DIY Crop It - Inspired by Blushing Ambition

The gorgeous Annabel of Blushing Ambition seriously knows how to dress. She always looks simple and chic, and her style has a timelessness that I absolutely love. I had to show you this cute crop top she wore recently, because as soon as I saw it I thought 'ding ding ding! DIY!' (no joke). Do you want to make a similar style? Take a thick strap, loose singlet and cut it off a few inches below the bottom of your bra line. Annabel shows us that sleeveless and loose is a great way to wear the crop top trend - and pairing it with a pleated high waisted skirt means you can show off a little bit of skin but not too much. Perfect.

Images from here

DIY In Colour

This is such an amazing shoot by the gorgeous Zanita and friends. Every single picture has me drooling, and the mix of grey and pops of colour is perfection. What especially caught my eye was the gorgeous perspex and rope jewellery and belts. So. Cool. The jewellery is by Alexandra Blak - I have to thank Zanita for introducing me to this amazing designer! You know what I love most about this post? The eye for DIY detail is impressive - often stylists make the best DIYers!

Loving this top made out of two pieces of fabric.

Amazing neon chain (spray paint your own) and a DIY one shoulder top from made out of jersey fabric.

Knotted rope necklace. Amazing!

Neon tipped sunglasses - pick up a similar style from ebay and add your own neon tips using paint.

Neon rope + carabiner = coolest belt ever!

Images: Zanita Zanita

Can you count the number of times I used the word 'amazing' in this post? Clearly need to find a few more descriptive words....

Blue Uniform

I have recently been completely taken with silk top and short sets. And bright blue colours like this one - which is a few shades south of cobalt.  I am loving the slightly 80's/uniform feel of wearing a top and shorts in the same fabric! It also gives the appearance of a onesie without the associated (and usually drunken) toilet debacles.What do you think, would you rock a matching set?

Wearing: A Pair & A Spare blue silk pocket front top and matching shorts with ribbon belt, River Island gladiator flats.

DIY Rug Bustier Top

Last week I posted here about the outfit that I planned to wear to the wedding while I was in Thailand, but in true Geneva style decided to change it last minute. A lovely girl over at the AP&AS facebook page commented that I should make a top out of the rugs (I am sure by now you are familiar with the rugs!), and really the rest is history. I made this cropped bustier before I went on holidays and paired it with my watermelon high waisted trousers on the day. Who said you can't wear a doormat to a wedding?

And just in case you thought a girl can't have fun while wearing a rug...

Wearing: DIY rug bustier top, A Pair & A Spare watermelon trousers, rope bag from Thailand, Karen Walker 'Number One' sunglasses, River Island tan heeled sandals, pendant necklace from a boutique in Le Marais.

ps. how cute is the elephant trainer's denim getup? oh so very Stella SS11!

DIY Cacharel Inspired Collared Midriff Top

As soon as I saw this image I fell in love with the gorgeous collared midriff top. I loved the fitted and rib grazing style. Only recently I worked out that it was by Cacharel - and decided I need to make a similar style in a bout of pre-holiday craftiness. Whilst I haven't jumped head first into the crop top craze for fear of not being able to pull it off, I found it easy to wear this style to death while I was on holidays in Thailand, and think I may have been converted!

 The Inspiration

The DIY:

You'll need a cotton/linen collared shirt (long or short sleeves, it doesn't matter), scissors, a sewing machine.

1. Cut the arms off the shirt - You can either cut from under the arms all the way to under the collar, or make the shoulders a touch wider like I did so you can wear a bra with straps. Make sure the shoulders are symmetrical.

2. Put the shirt on and mark with chalk where you want the bottom of the midriff crop to be - make sure to add an inch or so for the hemming. Cut the shirt straight across along your chosen length.

3. Now all you need to do is hem the crop and the shoulders. I used a sewing machine but you could easily hand sew. To make the shirt more fitted, I also put a number of darts in the back and front of the shirt, so that it was more fitted under the breast. Done!

Wearing in top photo - DIY Midriff Top, A Pair & A Spare shorts, River Island gladiator sandals.

Wearing in bottom photo - DIY Midriff Top, A Pair & A Spare lace shorts, rope bag from thailand, suede ballet flats.

So what do you think - to crop or not to crop?

