DIY Corkboard Walls (look closely...)

The gorgeous Amalia of Smart n Snazzy brought my attention to this pic from the Lucky Mag website of Fashion news director Jen Ford's cork board lined wardrobe where she keeps all her inspiration. Lo and behold on it is a pic of me taken by Vanessa Jackman! Haha how random. Btw how good is the corkboard lined wardrobe? I know you can buy cork with adhesive on one side that can be rolled out and attached to walls - much better than wallpaper! I think this is the stuff I mean. Update: Amalia tells me this image is in this months mag too! Anyone know where I can buy it in HK?

DIY Studded Bib Necklace

Gosh this necklace is cool in another one of Vanessa Jackman's amazing pics. Perfect mix of cute pastel pink and edgy studs. When I was in London I bought these crazy studded leather arm cuffs from the jumble, and I have held onto them because I knew I would see a project like this for which I could use them. Next project? A studded bib necklace of course.

DIY Black Collar w Gold Collar Points

Cut a black collar off a shirt, add gold paint for the collar points.

Image: US Elle April

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Keep it simple (stupid)

I love a trend as much as the next girl, but if you catch me on the weekend I won't necessarily be colour blocking or going boho... In all likelihood I'll be wearing this, or variations of this. These thrifted high waisted black shorts are a definite must-buy. Put them on your essentials list and track down a nice pair.

Thrifted breton top, thrifted high waisted shorts, mango boots

DIY Thimble Studded Collar and Cuffs

I'm definitely not sick of oversized studs like the ones adorning this jacket. You could make your own by buying a whole heap of thimbles you would use for hand sewing, spray painting them gold, and then attaching them to a jacket using a glue gun.

Image: UK Elle

DIY Split Skirt Dress

Here are some pics I took on the weekend of a dress I made after being inspired by all the amazing flowing side split skirts on the runway. I used eye wateringly bright sheer orange fabric and it was so simple to make! An easy DIY maxi skirt (like the one I made here) with a side split created by simply not stitching all the way up the long seam, with a wrapped fabric bodice and a black sash.  I've been playing around with fabrics in preparation for making a dress to wear to a wedding in a couple of weeks. I like this style, although the bf kindly suggested that the lack of symmetry in the neckline isn't appealing. What do you think? I also made the split a little bit smaller than the ones seen at the Gucci AW11 that I posted about recently - as much as I am sure everyone at the wedding would want to see my knickers! Now I have to get started on the actual thing.

DIY Sheer Skirt

I adore this skirt from Chloe SS11 ready to wear (in fact I love the whole ballet inspired collection) and I think it would be so easy to make with some sheer net and a ribbon waistband. And don't you think the net sleeves of the shirt are really cool? Also very DIYable.

Image: Style.com

DIY Pink Colour Block Skirt

Have been doing a lot of conversions of thrifted pencil skirts into minis recently (you'll see the full skirts I converted soon!). I saw a whole heap of gorgeous colour block skirts in Zara recently, and couldn't help but make my own (for much less!).

DIY Blazer Vest

The cut off blazer style jackets were allll over the runway for AW11 including at Isabel Marant, and they are such a simple DIY. Simply take an oversized balzer and remove the sleeves. Wear with mini shorts in spring.

Image: Mr Newton via Harper & Harley

DIY Beaded Grey Marl Sweatshirt

The addition of cute beading to a laid back grey marl sweatshirt really does it for me. Found this pic over at AfterDRK. Putting it on my list.

I've also recently become addicted to a blog called Brisbane Daily Photo. Brisbane is my home town in Australia, and lucky for me the photographer lives in the quirky but lovable suburb of West End that I grew up in. For those of you living away from your orginal home town, you probably know how nice it is to be reminded of your favourite old haunts. It makes me a little bit sentimental to say the least (this is the part where my parents say 'ohhh well then why wont you come hooommme???')  From what I understand there are daily photo blogs like this for almost every city around the world - I think there is a search function on Brisbane Daily Photo which allows you to find your city. Head over and check it out.

DIY Cut Out Shirt

The number of times I have posted about cut out collared shirts is more than I can count on both hands, but designers keep coming up with ways to inspire me to take some scissors to a thrifted shirt! This is a new and fun way to cut out a shirt seen in the recent Carla Spetic collection. This.has.weekend.project.all.over.it.

Bedazzler!

