Mello Yellow

Monday, February 28, 2011
You guys saw this skirt a few days ago in an outfit layout. Here's a bit more of a peek...

DIY Jil Sander Market Bag

My lovely friend Natalie of Canned Fashion recently drew my attention to the Jil Sander SS11 market bag - a plastic shopping bag that looks very much like a, ummmm, plastic shopping bag. Is this not the ultimate homage to trashion? As much as I would love to go out and buy this bag - for US$100 mind you, its similarity to a shopping bag from Sainsburys has put a stop to my longing. Why not DIY your own by recycling your plastic bags?
Images: The Satorialist, Net-a-porter

DIY Giveaway! Handmade Crystal Rock Rings

Sunday, February 27, 2011
To say thank you to all of my readers for your support and the lovely comments, emails and tweets I get everyday, I'm happy to announce a giveaway of these two beautiful crystal rings I made recently. They have adjustable silver bands so will fit everyone. And because I love wearing lots of rings at the same time, I've decided to give both rings away to one lucky winner!

To enter, follow me via Google Friend or Bloglovin. For extra entries, you can also tweet this post or like my Facebook Page and suggest it to your friends. So many social media outlets through which to increase the chances of winning these gorgeous pieces. Once you've got amongst it, drop me a little comment below this post or via email with your email address and how you entered. The giveaway is open internationally and I'm happily footing the postage bill. Entries will close at the end of the day on March 21st. I'll be randomly drawing a winner, with extra entries if you've tweeted etc. Hope you all get involved.

Summer Yellow Skirt

Saturday, February 26, 2011
Too busy out in the sun this weekend to do an outfit post, but this is what you'll find me wearing. How amazing is this yellow skirt? Found it in my favourite thrift store, I think it originally came from a ballroom dancer's costume. The yellow colour is amazing.

Outfit: thrifted yellow flouncey skirt, thrifted tee, zara handbag, mango boots, white plastic watch, ebay cat eye sunnies.

DIY Summer Lips

Thursday, February 24, 2011
OK so it hasn't been very cold in Hong Kong this winter, not by European/US standards, but yesterday was the first day when you could actually smell summer in the air. Apparently its going to be a cracking weekend, am really looking forward to tangerine and pink lipstick for some reason, paired with an amazing bright yellow skirt I bought this week - stay tuned! Ok the shopping ban is ov-ah.
Image: collection from Style.com and Vogue Japan

DIY Fringed Jacket

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Add some short fringing to a blazer jacket. cute!
Image: Studded Hearts

A week in pictures - HK Neighbourhood

What's it like to live in HK you ask? Here's the week in pics around my neighbourhood.
1. local coffee shop
2. Stall near our house selling offerings for the local Taoist Temple
3. Naughty sheep in a local design firm.
4. View from the rooftop over Sheung Wan, the Mid Levels and Victoria Peak.
5. Local streets.
6. Blogging workspace (very rarely this tidy)
7. Local temple.
outfit: vintage spot skirt, DIY sheer cut out wrap top, zara wedges.

DIY Hex Nut Bracelet - Honestly... Amazing

Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The ladies from Honestly...Wft have done it again. Another absolutely A-MAZE DIY. This hex nut bracelt is utterly gorgeous. And so flippin easy. Head over to their blog and check it out. Also, don't want to spoil the surprise but have a sneaky collab planned with some of your favourite DIY bloggers. Stay tuned! Oh and the DIY giveaway will be uploaded verrry soon. I finished making part of it last night. x

DIY Draped Fabric Dress

More food for thought in terms of what sewing projects I am going to do this weekend (and its only monday!). This draped dress looks absolutely gorgeous and I can't help but see the DIY potential of it. I think it could be made using the DIY maxi skirt tutorial I showed you here, and then draping fabric around a chain that goes around the neck for the top half. Lots of pinning and sewing but that's where the fun is! I will probably secure mine a bit more tightly around the back so that my boobs don't fall out the side.
Image: Studded Hearts

Even Jason Wu DIYs!

Ok so after I wrote this title I realised how stupid it sounded - of course Jason Wu DIYs, except for him its called DESIGNING and he's obviously effing brilliant at it. Oh well, was very excited to stumble across these images of Jason Wu in his studio adding the lace to his AW11 collection - in exactly the same way that I recommended you do in this post. Ok so obviously that's not an accomplishment as he obviously thought of it first, but happy to see that we're on the same wave length. Do. It. Yoself.
Image: Jak & Jil

Weekend Uniform Round 2

Leather peg leg pants have found their way into my weekend uniform. These slouchy ones are a particular favourite. Alwayyys worn with a soft cotton tee or a breton style boat neck top.
Wearing: Gap cotton tee, vintage leather peg leg trousers, topshop ballet flats.

DIY Terranium

Monday, February 21, 2011
Two of my favourite bloggers, Kelly of Lions, Tigers and Fashion Oh My and Jenni of I Spy DIY have caught my imagination with their gorgeous cactus terrariums. As you can probably guess, I have been making do with lots of indoor plants (in the absence of a garden) and will definitely be making my own little desert ecosystem in a fish bowl this weekend.

DIY Leather Twine Paperbag Waisted Skirt

Take an oversized skirt, cut slits for the waistband, thread with leather twine.
Skirt from Nicole Farhi

DIY Pearl Belt

Strands of pearls as belts. More LFW runway inspiration that gets me dying to DIY.
Image: The Style Crusader

DIY on the Runway - Acne AW11

The first of the LFW AW11 collections are coming through, and I can't help but feel that I am liking what I'm seeing more than I did at NYFW. Sorry NYers! The Acne show was gorgeous, such amazing colours and textures, leather and chiffon. I love the subtle layering of sheer fabric under leather and over skinny leg cut off pants. A bit of DIY inspiration there!
Image: Style.com

DIY Studded Pumps

Sunday, February 20, 2011
I'm totally lusting over the beautiful studded pumps that Peony made recently. She admitted to getting a helping hand from her bf to do the more technical part of the studding, and I must say I am very prone to getting a hand from my bf when I need a bit of muscle. I hope Peony wears these at some stage during LFW! Am so happy to have inspired Peony to get crafty.

DIY Kit Sorted!!

Twas the Christmas that just kept on giving. The late presents are always the best ones! The bf isn't always great w the timing of presents, but he never fails to get the gift right. We were travelling around sri lanka at christmas so its no surprise that the bf didn't lug it around in his suitcase! Love my new Singer sewing machine that was bought for me yesterday. Have started using it so be ready for some more amazing projects! Do you have a sewing machine? They last a lifetime and are the best investment. Get one! This one wasn't that expensive I don't think, and the one I have at home in Aus is a bit more fancy, but all you really need is a straight stitch and one that doesn't break.

DIY Leather Shorts and Velvet Bow

Saturday, February 19, 2011
Thought I would show you the DIY outfit I wore this weekend. Remember these leather shorts I made when I was living in London? Well when I made them out of a pair of trousers I just rolled the hems up. I never really wore them though, something about the rolled hems put me off. I was going to sell them off as part of a re-cull of my wardrobe, but realised I could glue the hems over like I did recently to a pair of tan trousers. To do this I simply folded the hem over, ironed it down, checked it was straight and then used some superglue to glue the edges. Easy! And they look perfect. So happy to have rejuvenated them. Also hope you like the little velvet bow that I wore with my thrifted collared shirt. A bit Jason Wu no?
Wearing: Vintage collar shirt, DIY velvet bow tie, DIY leather shorts, Zara wedges (I wear these alll the time).

DIY at LFW - Bell Embellished Sleeves

Ahhhhh I love this sooo much. Take a white shirt and embellish the sleeves with crazy bells or buttons. So. Cool. I'm really enjoying all the LFW streetstyle that's filtering through, Londoners have such quirky style and I am sure that the next couple of days and weeks will see a heap of inspiration. I have to thank the lovely Shini of Park and Cube and Jen of the Style Crusader for the pics below, and for being my eyes on the street at Somerset House. I'm not even going to begin to describe how much I wish I was there again this season.

Those things you can't live without...

Thursday, February 17, 2011
My favourite bits and pieces of jewellery. I know its not DIY but what the heck.
1. french engraved necklace bought in Paris (worn every day without fail), crystal necklace from Sri Lanka.
2. DIY rock ring and polished rock ring from Lyon.
3. Amazing black crystal bracelet a gift from a friend.
4. Silver Buddhist prayer necklace from Sri Lanka, DIY Shell Necklace, Amethyst pendant from Sri Lanka.

DIY Runway Inspired Denim Shirt

Who wasn't inspired by the Celine + Stella Denim action on the SS11 runway? I know I was. Denim shirts were everywhere last season and are obviously sticking around this summer. Bought this darkish denim shirt last week (pre shopping ban I promise!) at a thrift shop. It has a very cute round neckline which reminds me of the Celine SS11 oversized shirts. I could have gone all man repeller-ish and done a bit of double denim action - but couldn't bring myself to! Obviously not a repeller after all... I know its a bit darker denim than that of the runway shows but I still love it! Long live the denim shirt.
Wearing: Thrifted denim shirt, full wool mini skirt from Rome, zara wedge ankle strap heels.

DIY Spotted Cullotes

Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Jessie of The Velvet Bow continues to delight me with her amazing DIYs, I was obsessed with her pink scalloped DIY shorts she recently sold and now these have me enchanted all over again. I must say she definitely knows her way around a bum covering! I love this type of DIY so much, recycling something that didn't appear to have any potential into something amazing. If you haven't DIYed yourself some shorts out of a pair of pants or trousers, get down to your local thrift shop and get amongst it. Jessie cut hers off and then used a sewing machine (and created a gorgeous wavy hem) but you can always hand stitch. Isn't the bow she sewed for the waist tie from the scraps just too cute?

DIY bow top

One of my favourite DIY bloggers, Phosphene Fashion, has done a collaboration with the amazing  online store M&J Trimmings (the only place to buy all your DIY bits and bobs online). I am soooo in love with the top, the bow and the nailhead studded collar. To. Die. For. A little bit of Jason Wu AW11 no? Head to M&J Trimmings blog for the tutorial - its well easy innit?

DIY Night Time Get Up

Tuesday, February 15, 2011
A little while ago I showed you my weekend uniform, this is a slight variation on it for going out at night. Such a go to outfit. And I cannot overstate how much I love this jacket. If the house was burning down..... ok well you get the picture. Also, this outfit wouldnt be complete without berry red lipstick.
Uniqlo jeans, perfect sheer soft cotton tee by some random japanese brand, gap triangle bra, vintage beaded statement jacket, black crystal bracelet, Reiss Mesh heels, thrifted black leather envelope clutch.