DIY-deas

I tried various combinations of syllables for the title, such as DI-deas, DIYdeas, etcetera, but the main point is: DIY IDEAS. Consolidated into a neat little list. Just for you. And sort of for me. It's a mutual relationship.

I'm a craftsy sort of gal, but due to the fact that I am legally obligated to attend school I have little time to actually craft. Over a recent vacation I made a dress out of Superman pillow cases from the dollar store (I will have pictures of that up soon; I know it's been a mega long time since I've done an outfit post), but that was only one thing out of many that I've wanted to create lately, because really, who has the money to have awesome stuff all the time? Not me. Solution? Do it yo'self, ho. ('Ho' in the Shakespearean sense, naturally.)

[Photos via Style.com and Man Repeller.]

ASHISH HARE KRISHNA SKIRT:

I've yet to formally profess my love for the brand Ashish, but let me assure you it's one of my favorites. I was all over his Fall 2012 collection, especially his Hare Krishna garments. These would be super easy to recreate: just get some gray fabric, sew it into a circle skirt, and use a red fabric marker to write "Hare Krishna Hare Rama Hare Hare" all over it.

CHANEL PEARL HAIRPINS:

I haven't quite figured out how to make the ones that stick to your face unless you paint button candy and place it on your skin, hoping for the best. I think the hairpins could be made by simply getting some fake pearls from one of those shady overstock websites (or a craft store) and hot gluing them to bobby pins (one pearl per pin), and then using a silver sharpie to write the Chanel logo on top. 

ALEXANDER WANG LEATHER BONNET:

From the front, these look like cat ears. I wanted to show a side view so you could see what it actually is, but the cat ears are a real hoot. If you're like me and happen to have a whole bunch of pleather lying around (from your seventh grade project on Colonial shoemaking, of course), then making one of this would be supereasy. All you have to do is cut out the shape--a simple isosceles triangle should do--and tie it around your head. If you're not weird and don't have animal skin to spare, your local thrift store should have something cheap made of leather, be it a skirt, dress, top, whatever (most likely a skirt, though). My guess is that it won't cost more than $20, and Alexander Wang's cost a billion times more than that. Cost-per-wear, guys. 

 CELINE FLUFFY SANDALS:

These are magical. That's really all I can say about these. And, if you have an old pair of Birkenstocks, or other sandals that are really just too ugly to wear (not that Birkenstocks are ugly, I dig those), you can turn them into Céline look-alikes by getting some faux dyed hair at either a fabric or crafts store and hot gluin' that shiz errywhere. 

JIL SANDER PAPER BAG:

Okay, Jil Sander literally created this just so it could be DIY'd. THIS IS THE EASIEST DIY ON THIS LIST. Go to a deli and ask for a paper bag, get some varnish from an art or crafts supply store and coat the whole thing, let it dry, and either stamp or write something on the front if you feel so inclined. $150 for a paper bag? Try again, Jil. 

My new goal is to create all of these things. Why is it that I always wait until a week before Fashion Week to decide to be all trendy? Oy.

Enjoy the week, frandz. If you're gearing up for NYFW, well, you better start gearing.

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Don't Try This At Home

Months and months and months ago, I found myself staring at Alix Bancourt's feet. Several times. It's not because I have a foot fetish. It's because she was wearing her Charlotte Olympia Kitty Flats and wanted the whole world to know about it (with good reason). The first time I saw them, I thought they were the cutest darn things I'd ever seen. "How very Alix," I thought. Then I saw my homegurl Alexa Chung wearing the same cat slip-ons with a Valentino dress in the Jardins des Tuileries during Paris Fashion Week sometime last year. And then again. And then another time. And once more. The same way you'll sometimes hear a word and think, "Huh, that's interesting," and then it shows up everywhere, I was suddenly seeing these kitten shoes in a million places. They piqued my interest. I began to do some research. 

Left: Alexa Chung...Right: Alix Bancourt's feet. Three times. In various settings. 

