I've written a lot recently about how you can make a difference based on what brands you purchase from or how you can recycle/upcycle old clothing to give your pieces longer lives, but this week I wanted to add another option into the mix.

One of the greatest ways I have been able to understand the construction of my clothing and what amount of work goes into a piece of apparel is by getting up close and personal and making it myself. 

While taking an apparel construction class last spring, I created this coral colored peplum blouse along with two other pieces (one of which I walked in in our annual fashion show at St. Kate's).

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Knowing how to take meters of fabric and create a wearable garment from them is a lost art that I'm proud to have taken the time to learn. Although it is a big learning curve, it does pay off when you have a piece that is all your own and goes with other items in your wardrobe.

For this outfit, I paired the coral peplum top with pearl earrings and a pearl necklace, skinny jeans from Old Navy and black flats from Target.