DIYs & Tutorials

Last year, I fell in love with this Christopher Kane clutch in all it’s squishy glory. This year, a whole bunch of lovely, clear clutches popped up everywhere. Everywhere but in Honduras, of course.

When I found this makeup bag at a department store I immediately knew what it would become. There’s only one simple step to this DIY: cut off the straps! 

You might not be able to find the exact cosmetic bag, but I hope it motivates you to keep your eyes open at all times for potential DIY projects. They’re everywhere!

White cat-eye sunglasses: ASOS (first ASOS purchase wopeee), Necklace: vintage, gift from sister. Earrings, vintage from grandma.

 

The verdict: I like how sleek the clutch is, but there’s an understandable reason why probably won’t become a trend in my country: safety issues! You might as well tape a “mug me” sign to your forehead. If you want to try it out, I suggest placing your phone and wallet into a pouch so they won’t be exposed to the world. Gotta be street smart these days!

I bought this bandage skirt at our local department store, Carrion, only to regret it soon after. The price was good and the fabric nice & thick, so I figured it would be great for lazy days. Not really. The risk of unintentional knicker exposure was waaay too high.

 I figured I’d add trusty ruffles to keep it PG13 and show you how I did it. Before you panic (flashback to the 90s denim skirts with a flimsy ruffle at the hem), Mary Katrantzou did it on her latest collection.

What you’ll need:

A skirt

Fabric (I used 1 1/4 yards for 4 large ruffles)

Needle & thread

Measuring tape or ruler

Chalk to mark fabric

Paper

Pen or pencil

Scissors

Pins

Measure the length of where your ruffle will be sewn. If your skirt stretches, like my knit skirt, make sure to measure it stretched out. Thiswill be the circumference of your inner circle. Divide this measurement by 6.28. The result is the RADIUS.

For example, if your stretched out skirt measures 13 inches, 13/6.28=2.07 radius. Now, cut your fabric in two, for two ruffles. Fold one of your pieces of fabric into four. Lay on a flat surface and pin it to keep it moving. This is when you’ll use the RADIUS measurement. Observe:

Hold the tape measure from the upper corner (technically, center of fabric), and pivot as you mark the radius measurement all around. This is your inner circle. For the outer circle, measure the length of ruffle + hem and seam allowance from the inner circle all around. Cut through dotted line. The result will be a donut shape. Repeat the process for a second ruffle.

Once you’ve cut both your donut shapes, sew a security seam around the inner circle. This will keep the ruffle from stretching out. Carefully snip all around this inner edge, as shown in picture. Join both ruffles at the sides and turn.

Your ruffles are now ready to be sewn to your skirt. Place them upside down, right side of fabric against the right side of skirt. Pin at center and at side seams.

As you sew down your ruffles, make sure to stretch your skirt. Otherwise, the thread will break as you slip it on. Hem the ruffles and you’re done! These are the actual, much larger ruffles I used for my skirt right before sewing them together:

If you notice, my ruffles are double and joined at the hem to avoid the annoying hemming. I also added 10 inches to the circumference to gather the ruffles for extra volume. This is optional. The final result:

Now go all Valentino on your clothes by rufflin’ them up!

Any questions or suggestions? Feel free to ask!

Second post of the day! First one: Thrift shopping tips. Now: Mullet Skirt DIY!

Last month I was invited to a Thanksgiving lunch. I wanted to wear something less casual than usual but realized I’m lacking dresses in the cocktail department. That should tell you something about my social life.

I had this thrifted skirt for a while and liked the tacky floral print. The length was all wrong for my height, though: not long enough, not short enough. If I chopped off too much the granny vibe would be lost so no thankyou. I went with a (wannabe) mullet that’s been popping up all over the www.

It was so easy to do & you could prob figure it out but here are the steps anyway:

 Works best with slightly gathered or pleated skirts in flowy fabrics. Be patient with the hem as it can be kinda difficult! Mine had no gathers but was cut on the bias (diagonally) which makes it more fluid and drapey. Not bad for a last minute outfit, right?

Skirt: Thrifted, Top: Tiendas Carrion (Honduran department store), Bag: bday gift from bf’s sister. 

Hope everyone has a wonderful end of 2011! New posts ’til 2012, aka next week. ♥