This would have made all my DIY dreams come true as a little girl... Does this take you back? Thanks to my best friend in Brisbane for bringing this to my attention, now where can I find one?

DIY is all in the details...

So I may be about ten years late to this party but I recently stumbled upon the Details gallery on Style.com, and spent the rest of the afternoon marvelling at the close up shots of the recent AW11 collections. I started to wonder why I ever bothered with the full length pics! Soooo much DIY inspiration in the close up pics, these are some of my favourites from the Proenza Schouler collection.  One of the best shows of AW11 it has to be said. It inspires me to make some woven wool embellished heels, a wrapped blanket dress and a belted woolen blanket clutch.

DIY Gold Pyramid Clutch

Loving this gold pyramid clutch DIY I found over at Oracle Fox. Its proof that the addition of really awesome fabric makes such a difference to such a simple design.

DIY Side Split Skirt

Before Who What Wear rains on my parade and reports on it first, I wanted to bring your attention to one of my favourite, and most DIYable, trends that was all over the runway during the AW11 shows. The side split maxi. You definitely need to buff your pins for this style, (cue dove summer glow and bodypump), but what is sexier than a little bit (or alot) of leg? I made a pretty cool bright orange maxi dress last night with a single side split,it was so easy. I'll take some outfit pics for you this weekend.

Images: Style.com

3 Designers, 3 DIYs

As part of the amazing DIY inspiration that is central to every fashion month, I teamed up with the creators of two of my favourite DIY Blogs, Jenni of ISpyDIY and Lauren and Erica of Honestly…Wtf in ‘3 Designers 3 DIYs’ - a challenge to recreate our favourite looks from the AW11 shows. Jenni’s Dolce & Gabbana Silver Detail Oxfords, Erica and Lauren’s gorgeous take on the Fendi Shirt Frill and my Balmain inspired skirt prove that you don’t have to have stacks of cash to be able to rock the newest trends. Make sure you head over to their blogs to check out their tutorials, and start getting crafty.

DIY AW11 Balmain Inspired Mini

So it goes without saying that I was incredibly inspired throughout the fashion weeks to DIY just about everything I saw on the Runway. So, in collaboration with the Jenni from I Spy DIY and Erica and Lauren from Honestly...Wtf, we set about recreating our favourite AW11 looks. I completely fell in love with the shimmering horizontally textured fabrics in the Balmain AW11 collection. Who didn't? What I wouldn't do to own one of those dresses or statement jackets! Knowing that's completely out of the realms of possibility, as part of the 3 Designers 3 DIYs challenge I decided to make my own textured skirt using lace, ribbons, twisted fabric, beads and sequins.

These skirts below were my inspiration from the Balmain Show AW11, as you can see mine turned out a bit a little bit more subtle than the Balmain version.

The skirt was incredibly easy to make. This is how you do it:
You need: a black mini skirt (I bought a long skirt from a thrift shop and cut it off and sewed a hem), black lace, beads, ribbons, strips of black chiffon fabric, square sequins and anything else you want! The more random the better!
1. Sew or glue (I used a combination of both) the different ribbons etc onto the front of the skirt - keeping in horizontally parallel lines.
2. Sew twisted black chiffon fabric onto the front.
3. Randomly sew the sequins on the front - I put mine in the middle of the twisted fabric.
4. Do this to the back of the skirt, following the pattern on the front. Easy!

More goodies in the shop!

 So today I put a few more bits and pieces on the shop my closet site, including this amazing red silk tiered mini skirt with a crazy scarf pattern. I only bought it this week but its a bit small in the waist so I am passing it on to one of you. I go to this thrift shop with really really cool things but you're not allowed to try anything on because its so hectic. The lady who runs it screams at you 'NO TRY!!! NO TRY MISSY!!' As a result there's usually only a 50%-60% success rate. Hope you'll continue to help me clean out my wardrobe.

Sneak Peek!

All these things are going up in the shop this week - I have far too many skirts so lots of them will be available to buy. Please help me clear out my closet!

DIY Zipper Clutch

Life has been so hectic recently, and although I bought all the stuff to make my zipper clutch, I haven't had a chance to sit down and make it. Sob! Was very happy to see that the lovely Andy of Style Scrapbook has put up a tutorial here, and it really is so easy. Head over and check it out, and while you're there why not have a look at the AMAZING camera bag she has designed in collaboration with Kipling.  I really really want one.

