26 January 2012

✄ DIY tutorial: Studded Ribbon Bag

What you'll need:
Bag
Ribbon
Lots of studs
Pliers


1. Hide the end of the ribbon just inside the bow fastening and prepare to stud your life away! Lay the ribbon up to the edge of the bow, make sure all the prongs on the stud are straight, push them through the ribbon and bow and bend them in on themselves with pliers.

2. When you get to a curve, simply fold the inner edge of the ribbon over itself; the tighter the curve, the more ribbon you fold over. Once you've done that, cover the folded area with a stud.

3. Studding can take a long time and can make your fingers sore but don't give up, you know the result will be worth it.

 4. Instantly I've changed this once cheap faux leather bag (from Tesco!) into a unique and expensive-looking accessory. Job done.


What do you think of my latest DIY? If you like what you see then spread the word. If you have a go at it please credit me and don't forget to send me your pictures.

I'm listening to: Hideaway by The Olivia Tremor Control

23 January 2012

♀Outfit: Missoni-esque 70s flared sleeves

 Replace my shoes with some roller skates and this outfit could be from the set of Boogie Nights. This is actually the first time I've worn this top; bit of a risk using it for my first outfit post, I know. It's not in keeping with my mostly monochrome style, which you'll see in future posts, but every wardrobe needs a bit of colour. Mainly I had to buy it because it looks like it could come straight out of  the Missoni archives.

 locket and  ring: New Look
top and waistcoat: River Island  shorts: ASOS  shoes: Primark
Unfortunately I've got a load of great photos which I can't use (where I'm actually smiling!) that have the back end of a dog in them. So in the end I gave up and decided to do a picture that they were actually supposed to be in! But when I wanted them in a photo they decided that they didn't want the limelight anymore but I was determined to get one so I had to crouch down to hold onto them and then had a bit of trouble getting up again. (Not the most comfy of positions for my poor knees!)
Jack and Holly
So the dreaded first outfit post is out of the way now thankfully. *Sigh*  How did I do?

I'm listening to: Slow and Easy by Whitesnake

22 January 2012

Super cute and cosy knitwear from Celapiu

With all these 'pre-fall' collections around at the moment (see my post about Givenchy's collection), is making me want to buy new knitwear and luckily I've found just the place; Celapiu on Etsy. They do a mixture of adorable animal-inspired pieces and striking statement garments. The Bambi headband is my favourite.

Bambi headband $30                                                                              Bambi hat $45
Hoot hat $37
Accordian scarf $60                                                                        Little wing shrug $125
Braided shrug 95                                                                               Braided poncho £180
These last two are totally DIY-able; plait some jersey, sew it together and (optional) add some arms from an old jumper. Definitely going to try one.
I'm listening to:
Images from: etsy.com

21 January 2012

Givenchy... why?

Don't get me wrong, the clothes are incredibly sharp and are cut beautifully but why did they feel the need to travel down to the very depths of FASHION HQ to the Rejects floor to bring back the Trouser-Boot?

Givenchy Pre-(I refuse to call it 'Fall') Winter 2012
 
There are going to be a lot of highly-fashionable (idiotic) girls with cold pink knees this Winter. Someone's going to have to invent an equally stupid invention to keep them warm. If you're going to be slightly, very slightly, less moronic and wear the trouser-boots with trousers at least from a distance they're going to look like flares.

I'm listening to: Sedona Sunrise by Aerosmith
Images from: style.com

18 January 2012

✄ DIY page problems

Only just realised that on the ✄DIY page the links weren't working. But hopefully it's working now :)

Not exclusively for nerds.

Are you sick of burrowing your way through smelly old vintage shops run by crazy old ladies, trying to find iconic pieces from past? Do you really want that battered leather jacket from the 80s but are creeped out by the thought that someone else has worn it before you? No? Me neither! But for those of you that are, I've found the perfect alternative.
Not only do new sites Nerd Boyfriend and Nerd Girlfriend show you cool old photos of everyone from Rob Lowe to Truman Capote; they also show you where to find their exact looks on the internet.

Rob Lowe in The Class

John Candy as Del Griffith in Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Harrison Ford

Truman Capote

I'm listening to: Rainbow in the Dark by Das Racist
Images from: nerdboyfriend.com, nerdgirlfreind.com

15 January 2012

LOVE MOSCHINO dilemma.

At first I was just going to call this post 'LOVE dilemma' to make it sound mysterious but then I realised that browsers would actually think it would just be a soppy ramble about my love life. So I wisely decided against it!
Ever since I first saw the Moschino letter belts, I've been in love. And because buying one is o.u.t.o.f.t.h.e.q.u.e.s.t.i.o.n. sadly, I've been on a mission to find or make one.

Look at their tiny waists and smug faces. I hate them all.
Now, I've looked all over the internet trying to find anyone who makes letters that slide onto belts, but I've had no luck. I've even looked into buying screw-on metal letters used for house names from hardware shops but they are so very heavy and have big old holes in them where the screws are supposed to go... And then I found this belt in the Urban Outfitters sale.


I had a feeling it would be too small but I couldn't pass it by. So my options are: cut the belt just inside the two studs and try and find a longer belt/ ribbon to put through it or try adding an extra length of belt with poppers on the end which I could fix to the end of the belts.
I'm tempted to go for the first option because it would mean that I could use different coloured belts/ ribbons each time I wear it. But what do you think?

I'm listening to: Chinese Democracy by Guns N' Roses

11 January 2012

I've been nominated for a blog award!


 Ok, wow. This is mental. The awesome DC2NY has nominated  me for the Liebster Blog Award! I'm actaully blown away by this; my humble little blog is getting an award? I had to check my calender to make sure it wasn't April! Thankfully it's not, so this is legit.

