This week I show you how a small alteration can completely transform a garment, in this case, my Boden "Cate" dress. When it arrived in the mail, I loved the fit and the length, but did not love the floucy bat sleeves. I felt they weren't flattering. So I had the tailor pin back the flounce to create the perfect cap sleeve dress and now I love it!

Check out the before and after in this week's video. **My apologies for the echoey nature of this video.If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or check out my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur



I hope this video inspires you to take your "off the rack" purchase and tailor it to make it one-of-a kind and perfect for you.

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
Go through your lingerie drawer this week and get organized. Discard any old or over-worn items and arrange your nice undergarments beautifully. Make a note of where you need to make purchases (new slips, stockings, shapewear, etc.) and keep this list in mind the next time you are able to buy.

Question of the Week
Amy G. from Texas asks if shorts can ever be chic and classy. I say, yes! Certainly not the ripped, cut-off variety, but tailored shorts can look very chic. If you are not comfortable in short shorts (and I don't know many people who are) consider a longer short. Tuck in your blouse and wear them with a belt and a nice sandal for a presentable look. If you feel self-conscious about your bare legs consider wearing them with stockings.

Artistic Recommendation

On My Japan Diary, Amy B. writes:

You may enjoy reading the book by Japanese skin care guru Chizu Saeki called The Japanese Skincare Revolution: How to Have the Most Beautiful Skin of Your Life--At Any Age. That was where I first was introduced to those thin cloths as well. She says applying toner ("lotion" in Japan) with those cloths helps it sink in more and plumps up/nourishes the skin more than a quick swipe with a cotton round. I think she says in Japan their toners are more nourishing/moisturizing than the standard stripping American type toner.

I love that she talks about not needing to buy the most expensive skin care products, because she says you can often make a $10 skin cream act like a $100 skin cream if you use it carefully (warming the cream between your fingers before application, pressing the product into skin, etc.) It's a quick but great read.

Thank you for this recommendation Amy. It sounds like a great read!

News

Japan viewers: I will appear on Nippon television's The Most Useful School in the World, Saturday May 23rd, 7pm.

**This is the last video you will ever see shot in our town home as we recently sold it! Yes, the Connoisseur family is looking for a new home in Santa Monica.

Ruby's Musings concludes her thoughts on Lessons from Madame Chic.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the tailored dress featured in this week's video. Have you tailored any of your clothes recently? How is your ten-item wardrobe coming along? Let me know and you could be featured as the comment or question of the week!

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I hinted that I had a special plan for the denim Talbots dress in my fall/ winter ten-item wardrobe and today, I reveal the plan! I loved this dress. It is made of quality fabric, is the perfect length and washes really well. I liked this dress so much I'd like to continue wearing it for spring/ summer 2015.

In order to make this work, I decided to have the sleeves tailored short. The long sleeves would have been too heavy for the hot California summer. In this week's video I show you the before and after and I am thrilled with the result!


Here's the before...


and here's the after



Using a tailor to alter your beloved clothes is a great way to feel like you are getting a "new" dress but still keep the same one. The tailoring cost $18 (which is probably an inflated price seeing that I am in Santa Monica) and for that amount I feel like I have an entirely new dress to wear for the next few months.



Check out the video to see the full transformation. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog or check out my channel (and be sure to subscribe!) at www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
As spring approaches (fall for our Southern Hemisphere friends) start thinking about your upcoming ten-item wardrobe. As the weather turns, start packing away your out-of-season clothes. If there was an item you just can't part with, consider tailoring it to fit the upcoming season. If not, pack your clothes away knowing you'll be happy to see them when the weather turns again.

Comment of the Week
On YouTube Hannelene writes:

This was my first true 10 item season (last year I was down to about 20-25). A few notes: you can only do this if you have control over your laundry - when traveling for longer periods where you have to rely on the speed of laundry service it can get a bit challenging.) My second problem was my jeans, which was a BIG staple, died an unfortunate death and could not be repaired. Where I live, shopping is not a matter of popping to the local mall. Ouch. Lesson learned? For my lifestyle, one or two spares are essential.

Hannelene, I love that you have tried it and adapted the ten-item wardrobe to work with your life situation. I hope you continue to enjoy it and its vast benefits!


Question of the Week

Heather P. on YouTube writes:

Hi Jennifer...I just bought this beautiful Rebecca Taylor shirt, of course inspired by you. However, I live in rural America and don't have access to a good dry cleaner. I am afraid the dye will bleed, or the silk will shrink if I do not handle it properly. Can you please let me know how to best care for this garment. Thank you! I love your videos and am thankful for my Sunday mornings

Thanks for your question Heather. Rebecca Taylor makes beautiful, high quality clothes. I have had a few of her silk dresses in the past and was able to wash them on the "hand wash" or delicate cycle in a mesh laundry bag on cold with a gentle detergent. I then would hang them to dry and use an iron on the silk setting if necessary.


Let me know what you think of the tailored sleeves! See you next time on The Daily Connoisseur...

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We come in all different shapes and sizes and yet only have a handful of clothing sizes to pick from: XS, S, M, L, XL. This is why it is so important to find a good tailor to custom fit your clothes.

The clothes I tailor the most are jeans. I tend to hem them for the shoes I plan on wearing them with. Most of my skinny jeans that I wear in the daytime are tailored for flats. I have one pair of “going out jeans” that I have tailored for heels.

But I don’t just have my jeans tailored. I’ve tailored everything from blazers to dresses to nightgowns (yes, I even have my nightgowns tailored!). This week’s video shows you a tailored skirt of mine, before and after. It’s a transitional piece for my fall ten-item wardrobe (which you will see in a few weeks!). The skirt, by A.P.C., is slightly too long and looks a bit frumpy on. After tailoring it to the knee, it fits my physique so much better and is now a perfect match for my frame.


If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

Madame Chic Around the World

Lessons from Madame Chic came out in Lithuania this past week. I'm so excited that our little book is now reaching all the way from California to the Baltic sea! One reader sent me a picture of her book... which got me thinking...

Please send me a picture of your copy of Lessons from Madame Chic, wherever you are in the world. I am compiling all of these great fan pics and will put them together in a YouTube video as a thank you to you. If you'd like your picture included in the video, please tweet me or post on my facebook page using the hashtag #MadameChic. eBooks count too! The more creative the picture, the better. Here are some examples:

Book Signings

Southern California readers, this Thursday, August 29th, I will be doing a book signing at Anthropologie Third Street Promenade. Refreshments will be served and RSVP is required:

Anthropologie Santa Monica
1402 Third Street Promenade
Santa Monica, CA
Thursday, August 29th 1-3pm

RSVP Here



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