Sep 23, 2012 | Fashion
According to the Pantone Fashion Color Report for Fall 2012, we’re seeing bright colors that pop set against darker, more traditional Fall Colors.
Interestingly, we also saw oxblood (a deep, dark maroon red), black and navy paired together, and winter white all over the Fall/Winter 2012 runways last Spring. Here are a couple things that I’ve been eyeing for the coming season:
First Row: 1. Dolman Pullover in Teal, $36.90 / 2. Karen London Matal Earrings, $74 / 3. Mixed Media Master Dress, $52.99 / 4. Crooks and Castles Apache Box Tee in Navy, $48
Second Row: 5. ASOS Bow Gloves, $8.62 / 6. Shrunken Corduroy Jacket, $79.50 / 7. Kelly Pointed Wedge Shoes, $59.95 (and if you’re not a member of SoleSociety yet, here’s your invite!)
Third Row: 8. Split-Tone Layered Tights, $19 / 9. Bring Me Along Studded Orange Tote, $56 / 10. ASOS Little Miss Metallic Ballet Flats
, $43.12 / 11. Knit Mustard Dress, $43 / 12. Miss Me Floral Skinny Stretch Jean, $99
And I think I’m going to get back to resurrecting my DIY Fail Sweater, stat!
xoxox
Carly
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Sep 21, 2012 | DIY, Fashion
Dupe this look with some lacy applique applied to the collar of a button-down shirt, some fabric paint (or stencil paint!) for the daisies on the shorts, and some decorative buttons or colored gem nailheads for the flower centers.
The fashionable outfits seen around the globe during the various Fashion Weeks are always so inspirational. I just love seeing the boldness, the color, the next BIG THING! How about getting your craft on after seeing some of these ideas? I’m all for it!
Lasercutting can be totally a pain without a laser, but patience and perseverence (and a leather punch!) can help create a lacy look to a leather skirt. Create faux lace-ups to show off beautiful ankles and shapely legs.
Easiest DIY ever: just cut off the shoulders of a favorite top to give it a sexy makeover. Bonus points for folding down the raw edge and securing it for the ultimate wearability!
Make a funky blouse all your own by customizing with a contrasting placket and collar, cut from a different shirt (and subsequently, sew the placket/collar from this shirt onto that one = perfect gift for your bestie!). Sometimes the Frankenstein look can be so awesome.
Add a scattering of floral rhinestone appliques around the knees of your jeans for an upscale look to your denim.
How about adding a panel of sequined fabric to the front of a skirt? Day to night, all in one piece!
This looks so simple to DIY! Just use glitter fabric paint and a skull stencil to spice up a plain sweater.
Cut out the front of a black tee to up the goth-girl quotient.
Create your own anglophile bag with some leather paint, masking tape, and strategic studding.
Photos from Mr. Newton, posted at Harper’s Bazaar; Refinery29; Bridget Fleming, posted at The Fashion Spot
xoxox
Carly
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Sep 17, 2012 | Fashion
Hair: bangs back-combed into a small pompadour and pinned; Prisila Virgin Straight Extensions (LiYe) added in
Rhinestone stud earrings: from Japan
Floating UV resin pendant necklace: handmade by me (hopefully soon available in my Etsy store…once I get my stuff together!)
Denim jacket with bandana back: DIY (tutorial coming soon!)
Beaded Cut-Out Shoulder Top: DIY (tutorial here)
Pewter Interlocking cross rings: designed by me (again, a future addition to my Etsy)
Lace Skirt from a Curtain: DIY (tutorial here)
Convertible All-in-One Black Dress (under lace skirt): Norma Kamali
Sequin-strap wrap sandals: Old Navy (from like 2005!…similar here, or here)
Sequin-strap Tote Bag: DIY
Yesterday was a day out and about as I took Lil Tot to see the Mini-Maker Faire; the first time ever it had come to Portland. (more…)
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Sep 15, 2012 | DIY, Fashion
So as the whirlwind week of fashion, creativity, and inspiration draws to a close in New York City, I wanted to create my bi-annual rundown of trends that are on their way – and what you can start DIY’ing now!
