DIY: Studded Denim Vest

Hi all! So I'm back with another DIY, I love doing these and I really hope you find it helpful too. I feel like Debbie Travis but for fashion :) Exactly my kind of thing, but instead of showing you how to stencil a snazzy leafy border on your bathroom walls, I want to show you how you can turn a fairly plain/boring item in your wardrobe into a unique, customized, conversation piece at the party, street-cred earning, pride and joy of your closet type thing. For today, I am going to show you how to jazz up a denim vest, which I bought from Tribal  Rhythm for $25 (a vintage store in a basement on Queen St). 

Materials needed: 
- Scissors
- Laundry facility
- Studs (from sewing supply store, I paid $8 for 24, but you can get them cheaper on ebay I hear)
- Denim vest ($25)

Here is what the vest looked like when in its original state:

Step 1:  FRAY Ends: Cut along the border you want frayed, in this case I am only fraying the sleeves - cut a thin strip

this is what the ends look like after cutting

Step 2: Throw the item in the wash to get the frayed look

Ta da!

Step 3: Time to put the studs in- there were many shapes and sizes, but I decided to go with the bigger square studs (also bigger studs are easier to put in)

Close up: notice spikes on the back, which are inserted directly into material and then folded over

 Step 4: Insert Studs; you just push the studs in and fold the spikes over in the back (warning do not get a fresh manicure when doing this, it will get ruined)

fuzzy pic of what the stud looks like in the back

Step 5: Pick a stud pattern you like and continue studding. (I googled this pattern) Here is one side done!

And the other side- Ta da! (Keep in mind it will not be a perfectly lined pattern, but I kinda like the messy look anyway which works for this item)

I didn't realize just how easy studding would be, and if placed strategically, they can really add interest into your clothes. 

Before:                                                                                          After:

So what did you think? Do you like the before or after?  I will definitely be wearing this in future outfit posts! keep any eye out ;) And good luck studding!

Outfit post: The Canadian Tuxedo

Along with moose, beavers, maple syrup, untamed wilderness, Tim Hortons, igloos, lumberjacks and bacon, Canada also offers a highly sophisticated sartorial rarity known as the Canadian Tuxedo. This species is comprised of variations of denim on denim and can be found mostly along the Queen West area of Toronto. It normally comes out during random weekday afternoons and likes to hunt for speciality organic coffees and vegan foods. You might also find it in the right lane on a bicycle riding dangerously close to your car, slowing you down without fear of being hurt. A very unaware specimen it is. Keep an eye out for the Canadian tux and remember never discuss your car or big box grocery stores in its presence.

The Big Photoshoot: October in July

I'm truly truly grateful that you all have been checking in regularly, only to find that I've taken a bit of a hiatus....oops, but I promise the break has been all for valid fashion reasons. For the past little while I have been working on conceptualizing, styling and helping to organize and  a major editorial spread for the October issue of SHE Canada magazine (www.shemagazine.ca). I have to say the day of the shoot was THE professional highlight for me thus far, it was a great day that validated all the risks I took to switch careers and turn my life upside down in my late 20s (a story I will surely share with you once the ending is written, right now we're still in the beginning chapters). I worked my butt off along with the rest of the SHE Canada dream team (Priya and Liz) but more importantly we reached out to a talented, hard working team who really made magic happen.

I cannot wait until the images hit the newsstands, but until then I have compiled a few BTS shots (instagram pics I took/stole, obvs) with a bit of my own commentary, to show you what the experience was truly like. The shoot took place on a scorching Tuesday in July, on a rooftop in Toronto, with the incomparable fashion photog Renata Kaveh (check out her work here), it was a true privilege to watch her do her thang', her passion was absolutely contagious! We featured two models: Shaifali from Elite and Delia from Next - both who rocked the ish out of the clothes! Justine Mcknight was the make-up artist, that woman can do wonders with her arsenal of palettes, brushes and q-tips and Danika Cahill did her divine signature hair style, that battled the fierce winds and won each time. Really could not have asked for a better synergy. The creative direction for the shoot was Tim Burtonesque meets Fall 2012 trends meets glamazons (lol I suck at explaining my concepts but I can see it in my head). 

