Cool Images - FFFFOUND!

If you haven't heard of FFFFOUND! (and I hadn't, just cuz I'm last to hear about everything) head on over there and browse around. I fell in and couldn't get out for hours. And all while I should be sleeping to try and get over the most godawful cold known to Mankind. The images just made my jaw drop. Seriously. Big time sink. Love it.

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And the Winner of the Post #150: Makeup Bag Giveaway is...

Well, chickadees, it's taken me a little longer than I thought to total up the entries...a staggering 109 of them, to be exact! Thank you so much to all who entered (sure beats the hell out the entries for my first giveaway at post #50...6 people entered!) and a triple thank you to all my new followers and friends of followers who stopped by to check this blog out. And now, drumroll please...as chosen by Random.org, the winner is:

Entry #97: hondaray6

The winner has been notified and thank you to everyone...stay tuned for another giveaway at post #200...I'm heading to Japan for August so I shall pick up some Japanese fashion and accessory goodies while there!

Congratulations hondaray6!!

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A Peek at My Design Inspiration Collages

So, with my last post on that DIY skully cutout tee I forgot to post the photo of the original Barak shirt. Well here it is below, in all its glory, straight out of one of my "inspiration collages:"

(clockwise in a tightening spiral, from top left: E.Y. Wada handpainted top, Saya Hibino ring and Sydney Evan bird necklace, Stella McCartney silk dress, Chloe tank, Sportmax tank, Richard Chai tank dress, I forgot striped dress, Barak cutout skull tee, Sweetface by Jennifer Lopez dress, I forgot handbag, Calma rhinestone top, JLo by Jennifer Lopez red top, Miguelina halter top, I forget leather belt, Pretty Little Thing heart neacklace)

I cut out and save every single photo I see in a magazine that features a product/accessory/article of clothing that I am in love with -whether it's just "oh that's so cool!" or if it provokes me to start thinking design-wise in a new direction or come up with an idea, or if I just want to DIY it myself. (Okay, I'm completely insane. I've been doing it since, oh, 1998, and I've lugged my ten-pound box of cutouts from Japan, to Philadelphia, to Honolulu, and now, here to settle in Portland, OR...at least for the time being *smirk*) I've become a really good rip-off artist, I must admit - thanks to my vast collection of inspiration! *sheepishly evil laugh* The majority of my photos in the collages come from Lucky (my English bible) and Vivi (my Japanese bible), along with smatterings of whatever I feel is cool and interesting...and what I have a subscription to (usually U.S. Vogue, InStyle, Marie Claire, S-Cawaii, JJ, CanCam, AneCan, and GLAMOROUS...I refuse to cut up my Goth-Loli mags). The photos may be kind of dated, but anyway I keep going back to the collages again when I feel all "designed-out," and just want to look at some pretty pictures. And when I want another idea for a quick and easy DIY.

(clockwise, from upper left in a tightening spiral: Bing Bang chain necklace, Gilfy slit up shirts, Gilfy weird English shirts with my own notes, Turtle eyelet tank, Co-Existance shredded sweater-dress (I am soooo scouring Goodwill for a similar sweater to sacrifice!!), Mint silk chiffon tunic, I forgot studded skull tee)

Do any of you have a go-to source for inspiration - something that gets the creative juices flowing?

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DIY Cutout Skully Tee

I've been hankering after a cutout skull tee since I saw some in last year's S-Cawaii Magazine (Japanese) from the brand Barak (nothing to do with Prez Obama, I assure you). Trendy Tokyo girls wearing pastel-colored lightweight tees with skull-shaped cutouts over striped tees? Lovely! (And ironically, Childhood Flames' posted her own DIY cutout skull tee inspired by a Pleasure Principle shirt a few months later that had the blogosphere all agog.) How did I go about making mine? (Okay, I know, it's kind self-explanatory, but...Keep reading...)


Regardless of who was first and all that rubbish (likely Barak ripped it off from Pleasure Principle, though they probably took it from the cutout skully tees from the 80's that just about every hair metal band had back then...), I decided to make my own Barak-style tee, with two el cheapo tees from Target (the striped one, incidentally, is not sewn from striped fabric...the fabric was actually screenprinted with a striped pattern and then sewn together. Like that was cheaper for the manufacturers than actually sourcing a black-and-white stretch striped fabric. Sheesh.) Though I'm technically a Medium, I bought a large for my skully tee, so it will be loose enough to drape over the second layer. Here is the skull that I drew for my pattern: (right click to save each drawing, and print out landscape format on 2 8.5" x 11" pieces of paper. Line up each paper under your tissue-wight tee, trace the outlines lightly with a pencil or a fabric pen, and cut with fabric scissors! Couldn't be easier!)

I also tried layering it over a black tee for a more Gothic look, and a white tank for a summery ensemble. You could also try with just a bra if you're daring!

Have fun cutting and slicing!

-Carly J. Cais

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80's Sunglasses in all thier Blinged-Up Glory: StevieBoi.com

Now, hip-hop style is probably as far from my personal style as one could get...but once I saw these fabulously outrageous (sun?)glasses from StevieBoi I totally wish I could rock these styles out... starting at $15 on StevieBoi.com. I'd be willing to don a dark hoodie, (re-)pierce my tongue, wrap myself in a stuffed hologram snake necklace...

Okay, maybe not. As seen in Q Magazine, Obvious Magazine, and Vibe & Gutter Magazine.

