{ i spy a diy - the bow & tell tee }

Boy, I'm noticing that I'm getting more and more cheap frugal with age. Especially when it comes to clothing that I covet.  A lot of times I'll come across a cute top, and I often feel like I can whip up a similar version for a fraction of the price. Take Anthropologie's Season's Way tee from last Spring. SO cute....but a gray tee embellished with three bows for $68? Hahahahaha! Sorry, I can't stop laughing about that. Then, this year,  Modcloth had a similar version, the Bada Bloom tee. This one is signicantly cheaper.  Still, a $39.99 price tag seems a bit steep for this tee, if you ask me. I made my replica of this tee for a dollar.  Yep, ONE dollar.  That's because I had everything on hand to make it except for some black cording.  I went to town chopping up a white, woven, button-up shirt.  I attached a widening panel of the striped white cotton fabric to the center of a simple, gray jersey scoop neck tee.  Both of those tops were in a pile, ready to be donated, when it occurred to me that I could put them to good use!  Don't you just love when that happens?  I had a yard of lace and those tiny, white rose buttons in my stash of trimmings.  I made a trip to Joann Fabrics, and bought two yards of 1/8" black cording (.50 cents per yard), making my total cost $1.  Yay!

 I chose to make my trio of bows by combining both scraps of fabric from the white shirt as well as strips of lace.

Did I mention that this only costs $1?!!!

I'm rather excited about that ;)

Do you ever try to replicate clothing, accessories, or home decor in an effort to save a few dollars?  I'd love to hear about your adventures. It's becoming a new hobby of mine!