Hi Darlings, Happy Friday! is it just me or does it seem like this week was never ending? LOL. I am filming all weekend for a new project but at least I have a little break in the day time this weekend to catch up on stuff. I also have been meaning to post about my new STYLE BLOG with Tieko but I have been so busy with this blog and the travel that I haven’t had a chance. Mimi G Style will NEVER go and will remain my DIY/SEWING/STYLE blog but Tieko and I have such a different perspective on style and how to make items work for you that it will be a perfect place to learn how to work items you have in your closet, expand on what you have, learn different ways to style the same item and so much more. There will be a new YouTube channel we will be launching soon to give you even more style and fashion tips. If you have not already seen it on my Facebook, Instagram or Twitter you can check out the Tieko & Mimi blog HERE We launched last week and so far have had such amazing support so we are giving a way an awesome FREEBIE today so head over (after reading my posts today, LOL) and make sure you go get yours! www.TiekoandMimi.com Okay….let’s talk about my amazing denim shirt dress I got from H&M a few weeks back. I don’t think it’s available online anymore because I couldn’t find it but there is a really great option HERE. My Shoes are from Aldo (old) and I love them, I wish I had purchased two pairs. My pearls are also from H&M and y sunnies were a $5 find at Forever 21. my Backpack is my new favorite accessory and I picked this baby up HERE at TopShop. H&M Shirt Dress (option) HERE / TopShop Backpack HERE / Aldo Heels (option) HERE

Hi Darlings, I had such a great time in Boston the last few days. I cant wait to share why I was there and what I was doing…you may have a seen a bit of it on my INSTAGRAM posts. Today I am rocking my DIY shirt from my very first Fall Simplicity Pattern #1283 The cropped turtleneck is so easy to make and you can of course make it longer if you don’t want it as a cropped top. These pants are a serious score! I found them at H&M recently and they are not just comfy but the high-waist works great with cropped tops and the belt and big pockets are so cool. I am smitten with my Gwen Stefani Heels!!! Because the top is from my simplicity pattern there is a freebie SEW-ALONG (here)  if you want to follow along with me to make yourself one too. This looks everything my mantra stands for…Buy It, Make It, Mix It, Rock It! Outfit details below… H&M Pants HERE / DIY Turtleneck HERE / Prada Sunnies HERE / Gwen Stefani Heels HERE

Hi Darlings, I made it! lol it’s almost October but dang it I got the Michael Levine September project done and she’s a beauty. This is a really easy but fab sweater to make and with the SEW-ALONG video it makes it almost fail proof. I made it in this knit mustard fabric and wore it my most FAVORITE BOOT right now…I wear them everyday, lol. Denim Jeans Gap / MK Jewelry / Celine Sunnies / DIY Sweater

Hi Darlings, I recently teamed up with Clinique to try out their 3-Step Skin Care System and amazing new Clinique Pop Lipsticks. I was so excited that as part of my collaboration I was able to visit a Clinique counter and get a one on one Consultation to gain a better understanding of the products that best suited my skin type and tone.  I was matched with a skin-care system and makeup picks that were custom fit just for me. I couldn’t wait until my products arrived so I could show you all my goodies! I am most excited about trying out the skin care line and give you a follow up on what I think. Today I am gonna show you the makeup I picked out with the help of my Clinique Consultant and how they look on me. You guys know that since I got my braces off earlier this year I am obsessed with lipstick! I have tried more lipsticks in the last few months than I have my entire life, so when I got my hands on the new Clinique Pop Lipsticks I was over the moon. During my consultation I tried a at least 5 colors until we found the two I loved most and worked really well with my tone. Now they STAY in my bag! This is the COLA POP and it’s gorgeous and so moisturizing. The colors are so vibrant and have a velvet finish. I’ll show you my other lip pick in a sec… First let me talk about this awesome Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara! This baby is awesome. It gives me plenty of volume. Next up are the Clinique Skinny Stick Eyeliners. I always hesitate to put on eyeliner because I don’t not have a steady hand, lol but these are so thin and glide on that it made it super easy to apply. I love, love, love the SKINNY JEANS (blue) so much! I also have a great SILVER BLACK and OLIVE-TINI and finally my “I am going to wear this red lip the rest of my life” POP LIPSTICK shade is PASSION POP! isn’t it glorious? I feel so sexy in this lip. I also love that a red lip dresses up anything you have on. Throw on some sweatpants with sunglasses and red lips and you might as well be in a gown, LOL!! The next must do when you are rocking such a dope lip color is to take a much deserved SELFIE! I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into my Clinique Goodie Bag! Until next time….xoxo

