DVF runway photos via elle FZP9856TQF6S
I am almost always wearing a hat. Beanies mostly, but also pillbox, sailor, porkpie, beret – seriously, whatever. So the first thing I noticed, and maybe the only thing to make a lasting impression, from Diane von Furstenberg’s Fall 2009 Nomad collection were the awesome pom pom hats. I assumed the hats would suffer the ill-fate of most over-the-top runway accessories (the ones I want most) and never make it to into production. But wait, it did. But for $200, and in the loudest orange/pink color combo too… but let’s be real – we all knew how very easy this would be to DIY. And a year later, I have.
I wore my hat out to my Grandmother’s 70th birthday dinner tonight (Happy Birthday Grandmother!) & it was a big hit or a good laugh (and I’m not delusional, so I totally get why but I love it). Now deemed “the sea urchin hat” I’ve already gotten a few requests from the family haha.
Difficulty: Easy/Medium // Time: an hour or so // Cost: $8
Materials:
Yarn (1 regular skein is more than enough, I used 3 different colors)
Beanie/Knit Hat
Scissors
Optional: Cardboard (a shoebox top or your hand will do the trick)
Do it to it:
- I could step-by-step the process of making the pom poms, but there are some awesome cat ladies on youtube who do it so well! (1, 2, 3)
- Pom pom tips: I started out with the cardboard method, but once I figured out just how easy is was, I switched to using my hand to wrap. After the 3rd pom pom you’ll be a pro. I averaged about 5 minute per pom pom by the end.
- Make about 10-15 pom poms in various sizes (and colors, if you choose).
- Affix pom poms. Sew, safety pin, glue, whatever.
Finis!
I feel like I always do my DIYs in pairs… so here’s another!
It seems some designers have hipped to the idea that one standout “DIY” look in a collection goes a long to spread a brand, and potentially spawn a trend, which ultimately equals sales. Alexander Wang (a fellow former Teen Vogue intern, holla!) has been so immensely successful due in part to his masterful branding of a look girls can attain whether they splurge on his impeccable details/quality or put it together from just old sweats, tees, and leather. The downtown tough-girl chic ultimately reads: Alexander Wang, so he still wins at the retail game.
Ok, that was kind of a tangent… but this really simple DIY is an easy way to get a Wang look without the Wang price tag. You probably have the makings of these sock brace/suspenders from his Spring 2010 collection lying around or can them pick up for under $10. I used:
American Apparel Unisex Knee High Socks
White Eyeliner
Fabric Glue
Elastic Band
Scissors
(optional) Fabric Seam Sealant
Trace U-shaped outline using white eyeliner – make sure to do this with socks ON for stretch accuracy – then cut out. Glue/sew on elastic band. I plan to run these through my sewing maching and finish the edges at some point, but they were definitely wearable without and didn’t fray even without seam sealant (but would over time).
The rest of my kinda Wang-inspired look: Aldo hat, cut AA shirt, F21 skirt and belt, Jeffery Campbell potion boots
On another note, posting this at 4am and planning to watch some Mad Men after, then just maaaybe fall asleep. A friendly fist bump to all my insomniacs out there!
Just used a little fabric glue, grosgrain ribbon, and a little snippy-snippy to whip up a DIY of Richard Nicoll’s Spring 2010 armband/bracelets. I didn’t have a suitable brooch, so I layered it with this faux-bling from Forever 21. It took about 3 yards of ribbon, and I’m planning to pick up some brooches at the flea market next week then make some darker, fuller pieces. So simple.
Ah, Tom Binns! I love his designs so so much, but like… well, pretty much everything these days, I can’t afford them. So his tongue-in-cheek “Get Real” collection gave me faith and a really good laugh.
His laminated magazine collage jewels were a call to arms for the DIY set, and I was ready & packing heat… or an x-acto knife. The original Tom Binns versions sell for $200-ish at Collette, and I like to think even that price was Tom’s own little inside joke. Good one, Tom…
What You’ll Need/What You’ll Do:
- Magazines (Vogue or an old ELLE Accessories work great)
- X-acto Knife
- Scotch Tape or Spray Adhesive
- One trip to Kinkos
- Closure (silk cord, string, safety pin, velcro, whatever)
- Cut out your favorite jewels. My thought process was “Oooh, shiny!”
- Get creative. Collage them together, forming a ‘U’ or ‘O’ shape, trying it on as you go, and using tape or adhesive to hold together until you laminate.
- Optional: make a color photocopy if you want to make more of the same.
- Laminate ($1/sheet at Kinkos).
- Cut out again, fasten, and voila!
This project also works great with just one “pendant” strung on a string, or safety pinned as a brooch. Soooo many possibilities that will make flipping through repetitive jewelry ads way more interesting. I’ve already started on a few more and, if you’re interested, I might put some (including this one) up on Etsy.
[tom binns images via style.com]
Every season, something from a MMM’s collection steals my heart. And every season, I can’t afford it. Admittedly, most Margiela pieces are so well-crafted, you couldn’t DIY it if you tried. Luckily for me, this shirt practically screamed “Make me!!” so make it I did. Until I can buy the real thing (or at least until I can borrow it for a shoot), I’ll have to stick to my DIY alternative. Which actually isn’t half bad.
Shirt, $4.50 @ Forever 21
Chain from old F21 necklaces (about $10)
Safety Pins
Scissors
Instructions are pretty simple – just slash the shirt until you get the desired effect, then safety pin the chain across and through the holes. I used old discolored chain for a more distressed look and alternated between gold and silver safety pins.
I searched high and low for a runway image of the front of the shirt, but could only find images of the back. I swear, the front images of this shirt disappeared into a black hole or something. If you find, please pass it over!
xo J