I found out who had designed them and started searching them up on the trusty interwebz. For some idiotic reason, I assumed they would be no more than one hundred dollars--maybe fifty if I was lucky. Try four hundred sixty five British pounds. Gr8. Even though I kind of hate cats, these flats were too adorable to ignore. "I'm a crafty gal," I mumbled deviously. "I can figure something out." So I did. 

I located the one pair of flats in my possession, which happened to be some flimsy little shoes I'd picked up at Payless in sixth grade for a school play but had grown to love. This is where the doing-it-yourself comes in, and what you should not in fact do yourself unless you have a solid three-consecutive-day block of time to spend embroidering a pair of shoes. So really, you're not doing anything at all. Just looking. 

The before. 

The after.

Here, kitty kitty! 

Since these shoes were black-and-white and the Charlotte Olympias were not, I had to whip out my black fabric paint from the trenches of my art supplies. Note: this was not as difficult as I made it sound. Paint paint paint, dry dry dry... Hop forward a few months and see me embroidering these little guys while watching television on my computer (this was a rare occasion), whimpering in pain as my clammy hands attempted to shove a hand sewing needle through tough fabric. I made minimal progress in the grand scheme of things. Due to the intense pain I was feeling in my finger tips, work on these puppies kitties halted for quite some time. At the beginning of this month, I brought them along with me on my various northeastern travels and plopped down with them one night while watching the Olympics. In a matter of hours, they were basically done. I just added some finishing touches to them yesterday, at which point I deemed them acceptable to post on this here website.

They look much scarier from this angle. 

Try to ignore the multitude of glaring imperfections. 

I kind of wish cats had eyebrows because then these would look less bald. 

This photograph instantly calls to mind that episode of Spongebob where he and Patrick create Doodlebob, who creeps into their houses in the middle of the night to erase their bodies. 

Remind me to never make anything with eyes ever again. 

Attempt to make a pair of kitten flats by all means. Don't try this at home, kiddies, if: 

1. Your black flats are not made of something sew-able (those patent leather Steve Madden ones that everyone had a few years ago simply will not work) 

2. You have never embroidered or hand sewn before 

3. You are impatient 

4. You don't have a lot of time to dedicate to this project and/or care if it takes you several months to complete in the event that you will spread everything out over time 

5. You don't have a darning needle 

Now I'm ready for Fashion Week. #pleasehelpmeI'mnotready 

Since today is my first day on the job, I can finally reveal my secret. For these next two weeks, I will be interning with the fashion designer Lyn Devon. I have nothing to report thus far since I actually wrote this the night before my first day, but I can just feel that this is going to be the best ten days of my life.

Have a peachy week, friends!

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If Jason Wu Lived in the 1920s

...I would've fit right in.

I seem to be into the whole phrasing-hypothetical-statements-as-post-titles thing as of late.

This is just a quick post to show you what I wore on Sunday to the Geoffrey Mac and Mathieu Mirano shows. I will obviously be doing in-depth analyses of each collection in due time. February break begins in a few days, but I have taken the liberty of just refraining from doing schoolwork two days early. You're welcome.

Photos taken by Lola Wegman on her outdoor concrete jungle-backyard. 

Dress: Jason Wu For Target/Blazer (invisible but there nonetheless): New York & Company/Scarf: my grandma/Ostrich feather jacket: my grandma/Cut-out clutch: ASOS via IFB Con goodie bag/Glitter platforms: DIY/Tights: my sock drawer

Lookin' like a baby bird. Oh hey.

Just casually resting my glittery foot on a metal wire chair with a strategically placed clutch.

This was taken mere moments before a mental breakdown in which I burst into laughter. The cause of this remains unknown to this day. 

Et voilà! 

Fashion Week is over, and I have so much to tell you about it. Including being photographed by the Bill Cunningham today in the tents. More to come on this in the near future. 

Good night and happy post-fashion week. 

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We Have Miuccia Prada To Thank For This DIY

Miuccia Prada: the designer behind the brands Prada and Miu Miu. Coincidentally, those are the two labels I drew inspiration from for my newest DIY: glitter creepers. 

