Thursday, 5 January 2012

Free People Style For (Almost) Free


Like most of the contents of their hippy-chic website I love these Free People lace flares but the day I spend almost £130 on a pair of trousers will be the day I'm certified insane.




I spotted these black sequin & lace evening pants by vintage British label Country Casuals going cheap in a charity shop yesterday and I thought I'd have a bash at making my own version.




 An episode of Poirot later......... 


I unpicked the polyester liner from the lace outer, hacked it off to mid-thigh and hemmed it. The side seams were taken in by a inch on either side from the waist downwards, gently tapering out at the knee to keep the original trouser width. The excess fabric was cut away and I zig-zagged the seams for extra strength.


Not a bad interpretation for £3.30 and perfect with my trusty denim waistcoat & the paisley halter vest Nelly sent me.


Ganesh and skull choker handmade by the gorgeous Krista.


Peacock feather earrings from Queen Helga.


Antiqued Rupee coin belt worn as a necklace.


I know, I know, I should be packing rather than messing around with the sewing machine. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

74 comments:

  1. how great, you really made your own ones, I'm totally thrilled :)

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  2. Fantastic adaptation- a real improvement on the Country Casuals chazza shop bargain, they look great!

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  3. you're really brave with your trousers!!! I love those earrings, though! :)

    Jules

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  4. I LOVE those pants! And you're right-I dont think I'd spend that much on a apir of pants either...

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  5. Impressive! Loving your jewellery today Vix :)

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  6. Wow Vix you look fabulous as always Happy New Year xx

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  7. I think I'd actually unfollow you if I found out you'd spent that much on trousers. ;)
    Good work Vix, they look fab.
    And love the coin belt as a necklace.
    xx

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  8. What a find! And what a saving, not only on the £130 price tag, but Country Casuals aint no cheap clobber either!
    I always pack very last minute - thrive under pressure (and that's for 5 self-catering, so you have got AGES!).

    Love the outfit, and the jewellery must be getting you so fired up for your travels.

    Lucy x

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  9. £3.30??! Get packing soon, and stop putting us to shame, Vix, with your wizard wheezes and ways!

    You are incorrigible and probably also incredible! :)

    Fhina x

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  10. You clever thing, they look fabulous and such a bargain too! xx

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  11. I'm feeling the hippy chic vibe, I love what you've done. Proving once again you don't need to spend hundreds of pounds to look fab xxx

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  12. You look gorgeous as always xx

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  13. Good for you - £130 is insanity! I always have Poirot on when I'm sewing, mostly because that's the only decent thing on TV on a saturday afternoon :)

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  14. Wish I had your sewing skills Vix!
    £130!! How ridiculous.
    Loving your earrings and halter top too, but aren't you cold???

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  15. Those pants are Just Amazing! I wish I could make something so spectacular! I have had a sewing machine for 3 years and still haven't learned how to use it.

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  16. Love the messing around with sewing - such a great make over
    xx

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  17. I always love it when we can make something for a song that others are paying a fortune for. The results were great! -T

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  18. VIX!!!!!!!!!!! Dam girl you just blew out my computer screen with your friggin hot creation! You look so smoking hot, I LOVE THIS OUTFIT!!!!! I can't believe you altered these to look that fantastic. I just love everything about this outfit and you know how happy I am to see my necklace hanging off your neck. You are such a creative breathe of fresh air. Have I told you lately how much I adore you!!!!!! Well I do dammit! Talk to u soon sweetheart!
    XOXOX~
    Krista

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  19. Nice makeover, Vix!
    Your top from Nelly looks great; need to find me a waistcoat!
    Great mix and lust after the boots!
    Z xx

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  20. Leave it to you to dive in and come up with something so snazzy (and then have the figure to WEAR 'em)!

    The earrings are over the top - well, ALL your jewelry is wonderful.

    When I get younger, I want to be you.

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  21. Ooooh bloody good job Vix - yours look better too :)

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  22. Bloody hell Vix, is there anything you can't turn your hand to? these look wonderful and I like them even more than the free people ones. I mean, I don't mind spending a little bit on certain items, but such a high fashion piece as these are probably not worth spending £130 on!! Yours are amazing, you're such an inspiration xxxxxx

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  23. They turned out SO GOOD!!! I love that ruppee belt you have around your neck.