DIY Full Mini Skirt

I came to a realisation this week about skirt lengths. And that is that I am of the full mini skirt persuasion and not the midi skirt persuasion. I love seeing other people in midi skirts but when I wear them myself I just feel so frumpy. Not sure why. Sooo as a result I have decided to sell most of my midi skirts, and make full mini skirts like the ones below out of the full circle midi skirts I own. My new sewing machine is coming in damn handy! I know some of you will be horrified by the idea of shortening a midi skirt, but I promise they'll get much more wear when they're short. Have a look at the last pic of one of the skirts that is going to get the shortening treatment - I'm thinking just above the knees? I also have a navy one, a black one and a checked one that are going to go short. Yay!

Wearing: thrifted camel skirt, mango booties, country road singlet.

Images: Vanessa Jackman, Color me Nana

Shop My Closet!

Lots of things have sold off my shop - so happy to pass so many beautiful things on to my readers. There are a few bits and pieces left over including the gorgeous leather and pleated skirts below, and a few things to go up this weekend. Have you checked it out yet? If not, head over and shop my closet!

Studded Iphone Case

This is honestly one of the coolest things I have seen in a long time. Handmade by Bleach Black, I am in love. The best thing? She'll be selling them soon. Yippee!!

Wardrobe Rehab - The Jacket

So in the last couple of weeks I have been mulling over the Wardrobe Rehab series I did a while ago - where I put a serious amount of time and effort into overhauling my wardrobe before I left London. But recently I have been feeling the same way about my wardrobe that I felt before - totally uninspired standing in front of my cupboard in the morning. The horror! So last weekend I did a bit more of a cull, and I think I will continue to cull for the next couple of weeks.

I went through my jackets a few days ago and culled anything that I don't wear. In reality I am almost never going to wear heavy jackets in Hong Kong (other than sneaky trips to Shanghai) so I have put them away, and made a pile of things to sell consisting of jackets that I don't think I am going to wear again. Above is a pic of the things I have left in the jacket section of my wardrobe. As I was doing the cull I thought about what the most important things were to keep, and I came up with a few rules for essential jackets. Key jackets I kept?

• The Black Blazer - an absolute essential. Should fit you like a glove and look great with pencil skirts for work and tight dark denim jeans and heels for Friday drinks.
• The Statement Jacket - Mine is a vintage black beaded jacket I nabbed from a jumble in north london (I was part of the furniture at that place for a while). It is perfect for throwing over a simple outfit. Go for a super textured one in a beaded or sequin style.
• The Camel Trench - A bit of a cliche perhaps but this comes in handy all the time, mine is hip length so not the classic style but looks amazing with trousers or jeans and flats.
• The Leather - This goes without saying really. The leather jacket should be a staple in everyone's wardrobe. I have a beautiful faded tan one from Zara and an extremely supple bomber style from Whistles (both gifts from the bf). Spend as much as you can afford on this item, and choose a simple and classic style - you'll have it in your wardrobe forever.
• The Khaki Hooded Jacket - Slightly military inspired, this jacket lends a little bit of edginess to a ladylike outfit and is perfect thrown over my weekend go-to outfit - uniqlo jeans, nautical breton top and black ballet flats. Luckily I bought a very light cotton one that will transition nicely into HK spring.
• The other blazers - Red, White and Blue. These ones get a whole lot of wear. Buy a few well fitting blazers in different colours. Well cut jackets never go out.

Stay tuned for my wardrobe rehab posts on trousers, skirts and dresses. All in the name of 'buy less buy better'. Here's to the perfect wardrobe.

Jackets from left to right: Vintage round neck denim jacket, handmade Navy Blazer, Zara black blazer, Zara tan leather jacket, Whistles Leather Bomber Jacket, Vintage beaded statement jacket, Zara camel trench, Zara red short trench, white vintage blazer, H & M khaki hooded jacket.

DIY Knotted Bracelet

Knotted Bracelet? yes please. will need to get the bf to utilize his sailor knot skills for this one.

Image: US Elle April

DIY Wall Hangings

Why not turn your wardrobe into art?

Image: The Coveture

DIY Teacup Cactus Garden

How cute is this??

Image: Lovemore

DIY Side Slit Pants

Wide leg pants are obviously back back back. Cut high side splits in a pair of thrifted wide leg pants. How good!

Image: Fashion Gone Rogue

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