I know what you're thinking: "Glitter shoes is a lot to take in by itself, but then you had to throw them on a platform? No. Too much." Skeptic, I thought this too. But then I went for it. I figured, why have just a pair of sparkly slip-ons when I can be three inches taller while wearing them? Are you beginning to see my logic? Good. If you're a more concrete person, here's a mathematical equation to help you out: 

I've never made platform shoes or glitterfied anything before, so I used this Miu Miu shoe tutorial and this Prada creepers DIY for some help and I just built off of there. 

My DIY's are really not all that practical to replicate because I just make it up as I go along, but please attempt to follow my bizarre steps if you are so inclined. The product will be fantastic and completely original, which is always a plus. I don't know anyone else with shoes like mine. Anyway, let's get to it. 

Warning: There are an ungodly amount of parentheses following this sentence. Just be ready.

Things you need for glitterfication: 

1. Fabric glue 

2. Glitter in a color of your choice (I went with coarse-ish gold glitter with a touch of fine red glitter because I really dig sparkly red things; two ounces should be plenty. Buy a four ounce bottle if you're nervous you won't have enough.)

3. A pair of old (or cheap and new) shoes that you won't mind destroying if you completely botch this up. I chose my old pair of Christian Siriano for Payless slip-ons because I have an identical unworn pair in my closet. I would never jeopardize the well-being of my Christians. 

4. A sponge brush or paintbrush

5. A large area and proper surface coverings (i.e. a towel, paper, a shoe box to contain your glitter, etcetera). This is essential: there is glitter in every corner of my apartment. Literally, it's everywhere. 

*Optional*: 1. A few Dixie cups to hold your glue for easier application

                     2. Several colors of glitter, for your entertainment 

                     3. Any embellishments you want to add, like those studs on the toe that were in the original        

                      tutorial 

Things you need for platformifying: 

1. A pair of old flip flops 

2. Old shoe soles (I ripped them off of a pair of demolished rainboots, but you can supposedly buy them from your local cobbler if you're lazy. If you have any old pair of shoes, just cut the soles out and save yourself the money/trip to the store. I don't even know if cobblers exist anymore, so...)

3. Wood glue or another ridiculously strong adhesive (like a hot glue gun) 

4. Really sharp/intense scissors (or moderately sharp) 

5. A Sharpie 

6. Something heavy to weigh down your soles 

7. Fabric, raffia, trim, anything like that to cover up the edges of your platforms 

Let's begin! 

Steps 1-7 and 10-12 have to do with the platform-making process, so if you're not doing that, just skip them.

Step 1: Cut the straps off of your flip flops. 

Step 2: Place your shoes on top of your flip flop soles and trace around the outside with a Sharpie so that they are the same shape as the bottom of your shoes. Make sure you trace along the very edge of the shoe or else you'll have baby-sized platforms and it'll look funny. 

Step 2

Step 3: Cut out your new flip flop sole shape with your mega scissors. This was actually a somewhat painful step, jus' sayin'.

Step 3

Step 4: Cut out/obtain your other shoe soles (here you can see my nasty little rainboot soles--yum.)

Step 4

Step 5: Lay out your carpenter's/wood glue, brush of choice and assorted soles. This is not a legitimate step, really, because it's kind of just common sense, but I have a picture, so it gets its own instructions.

Step 5

Step 6: Apply glue to all four soles and sandwich together the corresponding ones (right flip flop goes to right shoe sole, left flip flop goes to left shoe sole).

Step 6

Step 7: Toss (not literally, that would be dumb) something heavy on your soles to make them stick better. I used some 10-pound weights because my family is full of champion weight lifters, no big deal. Just kidding.

Step 7

Step 8: Let your soles dry while you glitterize your shoes. I'm trying to see how many new verbs and nouns I can make out of the word "glitter." Right now I'm up to three. Get out your shoes and place them in your work area. Notice my computer in the background, and also note that this is not a good idea. There will be blood so much sparkle. More than you may be able to handle.