    ♡ from © tanvii.com

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  24. Feck it,why is there no Vix Fix show??!! Gok has nothing,I repeat NOTHING on you!In fact,I wouldn't be surprised if he secretly reads your blgo,I saw one of his shows recently and thought there was a little bit of a Vix influence in something he did!(tosser!)
    You frigging ROCK! Talk about taking an idea and running with it!The pants look fabulous!I also adore that necklace that darling Krista made!! FABULOUS!!!
    Love YOU to bits!Pack hard!
    Love Helga xxxXXXxxx

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  25. Nice choker! When are you off to Kerala?

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  26. £130?! Lol I think if they have a shop you should walk round outside it wearing yours and a sanwich board with an arrow on it saying £3.30! :D

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  27. Bloody hell, Vix, I read that paragraph in which you said that you unpicked and chopped and zigzagged and I couldn't understand a word of it (I'm seriously lacking in the sewing and making depts). But who cares, the result is bloody brilliant. Adore the jewellery, the waistcoat and halter. Swoon...!

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  28. Fantastic stuff, AND in the middle of January, i'd need thermal linings.

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  29. Ooh excellent messing around, love these! :)

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  30. Not many people could wear those trousers, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Aren´t you clever!!!
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  31. Darn Vix you look so hot in your new pants!

    $130.00 MY GOD! The most I WOULD pay for pants like that would be $25.00 and for that price they better be brand new! *lol*
    I like your version MUCH MUCH BETTER.

    *Love your peacock earrings*

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  32. You find the most amazing things in charity shops! Sadly the CSs here know their 'vintage' labels and triple the price, meaning it'd be cheaper just to trawl ebay in the first place for a specific thing. I really need to join you on a shopping expedition!

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  33. Brill lace trousers amazing how you turn your hand at anything! I wouldnt know where to start.

    Seriously crushing on that skull necklace too! Too cool.


    MBB x

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  34. I love what you've done with those pants! They look amazing, and honestly I think that anyone who pays that much for the "real deal" must be insane. I like your version much better.

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  35. I'm impressed, you look amazing in them. Good Luck with the packing. xxx

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  36. £130 on a pair of trousers is way too much and I like yours better anyway. I love the way you have styled them, you look fantastic Vix.

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  37. Well of course you wouldn't spend £130, that would be ridiculous, when you look that fabulous for £3.30! It helps that you've got those amazing legs, mind you...
    You are always inspiring and creative, I love your sewing projects, and am in awe of your skills.
    Love Nelly's halter top teamed with your trusty waistcoat and all your jewellery.
    Not long to go before you can escape this weather - hurray for holidays! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  38. You've done a brilliant job with these. Talented lady! xx

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  39. Oh you gorgeous crafty goddess! Those trousers are so friggin amazing! I used to have a pair with a lace panel going down either side of the legs when I was about 14 but these all over lacy ones are divine!

    Aside from your obvious amazingness I couldn't help but star at your floor standing lamp! What a beauty that is! What I would give to find something similar!

    The beach and sounds of the waves lapping the shore is growing ever closer! Eeek! xxx

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  40. Wow, what a fabulous job you have done. I agree, £130 is crazy for a pair of trousers, but you've done such an amazing job of those... and there's always time tomorrow to pack for your holidays. I don't know how you manage to get these projects turned around so quickly, I procrastinate too much.
    xx

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  41. Ahhh Vic they look amazing and so do you ;-)) You are one clever lady. dee xxx

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  42. So happy you made them! I really enjoy seeing that haha
    Love the colours in this outfit, very vibrant. I want to make some myself when I have some more skill! But I'll probably be wearing learings haha.

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  43. learings... what! leggggingss...

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  44. You're just so amazing with clothes! Brilliant idea about the CC lace trousers. And wow, how good the recreated pair look on you! Have a great hol in Kerala- looking forward to your pics!Cx

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  45. Love that look, I especially love the wee top! Lovely! Ya know me and City walk around the op shops here in NZ and we say 'Oh look at that, that is soooo Vix!" Adn we don't forget the Lovely Helga either, we saw a gorgeous chiker bead necklace and thought, 'Yep! That's Helga!' It's such fun :D

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  46. It's fantastic that you were able to see the possibilities in something so inexpensive. The britches look great.

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  47. You did such a stunning job with them! Yours are even better than Free People's; so original.

