DIY [SASS & BIDE] DRAPED FABRIC DRESS

New Years Eve is fast approaching and I have nothing to wear. Well, not nothing per se, but most girls know what I mean when I say that. I was wondering what I could do about my outfit since my plans are still not yet decided and Sydney isn't seeming so desirable this New Years with drinking bans in certain areas and loads of pubs closing early. I was browsing the internet when I came across a dress on the Sass and Bide website that I saw a few months ago that got my DIY juices pumping and decided that it would be my next project and my NYE outfit.

I love the simplicity of this dress from the Sass & Bide 'Seekerstate' collection. I love its sweeping, ethereal and modern look and the way the dress has been styled in the second picture with the fabric bunched closely together and I think that is how I will end up styling my piece.

At the fabric store I wanted to find a nice, sheer, sweeping neon material like the kind used on the dress. I couldn't find anything neon but would you believe what I found instead? A pink and purple ombre chiffon fabric on special for $11.50 per metre? In case you haven't been following my ombre endeavours of late I recently did a how-to on ombre denim here and a few days ago I did a balayage/ombre experiment on my hair, which you can find here. Clearly ombre is a theme for me at the moment, and I had a little chuckle when I saw the fabric at the store while thinking 'what are the odds?'. So in keeping with my ombre obsession I thought it might be a nice interpretation of the Sass and Bide dress, which any of you can easily throw together as well. Follow me...

You'll need:
- 2 metres sheer draping fabric - mine is polyester but silk would also be nice
- Pins
- Sewing machine/needle and thread
- Scissors
- A white dress with a higher neckline would work better than low-cuts

How to:
1. Hem both selvedges (edge of a fabric that is woven tightly so that it will not fray) of your fabric by folding it once, ironing and folding again, ironing and stitching with your needle and thread or sewing machine.

2. Pin both sewn selvedges to the top of the collar line and do your gathering from this section so you can see how much needs to be gathered as you're doing it.

Run a needle and knotted thread across from one side to the other, doing stitches about 2-3cm apart. When you reach the end rehang your dress on a hanger and gather by pulling the end of the thread through. When you think the fabric has been gathered enough tie a knot in the thread and then unpin fabric.

Needle and thread through from one side to the other; gather by pulling.

3. Lay the dress flat on a table (normal side out) and then lay your fabric with the wrong side facing up and place it upside down with the gathers at the bottom (like picture). Lay the corners of the gathered fabric around the neckline and pin it down. Make sure that if you have used a thread that is visible that you pin ABOVE it so that when you flip the fabric after stitching it down it won't be seen. Flip the fabric and check it to see how it looks (picture 3). Stitch as close to the hem of the collar so that the fabric looks like it is sewn from the very top.

Step 3

4. Flip your fabric over and make sure to sew up any loose little sections that may be hanging out and to also cut any visible extra fabric from the part underneath.
5. Finally hem the bottom of the fabric either by hand or sewing machine.

Done! You'll need to fiddle around with how it sits when you place a belt on. So that's my NYE outfit sorted now. Word for the wise: anyone who is wanting to try this I feel it's necessary to say that this project took a few hours as it was fiddly. But the end result was worth it. I'll be doing a proper outfit post of my look tomorrow.

DIY INSPIRATION [PROENZA SCHOULER] NEON STRIPE BAG

When I first sighted the Proenza Schouler neon stripe handbags a few months back in a magazine I was having one of those days where I'd left my phone at home and therefore felt naked. I felt a little shaken and unsure because if I found a picture of something I loved I'd quickly take a photo of it on my iPhone. At the time, all I had was my notebook and a pen so I quickly doodled a picture of it (and when I say quickly I mean in about 1 minute). I actually quite like the doodling of items I find inspiring. I guess it makes me feel a little less guilty about not drawing as often as I used to.

Being a photography graduate one of the big discussions among students and teachers was how with the changing technology of mobile photography that everybody is capable of being a 'photographer' and how we are all becoming a bit reliant on our mobiles when there is something we just HAVE to capture. There is this idea that we now take a photo so the mind can forget the memory. I made a pledge to myself that day when I forgot my phone to doodle down my inspirations, whatever they may be. I think it will get my creative juices flowing better, aid my memory and will help when I'm trying to plan out how to do a DIY.

With all that said I am planning on recreating this bag with some spray paint and some fabric. Stay tuned.

My drawing - with some Photoshop colouring in

Quite clearly the real deal

PATERSON'S CURSE

Here is a bit of inspiration for Friday. In the latest issue of Russh I came across a shoot featuring Aussie Top Model Runner-Up Cassi Van Den Dungen (who had a baby recently, would you believe?). Considering she has now become infamous for wanting to 'stay at home with her boyfriend' I'm not surprised how well she has pulled this spread off. The girl is a natural talent. The spread is rough, dry, raw and uber-cool. The mixture of roughed-up suits, neutral colour palette, wind-blown dresses and natural wind-in-the-hair style is perfectly suited to the country outback setting. And lord knows, I'm a sucker for ranch style fashion shoots. The spread makes me think of the video clip for 'Longest Road' by Deadmau5 featuring Lissie, which you can see here.

KALEIDOSCOPIC TRAVEL

Hey everyone. I'm in the final two weeks of my university degree. Last two weeks FOR GOOD, that is. Then I'll be free forever to be working on the blog and LAUNCHING the store. It's all pretty exciting.

As you can imagine, I'm so busy and haven't had the time to do shoots for other looks and things that will be available in the store, but I have been working on a little series of pictures.

The basic idea behind this work is based on something someone said to me or I read somewhere before going away to India back in July; that 'India is a kaleidoscope of colours'... So I've grabbed a whole heap of my holiday snaps (there about 2500 photos altogether) and taken that one sentence and literally abstracted my holiday photos into little works of kaleidoscopic art. A fun and interesting take on the idea of a holiday snap. I was doing it for fun really but the response has been really positive and some people are interested in buying some!

If you are interested in purchasing one or more please drop me an email at this address: thebeardedladyvintage@gmail.com.

So without further ado, here are a few. To see them all check out my Facebook profile here. I also have an art blog, which, if you're interested in having a perve at please click here. Enjoy!