Hi Darlings and happy hump day! I am back to back DIY’s this week, lol. This should look familiar to you guys because it’s my OFF THE SHOULDER TUTORIAL…this is a go to dress for me when I need something new and fast for a meeting or a dinner date or to wear it with sneakers! I had a dinner meeting last week and since I didn’t have a thing to wear (yes I know how ridiculous that sounds) ha! I made a quick fitted dress to wear. The TUTORIAL is super easy and probably one of our best sellers since you can make it fitted or as a maxi dress. The fabric is a gorgeous HUNTER GREEN PONTE I picked up HERE (use code MIMI45 for 10% off online) I am OBSESSED with hunter green this season and you will probably see me wear it a lot. DIY Dress / Zara Clutch / MK Watch / J. Crew Sunnies / Steve Madden Heels #DIY #Dress #tutorial

Hi Darlings, Happy Tuesday… I am getting ready to leave town again soon and have been in need of some new dresses, so I took to my machine this weekend and made this dress using McCall pattern 7243 (review below) I love the color of this PONTE KNIT and since fall technically starts tomorrow I have been really in the mood for rich colors. I have had a difficult time wanting to sew for the last several months because I have been on a weight loss journey and hate sewing something that won’t fit soon so instead I am making everything just a tad bit smaller, LOL!!! I have a VERY BAD knee and my doctor says the extra 20 lbs I have added on in the last year or so is causing me more knee pain so I started the 21 Day Fix which I will talk about every so often on here to let you know how I am coming along. Pattern Description: McCall 7243 Misses Top & Dresses Pattern Sizing: I cut the 6 Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, this is pretty straight forward dress. If you are not familiar with construction the wrap may confuse you for a sec but once you start pinning it will make sense. What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I liked the dress and thought I would give it a try. I am happy I did, I really like it. Fabric Used: I used a WINE COLOR PONTE  Use code MIMI45 (good until 10/31) for 10% off your purchase (online only) Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I added 3″ to the length…if I hadn’t it would have been much shorter than I would have liked. Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes, its a great dress pattern. #DIY #Dress #M7243 #patternreview

Hi Darlings, I hope you had an enjoyable weekend. I spent my weekend working a bit and cleaning up the office! I don’t understand how so much dust gathers in this loft. Anyway, I had a little bit of sewing time so I have a new Pattern Review for you tomorrow. Today’s look however is a new fit I picked up at H&M this past weekend. I LOVE these PRINTED SLACKS so much because they have so many style options. I showed a second “Office Option” below. I know many of you are on the lookout for looks you can wear to work and this is definitely one of those looks. Depending on your office dress code you could wear it a little more casual like I did here with a cool tee and heeled sandals or you can add a navy blazer and pumps for a more corporate friendly look. Either way make sure to add some cool shades to your look and a great necklace. I used an old metallic pearl necklace I found at F21 a few years back. The colors of the necklace work well with the pants and tee and add a little glam to the look. I added some options for you below so you could see how you could dress up or dress down the pants according to your mood. Aldo Sandals / H&M Tees / H&M Pants / Zara Denim Jacket / Zara Navy Blazer / Jimmy Choo Pumps #HampM #michaelkors #PrintedPants #ootd #zara

Hi Darlings, here is a favorite #TBT dress I made about 2.5 years ago…I just bought some fabric to make this one again because I love it so much. The original pattern review is below. Pattern Description: V8901 Dress has no side seams, close-fitting, lined bodice extending to side back, pleated skirt, side front seams, narrow hem, and invisible back zipper.. Fabric Used: Multi Colored Striped Rayon Blend. Pattern Sizing: I cut the 6  Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done? Yeah I guess so. Were the instructions easy to follow? For a vogue pattern they were pretty standard and clear. What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Well I liked the bodice and variations and I could see it being made severe different ways but I had a small piece of this striped fabric and so I thought I would use it as my wearable muslin. Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Well….I attached the top to the skirt without trying it on (I know, crazy) and once I did try it on it was too big so I ripped it out and wrapped the sides a bit more until it fit ok and even then it was still loose around the waist which is how it was intended in the design of the dress but to me it just made my waist look wide so I belted the dress. Other then the above mentioned I didn’t do much else to it. Would you sew it again? No, I don’t think I need another one of these but I do recommend it.

