The Reincarnated Clutch

Last night, we went to our sailing club's annual dinner at the Down Town Association.  How fancy are we?!?!?  

Well, actually, I'm not fancy enough, because I realized on Monday night that I didn't own any purses that couldn't also be classified as tote bags, and I couldn't take any of those on my schmancy date!  So I reached into the I-sewed-this-but-it's-too-ugly-to-wear-in-real-life bin on my closet shelf (I'm not kidding - this exists), and pulled out a black pencil skirt that has already been through these two previous lives:

#1

It started out as this skirt, which I decided I didn't like because I couldn't walk in it.
Walking ability = very important factor in clothing

#2

Then it turned into this skirt instead.

That had this little vent in the back (to facilitate the walking), and a little bow on the back.

I did some cutting and snipping and measuring and ironing and then I did some sewing and by the end of an episode of Two and a Half Men, I had this:

The bow survived!

And I lined it in red for extra sass:

And I was ready for fanciness!

I'm glad I was prepared, because fanciness is exactly what this place had:

Their tree was 10 times taller than ours, they had huge staircases, and we ate in a room with wall murals.

Also, we looked good.

And I got to clutch this with one hand all night long (and Scott's arm with the other!).