DIY/ Neck candy

Inspired by @dylanlex on Instragram, Nina of Salt n Sun and I decided to try our luck at making some huge necklaces. We scouted every H&M, Bershka and Pieces in The Hague trying to find suitable necklaces within our budget. In the end I think we succeeded in creating some statement jewellery.

The steps are simple:
1. Gather a series of necklaces and lay them out flat
2. Decide how you want the necklaces to fit together and cut chains accordingly
3. Optional: I added a clasp to each end of the chain so I can take them apart easily
4. Attach your chains with jump rings or clasps
5. Done!

A tip would be to assemble your chains on a mannequin or friend as some will lay different when hanging.

The beanie comeback

Now I'm never one to judge the stylings on yesteryear but I have a slight problem with beanies right about now, especially the 1990s type which are not worn to keep those ears warm but strangely positioned on the head as a style statement. I'm not sure when or where this trend started (although Jill Sander S/S 2012 is probably to blame) but it seems to be 'a thing' to sport beanies of this kind again. Not that they have ever been out of style as sportswear; I just didn't think I'd be seeing Italian editors or fashionable bloggers walking around with their hats perched on their noggins.

Jill Sander S/S 2012

As with most fashion trends though, the more I see these beanies, the more I crave one; especially those of the veiled disposition. How are they ever practical for summer? Who cares about practicality when it comes to fashion? Alas, I digress.

While watching one of Garance Doré's loverly videos for Net-a-Porter just now, I found myself once again intrigued by a beanie. This version seemed almost DIY embellished with many shiny stones, and as I am to embellishments what moths are to flames, I find myself drawing up my next DIY project.

And see here, stylist Elisa Nalin sporting the aforementioned beanie

Seeing as beanies do offer the practical service of keeping head and ears warm (if correctly pulled down) I figure this trend can legitimately picked up in the name of cold weather. Did I mention I also bought a baseball cap, an excuse to keep rain from my eyes and hair (yet flattening said hair when removed).

Drawn to the beanie

Now I'm off to town to see what beanie offerings there are and how I could possibly make this trend work for me. Yes, I already have one but it doesn't match my hair in the same way this one ultimately will! 

Studded shorts DIY

 Honestly I can't think of an easier DIY to do. The hardest part is figuring out the placement of your studs or rhinestones, but once you have that sorted, is a doddle!

You'll need:

• 1 pair of old cutt-offfs
• studs or rhinestones
• glue

1. Lay your jeans flat and place the studs in your preferred pattern without actually sticking them on 2. Apply glue either to the back of your stud (if they're big) or to the jeans (if they're small like mine) 3. Press down firmly so the glue surrounds the stud 4. Leave to dry for 24 hours before wearing 5. Voilá, you're done!

 

DIY preview: studded jeans

Just a quick preview of how my DIY studded jeans will turn out once I've actually stuck on the studs! And yes, I used a ruler.

DIY Tie-Dye jeans

After spotting them on the Isabel Marant runway and seeing various tutorials around the blogosphere, I thought I'd share my colourful attempt at Tie-Dye denim. I took a pair of jeans that I had previously dyed from grey to red which meant the dye took forever to bleach! Also, I couldn't for the life of me find those big rubber bands used by postmen so I used string instead.

I absolutely love how the jeans turned out, even if they are more pink and cerise than red and white. How grungy does the leather label look now! I teamed them up with a number Tee and my IM sneakers the other day for that sporty look we've been seeing a lot lately but I think they'd pair up nicely with a simple oversized white Tee and some strappy sandals as a relaxed evening ensemble.
What do you think? Will you be bleaching out your old denim?

For a great tutorial over at thefashionguitar.com click here. 

Glitter Boots 2.0

After my first pair of glitter boots a few months ago, I couldn't help fantasizing about another pair, this time made with suede shoes (so the glitter would stick better). After taking a look at my shoe collection, I stumbled upon a pair of Aniel look-a-likes, and decided to give the glitterbomb another try.

And here's how there turned out:

What do you think? Subtle enough for daily wairing right?

Click here for the tutorial

DIY Neon embellished Tee

I'd been planning to DIY this plain white T-shirt for ages but hadn't got round to it yet. With the current trend for neon and pastels I decided to give the embellished Tee and updated look for Spring.

What I used:

• A plain white Tee
• Sticky gemstones in various sizes
• White nailvarnish or paint
• An array of nailvarnish or paint in bright colours
• Clear varnish
•  Fabric glue
  
  
  
  
  

First off, make sure your T-shirt is pre-washed and ironed so the gems will stick properly.

1. Take your gems and place them on your T-shirt to determine your pattern 2. Place the gems on some newspaper and give them a coat of white nailvarnish 3. When completely dry, paint the gems in your desired colours and leave to dry 4. Give the gems a final coat of clear varnish 5. Get your fabric glue (mine was specially for gems) and start glueing the gems to your T-shirt 6. Voilá, you're done!

I love how this DIY turned out. It gives a really cool look to an otherwise simple Tee but I could imagine embellishing bags, shoes or anything else I can get my hands on. Can't wait to wear this one out!

DIY Glitter bra

DIY inspiration can come from anywhere, often its something seen on a streetstyle blog or runway but more often than not bloggers come up with the same ideas for a project! I found this sparkly number over at a Pair and a Spare and decided to give it a go with an old bra I had lying around.

What I used:

• A triangle bra or bikini
• Sequins
• A needle and thread (preferably the same colour as the bra or sequins)
• Scissors 

1. Take you needle and thread and sew a few stitches onto the bra to secure 2. Take your first sequin (you can sew them face-up or down or alternating as I did) and sew it to the bra using one stitch 3. Keep sewing on sequins in a random pattern. It helps to have a guide, I sew them on in groups of five for a random look 4. Keep sewing on the sequins until your bra is covered 5. Tadaa! Your sequin-embellished bra is ready for party mode!

I can imagine wearing this sparkly number under a sheer top or blouse, maybe to a beach party or who knows where!