Hot Pink, Shimmering Gold And Gothic Romance.

Here we are. It's Thursday. London Fashion Week is done and we're onto Milan Fashion week. Celebrities are being spotted, and street style is being  photographed. Designers continue to show a bit of everything, classy to wacky. And I'm loving it!

Unfortunately, I live in Canada and I'm broke, so I can't actually go to London or Milan. But I can experience it from afar, via the internet, and a wonderful website; style.com, where you can see full collections from every fashion show, right away. The fall/winter collections for this year are stunning. And I've noticed a few trends that I can't wait to try out!

One trend is a colour that's been lighting up runways, left, right, and centre!  Hot pink is hot for fall and I for one am looking forward to injecting a splash of fluorescent femininity into my wardrobe.

But what goes with hot pink other than the obvious choices of black and white? Well,Twenty 8 Twelve, shows that purple pairs quite nicely when done in  an equally vibrant shade.

What I would also put with hot pink (because, why not?) would be something in metallic gold! And gold has be ALL OVER the runways lately. We've seen it as hardware on skirts and bags at Burberry Prorsum;

Dramatic evening gowns by Giles;

And elegant embroidery from Marchesa.

Of course, there must be a contrast to these brighter looks, and there is.  Also gracing the catwalk at London  Fashion Week were quite a few dark, gothic looks.

This is what I love about fashion; with every season, there's so much creativity and inspiration!  And there's always great new trends! 

I'm Back! And I'm Busy.

Wow. I've been gone a while.

I had first semester exams, and I was really busy with those. Thankfully they"re done now.

So NOW what's keeping me busy is my college applications. I'm applying to fashion design programs at various schools, and for the one I have to send in a supplemental package.

In that package I have to include some fashion illustrations. One evening wear design, a casual skirt and top combo, a casual pants and top combo and then a design of my choice.

So far, my ideas for the evening wear include these dresses.

That last one would be made of black and white Chinese brocade, and would have silver coloured frog closures at the back. And, yes, her arm looks like an alien tentacle.

Happy Hand-Me Downs!

I wasn't kidding when I said that I'm always getting old clothes from friends. Just today I received 2 grocery bags filled with stuff! Like, a LOT of STUFF. And I can't wait to see what I can do with it all!

So I brought the bags inside, and Skyler and I went through them.

Skyler just dug straight to the bottom of the bag.

The verdict on what we found is pretty much half and half. Some of it is really cute. Some of it will definitely have to be recycled/upcycled. Some of it is headed straight for the trash.

It's Christmas Morning!

It's early Christmas morning, and I'm so proud that I managed to finish all the gifts in time.

Dad's scarf is a bit worse for wear, as I had begun to run out of white yarn, so I had to use a lot more black, and as I  was close to finishing I realised I didn't know how to properly cast off. So I improvised a crocheted casting off. It looks.... asymmetrical...

I'm Knitting

This could be disastrous.

Thankfully, so far so good.

Since I'm broke, for Christmas, I'm making gifts. For my dad, I'm making a scarf. It will by mostly white but with a set of three stripes at each end.

I'm using 4 mm needles, and two different polyester yarns.  I started by casting on 40 stitches.

Tie-Dye T-Shirts Are Now a Dress!

This dress is so super cute! And it's so comfortable to wear! Maybe that's because it's made out of t-shirts.  T-shirts that I tie-dyed myself. I'm very proud of these t-shirts.  I dyed them in a crinkle pattern. That's exactly what it sounds like. I crinkled up the t-shirts and applied the dye in a random pattern. 

But then I realized, when am I going to wear these? The shirts I had were too big for me, and tie-dye t-shirts really aren't my style. 

But maybe a tie-dye dress would be.

Here's how I made it.

The InStyle Review (A.K.A. My Wish List)

I got the January issue of InStyle in the mail today!! Amanda Seyfried is on the cover. She looks a tad too photoshopped, in my opinion.

Her face, on the cover, just looks too... long? I don't know. maybe it's just me.

Despite her computer-aided appearance, I do love the dress and shoes that she's wearing in that photo.

