YAY it is done!

For approximately four hours today I sewed non-stop to finally finish my Halloween costume! Even though it took forever to make, I am very happy with the outcome. I never realized how rewarding making something yourself can be. It was a lot of hard work and at times it got me very angry, but my costume is unique and there is nothing like it in stores. I even added a few personal touches by lining the bottom of the skirt with pink lace and adding pink shiny sequence to the corset. To top it all off I might even spray it with glittery fabric paint. And to prove how much i like my costume, I wore it to pick up my mom from work (she was confused to say the least). 
I suggest everyone try a do-it-yourself project. It doesn't have to be extravagant, but it gives you a new appreciation for things. For example, last year I bought a Halloween costume that cost me $50, it was nice but when I was done with it I no longer cared for it. I don't even know where I put it. But, the costume I made is being worn for as long as I can fit into it! It cost me a lot in fabric, much more than I would ever spend buying a costume, but it was well worth it. Also, my sewing and pattern reading skills have gotten a lot better from doing this project. Overall, it was a good learning experience, even though it drove me insane.

Here is a picture of the finished garment that took forever to make.

Halloween Costume...RAWR

A requirement for my fashion class is to make a Halloween costume. At first glance this did not seem like a hard task, that assumption was completely false. Being the ambitious person that I am, I decided to pick a pattern that was a bit more challenging than what I would normally attempt. I have now realized that being ambitious can be a real pain. For Halloween I chose to be Glinda the Good witch of the North. I thought it would be fun to dress in all pink and twirl around in a fluffy skirt, until it came down to making the costume. In the Wizard of Oz, Glinda's outfit is very extravagant. It's made up of a full skirt and sparkly top. What I didn't anticipate was how hard it would be to make a skirt and top. First of all the skirt involved a lot of tool and overlay. Overlay is a shiny fabric that is place over the skirt to make it look sparkly. Tool is a net like fabric that is put under the skirt to puff it out, until it looks like a tutu... And if it looking like a ballerina wasn't bad enough, the top is actually a corset! Something new I learned today, a hammer is involved in the corset making process. Now doesn't that sound ridiculous, using a hammer to make a costume! Apparently, eyelets (which are little circles that the ribbon/tie of the corset runs through)  needs to be hammered into place.
All in all, I have spent 4 weeks making a Halloween costume, that I will wear for one day.

Here is a picture of the pattern by SIMPLICITY that I have used. The name is a lie, this is the hardest most aggravating project I have ever had to do.

A few of my fav things...

This fall, there are a few things that I can't live without. Fall is a great time to layer pieces, and get playful with clothes. First of all get a great pair of boots, or a few great pairs. A simple pair of black boots can go a long way. They can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion, and go with almost anything. Longer boots are really in. Boots that come up to the knee keep you warm, but also look awesome on. Ankle boots are also popular for day to day usage, and look great with jeans. For a night out, ankle length stiletto heeled boots are in style. A suede pair of heeled boots look great with a pair of tights and a mini dress.
To add a bit of sophistication to any look try finding a hip length jacket.  My favourite is a hip length  trench coat from H&M. A shorter jacket elongates the legs, and makes you look taller. Adding a jacket over any outfit completes the look.
Lastly get a few pairs of tights. I suggest a solid black pair, and another patterned pair. Patterned or lace tights are in for fall,  and create interest to an outfit. They are great for a night out, or playing up a simple day outfit.
Have fun with fall fashions, there are a lot of cool stuff available:) 

Boots for fall

Louis Vuitton Fall 2010 Collection

The 2010 Louis Vuitton fall collection is absolutely amazing. The 50’s poodle skirt is back! The collection uses the 50’s poodle skirt as a template for every dress and skirt in the collection. The signature flare of the poodle skirt is still present in the collection, but the fabrics are a lot more luxurious. The garments are classic and sophisticated, but have a little twist. They show a good amount of cleavage. Wool corset-like bodices on the dresses create a curvy figure, while the skirts float away from the body. This allows the top and skirt to balance out one another, to create the perfect garment. I also really enjoyed how belts, waistbands and blazers are all used to define a waist on the female body. Belts and waistbands are added to draw attention to the smallest part of a woman, while blazers are taken in at the waist to create an hour-glass figure.  The other thing I liked about this collection was the shoes. They were very practical and simple, compared to most runway footwear. Each garment in the collection looks like it can be worn by an everyday woman, since the silhouettes are very flattering and the designs are classic.  

In Gossip Girl, Blair wears tons of Louis Vuitton's clothing and accessories:)

Louis Vuitton - Fall Winter 2010/2011 Full Fashion Show Part 1

Gossip Girl Fashions

Out of all the television shows for teens, Gossip Girl takes the lead for fashion. The show is set in Manhattan, and features all the latest fashions and couture clothing. There is even an entire website/blog dedicated to Gossip Girl fashions. The site takes outfits from the show and explains which designer each garment comes from, and how much they cost. There is also a ‘get the look’ suggestion posting; where similar, less expensive garments are shown.  

Designer clothing and accessories like Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Prada are all featured in the show. The New York sophisticated style is what separates the show from others. My favourite character’s style in the show is Serena Van Der Woodsen’s; she is played by Blake Lively. Her style is more of the edgy New Yorker. She tends to wear shorter more revealing clothing and bolder accessories, but somehow manages to make herself look classy and put together. My other favourite character’s style is Blair Waldorf, played by Leighton Meester. Her style is more elegant and sophisticated. She tends to wear blazers, skirts, and extravagant dresses.  The most beautiful dress worn by her was a blue satin number, which wore on last night’s episode. Blair’s signature look in the show is her head band adorned with a bow.

Overall Gossip Girl= Great Fashions:)

 

Gossip Girl Fashion Blog  

 

Advertisement that works.

Most people who know me understand that I have pretty much sold my sole to Disney. So when I logged into the M.A.C. website to check out fall make trends, I was pleasantly surprised to see a Disney villain inspired make up collection.  Instead of the regular home page that pops up, three Disney characters appear, each villain representing a specific make up collection. The best part of all, the packaging of each cosmetic has Disney characters imprinted on it! There is even a Disney villain name creator. The mirror from snow white predicts what your villain name would be after answering a few questions. To most people, this wouldn’t be that exciting, but to Disney fanatics it’s awesome.

Unfortunately, M.A.C. has outsmarted the Disney lovers out there into purchasing their products. It is sad to admit, but I kind of want every single item in the collection. Without the Disney packaging, these products are the regular cosmetics available at M.A.C. retailers everywhere. But it looks cool...

I have officially realized the impact advertising has. A good ad or endorsement can turn a regular product into something that is desired. Ads make people want things that they normally would not want. M.A.C. has done that. And now all I want to do is buy stuff I don’t need...

To understand what I am talking about, visit: