DIY Festival Attire

                

 

 

 

 

 

Lately I seem to have been involved in overseeing a fair amount of festival packing for friends, but I have to confess to feeling a little bored with what has become a bit of a uniform. So I went in search of some stylish fashion DIYs that reflect my approach to statement festival dressing, they should have an element of fun but be cheap enough to allow you to cavort with wild abandon with out worrying about damage to your fashion purchases, at the same time I wanted to find unique pieces rather than copies of expensive fashion lines in magazines, these type of fashion DIYs are often of the up cycled variety and lean more to style than trends.

Grunge Stripes | Nautical Or Nasty?

 

You may remember I shared one of my birthday gifts with you here recently an espresso set with the exact same print as the canvas tote above, slightly bizarrely I received this tote from someone completely different from their trip to Edinburgh. So why am I sharing this? Well to be honest I love navy but more for the way it make other colours look pretty, I think black can sometimes be a little too hard as an accent and I like the idea of making my nautical stripes a little grungy.

 

 So I'm thinking of doing a diy dye job on these new stripey trousers and tote in matching yellow or liac. I wanted to know your thoughts, obviously the idea is the white will become the contast colour, have you done anything simular, what do you think of my colour choices and do you think I should take the grunge plunge?!

 

Bronze Beauty #DiyFashion

Rain, rain and more rain left me with too much time on my hands and a box of dye which I decided to use to turn a plain vintage beige cardigan into this tie dye bronze beauty and in the words of Project Runways Tim Gun, make it work! Although its not quite sweater weather yet, it was fun to start planning out my A/W wardrobe. Excuse the shiny patches on my forehead, I'm still getting to grips with taking shots in an over lit room on a very overcast day.

I'm wearing - vintage tie dye cardigan, owl sweatshirt- Asda, button up long cotton shirt-vintage, Muji mushroom spot dress worn as a pencil skirt, taupe suede peep-toes from Clarks and a purple suede belt from Topshop.

Although it was'n't an intentional pairing, I like the fact that my cardigan buttons mirror the mushroom spots on my Muji skirt and the fact they look like posh smarties, call me mad, a little imagination is a dangerous thing!! The secret of this machine tie dye project is to use a cardigan that is a mix of synthetic and man made fibres and a dye which only works on synthetic fibres. My slightly baroque hair style was influenced by you guessed it Prince, must have been all that rain.      

Choosing The Perfect Button #Style DIY

Hi Gals, got a bit of a style dilemma on my hands I found this brilliant online button shop which will cater to my embellishment addiction but I'm now left trying to decide which of these gorgeous buttons to use for either a baroque or army style DIY, which I will be sharing with you shortly. The top three on the diagonal are my baroque button choices and the bottom three are the ones I had in mind for an army look, any ideas? Do you have a favourite?

My Passport To Style | DIY Turkish Style Slippers

Hi Gals, get granny chic and make these Turkish style slippers from crochet squares with http://www.purlbee.com/granny-square-slippers/ I feel a knitted kaftan coming on and the need for some apple tea and perfumed incense!

My Passport To Styles | Christmas Tree Makover

A Christmas Tree With A Difference | That Can Be Used All Year Round!

I love the idea of transforming useful pretty home ware over the festive season. If you're getting a bit bored with the idea of a traditional Christmas tree and are a bit of a fashionista, you might like my favourite Christmas makeover over yet, transforming my vintage wire mannequin from my bedroom, by weaving some Christmas magic into it, using last year's Christmas decorations and some florist wires to attach them.

Enjoy The Satisfaction Of Customizing Your Manni Tree

 Last year I went for a fun multi coloured theme, using pink, purple and gold tinsel woven through and scattered with brightly wrapped sweets. You could use a mix of emerald green decorations and fabric trimmings to create a stuning textured look, weave sparkly green ribbon and tinsel through the wires of your mannequin, fix emerald pompom ribbon using a little wire around the petticoat edge of your wired mannequin for a chic feel, then continue up the bodice and perhaps finish off the top with a dramatic pop of red, like this fuchsia hair clip or why not reuse one of your old fascinators like a miniature scarlet top hat or an old pair of your daughters/nieces glittery tap shoes that you can fix to the top of the mannequin using garden wire again. A gold dove would also look really opulent, against these emerald city trimmings.