Apparently "liebster" is a German word for "dearest, beloved or favorite", and it's for bloggers with under 200 followers. Liebster Blog Award is a sort of a "chain letter" in the blog community, but is spread from blog to blog to foster support and unity among growing blogs.

The rules are:
  1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
  2. Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
  3. Copy & paste the blog award on your blog
  4. Reveal your 5 blog picks.
  5. Let them know you chose them by leaving a comment on their blog.
 My nominations are:

Congratulations to all the fantastic blogs, I love them all for different reasons, but don't take my word for it. Check them out!

10 January 2012

Friends To Keep You Warm




Beautiful hand-sewn prints by Izziyana Suhaimi

“Friends to keep you warm started from late nights browsing through Fall/Winter fashion collections and obsessively saving every outfit or image I like. I was fascinated by the stories each outfit tells and the narrative that every collection builds. I wanted to get my hands on the heavy knits and scarves and hats and sweaters and coats and gloves and leg warmers. Since these fashion luxuries were a tad more than what I could afford or even wear in the sweltering Singapore heat, I started drawing and embroidering them. At that time, I was also reading a lot of fashion blogs and these were what kept me company at night, hence the title (“friends” referring to the people and the clothes). I am very much attracted to the fantasy that fashion creates and the amount of effort, work, passion and dedication it takes to keep the industry going. It’s insane. But I understand that the world of fashion is not all rosy and magical. Hence with each piece in Friends to keep you warm, I try to express both elements, especially in creating a story about each girl.”
Via Culture Push

I'm listening to: Oh Comely by Neutral Milk Hotel
Images from: my-bones.tumblr.com

8 January 2012

Fashion on the streets of Japan.

Japanese Streets  is one of the most addictive websites out there; it has 126 pages of street fashion with 6 photos per page. And yes, I spent a good 45 minutes looking at all of them! I wish our country was this colourful; they may not always get it right in Japan (in my opinion) and there's definitely a good bunch of weird styles out there but at least they own it. 
These are the best ones:






 And my two favourites:



I had to put this one in just for the jumper. Where do they get this stuff?



I'm listening to: Particle Man by They Might Be Giants
Images from: japanesestreets.com

5 January 2012

Boot-shoes vs. Trouser-boots

Whilst browsing through the Yoox.com sale earlier (which took me a whole hour) I came across the two types of footwear that I just can't stand (or understand for that matter!) and decided that I needed to share my concerns about the sanity of the people who design them, and equally of those that buy them.

First, let me bring to your attention...

Fabi $450 $360 - ankle straps; kankle alert!
... not to be confused with 'boat shoes' which should only be worn by wealthy middle-aged women in the summer, and not by hipsters with rolled-up skinnies or jocks with chinos.
The person who first dreamt up the idea of boots-that-have-shoes-over-the-top (or are they shoes-that-have-boots-underneath?) was an idiot. Not to mention, in my opinion, has a terrible sense of style, I mean this particular footwear design concept makes as much sense as superheroes wearing underpants over their lycra onesies! Don't get me wrong the whole inner-wear as outer-wear trend is a great look but there's a reason why only superheroes have the guts to do it out in public; they're called superpowers and when you have them no one messes with you... they just laugh about you behind your back!
Unfortunately the combinations of different types of shoes and boots are endless. Here are a few of the ones that I found on Yoox.com:

Amaya Arzuaga $260 $175
These boot-shoes start off (from the ground, up) fine with a perfectly acceptable black patent ankle boot, but as you move up you'll realise that they are a girl's worst nightmare because they will give even the luckiest girl with the most defined ankles (bitch), the dreaded kankles. Dun dun dunnnnn. Not to mention they'll make your calves look big, baggy and all wrinkled up at the top because of the horrendous elastic finish.

Salvatore Ferragamo $490 $345
Ok, so first off these have possibly, no I take that back, most definitely have the worst colour combination of colours in the history of... well, colours. And why is the shoe part nude and the fake leg bit sludgy green, not the other way around? I guess when they were designing them they realised they'd messed up on the the colour choices and thought 'Screw it! Let's go the whole hog and make the most repulsive shoes we possibly can.' Well congratulations; you succeeded.



Marc by Marc Jacobs $295 $195

If you found these hanging from your mantelpiece this Christmas you could be forgiven for thinking they were odd-looking present-filled stockings. But they aren't. I hate to break it to you but if you received these boot-shoes for Christmas then you can be sure of one thing; the person who gave them to you doesn't like you and wants you to be ridiculed by everyone, including me.


 Next I would like to bring your attention to...

Givenchy $1025 $530 - who doesn't love straight-leg trousers?

I just don't understand what you're supposed to wear them with? You can't wear them with trousers because that defeats the whole point. And you can't wear them with tights or bare legs because it would look like you had sprouted the bottom half of a pair of trousers from just below your knees. I am at a loss with these items of footwear/ lower-legwear.
Here are some more perplexing examples of the phenomenon that is the trouser-boot:

Givenchy $1311 $830

Wow, where do I start? Beige, suede, pointed, baggy, wedge, buckle, elastic. What more could a want from a pair of shoes?!

Pennyblack $190 $69
These give me flashbacks of the awkward kids at school who had growth spurts during puberty and who's parents didn't want to shell out extra money for longer trousers until they absolutely had to. Those poor kids had enough to deal with being nerds; they didn't need to give extra ammunition to the kids that bullied them. A pair of shoes should never make you fell sad every time you wear them.

I'll leave you with these two gems:

                            Alexander Wang $460 $275                                                                     Givenchy $1341 $445

So, should it be boot-shoes or trouser-boots that win the contest of being the worst footwear EVER?

I'm listening to: Rocket by Def Leppard
Images from: yoox.com