DIY Sheer Skirt

I adore this skirt from Chloe SS11 ready to wear (in fact I love the whole ballet inspired collection) and I think it would be so easy to make with some sheer net and a ribbon waistband. And don't you think the net sleeves of the shirt are really cool? Also very DIYable.

Image: Style.com

DIY is all in the details...

So I may be about ten years late to this party but I recently stumbled upon the Details gallery on Style.com, and spent the rest of the afternoon marvelling at the close up shots of the recent AW11 collections. I started to wonder why I ever bothered with the full length pics! Soooo much DIY inspiration in the close up pics, these are some of my favourites from the Proenza Schouler collection.  One of the best shows of AW11 it has to be said. It inspires me to make some woven wool embellished heels, a wrapped blanket dress and a belted woolen blanket clutch.

DIY On the Runway - Sass and Bide AW11

The tribal inspired brights on the runway for the Sass & Bide AW11 show were absolutely amazing - take note if you plan on going on a safari anytime soon. One DIYable detail of the show that particularly caught my eye was the imaginative draping and belting of colorful scarves over mini dresses. I have to say that unfortunately Sass & Bide is a little out of my price range these days (having come so far from being the only jeans that I would wear as a 15 year old) so I am definitely going to be seeking out a technicolour scarf and belting it over a simple mini dress.

DIY Prada SS11 Banana Earrings

I am addicted to the stripes and banana print Prada SS11 collection, and thanks to my friend over at South Molton Street Style I am totally inspired to make myself some Prada inspired banana earrings as worn by Miuccia Prada on the runway. Can't find little plastic bananas like I did in my local market? (Mine were attached to silly plastic hair bands and I just cut them off). Just use some yellow bananas out of a bag of mixed lollies! May not last more than one wear, but are very fun and could be a sweet treat when you get hungry! I'll show you an outfit pic of me wearing the finished product. I also really like the striped black and pink fabric in the Prada collection, am definitely going to make a bodycon skirt out of a similar fabric this weekend. Also, you may have noticed the poll in the right hand column. I sometimes wonder what you guys want to see more of, so please check the box based on what you think. Share the love and DIY! x

DIY Acne Sheer Cut Out Back Dress

I posted a few days ago about the amazingness that was the Acne AW11 show, and found this pic by Hanelli of the back of one of my favourite ensembles, what a DIYable back detail. Take a tee, cut out the back and replace with sheer fabric. Gorgeous.

DIY Jil Sander Market Bag

My lovely friend Natalie of Canned Fashion recently drew my attention to the Jil Sander SS11 market bag - a plastic shopping bag that looks very much like a, ummmm, plastic shopping bag. Is this not the ultimate homage to trashion? As much as I would love to go out and buy this bag - for US$100 mind you, its similarity to a shopping bag from Sainsburys has put a stop to my longing. Why not DIY your own by recycling your plastic bags?

Images: The Satorialist, Net-a-porter

Even Jason Wu DIYs!

Ok so after I wrote this title I realised how stupid it sounded - of course Jason Wu DIYs, except for him its called DESIGNING and he's obviously effing brilliant at it. Oh well, was very excited to stumble across these images of Jason Wu in his studio adding the lace to his AW11 collection - in exactly the same way that I recommended you do in this post. Ok so obviously that's not an accomplishment as he obviously thought of it first, but happy to see that we're on the same wave length. Do. It. Yoself.

Image: Jak & Jil

DIY Pearl Belt

Strands of pearls as belts. More LFW runway inspiration that gets me dying to DIY.

Image: The Style Crusader

DIY on the Runway - Acne AW11

The first of the LFW AW11 collections are coming through, and I can't help but feel that I am liking what I'm seeing more than I did at NYFW. Sorry NYers! The Acne show was gorgeous, such amazing colours and textures, leather and chiffon. I love the subtle layering of sheer fabric under leather and over skinny leg cut off pants. A bit of DIY inspiration there!

Image: Style.com

DIY on the Runway - Peplum Skirts

Like every good blogger around this time of year I've been busy trawling Style.com for the best runway shows, and for me its all about the DIY. I love the shows and the designs but what I really want to know if 'how the ef can I do this myself??!" Anyways, expletives aside, spotted these gorgeous peplum skirts in the Marc Jacobs and Preen NYFW shows and was immediately inspired to DIY. I am in the middle of making one as we speak so you'll see it shortly. How would you make yours?

Images: Style.com

DIY Jason Wu AW11 with Peony and Michelle

Ummmm is it just me or has Peony Lim channeled the recent Jason Wu AW11 collection perfectly - only thing is I am pretty sure this image was taken by the beautiful and talented Michelle of Who is Bobb Parris a while before yesterdays show... talk about setting the trends! If you haven't seen Peony's blog head there now - I am sure we will be seeing lots of her in the coming weeks!

Images: Who Is Bobb Parris and Style.com

DIY on the Runway - Jason Wu AW11

Yay! Fashion week has arrived along with all the amazing DIY inspiration. Whats not to love about this Jason Wu show? Have been inspired on so many levels to DIY - thought I would share a few of my ideas with you!

These gorgeous bow ties are amazing - take some black ribbon and tie a bow around the neck of a collared blouse. Use velvet ribbon for an extra luxe feel.

Love the lace applique - take some lace fabric and cut out some individual pieces - glue or stitch onto dresses, tops and skirts.

Glue some scalloped lace onto sleeves of a blazer or sweater.