Add some flowered fabric, cut into letter shapes and fused onto a basic white tee with its arms cut off like at 3.1 Philip Lim.
Take a cue from Alexander Wang and buy a white sheath 3 sizes too small. Then cut apart and add clear plastic showing about 1″ through the cuts (so about 2″ wide plastic strips with 1/2″ wide underlap), and topstitch.
Mimic the pretty stripes in Alice + Olivia‘s coat with some free-handed fabric paint.
Add some ladylike lace or netting over a super-short sheath mini like at Calvin Klein Collection.
The jeweled collar trend is still going strong at Carolina Herrera; add decoration to your blouse’s collar with a ton of sew-on Swarovski stones and make a belt to match.
Bold printed shoes at Chris Benz are an easy DIY: just Mod Podge your favorite fabric over the toe-caps of a pair of brightly-colored T-strap heels. (Bonus points for sewing up a pair of matching shorts!)
Embellish the sleeves of a cropped neutral jacket with sunbursts of hot-fix jewels like at Creatures of the Wind.
Make a beach cover-up (or bold dress!) with a scrap of satin or lightweight fabric, suspended from a thin twisted rope at your middle. (Tuck under a matching sports bra or bralette for the full Cushnie et Ochs look!)
A simple dress with strategic cut-outs around the bust will make the perfect dupe of the piece at Diane von Furstenburg.
Make an elasticized bralette like at Edun by adding some bits of elastic and 2 metal rings to some fabric scraps (or cut up an old triangle bralette from your lingerie drawer!)
The sporty wedge sneakers from Jil Sander Navy are so easy to DIY: just paint a stripe across a plain pair of white sneaks!
The bow-pattern top and cardigan from Kate Spade New York are super-cute, and totally DIY’able with the sewn-on addition of little black bows. (Or fused applique!)
The opening piece at Kimberly Ovitz looked like a snipped-apart maxi-dress (just raw cuts at the neckline), accessorized with double steel bangles at the upper arms.
DIY a Marc Jacobs-style tee with the addition of some black Duck Tape in parallel stripes on the front.
Part 2 coming soon!
All photos from Style.com; composites by me.
xoxox
Carly
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Sep 13, 2012 | Fashion
Sure, they may be a bit conservative overall, but these Mazi Skimmers from Alloy are also so pretty and sweet. I think the blue dotted print may just become my new favorite for work – and Fall 2012!
They also come in a wine, black, and standard leopard-print, and I love how the girly edge looks peeking out from some long dark jeans or punctuating a flared skirt.
I’ve been overwhelmed with re-designing Chic Steals…and am thinking about abandoning the dev site and just making everything live as-is, and tweak as the days go by. Not an ideal experience for all of you guys, but doing it this way may prevent conflicts and bugs in the long run… I apologize in advance! Plus work has been long hours, school will be starting next week, and I still have another project to finish up soon…
I love being busy but right now I have had too many days in a row being woken up at 4 AM when my husband gets up to go to work…it’s beginning to take its toll. And New York Fashion Week is just wrapping up and I haven’t even started to check out the Collections yet! I think the first 2 weeks of September are the busiest of the entire year…who’s with me on that??! At least I don’t have to worry about what shoes to wear to work!;-)
xoxox
Carly
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Sep 10, 2012 | Fashion
source (click for larger)
From BrightNest.com comes this cute little infographic that encourages a little creativity with your clothes while trying some home improvement projects…that leave you with some DIY’ed masterpieces in the bargain. (I LOL’ed at the clean out your attic=accidental couture suggestion!;-)
Check out BrightNest for some more ideas for home decor, garden projects, and organizational tools if you’re in a DIY mood for your living space!
xoxox
Carly
~If you liked this infographic, please share it!~
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