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Denim DIY: Bring Your Old Pair of Denim Back to Life

04.10.2012 Posted in Denim DIY by Chanelle

(Photo via Nasty Gal)

Do you have those pair of denim shorts/pants lying around that you don’t wear anymore or are out of style? Well here’s a little DIY for you to get those jeans back in the “obsessed” pile. Ripped jean shorts are all the rage and you shouldn’t have to spend the big bucks to get them, they’re a piece of cake to do yourself at home for free. So grab those old pair of lame jeans and follow along with me on these few easy steps to transform them into something awesome.

*I started out with a pair of jean shorts I picked up from Goodwill that have barely been worn, so I had to work at them a little to get the “broken in” look. If your jeans are already broken in, work at them accordingly.

What you need:

-A nice pair of scissors, ideally fabric scissors.

-Exacto knife (scissors will be fine if you do no have one of these).

-Sand paper, cheese grater, file etc. (I used the sand paper and file myself).

-An old pair of jeans or a pair you don’t mind cutting up.

Step one: Cut them

If you have denim pants you are using for this DIY, cut them to the length that you want (try the jeans on and measure the length you want for the best results). If you are using shorts do the same thing and if they are already at a good length, trim the hem so you can get the “worn” look.

Step 2: Make Tears

I prefer using an exacto knife because its easier to manage and makes small slits, but feel free to use a scissors for this. I referenced a pair of jean shorts with holes that I bought a while ago so I could see where to put my slits. You can reference photos online if you don’t have any pairs at home.

Step 3: Wear it down

For this step, the sand paper and file worked the best for me, but feel free to use anything that’s rough and will wear the denim down. I’ve heard of people using cheese graters so you can try that out as well. I went around to all the edges of the jeans (pockets, waist band, belt loops, yoke, zipper cover etc) and sanded them down so they looked worn in.

I also took the exacto knife and cut into some of the edges to further the effect. You can also sand the front of the jeans where there aren’t any edges or holes so that they are more soft and broken in. After you sand all the edges, start sanding all the slits you made and also the hem line. You can take apart some of the weave with your hands to make it fray more.

Step 4: Wash them

Washing the jeans creates more fray at the edges and breaks them in a little bit. Whether your jeans are already worn in or not, I would still throw them in the washer.

…and that’s it! You’ve got a great pair of ripped jean shorts for the summer. Feel free to add on some more DIY’s like studs and fabric. Enjoy!

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3 Spring Trends to Spruce up Your Wardrobe

03.29.2012 Posted in denim trends by Chanelle

(photos via Style.com, DVF Spring ’12)

This Spring is all about color. I find this seasons trends to be interesting because both pastel and neon are huge despite them being on opposite sides of the tonal spectrum. Last season color blocking was all the rage and this season if you are wearing anything that has to do with color, you’re good. I’ll be going over 3 big trends for Spring to help you brighten up your wardrobe. Don’t worry, you won’t need to go shopping for a whole new closet, I find that if you invest in one color piece that you can mix and match around your closet, you will be just fine. All of the items below are great statement pieces to invest in.

Mint (Pastels)

(Forever 21 choker, Topshop bathing suit, Urban Outfitters jeans, Sole Society wedges, NCLA nail laquer, Topshop clutch, H&M socks, Melie Bianco bag)

Pastels have always been a Spring thing, but this season they are huge. I chose to highlight mint because I think it’s lovely. Mint is fresh, clean, elegant and very versatile, not to mention it screams Spring. You can be subtle with these mint accessories (the Melie Bianco bag, Forever21 necklace, H&M socks, or Sole Society platforms) or go big with these fab mint colored pants from Urban Outfitters or this elegant mint Gingham bathing suit from Topshop. Adding a little color to your nails with this great ncla color, Santa Monica Shore Thing, is the perfect brightening boost. Any of these items would be a great addition to anyone’s closet, perfect for adding that beautiful pop of color.

Neon

(Delia’s bathing suit top, Asos green belt, Zara neon pants, NCLA nail laquer, Aldo wedges, Melie Bianco clutch, Asos pink watch)

Neons can be really intense if you have too much of them on, that’s why for this section I’ve included some small accessories to brighten up your outfit without blinding people (i.e. green belt and pink watch from Asos, red clutch from Melie Bianco). These highlighter wedges on the other hand are for those of you who are a little more daring. I have these myself and my favorite outfit to wear it with is black slacks, a white tank and a navy lazy beanie. By keeping the rest of my outfit simple the shoes can really stand out and give you the neon you need, which is a great guide line to follow with any neon item.

Floral

(Aldo floral backpack, Forever 21 cuff, Zara bathing suit, Topshop pants, Topshop bustier, Forever 21 necklace, NCLA nail wraps, Aldo wedges, Forever 21 belt, Mikkat Market makeup bag)

Floral print is a great symbolism for spring which is why this trend is so fun. Floral is a little easier to mix and match with other prints and even a contrasting floral without it being overkill. Any of these items would amp up your print game. My favorite piece? This bustier from Topshop, that would look GREAT with some high waisted jean shorts. Want to tone it down? How about adding these beautiful floral wedges to your outfit for just the right amount of print.

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Brand: asos, topshop, Zara

6 Essential Fashion Websites You Should Be Reading

03.02.2012 Posted in denimblog by Chanelle

The internet is a never ending black hole of websites which makes it difficult at times to find solid daily reads. An extreme case of this black hole madness would be fashion websites. Everyone has a blog, everyone is covering fashion week, and everyone is featuring trends. How do you pick out the good from the over saturated? I’m not a fashion critic, but what I can do is give you sites that I find helpful and enjoyable for my daily reads. I’m sure you’ve heard of some of them which means they are well known for a reason. Enjoy and feel free to share your daily reads as well!

Refinery29

Yes the fashion epicenter is New York, but what if you want to know what’s going on near your town? The thing that sets Refinery29 apart? They have the happenings by city: LA, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Miami. If any of these aren’t near your city, one of them will at least be in the same part of the states as your city to keep you up to date on everything fashion and beauty oriented. You can also read “Everywhere” (which is where it takes you when you visit the site) giving you information on fashion for every city, state, and person. Refinery29 has a lighter feel to it, making jokes and having entertaining articles to give you a little break from the seriousness of fashion. On top of keeping you updated on everything fashion and beauty, they also have deals in their “Reserve” section giving you discounts on tons of fab companies. An all around good read with tons of new updates every day.

6 Awesome NYC Fashion Bloggers

02.08.2012 Posted in denimblog by Chanelle

Ahhhh New York…City of dreams, The Big Apple, Concrete Jungle, etc etc. New York is an amazing city, BUT New York is also a great place for fashion bloggers! The fashion epicenter, the home of NYFW, and tons of cultures all in one place. These fashion bloggers live in the ideal place with tons of inspiration surrounding them…and they work it! I really enjoyed working on this article because each girl had a completely different style which was so refreshing…no two girls the same. Here I have 6 FABULOUS fashion bloggers you should know in NYC. Let’s meet them shall we?

Nicole from Running in Wedges

Nicole is an edgy blonde with amazing style living in the city with inspirations as simple as as old photographs of her mom and dad. “My dad used to be in tons of bands in the 70′s and 80′s even one with steven tyler. He has albums upon albums of photographs that I’ve looked at since I was little which had it’s effect on my style since day 1″ she says. On top of shots of her outfit, she includes detail shots of her accessories, trims etc. all of which are inspiring and visually appealing. Another thing I love about Nicole’s blog, Running in Wedges, is the setting of her style shots…on her balcony. It gives that gritty, New York vibe as a background that compliments her outfits splendidly. Nicole has a “Downtown” vibe that I’m all about.

Frances from Pink Horrorshow

On the other side of the spectrum from Nicole, you have Frances. Her elegant style mixed with a plush NYC apartment in the background makes for another side of NY that is equally as fabulous. Frances’ blog, Pink Horrorshow, is style shots, recipes, beauty and fashion all in one place. Frances works prints, skirts, flowy dresses and beautiful heels in the loveliest of ways. When I asked Frances what her inspiration was she replied “I draw inspiration from so many sources like films or magazines, but living in New York definitely plays a big part in influencing my style. Everyone knows it’s an eclectic city so it’s hard not to be attracted to all the different styles I’m exposed to on a daily basis” and when I asked her about her style she explained “it’s never too fussy and I like to keep it classic” which I couldn’t agree with more.

Maria from City Laundry

I have 2 words to describe Maria…Preppy Chic. Maria pulls off the preppy look like no tomorrow, which I got to hand to her…it’s not an easy thing to do. Her super cute dresses with tights and flats gives a nostalgia for those days as a young girl in grade school. Maria finds inspiration in old photographs, French films, actresses such as Anna Karina in Pierrot le Fou and Brigitte Bardot and lastly English prep style. When I asked her to describe her style she said “I would describe my style as very vintage mixed with some modern elements. I love old school girl uniforms and preppy collard dresses. I like to find things other people would probably shy away from and making them work. I specifically love the styles of the 1940’s and 60’s”. Maria’s natural beauty totally compliments her look and so do those awesome little bow ties she wears. For more preppy fun check out City Laundry for yourself.

Arielle from Something Navy

Arielle from Something Navy, has a truly unique style bridging elegant and flowy with edgy and all around rad. She has great statement pieces in her closet such as her velvet baggy pants and sequins/sheer high to low skirt, that leave me drooling daily. Arielle takes her shots anywhere from on the beautiful streets of NY to fun hallways and her way of putting outfits together is flawless. Love her long, beautiful hair? Here’s a tutorial to get it just like hers. Fun fact? You can spot Something Navy in the upcoming Sperry campaign for Glamour magazine along with fellow blogger Trop Rogue (below). If Arielle isn’t bookmarked by now…she should be.

Claire from De Lune

Claire’s beautiful, curly, red hair isn’t the only thing that has me visiting De Lune, her way with clothes is also luring…Girl knows how to work a pant! Claire also has a way with layers, flats and jackets gently draping over her shoulders. A true beauty, Claire has an ever changing style that is consistently amazing. She’s been featured in the Coach holiday campaign, Teen Vogue, Vogue Spain, and Seventeen magazine to name a few. If her eclectic style hasn’t got you hooked yet, it soon will.

Christina from Trop Rogue

I’m pretty sure most of you have heard of Trop Rogue, but if you haven’t, now you have. Christina is a spunky girl from the NYC with unique style that is all her own. If her style hasn’t drawn you in yet, her hair definitely will. Her style can be edgy, yet refined, mixing in furs and layers alike. I think my favorite photos are of her lounging in her apartment in vintage tee’s and her bare feet. Not only is her blog filled with rad style but also great photography of her clothes, adventures and more. For everything Christina, bookmark TropRogue.

xo,

Chanelle

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Denim DIY: Bring Your Old Pair of Denim Back to Life

3 Spring Trends to Spruce up Your Wardrobe

6 Essential Fashion Websites You Should Be Reading

6 Awesome NYC Fashion Bloggers

Designer Jeans Brands

Celebrities in Designer Jeans

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