I’m definitely down with the jumpsuits this season, as you may have guessed from my Summer shopping post I shared a while back! It’s a bit funny, as I had recently remarked to friends that I seem to have undergone a style coming of age, where I dress a little less juvenile now that I have two little girls to subject to my twee sartorial urges. And here I am frolicking around in playsuits and jumpers like a regular toddler. Sounds about right!

I’ve definitely felt a shift in my wardrobe choices thanks to motherhood, now opting for more sensible clothes and maybe less white. Certainly more trousers and less short skirts. But in general, I try not to let parenting dictate my wardrobe choices if possible. People have mentioned how they wish they could wear jumpsuits, but alas, toddlers. Alas, public restrooms. Alas, alas, alas. I’ve gotta say, I’ve learned jumpsuits are great for the toddler life! Nobody is pulling up my skirt. Nobody can pull up my shirt. Nobody can pull down my shirt either. Basically, this is my best bet for staying unexposed while in public with my kiddos. However, I feel unsettlingly exposed when using the restroom in one of these, but they can’t be all perfect, can they?

This jumpsuit in particular* has become a fast favorite for the onset of our Ohio summertime. It’s a breezy cut in the legs that feels much cooler than wearing skirts (All the trapped air can get a bit steamy under there, amiright girls?), prevents thigh chafing (You’ll never see a thigh gap here!), and has a nice semi-open back that allows for both breezes and bras. See? Mom friendly! Gotta hold up the girls! (And I’m not talking about my children here.)

*I will warn you— if you’re interested in buying this same jumpsuit, the bust runs tight, which led to me ordering a size up from normal. But it fits great after doing that and tying the belt to suit me!

O U T F I T   D E T AI L S :

jumpsuit: ASOS / hat: ASOS / shoes: Amazon (they have cushioned soles!) / necklace: DIY

I think it’s hilarious how people my age get sassy if not indignant about the return of ’90s fashion. Do we remember when our moms and their friends all laughed at our bell bottom jeans, ponchos, and platform shoes, dismissing our true loves with a flippant, “Oh my, those are back in style again? I remember the first time those dastardly things were in style and I said good riddance!” Were we not annoyed then, and yet find ourselves saying similar things now?

I honestly think my generation jumps at the chance to remark about how OMG we can’t believe tattoo chokers, acid wash jeans, and neon came back (and left, thank God), because we have the old pimple-faced photos lit up with the flash of our disposable cameras highlighting embarrassing versions of ourselves wearing the old fads (along with bad whispy bangs and lavender lipgloss), so finally seeing these things come back around when we’ve (sometimes) gotten our complexion under control feels a bit like a right of passage. Oh those things are back again? I can almost smell the Cucumber Melon body spray!

Well, I say now we’ve all got our chance to finally get it right! That’s not to say that in 2036 I won’t look at pictures of 2016 me wearing jumpsuits and roll my eyes out of my head. But hey, that’s half the fun of fashion, isn’t it? Here we go again!

O U T F I T   D E T A I L S :

jumpsuit: ASOS / choker: DIY / shoes: Amazon / purse: ASOS

Well, it’s official. Chokers have made the leap from trendy teenster fad to full-blown fashion trend! Fresh off the heels of the dainty neckscarf trend of 2015, 2016 brings with it a nice mix of fresh and tired choker styles.

Now this isn’t my first time on the choker bandwagon. I distinctly remember crafting my very own black velvet ribbon choker with a little drop pearl right when I was in the third grade. And then in middle school I was all about the stretchy black tattoo choker that I think I got from Fashion Bug. (Fashion Bug!) But this time around I’m more drawn to the early ’70s chokers that feel more delicate with a slight sense of boho. 

I had distinct ideas about what kinds of chokers I would like to add to my necklace collection, but I had a bit of trouble finding the perfect ones in stores. But I mean, if you’re going to DIY anything in your wardrobe— this would be it! They’re easy, fun, and completely wearable. These chokers vary slightly in skill more more complex to absurdly simple, but all of them are pretty quick to whip together and look great with lots of different sartorial styles.

I love the Carrie Bradshaw vibes of this choker. It would fit in with a salsa dancing costume as easily as it would with a button up shirt and jeans. It can also be as bold or as subtle as you wish— just change up the ribbon width, size of flower, and color scheme to suit your own taste.

Supplies:

• crepe or silk fabric
• ribbon
• ribbon end crimps (in width to match your ribbon)
• two o-rings
• one clasp
• short chain
• fabric scissors
• pliers
• lighter or candle flame
• Not shown: embroidery floss and darning needle

Step One: Cut your ribbon to the length you need (a bit shorter than your neck circumference), then add the ribbon crimps to either end and close the crimps with pliers. Add an o-ring and clasp to one end and then an o-ring and the short chain to the other end.

Step Two: Cut your fabric into shapes as shown above in a variety of sizes.

Step Three: Hold the fabric shapes over a flame until the ends begin to curl up. Do not touch the flame to the fabric— just the heat will do the trick. After you’ve gone around the edges, it will have a petal look to it.

Step Four: Stack the petals you made from largest to smallest and stitch them to the ribbon with embroidery floss. As you stitch, make french knots on the top of the flower. You may also chose to create a fancier necklace by using a bead or some sort of bling for this detail.

This style of choker makes me feel way more rockstar than I ever will be. It’s great with lower cut tops, but also looks cute draping over the front of a high-cut shirt. You can adjust the length of it to your own taste and add charms to the end that fit your personal style.

Supplies:

• cord
• two charms
• three crimp covers
• two o-rings
• one clasp
• two crimps with rings attached
• fabric scissors
• pliers

Step One: Cut a length of cord to be about 25-30″ in length then add charms to either end. Do this by looping the cord up through the charm’s o-ring then fastening the cord with crimp covers. Then trim away the excess cord.

Step Two: Hold the cord around your neck and determine about where you’d like the bolo fastener to be placed. Then use a crimp cover to fasten it. After fastening it, cut open the back so you can next add a clasp and chain.

Step Three: After double checking that the neck circumference of the choker is appropriate for you (it should be a bit smaller than your actual neck circumference), add crimps to the end of the cord. Then add an o-ring and clasp to one end and an o-ring and short chain to the other end.

This is my favorite of all the choker styles I’m sharing today, and the simplest to make! I love how delicate it feels, and how easy it is to switch up the style a bit by changing materials (ribbon, satin cord, leather cord, etc..) Adding crimp covers to the end makes it feel more polished, and offers another opportunity to add style details to this choker.

Supplies:

• cord (I used faux suede)
• crimp covers or any details you’d like to add to the ends

All you need to do to make this necklace is trim the cord to the length you’d like for your bow and use pliers to fasten end crimps to either end of the cord. Then tie it in a bow around your neck and you’ve made yourself a choker!

If a choker can make the stretch from 1950s dresses and shell tops to 1970s jumpsuits, I think they’ve earned themselves a place amongst my wardrobe. I think these DIY versions will be right at home with my style, considering how much wear they’ve received already. Do you think you’ll give making one a try?