Up in the Clouds

I love when you look up into the sky and the sun is beaming. Animal shaped clouds move and transforms so you will never see the same sky twice. Lets see what other cloud chasers are there out there.

Martin Margiela's by Arnaud Pyvka for Wallpaper

Hussein Chalayan spring 2000 via The Alephes

Katy Pectin by Lion Works Studio

Victoria Beckham Spring 2012

Holly Fulton Spring/Summer 11

Sretsis Autumn/Winter 2011

Katy Perry album cover ‘Teenage Dream'

Tokujin Yoshioka installation

DIY: Gradient Purse

I liked something in Zara but I wasn't sure if I wanted to commit to buying it yet. Don't you get annoyed when by the time you ponder and decide to buy it...you go back and it's sold out? Why does their stockist not cater to MY indecisiveness? This is the item in question :

It's part suede part patent. What I like about it is the simplicity and soft gradient, as if you dipped it in slick oil.  There is also a tote version still in stock and also one in grey. Reminds me of Theysken's Theory's wedges.

I made my own version of the clutch. Not my best DIY work but it might be a start of something better. The tricky part is having to find a plain bag that is the right size and colour. I brought mine on ebay for £4.70 and the Zara one is £70. It would be nice if it was bigger. I also saw American Apperal medium pouch for £40 that will be great for this.

This is what the original bag looks like...

The studs and the strap really hurts my eyes. I can not imagine who would wear this and why such a small pouch needed a strap. But the leather is soft and the colour is perfect. I thought about removing the studs but fearing marks the studs have made on the leather.

Step 1: Cut off the strap. Cover your work as this might get messy. Start painting the bag with black suede dye. Make sure you use plenty of dye to really cover the suede. I didn't tape the edge as I want to blend the dye upwards instead of a neat line. This works better when the brush is slightly dry. I did two coats of this on both sides.

Step 2: Wait till the paint drys. Brush on  a thin coat of gloss gel. I got this years ago for painting but this gel is fairly versatile. It works as a gel medium to create a glossy texture. It's quite pricy, I brought mine from London Graphic Center for £10 but they do last a long time.

Step 3: Apply a thin even coat of gel. Don't be scared that it looks white as this will dry clear. Repeat this step a few times but wait till each layer is dry to avoid uneven texture. Turn over and repeat on the other side. Leave over night to dry out completely while making sure its not touching any surfaces.

I prefer the back as I think the studs looks too busy. If I was to do it again I would make the gradient more noticeable and add a leather detail on the zip.

DIY: Hem Track Shorts

I would like to apologies in advance for the quality of the images in this post. It was a last minute alterations and I only had my iphone on me...tsk tsk. So, I brought an Adidas running shorts from a charity shop. It featured the 3 bars logo, would have preferred the original Trefoil logo but they are harder to find.

In the spirit of the Olympics I want to try and blog more on sports wear. To be honest I'm kind of a deer in the headlights when it comes to sports clothing. Walking into Nike Town or JD Sports is like entering a foreign land and I feel they can sense a non-sporty person had stepped into their territory. As it turns out the shorts I brought was in fact the men running shorts...there for I gave it a few wash before wearing them. The legs were too long and I was going for more the 'Michael Cera in Juno' short shorts look. Now there's a guy that can rock a yellow trackie like no other
.

Clip from film Juno

DIY

First I cut the bottom of the shorts to where I want them ( remember to leave a few inches for sewing up the hem). Also I have cut out the logo from the bottom strip to sew back on later. Then on the sewing machine, I stitched the hem like how the original was done. Sew back on the logo with needle and black thread.

Finish!

  Pair it with my new plastic pumps and I'm ready to roll...or run.

Life in Plastic

This year we have seen a lot of sheer and transparency theme on the runway. So far Christian Louboutins, Emporio Armani and Phillip Lim have featured clear pvc shoes in their collection. Much like what happened in 2010 with Parda, Fendi and Burberry's transparent bags will this one stick? Or will people think this reveals way too much information than they can handle.

Back in 2010:

 Fendi Spring/Summer 2010

 Michel Kors Spring/Summer 2010

 Prada Spring/Summer 2010

Personally I love unique garments, things you don't expect. A small quirky detail I normally gravitate towards. With plastic it's a fine line between classy and trashy. We might associate PVC with stripper wear or bondage wear but in fact things like raincoat and wellies are commonly made from plastics. Especially in a country with constant rain we could all do with more clothing that keeps us dry. Transparent heel can give a touch of Sci-Fi flair, looks as if you're floating on air and transparency on the side of the shoes display the elegant curves of your feet. Pair the shoes with simple A-line skirt or dresses or with smart shirt for a minimalistic aesthetic.

Now:

Christian Louboutin Spring 2012

Emporio Armani Spring/Summer 2012

3:1 Phillip Lim Spring/Summer 2012

 Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2012

I'm a fan of things that provoke nostalgia so this Christopher Kane Plastic Fantastic collection last year was one of my favourite. Wish I have kept my squidgy liquid pencil case from school...

Christopher Kane aw11

I have my eyes particularly on Simone Rocha's Oxford shoes...with transparent heel! Her collection displays shiny metallic, leather and a bit of midriff catered to a youthful and cool crowd.

Simone Rocha’s Spring 2012

DIY: Embellished Collar

Hello bank holiday! This is my kind of Monday ☺....put on some good tunes and make something pretty. This DIY is one of the popular ones I see around. Though I have seen it for awhile, I have never embraces it fully as the button-up style doesn't suit me...but they look great on other people! Maybe there just wasn't one I love enough to suffocate my neck for. I brought this sheer blouse from Miss Selfridge. The Peter Pan collar is small its less intimidating for me. Because its such a feminine cut blouse I think beads embellished is more suited than studs. There are so many various versions of embellished collar out there both detachable collar, necklace collar and attached ones, you will have no problems drawing inspirations from. Here are a few of my favorites :

Erickson Beamon Leather Stone Collar

 

pastelstorm.tumblr.com 

bipboppingdays.blogspot.co.uk

yvanrodic.com

thistimetomorrow-krystal.blogspot.co.uk

DIY

Step 1: Glue on different shapes gems. I use gunmetal and silver flat back gems. You can order theses assorted gems for about £5 on ebay.  Place them with spaces apart and wait till the glue dries.

Step 2: Using several small beads and sew them to fill the spaces. Make sure you don't go through to the bottom of the collar when you sew.