Oleander and Palm: DIY Shirt Made From a Scarf

I love to take risks and try new things. It's what keeps me feeling young and alive. Whether it's a success or fail, at least I know I tried. For this post, I was challenged to Switch It Up! You know O + P as a place for design, DIY, travel and recipes. So, to go where I don't usually go, I'm sharing a fashion post with you. Ya, this is a stretch for me, I am definitely not a fashion blogger.

Switch It Up, a new reality series brought to you by Ford, is challenging experts in their given fields to try something difficult that they’ve never tried before. So, here I am, a DIY blogger trying out the roll of fashion blogger. When I put together my reader survey earlier this year, I was surprised to hear from so many of my readers that they wanted fashion and style posts. The thought of those posts gave me a lot of anxiety. So instead of avoiding this topic, let's try something new and Switch It Up friends!

photos by the super sweet and talented Katie Bernal

I usually like to be the one behind the camera, not in front of it. In my younger years, clothing and personal style was fun. But, with 3 kids and trying to run my own business, life is busy and how I look everyday usually isn't a priority. But, this week, I finally donated all the clothes that I've been hoping to fit into since having Olivia (which is actually most of my closet). I've got about 15 lbs. that just wants to stay put, and therefore every morning I'm faced with a closet full of frustration. So, instead of feeling sorry for myself and picking out all the negatives, I'm trying to enjoy this body that has brought me 3 beautiful kiddos and gets me through each hectic day. And while yoga pants and pjs are comfy, I need to wear real clothes more often.So here's what I'll be wearing most days this Summer. First of all, I've found the perfect, almost, 40 year old, mom cut-offs. They are so comfy, and I don't have to worry about my butt cheeks showing. I also made a fun DIY shirt out of a scarf (check out the tutorial below). It's a little boho and I the breeziest top ever for hot California days. Having fair skin and red hair, hats are my friend. This faux-suede flopping black hat is going to a staple. I'm also wearing all my favorite jewelry and, of course, my clogs.

Boyfriend Cut Offs // Scarf // Necklace // Bracelet // Clogs

Hat // Leather Bag (Handmade in the Dominican Republic)

Here's how you make this simple shirt out of a scarf. You'll need to start with a scarf that is at least 2 1/2 ft. wide. It can be wider, but anything narrower might not work. I chose one with tassels on the bottom to make it more interesting.

Fold the scarf in half so that the tassel ends meet. Start at the end of the scarf, measure 25 inches. This is where you will cut the scarf. Cut through both layers of fabric.

Fold over the raw edges twice and hem them at 1/4" seam allowance.

Put the good sides together and sew the shoulders of the shirt. Measure a 12 inch opening in the middle of the shirt and start from the ends and sew towards the middle. Be sure to back stitch on either end to reinforce the seam.

Finally, you will sew the two short seams under the arms. This forms the sides of the shirt.

Mearsure 9 inches from the shoulder and stitch a 5 inch long seam, 5 inches from the side of the shirt. Do this to both sides of the shirt. If you would like the shirt to be closed more, you can sew all the way to the bottom of the shirt. Just make sure that it fits easily over your hips and butt.

And that's it! How simple is that? This scarf only cost me $10. I think that's a pretty reasonable price for a unique top.

Switch It Up is a YouTube series dedicated to challenging "experts" to try something new. Ford is challenging folks to get out of their comfort zone in the spirit of Switch It Up. Be sure to check out this fun video and the others in the series.