These silk bubble skirts are to die for! Make one using my DIY tutorial here that I did for a maxi skirt, cutting off into a mid length skirt.

DIY Crystal Stone Necklace

I am extremely excited about all the upcoming runway shows throughout fashion month, particularly due to the DIY inspiration that always results. I took one look at these beautiful pics on Anywho from the recent Veronica B. Vallenes show and knew the stone necklace being sported by the models was a definitely DIY. As if by fate I went over to Lamma Island today for a hike, and came across this market stall selling the most amazing stones for next to nothing. Bought a few bits and pieces so look forward to some serious massive-rock-on-neck jewellery in future. Will pick up some delicate chains and maybe some coil to bind it all together.

Can't wait to get crafty!

DIY Details on the Runway - Dries Van Noten SS11

I love coming across a collection that is so heavily inspired by DIYable details. This beautiful Dries Van Noten collection shot by Tommy Ton has so much DIY I don't know where to start.
Key DVN details to DIY:

• Keep tying your oversized collared mens shirts as skirts (bloggers have been doing it for a while - art imitating life perhaps?)
• Dipped bleached denim - bleach your denim shirts and jeans by dipping into bleach. Leave for a while in the bleach to get the very white on blue look.
• Deconstructed jackets - still a favourite, attach different sleeves to a jacket.

DIY on the Runway - Balmain SS11

Just when you thought studs, zips, safety pins and the like had been done to death, the master of DIY inspired designs comes out with a collection that completely ups the ante. Just as he inspired a million studded blazers in 2009, I can foresee a major punk safety pin trend taking off again. Whilst not highly original, it makes it easy for DIY enthusiasts like me (and you hopefully) to be on trend! My favourite outfit is the second one down - all back with silver embellishments on the shoulders and arms of the blazer. DIY that shiz!

Heres a few things to take away from this collection:

• Safety pins are back (again). go.buy.now. spray paint gold or black and attach to thrifted blazers to emphasise shoulders
• Black paint applied haphazardly to blood red jeans is killer
• Red, black and denim together is the way of the future
• Keep your denim cut offs, maybe even rip them a little more?
• Destroyed tees are still on the radar.

Hmm after writing that list I am concerned that there is nothing new or original that I haven't blogged about in the past, can you see anything else DIYable? Is this collection killer or a  re-hash?
Update: Have slept on it and decided I am in love....

Images: Knight Cat, Studded Hearts, Le Fashion

DIY Sleeveless Trench

Cut the sleeves off a thrifted trench, glue on lace applique. (look much more happy wearing it than this girl does...)

Image: Studded Hearts

DIY Runway - House of Holland Fringed Belt

Head down to your local craft store, or if you live in London - the craft stall at your local street markets (Chapel Street / Walthamstow High Street / Ridley Road etc etc) and buy some fringing - the longest you can find. Attach to a skinny belt like this. Wear with a mini dress or skirt. Try to make sure the fringing reaches past the hem of the skirt - although don't sacrifice skirt length to achieve this. Knickers are not a good look.

  I'll probably do mine in black - particularly given that unlike the catwalks we are about to go into winter... (grr fashion is so annoying sometimes).

Image: Style.com

DIY Runway - Topshop Unique Body Jewellery

Really like this body necklace on the girls at Topshop Unique SS11. Kind of reminds me of the necklace I blogged about here by Brook + Lyn. The Unique ones are made our of plaited leather - and look like an easy, but time consuming,  DIY.

Images: Style.com / Anywho

DIY New York Fashion Week Roundup

Instead of doing single posts I have decided to do one big wrap up from NY Fashion week - bearing in mind that we are going to be moving on swiftly to LFW (yay!)

DIY Silk Shoulders: Add some matching silk squares onto the shoulder of a basic knit or cardigan (Rebecca Taylor via Knight Cat)

DIY Bell Details: Sew some small indian bells onto a dress of skirt for a bohemian feel. (Vivienne Tam via Knight Cat)

DIY Red Velvet (not the hummingbird cupcake kind): This is not strictly a DIY buttt... trawl your local charity shop for red velvet. (via Go Backstage)

DIY Chain Fringed Sleeves: Buy a roll of chain from a craft or hardware store, cut similar lengthed strips and sew to the arms of a dress of long sleeved top to create fringed wings like the ones at Balmain (via Go Backstage)

DIY Wooly sleeves: Our penchant for capes this season (such as the one below from Asos) will mean that when the winter wind comes along (I think I felt it yesterday. sad face) it will probably find its way into our coats through the arm holes! arrgh! One way to combat this is to get yourself some armwarmers. Seen on the catwalk at Richard Chai (images via Go Backstage), these can be layered over short leather gloves for draft free layering. You can DIY your own by unpicking the end of a pair of (unworn) knee high socks and scrunching them down your arms.

DIY Chain Embellished jacket: Glue some chain onto a jacket or dress to emphasise the panelling. (Balmain via Go Backstage)

DIY Rope Belt: Tie a double sailors knot in the middle of pieces of thick rope and secure at the back. (Go Backstage)

DIY Broach Embellished Bag: Attach lots of broaches or detailed buttons to a bag (both can be found at charity shops for next to nothing). (via Go Backstage)

DIY Embellished Dress: Take a whole heap or buttons, flowers, ribbon, bells and basically anything you can find in browns, blacks, golds and bronze - and attach to a dress of top in this way.  (via Go Backstage)