Step 8

Step 9: Apply glue first to the tongue and toe of your shoe and generously sprinkle glitter all over the glue-y area. Shake off the excess and repeat the process if you deem it necessary, based on your sparkle needs. Then proceed to do the same thing for each side, but do each one individually because fabric glue dries rill quickly. Do this for both shoes.

Step 9

A glittery close-up

Step 10: If you're just making glitter shoes, you can stop here. Congratz, you're done! Well, after you've sprayed them with waterproof shoe spray, if you've got it. If you're making them into creepers, keep reading. Let your shoes dry for a few hours, and then glue the bottoms of them to your platform soles (put glue on soles: glitter shoe and platform) and weigh them down to let them dry. I just filled my shoes with pennies because those 10-pound weights would have just smushed my pretty shoes.

Step 10

Step 11: Once your shoes have dried for another few hours (no one said this was a quick DIY), use your trim of choice to wrap around your platform soles to camouflage the fact that there are actually three soles under there. No one has to know. Just use wood or fabric glue to attach the fabric/raffia/ribbon/fur/cat hair/live plants that you want to have on your shoes. I used left over fabric from my last DIY and some white ribbon.

Step 11

Step 12: Let 'em dry, spray 'em with waterproof shoe protector spray to keep them from dying in the rain (although I don't suggest wearing them in the rain or snow if you can avoid it; it will cause you to leave a trail of sparkles wherever you go, which will make it easy for people to track you down if you're running from the CIA, or something.) and wear 'em!

Let me know if you try it out by leaving me a comment below, by sending me an email at youreatulle@gmail.com, Tweeting me @youre_a_tulle, or writing on You're A Tulle's Facebook page. Or all four, if you're really enthusiastic. 

Peace out, unidentified-gender scouts.

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Boring T-Shirts Are Lame...Time To DIY!

As you already know, I'm on winter break right now. So I spent the entire day putting together this photo tutorial on how to turn a gross, unflattering, boring t-shirt into a snazzy, original and supa-awesome t-shirt. Minus the "t" part, since by the end your shirt will not really have full sleeves.

A while back, I helped out with the auditions at my school and was given a free LaGuardia t-shirt. Not only was it a size too big, the all around fit was just boxy and the shirt was therefore unwearable. I don't really wear t-shirts anyway, so I thought, "I better DIY this little sucka," and voila! I did just that. If you're a LaGuardia student and you have one of these nasty shirts, you should keep reading. Then we can be twinsies!

Remember how I said that I really like rolled up sleeves? I was inspired by that to make the sleeves in this design cuffed, but with a lil' twist. The finished product involves pleather, rolled sleeves and a healthy dose of snaz, if I may say so myself. However, this project is not for you if you can't sew. I mean, you could try, but it'll be pretty darn difficult. You should give yourself a solid block of time to do this; I can't tell you exactly how long it took me 'cause I was dilly dallying all day.

Things you'll need: 

• a(n oversized) t-shirt 
• scissors 
• a measuring tape/ruler 
• a sewing machine (or a needle and thread, but it will take you forever)
• pins
• OPTIONAL: thread that matches your shirt 
• a bit of pleather (or any other fabric, it doesn't matter)
• several hours
• a shizton of good music (I chose Amy Winehouse. I've listened to the "Back to Black" album + a few assorted songs at leas 5 times today) 

And away we go! 

Step 1: Here's what my shirt looked like in the beginning. We about to tear dis baby up! (Please excuse my grammar.)

Step 2: Turn your shirt inside out and go to the armhole seam. Make sure that it's lined up with itself and then measure an inch from the seam out towards the sleeve and mark it with a pin. Do this along the entire seam. Easy stuff, right?

 Step 3: Cut along the 1-inch line you made with pins in step 2.

Step 4: MAKE SURE THE SHIRT IS TURNED INSIDE. THIS IS CRUCIAL. If there's no side seam, just flatten the shirt out, and the places where they should be will sort of appear, and then pinch the hem where it's folded in half and the armpit of the shirt with the other hand. Smooth out the "seam" from there. Then measure your desired length in towards the center (only complete this step if the shirt is too big) to bring in the seam. I chose one inch and a half. Mark a pin, as shown below, along the whole seam line.