    I adore the skull choker by Krista; are those for sale anywhere?

    xo, Anita

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  48. I think it's brilliant how you repurposed the pants. Lace can be a bit stuffy - but your alterations and casual tops/vest makes this so incredibly stylish.

    I'm with you on not spending crazy amounts on clothes. Why bother since who wants to wear the same thing over and over?

    I love your personal style.....so inspiring!

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  49. Great work - I really like these, isn't it amazing how much stores charge for "on trend" items.

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  50. you are such an inspiration..

    ..we too have a similar coin necklace for our tribe..

    adorable Ganesha neck piece..
    Happy New Year

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  51. Amazing! 130 quid for a pair of kecks...wow some people are really insane. I have got a couple of dresses too big from chazza shops awaiting transformation :) x

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  52. JUST SAW YOU AND VOTED FOR YOU ON THE DORSET CEREAL BLOG AWARDS - THIS IS ALL SHOUTING 'WHY HAVE YOU NOT GOT A BLOG LINK TO VOTE FOR YOU' - YOU WILL WIN HANDS DOWN! VERY EXCITED!

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  53. Lace-tastic!!!!! I adore the fact that you did this whilst watching Poirot.

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  54. If you can rustle up this fantasmagorical pair of lace trews in one Poirot episode, you certainly have every cause to give the packing a rest:))). What an amazing job and oh my that's some awesome accessorising there love! The Phoenix is peering over my shoulder and VERY impressed with your header pic - he said you look like you're modelling for an early 1970s fashion mag, nailing baby - YOU FOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xoxoxoxoxox

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  55. Holy frickin guacamole - amazing! Spectacular! Exquisite! I just love those pants (and the lamp, Ganesh necklace and earrings) and of COURSE you made them in an hour... you are, as always, completely inspirational, amor! Sarah xxx

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  56. You're not allowed to come into the new year being even more fabulous than last year, at some point critical mass is going to be reached, and then where will we be?!

    Love what you did to the trousers, I'm sure Steve Tyler wore something very similar when I saw Aerosmith. I'm fed up of expressing my jewellery envy, so will just go and read the posts I missed over the last couple of weeks. Do I infer that you're getting away to India at last?

    xx

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  57. 'Fantastic value' :) On me these flared trousers look drowning - on you: HOT! xo

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  58. As always you are just too, too clever. Packing? Just throw anything in your bag an go - you will look fabulous.

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  59. Your version is far better than the Free people and the Country Casuals ones.
    You blew Free People out of the water regards styling as well!

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  60. Oh wow i like this! fantastic Vix!
    Like the pics near the window!
    You have fab stuff around, wow! love it so much!

    Are you ready my friend for your trip!

    Lots of love

    Arianexxxx

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  61. Very innovative!!!! If only I could sew properly!!!

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  62. You look better than those Free People models, plus you're so talented!

    I agree with The Phoenix, looks like photos right out of a 70s fashion mag.

    Did you make the curtains too?

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  63. Holy snappin duck shit! (It's an aussie saying - well - one I learnt from an Aussie girl)!

    Not only do you look sensational in those hottie lacey pants but you dang well made em ya self!!

    Struth girl! You are too much!

    Dee xox

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  64. I definitely prefer your version and it's much cheaper! I love how you have styled the halter Nelly sent you. Rocking outfit. xx

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  65. Bravo Vix - I like your version much better! This outfit is very Cher-chic I must say!

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  66. Hi my dear-wow, your version are simply gorgeous and will be fabulous for your festivals! Have a great weekend too xxx

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  67. hey Queen! I was planning to post some bag handles for you & Liz after I saw her splendid pressie to you. Will you still be home on Wednesday? I couldn't find when you are off to the Sun. Let me know if you are not and I will keep them til you return x

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  68. i really love the result. those pants looks great.

    http://wardrobexperience.blogspot.com

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  69. You look stunning... the Coin Belt Necklace, I'm still swooning!!! Great job on the slacks!

    Dawn... The Bohemian

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  70. dang girl! you just set me on fire!!!

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  71. Oooo loving the lacey pants!
    You crafty biatch!
    I am totally eyeing skull necklace, Krista is so creative.
    I used to have denim shorts/jeans with lace at the sides and at the bottom zipper.
    besios

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  72. OMG...we must be freakin long lost sisters as I just finished sewing a pair of lace pants today! Yours are fabulous!

    http://sewcoco.blogspot.com/2012/01/lace-pants.html

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix