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Sunday, 18 March 2012

First Outfit I Have Made From Scratch...

Hey guys,

So I've been busy with a project recently for college entitled 'soft tailoring.' I had to research current trends for spring/summer 2012 and I ended up with a mood board based on safari mixed with industrial. We had 3 fabrics to work with: White linen, beige linen and a toffee coloured polyester/lycra blend. I designed tons of outfits but this is the one I decided on. It has taken roughly about 30 hours to make (bear in mind I haven't made anything all by myself before) but apparantly the finish is very good so I am really pleased with the end result and I worked agonisingly, shedding blood, sweat and tears. (bit of an exaggeration, but there were tears) Anyway here is the end result. I only used the white and toffee fabrics as there was a good contrast between colour and texture, with the linen being very ridged and structured, and the polyester/lyrca being very 'drapey'...




Those shorts, although very cute, were the bain of my life, especially the fly opening, that took 5 hours to do as I needed help and the tutor had other students too.

Just about to do another post, a haul to be exact so look out for that.

Any requests? Let me know in the comments :)

Belle xx

Wednesday, 1 February 2012

How To: Alter Your Current Wardrobe For S/S 2012...

Hey guys!
I came up with this post during class yesterday and I've been itching to write it since then. Being a little strapped for cash despite having a Saturday job (I'm a bit of a shopaholic...) I was thinking about how I was going to inject some of the Spring/Summer 2012 trends into my wardrobe on a limited budget. So in this post I'm going to show you some of the trends this season and how you can cut, sew, and haberdasher your way into the warm season.

We'll start with the most unforgiving trend - Bra Tops:




Now for this trend, take a structured top and cut it about 7cm (or your desired length plus hemming amount) below the bust. Then simply hem the top and voila!

You could also shorten a t-shirt if you prefer the Crop Top trend.

Twenties:



Take a dress (preferably one that's a little boxy) that you normally belt at the waist and use a skinny belt to belt it low on the hips - instant drop waistline with no cutting necessary!


Hot Pants:




This trend was big this year! For this trend, cut some tight jeans or trousers to your desired length. (Make sure you don't cut them too short as you can always take more off - You also don't want to end up with your butt hanging out.) You can choose whether to turn them up or leave them to fray. If you really want to follow the trend closely, cut them so that they finish just at the top of your legs. If they are high-waisted, even better!

Asymmetric Hemlines:






This one might take some more advanced skills but this one involves altering the hem so that the front is higher than the back. You can always go to a tailor if you are worried about messing it up.


Cut Out Shoulders:



For this trend, take a blouse, cut out the shoulders and finish the raw edges.

Fringe:




You can buy lengths of fringe from haberdashery shops. You can decide whether to insert it into the seam or overlay on a skirt. I personally think it looks best when the fringe is a lot longer than the skirt, but that is your personal preference.

Lace:



I am going to say the same as the fringe for this one, as you can buy it from most haberdashery and fabric shops. Simple overlay it onto a fabric of the same colour to really nail the trend. White lace is the most popular choice.

Peplums:


Peplums are probably the biggest trend I have seen this season. For a quick and easy take on this trend, try attatching (or even temporarily pinning) a short, flared skirt around the waist of a similar coloured shift dress or pencil  skirt.

Wide Shorts:


Take last years palazzo pants or chinos and shorten them to knee length or mid calf. Simple!


Thankyou very much for reading and I hope that I have given you some useful tips!

See you on my next post,

Belle x

Disclaimer: All images were found on Google Images, and I am sorry if I have used your image without permission!

Monday, 2 January 2012

Welcome...

Hey there :)

Welcome to my fashion and beauty blog: 'Secrets From The Sewing Box'.

I hope that you'll enjoy my posts and feel free to request or give ideas for blog posts.

See you on my next post!
Belle xx