The Essential - Nautical Striped Tops

If you only buy one thing, make it a nautical striped top. Or 5. Interestingly enough I bought my first nautical tee only a few years ago, and since then I can't help but collect them. They are so incredibly wearable and go with just about anything. Whenever I go thrifting I always seem to find one to bring home - thrifted ones are the best as they are always a little worn in and soft. By the way - I have started using my old Tumblr account again, as a location for all the DIYs I get sent and the odd inspiration pic, so check it out.

Gap. Thrifted. Esprit. Thrifted. Thrifted.

DIY White Lace Cami Top Tutorial

White lace has absolutely entranced me this season - the RAFW catwalks were overflowing with the stuff and this editorial got me all warm inside. When I was at Sham Shui Po fabric market recently (check out my post here) I bought 3 metres of gorgeous white lace. The other metre I decided to use to make a little white cami. It was so easy!

DIY

You need - 1 metre of white lace, scissors, a sewing machine (can be handstitched though too!), tracing paper.

1. Fold the lace in half - this will be the length of the top. Pin the folded sides together.

2. Using a cotton top, trace out the shape for the cami onto the tracing paper (finally the bfs architectural paper makes itself useful!) Cut out the traced shape.

3. Lay and pin the trace over the lace. I only needed to do the shoulder area and then I just extrapolated out the body of the cami.

4. Cut around the pattern.

5. Cut out the neckline too.

6. Sew the top - along the two side seams and the top of the straps. You don't have to sew any hem along the edges or elsewhere because once you tidy the lace up it will have an nice raw edge. Turn the top inside out so the seams are on the inside and there you go - the hard part is over.

7. Finally - you need to tidy up the lace edges and neckline. Because the lace I used was round circles in a grid pattern I was able to create a symmetrical neckline but carefully cutting out the circles.

Voila! This is the final neckline. You could also make this top a crop style by simply cutting it shorter but I wanted to be able to wear it tucked in too. Might cut 3 inches at the bottom off and add buttons on the edge so you can either have it as a crop or a cami top... Versatility is key!

Wearing - DIY lace cami top, DIY pink mini skirt, gap khaki jacket, suede flats.

DIY White Lace Cami Top

Inspired by this post I got crafty on the weekend. It was typhoon weather and perfect for Sex and the City Season 3 (carrie cheating on aiden..the wtf feelings never get old) and a bit of sewing. Can't wait to show you the tutorial! You'll be amazed how easy it was.

DIY Cut Out Back Top

Fell in love with this look when I saw it in a magazine. Very do-able - simply cut out the back of a long sleeve top and sew the edges.

Elle UK

DIY Inspiration - Dion Lee

Every so often a designer comes out of the woodwork and delivers a collection so full of DIY that I need to take a moment to collect myself. Dion Lee's AW11 collection has my mind swirling with DIY ideas - mens shirts, cut outs, sheerness and more. Oh no you dint! Although I must say Dion has been producing collections with covetable DIYable details for a while now (remember the blazer with cut out sleeves?). 

Images: Style Bubble, Pedestrian.TV

DIY Sideboob Tank with Metal Detail

i.love.sideboob. Seriously, who doesn't? And tops with low arm holes are friggin easy to make - take an oversized tank/tee and some scissors and away you go. I love the addition of a metal style strap like this picture - its a really cool detail. You could use chain or a piece of metal from a hardware store to recreate this look. Doooo it. (psst, have you shopped my closet recently? do that here.)

Image via I LOVE WILDFOX

DIY Midriff Top

Take some scissors to a collared shirt. Add a little string bow for extra cuteness...

Image: Studded Hearts.

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 Pearl Collar Top (Vol 2)

I made another little pearl collar top recently with a single row of pearls using a red silk tee I bought In a thrift shop, I hand stitched it this time instead of gluing. Worked out rather well! Ps. like the polka dot skirt? You can buy it out of my closet here.

Wearing: DIY red pearl collar top, vintage polka dot pleated midi skirt, zara wedges.

DIY Midriff Top

Midriffs are back on the menu, not sure if you noticed. Thankfully its not the belly button baring type of the 90s (The Craft springs to mind - although I do love that movie) but the high waisted rib grazing type. Inspired by this trend report on bare midriffs over at Who What Wear, I DIYed myself a midriff top by draping and tying a sheer shirt and pairing it with a vintage pleated skirt. Its so easy, I urge you to get amongst it by cutting/draping/pinning a top.

Wearing: Vintage sheer shirt DIYed into a midriff top, vintage pleated skirt, zara shoes, vintage coin belt worn as a necklace.