Step 5: Ignore the fact that the pins are facing the wrong way. I had to fix that later. The picture above is more accurate, but your shirt should look like this:

Step 6: DANCE BREAK! HAMMERTIME. I sometimes substitute that word for "stop." Like, if someone were telling me to do something and I was in the middle of doing something else, I'd say, "Hammertime, hammertime." I sort of just mutter it to myself. This step is entirely necessary; don't skip it. 

Step 7: Sew the seam along where you put the pins. You can't really see mine because I used white thread, but you can see where the fabric is puckered. Das da seam, guyz!

Step 8: Cut off the excess fabric. It has no business being there.

Step 9: Turn your shirt right side out. That's super important. Go back to the sleeve. You should have that little 1" flap. Fold it up, all around, so that the little pre-made seam is facing out.

Step 10: Roll the "sleeve," such as it is, up again the same way you did in step 9.

Step 11: I know. So much rolling. Do it one more time, but this time, pin it every few inches all around so that it stays put. Pins are sort of like hairspray in that way.

Step 12: Sew little 1/2" or 1" sections along the cuff, leaving spaces every few inches. Make sure you sew at the bottom, meaning where the side seam meets the underarm seam. Don't sew at the top, along the shoulder seam. You'll see why in a minute. Be patient, my grasshopper. (Do I say that a lot?)

Step 13: After you've done this it should look like this, minus the pins. Hey, this is my first DIY, I'm not too good at the whole putting-the-steps-in-the-right-order thing quite yet.

Step 14: Get out yo pleatha, girl/boy! Or whatever you chose to use; I realize that most people don't have fake leather just lying around their house as I do. Measure a piece of whatever it is that's the width of your tape measure (it's an annoying number, something like 5/8") and 3' long. Do that twice.

Step 15: Take one end of one of the strips and put it at the halfway mark of the cuff of one sleeve on the underside (there shouldn't be a lump on that side) with the top of the fabric facing you and sew it down.

Step 16: Then bring the strip around and sew it down next to the cuff, not on top of it. Gotta give them a little breathing space, am I right?

Step 17: We're almost done! This is not even a legitimate step, it's just what your shirt should look like by now. This actually might be the last one for you if you like the length your shirt is.

OPTIONAL STEPS: 
Step 18: Decide how much shorter you want your shirt to be (subtract a half inch to an inch from that to save room for a hem) and then measure up from the existing hem that distance all the way around and do the usual pinning thing.

Step 19: Cut along that line and then hem it by turning the shirt inside out again and just folding up half an inch to an inch of the fabric and sewing it down all the way around (the shirt labeled "Step 19" is not hemmed, just btdubz). Also optional: cut off the bulky neckline that's probably there. I just thought it looked better.

Step 20: Put on your shirt!! It should be done now, unless you want to add some embellishments. Go crazy. It'll make it that much better, I promise. 

So, funny story, my remote is acting up. I think I accidentally left it on for 24 hours, which killed the battery. That's why I'm blurry in most of these photos; I had to use the self-timer. We all know how well that works.

The final result:  

Shirt: DIY'd biznatches 

Collar: ASOS

Jeans: Abercrombie & Fitch via Housing Works (I hope you didn't think that I actually went into an Abercrombie & Fitch store. That's just embarrassing.)

Snakeskin platforms: Vintage BCBG from my grandma. What a hip lady. So on top of trends.

Thank God that is done. That literally took me from 12 pm until 11 pm to do. With exercise, eating and dawdling breaks in between but you get the gist.

Have a wonderful evening, and DIY all day tomorrow! You won't regret it. Maybe a little if you actually liked the shirt the way it was and you end up just mutilating it but that's not likely to happen. 


P.S. My newest article went up on Chictopia earlier today. It's about Vera Wang's bridal collection. Get it while it's hot!

P.P.S. I have another DIY in mind, and it has to do with Christian Siriano, shoes, and glitter. GET PUMPED.

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