Passion To Profit: Step-by-Step Workshop To Starting Your Business: If you’ve ever wondered how to take your passion, idea or hobby and turn it into a profitable business   this seminar is for you! You won’t want to miss all the invaluable information Mimi G will be sharing. Starting a creative business takes a special approach and strategy. Join Mimi G as she shares how she turned her “passion and hobby” into a 12 million a year readership blog and full-time, sought after consulting business working with top level brands. Learn what to do, when to do it and how to do it while avoiding all the mistakes that come from not having a path to follow or guidance from someone who learned it by trial and error. * NOTE: IF YOU ARE ALREADY REGISTERED PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL AND SPAM FOR AN EMAIL UPDATE YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED YESTERDAY. SAME FOR PHILLY REGISTRANTS…PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM TOO* TWO NEW GUEST SPEAKERS! I am so excited to announce that NYC has two amazing guest speakers Tieko Nejon Wilson Brand Strategist and sought after speaker and consultant will be sharing her expertise on branding your business and how to stand apart from your competition and we have just added Tiffany Aliche “The Budgetnista” America’s favorite financial educator & #1 bestselling author: The One Week Budget and HuffPost blogger as seen on: TODAY/MSNBC/TIME/NYTimes/FORBES/Reuterswho. Tiffany will be sharing “How to Manage Money When You Work For Yourself” and Mimi G has added to the long list of topics covered “How to Use & Grow Your Social Media Following” complete with worksheets and panel discussion. Passion To Profit NEW YORK on OCTOBER 11th. REGISTER HERE Space is limited so hurry! HERE ARE SOME TOPICS BEING COVERED: Pushing Past Your Circumstances: Understanding that your current situation, past relationships and struggles do not dictate your future. Is Your Craft Bankable? Find out how and what aspects of your idea, passion or hobby are worth monetizing and why passive income is key. Do you need a Blog? Why all businesses do! ABC’s of Starting Your Creative Business: First steps, how to plan, set up and successfully launch your idea. Creating a Following and Brand Loyalty: How  to build your audience and keep them. Financial Aspects of a Creative Business: How to avoid mistakes made by most small businesses in the first year. Marketing + Branding Yourself: The most important part of your business is YOU. Learn how to market yourself and create a brand that is true to who you are. Working With Clients: Do’s and Don’ts Sample Business Models: Why they work and how to apply them to your business. Panel Discussion CLICK TO REGISTER FOR NY

Hi Darlings, I’m going to tell you right now that if you are a mom by the time you finish reading this blog post you are going to love me! Okay so let’s be honest when you have a child in Junior High or high school it seems that the teacher’s goal is to make you seem as unintelligent as possible, LOL! When Imani would come home from school I would cross my fingers and pray that she didn’t need help with her math homework. I am a pretty smart cookie but math has never been my greatest strength. When I came across Chegg Tutors I did a little happy dance…that’s not true…I did a big happy dance and soon after this post you are going to be dancing along with me. Chegg Tutors is an online service that gives students on-demand access to live, experienced tutors in any subject. This was such a blessing to me because I can honestly say that sometimes I could stare blankly at her homework trying to recall my memory from when I was in school, Ha! She just looks over at me and says “Its ok mom” Now not only do we have instant help when we need it but the service is exceptional. The parent portal is an excellent place to learn about the service and the different family plans available. We’ve tried hiring tutors in the past but unfortunately due to our family schedule we found it hard to find time to meet with a local tutors. It was getting more and more difficult to be available when they were available or having to drive to the tutors seem to take up so much time. When Imani started getting Geometry homework I knew I was in trouble. She started talking to me about how she had to learn how to identify complementary, supplementary, and congruent angels for a test she had coming up so we logged on to Chegg Tutors and after reading through several profiles we found a tutor to help her. The process is seamless and really made it so convenient to get help when we need it. The tutor was patient and had a great way of explaining so that even I could understand. The beauty of Chegg Tutors is that when Imani needs help we can log on and select the “ready to teach now” box to filter results by tutors available now. We can also filter by gender and keywords like “Harvard” (well why not) we get to browse tutor profiles and read about their experience. Once we pick our tutor we connect in the online lesson space, complete with video chat and whiteboard! It makes me wish I had Chegg Tutors when my now 22 year-old-daughter was in school. Many of the tutors are either current students or recent graduates of top-tier colleges and universities around the world so we feel confident when choosing. The tutors are carefully vetted and selected based on their tutoring, teaching, and academic experience. The Chegg Tutors service has saved us all! No matter the subject my daughter can log on and get instant help from qualified tutors 24/7. No more homework meltdowns in our house. I am so glad that I have Chegg Tutors now so that when she gets into high school calculus I won’t need to break out in hives! You know I love to share…so Chegg Tutors is giving Mimi G readers a free trial to make sure every student finds it as helpful as possible. Sign up HERE and you will receive a free trial in your first week! “This post was sponsored by Chegg Tutors, and all opinions and photos are my own.”

