The Summer Olympics are here, and of course we love seeing athletes from across the globe reach their dreams of bronze, silver, and gold – but we also love seeing the looks the athletes rock both on and off the court. Over the years Olympians have used the competition as a platform to blend their personal style with their county’s culture and values, all while supporting their nation’s designers and fashion trends. Remember Team USA’s North Carolina made Cone Demin outfits from the 2016 Summer Olympics? This year’s games have been no exception to this tradition, and we’ve been loving what we’re seeing! This month we’re back with Cassidy Burrel who’s taking athletic style to a local and Goodwill level with this month’s Stiched Up!
For those of you who are new to the blog, Cassidy is an incredibly talented Fashion Designer and owner of CassB By Design. She’s our local guide to exploring all the thrifted fashion possibilities within your local Triad Goodwill with just a few selective alterations!
Explain your process for selecting the item from our store. What drew you to it?
Before I go to a store to shop around for an item, it’s crucial to have already thought of a concept for the shoot. This month, we were inspired by the vintage tennis aesthetic. After conceptualizing what type of look we wanted, I set out to find something white and that draped well. I was also looking for an article of clothing that was large enough to be cut up into several pieces so that it would fit the desired look.
This month, there weren’t as many alterations to the original garment itself. The biggest alteration I did was to cut the top from the bottom to have two articles of clothing instead of one garment. After these pieces were separated, I folded over the edges for a clean finished hem. Finally, I shortened the skirt and then moved onto the new piece to go with our outfit. The biggest addition to our look this month was the sheer organza overcoat. From mixing and matching pattern pieces from an old pattern I had previously picked up from Goodwill, I put together a sheer jacket that fit perfectly with our look.
What was your inspiration for the finished piece? Any current trends, pieces of Art, designers etc that inspired work would be great here.
I was first inspired by the new tennis court my apartment complex had built. It was so fresh and clean and a different color than the average tennis court. My stylist Eutasha Harewood is the real mastermind behind the styling. I had a location for us to shoot, but her passion for style led us to the completed concept of a vintage tennis court look featuring the classic tennis skirt but glammed up with accessories and unconventional tennis attire.
What was your inspiration for the finished piece? Any current trends, pieces of Art, designers etc that inspired work would be great here.
I was first inspired by the new tennis court my apartment complex had built. It was so fresh and clean and a different color than the average tennis court. My stylist Eutasha Harewood is the real mastermind behind the styling. I had a location for us to shoot, but her passion for style led us to the completed concept of a vintage tennis court look featuring the classic tennis skirt but glammed up with accessories and unconventional tennis attire.
“If you want to be original, be ready to be copied” – Coco Chanel
Cassidy shows of this playful look, giving us all of the Summer Vibes. You can find her designs @cassb_by_designs & modeling @cassidy.burel on Instagram
She works closely with her stylist and creative director, Eutasha Harewood @eutashastylesharewood on Instagram, to complete the retro athletic look
And the super talented photographer, Jewan, owner of Truvision Media, @truvisionmedia on Instagram, makes the vision come alive and find that perfect light!