// On making: Armadillo shrug

Posted on | January 10, 2010 | 8 Comments

The rest of the zippers I have left are slowly forming a small shrug piece. I used yesterday bit over two hours to pin half of it to place, just to see if I have enough material. And I do!

For me Armadillo shrug is more constructed shoulder piece than zipper piece. I tried to find some neat constructed shoulder stuff from London sales but with bad luck — all things I liked were wrong size, or did not fit me somehow. I try to make this one relatively simple. I hope that it can be slipped over tops but also over jackets to upgrade the shape. The shoulders will get some rigid tulle underneath if the stifness of zippers is not enough to keep them in shape. The sewing should force the shoulder to point upwards even more than in here. The whole thing looks still quite a mess, but it will hopefully arrange in more orderly way later when I’m actually sewing the zippers together.

Next stage is to lightly baste the thing together so that I can remove it from Lotta. Poor Lotta, there might be about 200 needles pinned on her right now. And then… …some handsewing. To be honest, I’m not waiting for that eagerly. But eventually it will be done — and many mediocre TV-series episodes watched while sewing…

Posted on | January 10, 2010 | 8 Comments

// The ugly truth

Posted on | January 9, 2010 | 4 Comments

The ugly truth about my outfits right now is that I don’t care about much else than warmth. And snow eligibility. So lots of wool, layers, scarves, sensible shoes. And I’m completely in black & grey rut. Don’t care about pretty. That is so counterintuitive — a person should fight with color against all this darkness?

Comme des Garçons H&M jacket (I love the unexpected skin exposure of this, deeply), two AA tanks, DIY mitts, leather cuffs from some small accessory boutique, All Saints pants (love ‘em, too, they are unapologetically ugly shaped), Doc Martens, minimal makeup, undone hair. I like this kind of ill-fitting — fitting, twisted variations of a suit and very subtle tonal plays: all other garments are cool toned — but the sheer burnout tank leans to warm gray. I really dig that AA sheer material. Ok, it is bit static, but it is so soft and super stretchy, great fot tying and twisting. And although it pills, it does it somehow pretty.

Posted on | January 9, 2010 | 4 Comments

// Fashionably linked: Links à la Mode

Posted on | January 9, 2010 | No Comments

links a la mode

Bring It On

Edited by Dream Sequins

My job as editor this week was difficult as many bloggers decided to follow the fierce directive of that cult cheerleading movie, Bring It On. It’s a new decade, and the IFB community decided to “bring it” and then some. (Just to clarify, I’m talking about the original movie starring Kirsten Dunst, and not the subsequent, watered down sequels; because as fashion bloggers, we all have original stories to tell!) This week’s links explore topics such as winter trends, vintage fur care, biker chic style revelations and profiles of 70s and 80s style icons and are so good that they make me want to lead the group in a cheer.

Links à la Mode : January 7th

39th and Broadway – NYC Brings Opportunity to Emerging Designers
A Typical Atypical – My style revolution takes me into the realm of the biker chick, and doesn’t look back!
amanda lee dot org – Essential sewing skills for wardrobe maintenance
Bobbins and Bombshells – Fashionable History – Airline Travel
DailyDivaDish – Indie jewelry designer Debra Mitchell’s newest piece: Tibet. Part of the new SALVAGE line, this necklace is convertible and each contains a piece salvaged from Tibet.
Darian Darling – The blonde fashion icon of every 80’s Hair Metal skank and rock star’s girlfriend!!
denimaniac – Woolrich Woolen Mills S/S 2010 Lookbook
Dream Sequins – A studio visit with designer Katie Gallagher
Fashion Pulse Daily – We Love Colors will fulfill your legwear fantasy, as Fashion Pulse Daily quickly discovers!
ferOHHHsh – Bryce d’Anice Aime S/S 2010 RTW … chic LBD’s, pops of red, and those spiked shoulders Rihanna made famous
Gotham Hipster – Once you’ve indulged in Babycakes there’s no going back
HiFashion – How to roller set your hair
Idiosyncratic Style – The Personal Style of Costume Designer, Melissa Stewart
Oranges and Apples – On the importance of critique in fashion blogging
Retro Chick – 5 New Years Resolutions you can’t fail to keep
sighsandwhispers – A history and analysis of the style of a notorious teenage groupie in the 70s, Lori Maddox
Style on a String – An interview with Judy Kou, owner of the fabulous online dress shop – Sunday Brunch Dress
Styletastic – We’re finding it hard to adjust to a new year at Styletastic, but here are some things we can all look forward to!
The Bargain Hunter Extraordinaire – I already knew I was going to wear a black sequins belt and beret for NYE, but I wanted some fun shoes to add to the mix; I couldn’t find anything I liked though, so I decided “when in doubt, make your own”
The door in my wardrobe – How to choose a vintage fur and take care of it – plus DIY repairing & maintenance for the brave of the heart
wit & whimsy – The winter trends you should be wearing

Posted on | January 9, 2010 | No Comments

// Margiela reworks

Posted on | January 6, 2010 | 5 Comments

I have love/hate relationship to Yoox — but it is not their fault. When I have money I don’t find anything interesting from there — and when I don’t have money there’s huge amount of stuff to desire.

