DIY INSPIRATION - ISABEL'S CUT OUT DRESS

I love collecting inspiration for my next before & after project, I have a whole file dedicated to it and my pinterest boards are overflowing with ideas. I can never resist buying oversized and plain nasty dresses from my local thrift shop - I hold onto them for when I spot a detail like this just dying to be DIYed. Doesn't this just scream 'make me' to you?

Images: Just Jared

BEFORE & AFTER: PRINTED CUT OUT DRESS

It seems we're all looking forward to the coming summer months, so I thought I would share with you another of my 'cheat' dress projects - a summer cut out dress. It's not exactly a traditional sewing project because I'm not sure a wrapped bodice counts, but it's simple and effective and I thought you might find it useful. For me this dress brings to mind Carven, Mara Hoffman and all manner of other fun S/S12 collections. Apologies to all of those of you for whom it is the middle of winter, indeed it is for me too in Hong Kong, but I did this project while I was in Australia on holidays! Something to bookmark for summer perhaps?

You need:
- A thrifted midi skirt
- Scissors
- Needle and thread
- Straps to make the halter - I used raffia

How to:

1. Put the skirt on and measure the minimum length you want.

2. Cut off the skirt about an inch below the minimum length.

3. Hem the mini skirt.

4. Cut the piece of leftover fabric open so it's a long strip of fabric.

You will now have a mini skirt and a piece of fabric left over from the hem - it should be  atleast 15cm wide to do this and wider if you have bigger breasts/wider ribcage.  Check out the moving image below to see how I wrap the top. I'm wearing a bikini top in the demonstration but would usually do it without anything on and just wrap really tight for support. You can wear a bra if you prefer - just make sure to cover it properly.

5.Start with the fabric behind your back - tuck the part of the fabric across your back into the waistband of the skirt so it looks like the back of a dress.

6. Holding the two ends with your hands, bring the two ends around across your breasts.

7. Twist the pieces of fabric in the middlen at the bust and bring back around in the direction they came.

8. Tuck into the waistband.

9. To add straps - pin them in place once you are wearing the top, then remove the top and sew the straps on.

10. When you are ready to wear the dress out, sew the ends of the fabric to the underside of the waistband of the skirt using a few small stitches, so it doesn't move around while you wear it.

And there you have it - another simple minimal sewing dress. You could use this process to create the perfect little back dress, and even use contrasting fabrics/straps etc to created an entirely different look.

Wearing: DIY dress, Witchery Heels, Karen Walker Sunglasses.

DIY INSPIRATION - CHAIN STRAP SKIRT

This S/S12 Givenchy skirt has an amazing chain strap and rounded cut out hem. DIYable? Yes indeed! This is going at the top of my 'when-I'm-next-in-a-thrift-store' list as the inspiration for a before & after project.

Images: Fashiontoast

DIY INSPIRATION - CUT OUT KNIT

I spied this amazing cut out knit by Aussie brand Kahlo whilst perving on a fellow Style Network-er, Alexandra of 4th and Bleeker. Love. It. It got me thinking about how I could update a cable knit sweater dress I have in my closet. Hello scissors, you're gettin' a work out sometime soon.

That reminds me, something I always think about when DIYing is the fact that the difference between a good and an average DIY is the quality of finishing. And it's often what sets apart a bought item and item you've made yourself. And when it comes down to it, we all want our DIYs to look professionally made. For a project like this finishing is key - cutting a big gash in the side of a knit would look fun but pretty much as though you had done it yourself or perhap snagged yourself on a fence whilst frolicking in a field. To finish it properly you could use an overlocker, but who has one of those handy? An easier way to do it would be to roll the edges over and then lightly hand stitch. What more can I say? Finishing makes allllll the difference.

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DIY [CARVEN INSPIRED] CUT OUT MINI DRESS

Taking a horrendous dress and turning it into something cute and wearable is what I love most about DIY, and all it takes is a little time and imagination. As some of you may know, I fell in love with the Carven SS12 collection, particularly the strategically placed cut outs on the dresses. I knew the triangular cut out was something I would have to try for myself.

Originally I wanted a dress with a bright print like the Carven fabrics, but was unable to find anything I liked. I snagged this pink dress from the $1 pile of my local thrift shop and thought I could use that instead. I tried the dress on when I got home and my boyfriend almost vommed, it was not flattering in any way. I was told I resembled a 'sister wife' farmer in my mid-calf length, puffed shoulder dress that was also about 4 inches too big in the waist.

Transforming this dress took a little time but not that much skill, and all of it can be done by hand if you don't have a sewing machine.

How I did it:

1. I cut the dress short and hemmed it.

2. I took the dress in at the waist by about 4 inches by sewing two thick darts in the back along the existing seam lines.

3. I then created the triangle in the front by cutting an upside down T into the front centre of the dress. I then folded the flaps of the T up and out to create the triangular opening.

4. I secured these using small stitches and then sewed the raw egde of the bottom of the T over to hem it.

5. Finally, I cut the sleeves off the dress and hemmed the new armholes.

6. I then gave the dress a really good iron, focusing on the hemmed areas.

All done! This dress is sure to get plenty of wear. I'll be donning it with some sheer spotted tights once the weather starts cooling down a bit in Hong Kong. If you like this look but don't like the exposed skin, you can always sew some sheer lace over the opening which I think would be very cute.

I hope this sort of project inspires you to be a bit imaginative with things you see in thrift stores. There's a world of possibilities once you get to grips with taking the scissors to your clothes. Happy DIYing! 

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DIY DISTRESSED DENIM CUT OFF SHORTS

Distressed denim cut offs are a definite wardrobe essential, and not just for summer - worn with opaque tights, ankle boots and a camel coat they transition perfectly into your autumn/winter wardrobe. Think Miranda Kerr off-duty chic. This week over at the Harper's BAZAAR Australia website I go back to basics and show you how to make your own.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY TUTORIAL OVER AT HARPER'S BAZAAR

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY TUTORIAL OVER AT HARPER'S BAZAAR

Happy Friday! Have you got any crafty projects planned for this weekend?

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DIY INSPIRATION - CUT OUT BACK DRESS

Recently I've been making lots of accessories and haven't been spending as much time refashioning thrifted clothes as I used to. Not sure why, but all that's about to change - starting with this amazing dress. Does it get any prettier than this? (Ummm, no!). You may remember I made this cut out back dress a while ago, well I'm looking forward to finding some time to give this style a go.

Image: The Sartorialist

DIY FISHTAIL SKIRT | FREE PEOPLE COLLABORATION

In case you didn't see it over at the Free People website, here is the DIY Fishtail Skirt I made recently inspired by all the similar styles on the SS12 runways for their WednesDIY feature (check it out here). It's such a simple project and a great way to spice up a tired maxi or midi skirt.

You need:
A thrifted skirt (I picked one with some subtle pleating but don't go with a fully pleated skirt as they are difficult to hem)
A pair of scissors
Needle and thread
An iron.

How to:
1.  Below is obviously the way the skirt looked before I took my scissors to it. Put your skirt on and mark where you want the front, and shortest, part of the skirt to finish.

2. Take the skirt off and fold in half down the front middle of the skirt - so rather than the back and front lying against each other, it's the two sides that face each other - the way you might fold trousers before you put them on a coat hanger. Make sure the fold is directly in the middle of the front of the skirt.


3. Lay the skirt on the floor and cut out the front of the skirt - you want a semi straight line for the first 30cm of so to create the mini part of the skirt, then tapering down to the back and bottom of the skirt.

4. Try the skirt on to see if the cut out is big enough. I did this a few times, cutting more away to suit what I wanted it to look like. Take this slowly as it's always better to cut less than to cut too much.

5. Once you have a cut out that you like, fold over the edge of the skirt and iron. Fold it twice so the rough edge is covered if you need to - my skirt was a fabric that didn't fray so I skipped that step.

6. Sew a small stitch all the way around the hem.

7. Iron flat again.

Voila! All done. Now wasn't that simple? I absolutely love how this style moves around when you walk!

Now that I've tested the process I am going to make a few different coloured versions. I hope you like it and have a go yourself.

Wearing: Mango Boots, self designed silk singlet, DIY skirt.

DIY [MIRANDA KERR] & MICHAEL KORS INSPIRED CUT OUT DRESS - kora organics guest post

I recently had the pleasure of doing a guest DIY post for the Miranda Kerr KORA Organics website. If you haven't checked it out already make sure you do - it's overflowing with lifestyle advice on beauty, fashion, nutrition and exercise. It also has a section on natural therapies which I am all for so check it out.  Random fun fact? Miranda went to the same high school as me in Brisbane for a couple of years (she was a few grades above), and according to one of my first-year university boyfriends, the thought that I could have sat in a chair that she had also sat on in a previous class made me wayyy way wayyy more attractive.

For the DIY, Brooke of The Style Net and I decided that I would recreate this absolutely gorgeous Michael Kors cut out gown Miranda wore to the CDFA awards this year.

(yup, lookin bangin)

As soon as I saw it I knew it was a look I was going to have to try to recreate using my DIY skills. The rib cut outs and front split lent itself perfectly to the re-fashioning of a basic black maxi dress.

You'll need:
A basic black maxi/midi dress in a jersey fabric (I bought mine from a cheap store for less than $10)
Scissors
Chalk
A needle and black thread

How to:
1. Put the dress on and mark where the two round cut outs should go using chalk. A circle about the size of a saucer sitting centred on each of the side seams at the height of your ribs is best. Note that while the Michael Kors dress has a cut out that goes all the way around the back - the one I made was just cut out on the sides and is intact at the back.
2. Cut the circles out.
3. Hem the circles using small stitches
4. One you have hemmed the but outs, pull the circles together in the front to create a gathered and a more triangular shaped cut out. I found this style suited me more and worked better with this soft jersey fabric.

5. For the split, put on the dress and mark where you want the front side split to stop. Cut from the hem to the marked point. Because of the type of jersey the dress I used was made out of I didn't have to sew the edges of the split but you may want to.

Voila! All done. Now all you have to do is pair it with your favorite gold jewellery and highest of heels and hit the town.

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DIY Cut Out Shoulder Shirt

You think these trends will go away after a while, but I still love the cut out shoulder shirt as much as I did when I first saw it on Hanelli a long long time ago (in fashion years). Follow my tutorial here (equally old) but use a oversized mens shirt this time to create a dress.

Obviously I wet my pants when I found out that Miroslava Duma now does outfit posts. Does anyone else wish you could carry her around in your pocket (as she is so tiny) and pull her out when you need style advice?

Image: Buro 24/7 via Il Etait Une Fois

DIY LBD #2 - Gucci Inspired Tassel & Rope Dress

A couple of days ago I posted a few inspiration images for the second in the DIY Little Black Dress series (see here). I fell in love with the black tasseled dresses at the Gucci SS11 show, and so this is my LBD inspired by those oh-so-glamourous styles. I went for a much more subtle style than the original inspiration as you can see.

DIY

There are two parts to this DIY - the making of the basic capsule of the dress, then the addition of rope and tassels. You'll need a big thrifted black dress and some rope and tassels.

For the Capsule
1. I turned the sack dress inside out, and overlayed a bodycon dress to get the correct shape - then I pinned it where I wanted to take it in.

2. I cut the sleeves off and the hem of the dress quite short.

3. I took the dress in using the sewing machine and also sewed up the hem.

4. I cut the neckline off completely so I had a tube top style with a kind of cut off triangle neckline. Below is the finished capsule of the dress.

I then pinned and hand sewed 40 tassels on each side of the dress, layering them up for a block effect.

I hot glued two strips of rope together and then sewed them onto the neckline - attaching at the back as straps.

Volia!

I must say that this was quite an involved DIY and took me a little bit of time - you could always add tassels and rope straps to a black tube dress or singlet for a more simple project.

(try not to laugh too hard at my lame pose in these pics - these were the only photos of like 10 that were taken that were passable).

Happy DIYing!

DIY Cut Out Back Jacket

In silk, leather and everything in between, the cut out back jacket is amazing, and very very DIYable. Take a thrifted jacket, some scissors and away you go. If you love this look as much as I do, there is a similar style in the album over at The Style Net Facebook Page which you can vote on for me to make! Head over and vote for this look if you love it.

Images: Because I'm addicted, Stockholm Street Style.