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Don't Buy, DIY On-Trend Ombre

Ever since candy-colored ombre tights strolled down the Lacroix Spring 2008 Couture runway (top left; bottom right), the fashion blogosphere has been atwitter: check out Fashionista's DIY ombre tights tutorial; BrightestYoungThings; Nelliina (in Finnish, but gorgeous pix!); BurdaStyle's how-to; and The Coveted. Tie-dye's sophisticated older sister has also proved a fun and fresh way to upgrade summer whites and chic solids.

However, the gradient- or dip-dying process is so labor intensive that the pricetags can be less than breezy, which is why you might want to save some cash and try doing it yourself.

Ready? Here's what you'll need to know:

1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT ITEM TO DYE For your first attempt, keep it simple by choosing something white. The fabrics that best take dye are natural: 100% cotton, linen, rayon, wool, and silk. At the very least, make sure the fabric content includes at least 50% of one of these dyeable fibers, and avoid the following: anything 100% polyester, acrylic, or labeled "COLD WATER WASH" OR "DRY CLEAN ONLY".

2. PROPER PREPARATION It's important to get rid of any stains or surface dirt, so be sure to pre-wash - however, there's no need to dry it. Fill up a tub large enough to accommodate whatever you're dying; follow the dye instructions to determine if the water should be cold, warm, or hot. Wet the article of clothing thoroughly, and wring out any excess water. And lest you want ombre'd hands, don't forget to put on gloves!

3. CHOOSE YOUR OMBRE EFFECT For white-to-color, create two variations on a single color - eg. light green and dark green - and pour into two separate dyebaths. Take the top part of your garment that is to remain undyed, and clip to a plastic clothes hanger. Dip the end of your item in the lighter color, submerging 2/3 into the dyebath; swish back and forth for 2-10 minutes, depending on how dark you want the lighter color to be (remember: colors look darker when wet!). Then submerge 2/3 of the dyed section into the darker color. Alternatively, set up three dyebaths containing three variations of the same color, and dip in the same order: 1. Light; 2. Medium; 3. Dark. For example, start with Evening Blue (your Light color), then dip 2/3 of the Evening Blue section in Royal Blue (Medium), and finally, dip 2/3 of the Royal Blue section in Navy (Dark). As you dip, let gravity help with blending the colors. To use more than a single color, choose colors that, when mixed, create a pretty third color - for example, yellow and pink mix together to create coral. First dip 2/3 of the garment in Color #1, then turn it upside down and dip 2/3 of it into Color #2 - the overlapped 1/3 will automatically create Color #3 (in the center). For a Diane von Furstenberg inspired look (top runway photo, bottom left), try yellow, pink, and dark orange. Dip-dye 1/3 of the garment with Color #1. Turn it upside down, and dip 2/3 into Color #2. Re-dip the bottom 1/3 in the darkest color #3. The result: 3 separate colors, fading artfully into one another.

4. RINSE Rinse according to the dye instructions, starting from the undyed or lightly-dyed section in the direction you want the dye to concentrate. For 2- or 3- color dye jobs, keep the garment horizontal to the faucet and spray water on the surface instead.

5. MAKE IT PERMANENT Dry according to the dye package instructions, and the next time you wash your item, prevent any dye bleeding onto the rest of your laundry by washing in cold water - or, even better, hand-washing.

HELPFUL HINTS Prefer to watch instead of read? Check out this quirky Ombre Dying Video from EdiesFashionFactory. Dig good ole' paper? Dyes & Paints: A Hands-On Guide to Coloring Fabric is one of the most comprehensive guides on fabric dyeing and painting techniques. (Finally, a solution on how to spruce up that old t-shirt in the back of your closet!) Additionally, the RIT Dye website features yet more dyeing tips, tricks, and answers to common questions.

Still have questions? Email me at CarlyJCais AT FashionTribes.com. Otherwise, happy DIY-ing!

- Carly J. Cais

(photos: runway top left - Lacroix Couture Spring 2008; top right - Burberry Prorsum; bottom left: DVF; bottom right - Lacroix Couture; all Style.com; Ombre how-to demos - all Edie's Fashion Factory)

(originally posted on FashionTribes.com)

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Lilo DIY Dress

(DIY jersey dress, DIY ripped tights, YKK necklace, Claire's necklace, cuff, and bracelets; White House/Black Market stone cuff, Loop boxing glove handbag, charcoal Doc Martins)

This dress was inspired by one I saw Lindsay Lohan wearing in an issue of Marie Claire (2003? memory fails...) True to form, I also completely forgot the designer of the dress, but fell in love with it regardless. (Can anyone help me out?)
So, true to form, I decided to make one myself. 6 years later, it's finally done! (Actually, I only started making it in earnest about a year ago, then kind of slowed down once I got to the chiffon trim on the sleeve openings - I tried raw-edged chiffon, but it fell apart, and I was feeling somewhat hopeless until I found some chiffon trim at Jo-Ann Fabrics.) I sewed every single pearl and the rhinestone trim on by hand. After many countless hours of late-night TV sewing (thank you Whatever Martha! and Gossip Girl) I realized it was a little too short for my comfort, and so added a little of the chiffon trim to the bottom. I also added side panels of fabric to prevent bra showage etc.

A close-up of the detail on the dress. The zipper-style necklace I received when I was in New York covering Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week for FashionTribes.com - I had to display my press pass on the necklace - which even zips up, just as a YKK zipper should!

This Loop bag is the coolest thing...I mean, who else would make a bronze bag shaped like a boxing glove?? It even has a chunky gold tooth attached to it.

DIY ripped tights tutorial here!

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