Function And Form

The beauty of this unusual tree is there's no mud to worry about, the feet are pretty enough to remain bare until the pitter pat of newly wrapped presents arrives and better still once Christmas is over simply remove the decorations and use your mannequin to display your favourite jewellery or keep tomorrows outfit crease free and ready to slip on. You then have a whole new year to dream up a new look for your mannequin tree!

Back To Front Style DIY

Today's fashion post is on Back To Front Style!

This must be the easiest diy fashion post I have ever shared with you, but sometimes the easy one are the best. I recently picked up this gorgeous silk blouse at my local charity shop, I loved the print and the bright mish mash of colours, the sleeves are pretty on trend too, but I just felt the neckline was'n't quite right for me.My fashion mantra is great style is in the details and the drape, so I figured a speedy fashion fix was in order.

 I turned my blouse round so the back became the front and cut out the label from the neck, (the zipper is fairly deep and perfect to convert this look to lady like sports chic) it was looking good with my favourite dark denim pencil skirt but being of Dita Von Teese proportions, cough, ok, basically short waisted, which can leave my hips looking a bit on the full side.

 I decided to extend my back to front styling to my pencil skirt as I thought the placement of the single pocket below my hips and to the side would help draw the eye away from my hips and help with balancing out my shape. I added in one of my other favourite style tricks I used a salmon pink strap from one of my patent handbags to cinch my blouse in and add a little edge. Here is the look minus shoes as modelled by my favourite mannequin! I love the juicy colours.  

The Tale Of DIY Christmas Fashion Makeovers Using The Humble Zipper !

 I got very excited when I stumbled across unique blog outsapop.com which was showcasing these fabulous zipper cuffs!! Heres why, I love the way the humble gold zipper stacked in this way creates such a high glamour feel, I could wear a stack of these with a flapper girl dress for this party season, to complete the opulent off the wall glamour of the roaring 20's.

However I thought to myself why not buy a whole set and use them as contempory napkin rings for your Christmas table, then I thought, hang on after using to add contempory zing to red, white or purple napkins (this adorable napkin set is from dawnmcvey.typepad.com) Why not wear them over the ankles of a black harem style trouser suit, to add a little quirk of style to your New Years Eve party look? Wear these versatile zipper cuffs,  with plain linen or silk stiletos to trick the eye into thinking your wearing designer style shoes with a sophisticated fastening!

 What do you think gals, are these ideas a little too eccentric for a Christmas Style fest?? Or do you have some better uses for them? I would love to know x 

                             

Reversible Western Bow & Sailor Collar DIY

Diy Reversible Western Bow & Sailor Collar

Hi there, I thought I would share my latest style DIY with you, which shows you how I made a large reversible bow from an old oasis shirt of mine, great for adding a bit edge to your t-shirt or round neck tops and dresses! Bows are even bigger news than usual at the moment as Minnie mouse my favourite Disney character is soon to infiltrate the catwalk, more on that later!  

You need a collarless sleeveless shirt, a western style denim or cotton shirt with a print is perfect as you need a deep yolk back and front of your shirt (this gives you the squared of sailor collar when you turn the bow back to front) but if you only have a shirt with sleeves and a collar it's obviously not an issue, just get out those scissors and cut those babies off outside of your seams! 

What you Need

1. Darning needle and thread 

2. Double sided tape 

3.Sharp Scissors

4.An old shirt with a deep yolk

How To Transform Your Shirt Into A Reversible Large Bow

 1. So now your shirt is free from sleeves and the collar simply cut the rest of the fabric of the shirt up to the very edge of the yolk seam, cut it as close as you can, but not any higher. I actually was a bit relaxed about how tight to the  seam I cut as I wanted a little grungy fraying on my cowboy shirt, as I felt it worked with the studs and checks.   

