marrying him.

Here’s something I found interesting. When I looked up the word virtuous, I found that it has a connection with the word valiant. Now, I’ve never heard of a man being called virtuous, but when I did a word search on the word “valiant” I discovered some very interesting connections. The word valiant means “1. Primarily, strong; vigorous in body; as a valiant fencer. 2. Brave; courageous; intrepid in danger; heroic; as a valiant soldier. 3. Performed with valor; bravely conducted; heroic; as a valiant action or achievement; a valiant combat.” So I guess that the counterpart for virtuous woman would be valiant man. A woman’s husband should be her hero. Ladies often dream about her knight in shining armor, and I’m discovering that that may be more biblical then most people think. Sure, you will never find a perfect man, but he should strive to be strong physically (Prov. 20:29), not as a means to boast about, but being able to protect and work hard to provide for his family. He should be willing to learn, increase in knowledge, and be teachable (Prov. 1:1-7). He should study his Bible (2 Tim. 2:15). He should have endurance, and stand firm on what he believes to the point of being stubborn (2 Tim. 2:3). He should have a good testimony among believers as well as in the world (1 Tim. 4:12). He should be respectful not only to his elders, but people his age as well. (1 Tim. 5:1-2).

I'm very thankful to my dad for being the wise counselor he needs to be, and for encouraging me to do this study. I hope it enlightens all who read it as much as it has helped me.

Thanks so much, Vicki, for allowing me to guest post on your lovely blog!




I love this, Kristen! This post has certainly been edifying for me! Make sure you all check out her lovely blog! Thanks again for posting, Kristen!

{Guest Post by Natasha}

Hi! My name is Natasha and I blog over at What I Wear, What I Do And Why I Did It (a modest fashion blog). I'm an 18 year old Christian Pastor's Kid (PK), thrift store junky, cheap-o, feminine dress style girl, with a desire to help other girls dress modest, yet stylish! So many people think you have to dress like a Grandma to achieve modesty-so not true! Yes, dressing modestly takes a little extra effort, but it's so worth it! A lot of people (my self included about two years ago!) think modesty is a set of rules and regulations. God really laid heavily on my heart about a year and a half to two years ago, that true modesty isn't a set of rules. Everyone's in a different place in their modesty journey. What I may feel is okay for me to wear, won't be okay for someone else. For instance, I believe knee length skirts are okay for me, a lot of girls don't believe that. That being said, here are my modesty standards:

No low cut shirts (unless accompanied by a tank top or camisole)

No skin tight shirts (tight enough to show your a woman, loose enough to show you're a lady)

No skirts above the knee (unless paired with leggings-or pants if super short) 

I also rely heavily on God to lead me. It might sound silly to some, but I believe modesty is important to God. How we dress is a big factor in how people treat us and what state our heart is in. Of course, modesty can also be a ton of fun! Modesty defines my style, yes! But in a good way! It's good to have some boundaries, otherwise you're lost in a sea of fashion trends! : ) I was super happy to find this hi-low skirt at the Burlington Coat Factory-for $6! I'd been wanting one for awhile, however $30 for a skirt is a little bit out of my price range. So this knee length in the front (also hard to find!) and long in the back skirt was a steal!

I would love if you stopped by my blog and browsed through my outfits! Thanks for letting me intrude on your blog, Vicki!

I'm Wearing: White Lace Top-Debs ($4.98) White Tank-Vanity($10), Black Belt-Maurices($5) Purple Hi-Lo Skirt ($6) Bangles-Claires($1) Flip Flops-Wal Mart($5) 

What a cute outfit! That skirt is adorable! And great tips too! Make sure you check out her blog for more lovely outfits like this! Thanks so much for posting for me, Natasha!

Sweet and Simple {What I Wore Sunday}

Outfit Details
Dress: Gifted
Necklace: Made by me
Belt: Ross
Tights: Fred Meyer
Shoes: Thrifted

This outfit was so nice and comfy that after church I ditched the tights and belt and wore the comfy jersey dress for most of the day (until my aunt instructed me to change my outfit so we could go walking!).

This week has been a flurry of writing, studying, and logic problems, coupled with some much needed breaks for movie watching ("Till the Clouds Roll By," "War Horse," and "Cranford") with my sisters. On Sunday we took a trip to a nearby garden with one of my aunts, and had a fun time of snapping photos and wandering amongst the lovely blooms. I started editing the photos today, and hopefully I'll be able to post some this week!

I hope you're all having a lovely week!

Miscellany

Hello! I hope you all are getting a chance to enjoy the weekend! I thought I would be swamped with homework and studies, but I realized this morning that I hardly had anything to do except a bit of reading, and the rest of the day was delightfully free. I took the down time to make some changes to the blog design--I added a pinterest and email button to the sidebar, so you can find me on pinterest and email me quickly. I also added a couple of new buttons! The code for my old one wasn't working, and I think I finally figured it out.

Now, on to some random updates:

I guest-posted twice last month! You can see my posts here, at Pretty Modest, and here, at Fresh Modesty.

Recently (actually, in April!) I was awarded the Versatile Blogger Reward by the lovely Natasha of Day by Day, one of my very favorite blogs. You should definitely check out her blog if you haven't already! Thank you so much, Tasha!

Now, here are the rules:

1. In a post on your blog, nominate 4 fellow bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award.

2. In the same post, add the Versatile Blogger Award.

3. In the same post, thank the blogger (or bloggers!) who nominated you with a link back to their blog(s).

4. In the same post, include 7 random pieces of information about you.

5. In the same post, include this set of rules.

6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination with a comment on their blog.


Let's see, seven random things about me...

1. Well, I'm a huge Doctor Who fan, and huge is probably an understatement! But no one else in my family watches it, so my quotes and references often go unnoticed... :P (now you all know what a huge geek I am!)

2. I prefer tea over coffee, and always without sugar

3. I like to talk about politics

4. I clean when I'm stressed

5. Two of my favorite books of the Bible are Psalms and Proverbs.

6. I (well, my family) have two birds--a dove that laughs, and a little parrotlet named Buster who likes to nibble at fingers.

7. I have a penchant for unusual words


And now, I nominate:

Kristen of True Elegance
Sarabeth of Delightfully Feminine
The lovely girls of Pretty Modest
Lauren of Books, Fashion, and Tea

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!