Well, with my income I can only dream about Maison Martin Margiela recycled creations, but could not resist about posting these. Mainly for two reasons. If you have that money, this is the last chance, kind of. And if you don’t these are such a glorious inspiration for some DIY projects. This time I included full size images, just click and see the details.

Stole made from various floral fabrics from different eras, either in their original state or colored by hand and stitched together. The white and red versions maintain the original shades of fake flowers, while the dark version has been dyed.

A velvet ribbon becomes a top. The ribbon is folded and applied on a mannequin to envelop the body in order to make a top.

Jacket made from the uppers of women’s white sandals that have been joined together. Every piece has been modelled by hand on a mannequin, with the buckles used as a closure.

Three oil-painted canvases have been removed from their frames and arranged to create a sleeveless dress. Every painting has been washed, softened and treated in order to fix the oil and chalk. The canvases have then been lined in silk taffeta and simply draped around the body. The shape and volume of the dress have been obtained by refolding the canvases rather than re-coloring them.

Hand embroidered sequinned tops from the ’80’s were transformed into coats and skirts. These handmade tops from the ’80’s were assembled directly on tailors’s mannequins to form coats and skirts, with their original lining turned inside out. Made and lined entirely by hand, their original lining was later removed to reveal the other side of their sequinned outside. Bleaching or overdying makes it possible for every garment to be offered in light and dark tones.

Jacket created with strands of beads that have been perfectly assembled to achieve an ideal weight. The original necklace clasps now serve to fasten the jacket.

The jacket is made of fourteen sections from the backs of leather jackets and trench coats. Different types of leather are overlapped, creating shades of colors that go from white to black.

All images and item descriptions from Yoox.

Posted on | January 6, 2010 | 5 Comments

// Space rags

Posted on | January 5, 2010 | 9 Comments

This is the type of outfit post I thought I will not be posting. I’m really not wearing it. However comfortable these bargain Topshop sale shoes are, I’m simply not able to walk on ice with heels. And they would definitely need socks if I could.

The pair was a total slip off from my shopping plan for London. I knew that my Castañer wedges were on their way and I can’t really say that I’m in desperate need for shoes. But I kind of fell for them, the sculptural heel design is pretty awesome and the foiled leather build with slightly alienesque design is just the right way tacky to really allure me. Plus the shoe is surprisingly comfortable, well balanced and the cage’y structure dense enough to not to dig into my skin. I have to confess that I often fall for pieces that are sort of leftovers. There were huge amount of these left in blue, green (kind of loved that, hard times to decide) and magenta, in all sizes. There were two other designs with this heel, too, an awesome thigh high boot — which I just could not justify to purchase, and a great, detailed ankle boot (see it on Queen Michelle, if you haven’t already). It might be the color — or the fact that these remind me very vaguely of the awesome McQueen Atlantis-collection — but this was the pair I walked out with.

Pewter colored foiled leggings from Vero Moda have not been too much in use, but suddenly they found a neat pair from the All Saints T-shirt dress in almost same shade. Under the dress is an old mesh dress/tunic, might be from American Apparel. I have mixed feelings towards it. To be fair it is not that bad on, but I hate the plasticky feeling when I pull this on, and the brittling sound of static. On the other hand it is a great underlayer. I draped my old A.F. Vandevorst giant shrug over the dress, this time I used another sleeve opening as a neck opening, so the symmetry was broken just a bit. A bit more drape over that, American Apparel circle scarf in delicate burnout fabric — I really like this piece but I believe I haven’t photographed it here yet. And Pilgrim crystal bracelet.

The result is quite monochromatic but not totally colorless and very subtly chameleon-like — the mauve tinge on dress and leggings is accentuated on some light. It is also a typical example of one thing I tend to do… If I have two shiny items, I like to have them close to each other… …in the same way the draped items are on top of each other. My outfits are usually not built around that many items and repeating a distinct item in very separate places creates easily a scattered, uncomposed effect. Or at least I think so. But this rule of thumb is not valid all the time…

Well, I sure will wear this later on the spring! Quite good for my sci-fi mood… …or space-hobo, whatever…

Posted on | January 5, 2010 | 9 Comments

// Vintage how-to — fur

Posted on | January 3, 2010 | 37 Comments

Ok. I just wonder if it is possible to write about fur without saying what you think about it. I have stated my opinion here earlier, but I will do it again, just in case. But this is not opinion post, this is about choosing, caring, maintaining and repairing second hand fur.

I think that keeping and killing animals just for fur does not fit to contemporary society, I don’t want to encourage it and for that reason I would never consider new fur. But on the other hand I am carnivorous — and I sure hope that all parts of the animal end up in good use — including skin and fur. So, maybe I could consider for example lamb fur — but so far I haven’t bought any new fur garments.

I also wish that everything that human being has manufactured will be used to it’s full value. For that reason I like the idea of using second hand fur, until it falls apart. The material lasts for generations if handled well and the use value of fur is really good in this northern climate.

For all valuable fur I strongly suggest professional care. But you can get lesser quality second hand fur for bargain prices — and in that case you might be curious to mend and maintain it yourself. If you have at least a bit common sense and some basic skills in sewing, I truly encourage you to try rather than leave the precious material to deteriorate, the maintenance adds up years, maybe tens of years to the furs mileage.

How to pick a good fur from charity shop?

When you evaluate the condition of the fur in the second hand shop, the hair itself tells a little. Usually fur retains it’s shine and softness easily.

You should pay more attention to the leather under the hair. Does it feel soft and supple — or brittle and hard, or paper like? Does it leave dust or more coarse residue to your hands? Can you find tears, usually from seams, check especially underarm, middle back, side seams, elbows and around the collar. Does the fur shed hair?

If there are no major tears and the hair seems to be relatively well attached to the skin even brittle skinned, hardened or slightly papery fur can be saved. Note that some furs are relatively prone for shedding even in decent condition, rabbit is a good example.

Check also marks of possible insect damage (small, usually round holes, broken hair or bald spots in small but distinct areas) and staining, with pale fur especially around the collar. To see possible yellowing you might need to see the fur in natural light, tungsten light is so warm colored that it can camouflage light yellowing. See also sleeve openings and inner collar, these areas can be dirty and/or badly worn.

Everyday care for all fur

Never storage your fur in plastic — and don’t use mothballs or cedar or any other substances with strong smells to preserve it. If moths are nuisance in your apartment you should take your fur coat to professional storage for summertime. In Finland moths are not a big problem (personally I have never encountered those), but even here the professional storage might be good idea, especially if you live in modern apartment with dry, air conditioned air — it is just too dry to keep the fur in top shape. Both excessive dryness and excessive moisture are bad for fur. Dryness makes the skin age fast and it comes brittle and prone to tearing, moisture encourages the insects and — in bad cases — mold. Cool space is better for fur storage than warm.
Let your fur to breathe. Use a sturdy, wide shouldered hangar for it and be sure to not to squeeze it between other garments. Avoid hanging stuff over the fur and if you bag the fur for storage, use fabric pouch or uncolored paper pouch for protection, never plastic. You can even add some tissue paper inside the collar (make a sort of extra collar out of it, so that it raises the pouch slightly to the air) to avoid pressure and protect the shoulders.
Avoid carrying your bag on shoulder when wearing fur.
If the fur gets wet in a rain, no problem. Just shake excess water out of it and let it dry freely in normal room temperature. Don’t use heat. If the fur is soaked, take it to the professional when it has dried.
Small stains can be removed from fur with Marseille soap and bit of water — or 50/50 water-rubbing alcohol mixture. You need a sponge or cloth that does not stain or leave any residue. When using soap and water, don’t wet the fur. Just keep the sponge lightly moist and rub the stain so that the soap makes just a bit foam. In the end rinse the sponge well and remove all foam residue with moist sponge (you might need rinse the sponge several times and keep stroking the fur with moist sponge). With alcohol the process is essentially same, moisten the sponge with mixture and squeeze excess of it out. Rub the stain carefully, no need to rinse. You can always test your method of cleaning to some hidden place, this might be wise especially with dyed fur.
A professional can condition your fur, this should be done in 2 – 3 years intervals to keep the fur in top shape. The brittleness of the skin means that you need to hurry.
Finland is not exactly a paradise for second hand shopper. Well edited second hand boutiques are sparse and relatively expensive, charity shops are stinky and full of crap (FYI, personally I prefer these smelly, full of crap places to well edited — and well priced ones, anytime. Nothing beats the joy of real bargain find!). But you can find great fur here in bargain prices. I guess that because of this miserable climate (-26 degrees Celsius today) the fur has been a staple in Finnish wardrobe. And lots of good stuff has been carried to charity shops. I picked my gray rabbit fur from Valtteri flea market for 10€ — and that one is real quality fur. The coat you see in the first image is from UFF 5€ days, although furs were bit more expensive, maybe that 10€. Both are great places for bargain fur finds in Helsinki, and you can also try Salvation Army charity shops.