Those SHOES!

Books,Treats, and Carol Burnett

Yesterday was lovely! Absolutely lovely! I got to sleep in, I got to eat a few french fries, and I had a wonderful dinner with my boyfriend, and my aunt and uncle. During said dinner, I was given gifts, I got to pet a cute doggie, and I got to watch a few episodes of The Carol Burnett Show.

Valentino S/S 2013

Ok, I know it isn't even close to being spring yet, but I finally got around to looking at the Valentino Spring/Summer collection for next year, and I am in LOVE!  I loved Valentino to begin with - the feminine shapes and florals and the girly class of it - and this collection has only perpetuated that affection!

First, the opening look for the collection

This is so simple, and so sexy; with the subtle cut-out lines that accent the models waist and long legs.  The collection also included a nude version of this dress, and one in navy that fell all the way to the floor. I don't usually go for spaghetti straps, but I'd wear this in a heartbeat!

Yoko Oh No!

This post is about Yoko Ono.

Now, being a member of the generation that I am, I don't really know all that much about Yoko Ono. I know that she dated John Lennon, apparently she kind of created a wedge between him and the rest of the band, and I know that she one posed for the cover of a magazine, being cuddled by her favourite, and very nude, Beatle.

Don't lie, you're glad I pix-elated it.

Holiday Trends I Love!

One of my favourite parts of the Christmas season is the chance to dress up in clothes I'd never wear any other time of the year.  For such a festive time, I like to dress in festive clothes.  These are some trends that I'd like to try this year.


Sequins -

For me, Christmas style is all about sparkle, and I love how sparkly sequins are! I would love to get a full sequin dress, like the blue on above, and wear it with black, opaque tights and black, platform heels.

Of course, for those who'd rather not clothe themselves in neck-to-knee glitter, there are plenty of gorgeous sequinned accessories, like that this beautiful red clutch.

Bleach Splattered Tank Top

This is another "upcycled" piece.  This tank top is made from a pair of old, black sweatpants that I'd splashed bleach on.  I'd only bought the pants to wear to work, and with the bleach marks I couldn't use them for that any more. So they sat around in a bin until I figured out what do to with them.

I finally figured out what to do with them.

It's A Panda Dress!

I just love -love, love, love, love, love, LOVE - recyclying and "upcycling" old clothes.  I think it's the best way to keep my wardrobe up to date while being kind to the earth and my wallet.

I still get hand-me-downs from cousins and friends, and a lot of the time I'll receive clothes that are nice but don't quite fit.  Or, equally as common, I'll get pieces that are almost in style but just need to have features either added or removed.  This is the case with a white blouse I got from my friend, about a year ago.

Fall Coloured Mini Skirt

I don't remember what pattern I used to make this skirt.  *Calls over shoulder* Cain! What pattern did I use to make this skirt?

 He doesn't know. He wasn't there.

Patent Polka Dot Pumps!!

So, this story starts with me, finding a metallic Sharpie marker.  I felt the need to make something with it. Something. Anything! Preferably having to do with my wardrobe.

What a Wonderful Waistcoat

Sorry. I kind of have a thing for alliteration.

But it is a wonderful waistcoat!

Another project from a couple years ago: I had finished everything else I was working on, and I was bored. 

White Eyelet Sundress

Another project from my 11th grade fashion class: an eyelet lace day dress. 

Inevitable

Am I the only one who finds this hilarious??  Like what is it that is “Inevitable”?

Is the idea “Mid-life crisis is inevitable”  Or “This is what inevitably happens to people who spend too much  time with Angelina Jolie (referring to the sad, scared, confused look on his face.”  Or “If you wear Chanel No 5, You will inevitably have sex with and/or become Brad Pitt”?  That last one sounds especially horrid, considering his recent mid-life crises that does not seem to be ending any time soon.

Upcycled T-Shirt Dress

The Insomniac Skirt

So, this is a skirt I made about a year ago, at 2:00 in the morning, after having too much coffee after dinner.

I just used scrap fabric, cut into strips ( each set longer than the next) and gathered slightly, with an elastic waistband.