Oh and ofcourse, the CLOTHES- we featured a mix of designers both Canadian and otherwise (including Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant, McQueen, Acne) but my favourite were the VAWK pieces. Another highlight, I got a chance to meet Sunny Fong, the Canadian designer behind the beautiful VAWK clothes and I can only hope we did his clothes justice (me thinks he will likey :)

It was an amazingly fulfilling day, I loved the adrenaline, the dynamism and creativity behind it all, when my head hit the pillow that night I can only describe it as a feeling of happy-tired....and I'm still happy-tired.


Here are a few pics from behind the scenes:

Renata doin' her thanggg

Stunning

Me in the middle in work mode and models off duty

Outfit Post: Yellow Blazin Goodness

Generally speaking, I don't normally spend more then $49.95 on one item at H&M- it's a matter of principle really. But when I saw this cropped bright yellow blazer, all my principles went out the window so quickly that I almost was embarrassed for myself! But no regrets, I am in love! And note the top underneath the blazer is my DIY top :)
Here is the outfit breakdown:
Blazer - H&M $60
Pants - Zara $50
Clutch - French Connection $30 (on sale)

Summer 2012 Must Haves!

SUMMER 2012 MUST HAVES!

Striped dress / French Connection military tank top / Low top / Topshop / Zara zip pants / Warehouse cropped capri pants, $39 / Fringe shoes / ALDO high heel sandals / Rebecca Minkoff studded clutch, $220 / Oasis stretch jewelry, $19 / ALDO jewelry / American Apparel see through shades / Elizabeth and James tortoise sunglasses / summer decor honeysuckle pink mustard yellow pastel flower photography...

         As summer is in full swing, and a HOT one at that (here in Toronto at least) I've been compiling a mental list of summer staples for 2012 - don't fret, you don't need to buy all of these but in the event you're in the mood to shop, keep an eye out for some of the items pictured above to update your summer wardrobe instantly! And because I follow my own advice (always and without fail, I swear) - I'll be showcasing some of these trends in future outfit posts, can't wait!
       I've created 3 outfits using all the "must-haves", but really you can mix and match and easily create many more outfits. Now keep in mind that the clothes above are definitely more casual day-time wear, but some of the combinations can transfer easily into evening fun (ie: floral pants with wedges).
Here is a breakdown of each outfit:
1.) Floral pants, Aldo Brown Wedges, Sleeveless collared top
2.) White flowy tank, Zara loose pants in pink, lots of arm candy, long chain necklace, and tribal flats (please throw out your gladiators)
3.) Striped Maxi dress, Rebecca Minkoff neon cross body bag, Denim Vest (best to thrift this), 
And the sunglasses are the fun cat-eye glasses which I absolutely love (left is American Apparel $ and right is Elizabeth and James $$$).


Which of these are your fav? And do you already have some of these? Hope this helps you shop this summer!

Outfit Post: Resort-Minus the Resort-Wear

Got these new pants from Zara over the weekend, (retail $49) and I couldn't wait to wear them! They are lineny, front-pleated white pants with gold zippers and a whole lot of amazingness. I am in love with this style of pant(s?), and Zara seems to have a large selection in all different colours - however they do sell out fast which I found out the hard way, because I initially went to get the hot pink, more silky ones with gold zippers and they were sold out everywhere. SO get them when you see them! These pants are so versatile, you will definitely be seeing them in future posts
And the top is a STEAL from H&M for $10!The bangles are from Le Chateau from 2 years ago, cost about $40 together.
All in all this outfit makes me feel very resort chic, the weather here in Toronto is SO HOT that it could pass for a resorty city :)
This season's resort wear is quite loose fitting and flowy as it tends to be usually. I absolutely LOVE that about resort collections, the casual chicness of it all. As you can see my other outfits here and here, I love it when comfort and style meet. You could say thats a major fashion goal for me ;)


Anyone else into resort-minus the resort-wear?