2. Next fold the edge of the shirt up till the edge sits just beneath the button hole and tape it in place, then stitch it in place using a large darning needle and matching thread.Repeat the process on the other side.By doing this you are defining the neck of your large bow.

You will find that there is a slight twisting of the fabric after you adjust and sew the neck fastening into place, I love the slightly 3d pleated effect this creates.

Voilà your done! To create your detachable sailor collar just wear this bad bow (not a spelling error!) back to front and charm everyone with the fancy pants detailing at the back of your look. I love it modelled by my favourite mannequin Beryl worn with this simple berry T and my crunchie yellow leopard jeans. What do you think? 

DIY Cape Make - Join My Caped Crusade!

Hi Gals! You're stylish caped crusador joins you today!  Ok, this is a easy peasy cape make, you will need -

Materials

1. long tartan or plain wool A-line skirt with an elasticasted waist and no pockets, thrifted pehaps, or it maybe a old skirt that no longer fits or you have fallen out of love with!

2. Some gothic inspired button, the two I chose were highly domed in a pewter effect

3. Some black iron on tape

4. Some sharp dressmaking sissors some thread to match the dominate colour of the skirt 

5. Tailoring chalk

Method -

 1. First turn the skirt inside out and cut the lining out.

2. With the skirt still turned inside out fold the waist band over once on its self, hand stitch in place, this will create a slightly gathered boat collar to your cape.

3. Next decide how long you want your arm holes, if your cape/skirt has less fabric make the holes longer for freedom of movement, if it is alot fuller you can make the arm hols alot smaller, make sure they are high enough! * If you want a cute short cape about waist height you really don't need arm holes at all as the capelet will just skim your elbows, just team with chic long gloves in a bright colour and throw on a fitted wool pencil skirt for a truly stylish look!

4. To finish, turn the skirt inside out, using the black iron on tape, fold and hold the hem of the arm holes in place by ironing it in on and then reinforce your cape arm holes by using hand stitch or your sewing maching.

5. You can then inject some gothic cool, by adding a pearl and black jet brooch/pin or a celtic knot, if your cape is fairly short and not very full, ring the changes in colder weather by wearing over a white shirt with the collar fastened at the top, flared or fitted wool pants and a double wrapped skinny belt tunic stylee!!

                                                                            

                                                                       

I would love to feature a picture of you here if you do attempt this cape make project! What coat are you going to invest in this winter? Duffle coat, aviator, cape, camel coat? Do tell, it's been fun, see you again soon!

                                                                      

                                                       

                                                                                 

 

DIY Fashion Time Again!

Hi Gals, my lovely pink camera is back from being mended hooray!!! So I decided to celebrate it's eagerly awaited return, with a DIY fashion post today! I get so excited, when something simple and unexpected can do double duty and and add a welcome twist to my wardrobe.

 I love the simplicity of this summers utility look, it works really well for my hour glass curves. I'm sure you gal's all have a purse/bag or two, with a detachable strap? Well feeling a tiny bit bored with my current wardrobe of belts, earlier this week I injected some utility chic into my look, by using a variety of handbag / purse strap's to create a range of utility style belts. Here are the results, what do you think, fashionable frolickers and reader's?

   

 mmm, which bag strap, shall I use to update my wardrobe of belt's and create a more eclectic look?

 

What a cute little line up, all ready to be styled up!

Top tip - make sure, the weight and texture of your utility belt/handbag strap, works as well as the colour! Double wrapped this bubble gum  pink belt/handbag strap over this grey blue origami dress, the contast is fun!

Add interest, to this simple utility look, by layering two shirt's, creating a pretty double collar

Simple grey denium shirt dress is given a expensive look, with this designer strap in burgendy with lovely brass hardwear. The beauty of these belts is you can afford to eat a few more fairy cakes and not worry, most detachable bag/purse straps have alot of additional length adjustment!! Tee hee!

I added this heavy duty weekend bag strap in burgundy, to this gorgeous animal print, light weight parker coat in dusky brown, the heavy duty brushed steel clip, looks striking and emphasises the waist of this parker in a casual way.

Have fun!