DIY conditioning & repairing after the jump

Posted on | January 3, 2010 | 37 Comments

// Vintage fix, pick and mix

Posted on | January 3, 2010 | 2 Comments

Salty

A great jumpsuit from Glamom’s Closet. I don’t have a single jumpsuit in my wardrobe.

Quilted little skirt from Tapouillon Vintage.

And a leather skirt with awesome cut from GoodEye.

Party like it is *insert your favorite decade here* in this timeless Bill Blass dress. From Absolutely Riveting.

Oh, the eighties boldness, sweet at it’s best. Jacket from Boston Vintage.

Sweet

Ah, fifties sweetness… …what can I say. From Pure Vintage.

Tie dye knit lace dress from I Miss YOU.

Beautiful lace skirt from Ramblin’ Vintage. Longer lengths look so fresh right now — plus I love her golden flats with the skirt. Oh, gold looks so good!

Floral cotton for spring, yes! From Rose and Jane.

Sculptural pleats in delicate ivory, oh my! From Rose and Jane.

Posted on | January 3, 2010 | 2 Comments

// Bad habits

Posted on | January 3, 2010 | No Comments

Haha, I should totally stop browsing online sales, NOW. But plz, friends, give a good home for this Gestuz silk jumpsuit. It is totally worth that £69.00 that they are asking for it at Asos outlet.

Posted on | January 3, 2010 | No Comments

// Nude organza corset

Posted on | January 2, 2010 | 4 Comments

I design occasionally some clothes for my own use, mainly knits. Usually it is about a single garment and I have quite clear image in my head what I try to accomplish, especially with knitting I don’t always even bother to sketch my ideas (for example this knit dress just… …grew out from my hands, sort of). But that is just because I’m quite experienced knitter and it just comes so naturally, especially when the construction of the garment is relatively simple. When planning some sewing projects it’s all different, the ideas are all about construction and I really want to think details through. Plus now I’m probably thinking of making something bit more challenging, a very small collection of clothes that complement my current wardrobe — but on the other hand will be an independent mini-collection with some sort of idea on the background. I might get back to that later, but this single garment has bothered me so long that although the big picture is just a faint idea for me right now I have doodled this particular piece to pads and margins for a while now.

The start is usually something like this, a very simple drawing of the item from front & back, maybe some details if they are important. I usually don’t color my sketches in computer, but this time I did, transparency plays a role with this design and it is easier to understand with color. I might go even step further with the drawings, planning the seaming at the same time, those drawings can be quite detailed but present just the garment, nothing else. I’m not trying to make these prettier than they are; they are not illustrations, but just something that help me take a step further.

Ok, I will get back to the general theme perhaps later, but something about this garment. I have a desperate need for an undergarment which has potential to be exposed quite a lot — but does not steal the scene. Traditional lingerie designs won’t do, and I want the garment to have certain amount of lightness, intangibility. So the idea is to make a flesh toned organza corset. All the sections will have 2 to 3 layers of fabric, so a certain amount of sheerness has to be dealt with. Boning and hook and loop tape will naturally show through — and I’m planning to make it part of the design. If the plastic bones look ugly through the sheer fabric I will line the bone tubes with white cotton tape and the effect will be hopefully quite nice. Three bones at the side is bit unnecessary for a lightweight corset that is not meant for cinching, but they provide some extra coverage and some support fot my chest. I aim for quite flat silhouette (as flat as it’s humanly possible for me) and the front of the corset rises so high that it actually hides the cleavage. The corset ends to the real waistline, but the “displacement” effect leaves some fabric to the side to emphasize the shape of the waist.

I’m probably making this one on March or April… …but it was the first one I sketched, so here we are…

Posted on | January 2, 2010 | 4 Comments

// Year in outfits

Posted on | January 1, 2010 | 2 Comments

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video.

Hmm, I’m following the example of many and putting here a small slideshow from some of my past outfits. To make some added value I included few old ones from the times when I did not have a blog. I used mainly MyStyleDiary and the Finnish Tyylitaivas for posting — and the image quality is crappy in those, sorry… …and there might even be few ones from 2008, but I’m pretty sure that a variation of those has been in use on 2009, too.

I have to say that when I look at this the thing that comes to my mind is that a thread running through the parade is melancholy. And I desperately need more prints to my wardrobe. I love prints, but I’m rather picky with those…

Posted on | January 1, 2010 | 2 Comments

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About

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Contact: kamicha (a) gmail dot com

I'm especially interested in young designers creations, non-established labels and indie fashion. So if you have something interesting to show, feel free to contact!

You can find Finnish design from both specific and some outfit posts - but both are tagged.

You might be also interested in DIY posts, How-to posts, DIY ideas - or my adventures in Etsy =).

More about me and this blog.