Pattern Description: Shirts and blouses in line with the current trend. Vintage designs, mainly in white, with prints, or collars and cuffs in contrasting colors. C: formal, with pin-tucks at the plastron and tiny standing collar. Pattern Sizing: I cut the 10 Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Well sort of… Were the instructions easy to follow? This is a great pattern for a button up shirt. It’s drafted much like a mens shirt and gives you the ability to play with it. What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I wanted to make a denim shirt similar to one I saw on Pinterest and this is my TNT shirt pattern. Fabric Used: Light Chambray and Dark Chambray Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: I added the patch pockets and also made my sleeve placket out of the dark denim. I took it in some on the sides but the shoulders were perfect and not much else needed modifying. Would you sew it again? Yes, this is my go to shirt pattern. #burda #buttonup #DIY

Hi Darlings, I have ben doing some cool stuff with EBAY lately and one of them is creating a series of useful articles based around things I love and care to talk about. My most recent one was about the denim skirt and how easy it is to work it into any look. I thought I would share that one on the bog today so I hope you enjoy and that you may be inspire to try one of these looks. To check out some of my other guides about books I love, Tips on Travel and more click THIS link. The Denim Skirt: I love a great denim skirt because they work exactly the way jeans do…they can be worn with anything. One of the things I do before transitioning to fall is making sure I have a denim skirt in my wardrobe. The length of the skirt really depends on your comfort level and these four looks I put together will work with any length…Pencil knee length,  mini and the maxi or ankle length. Denim Skirt / Short Patch Pocket Skirt / Maxi Length Skirt. The Sneaker & Sweatshirt: I can live in sneakers and I love to pair my fashion sneakers with dresses and skirts. It’s like the perfect combination of comfort, sporty and sexy. A great sweatshirt and cool sneakers is a must do! Pair it with a cute clutch. New Balance Sneakers / Sweatshirt  / Denim Skirt Denim on Denim on Denim: I always find it funny when people are afraid to wear denim on denim. It is so chic and if done right is always a go to look. In this look you could wear it with sneakers, heels, boots or flats but I decided to give you a dressier take on the denim on denim look. The shoes are amazing but the real key to pulling of a denim on denim on denim look is to make sure the denims are all different washes. You can add a t-shirt underneath the button up and create a cool layered look. Tom Ford Heels / Similar Denim Shirt / Denim Jacket / Denim Skirt The Girly Denim Look: Still working with a sneaker this look is more feminine, less sporty and the perfect weekend look. The t-shirt is key to your look ad should be graphically interesting. The drapes cardigan adds a soft touch and the skirt with converse keeps the look chic and comfy. Add interest with a bold bag and a leopard print belt. Denim Skirt / T-shirt / Converse / Leopard Belt / Sweater The Classic Girl: One of my all time favorite looks is the crips white button up with denim. It adds such a sense of classic style that is always easy to dress up or down. I love adding hard and soft or classic and not so classic so adding the army green jacket and bag to this look makes it much more interesting than your usual black bag and blazer. Keep the shoe sexy and you can go from day to night in this look. Denim Skirt  / White Button Up / Jacket / Giuseppe Heels / For a COLLECTION of some of my favorite skirt styles for all body types CLICK HERE!