It's The Little Things- How Lace Can Transform A Blouse

As I hurdle further into the depths of a repinning frenzy, I begin to come upon the sad realization that I will never have, despite my fervent clicking, all the beautiful and unique clothes that grace the eclectic boards of Pinterest. I stare at a centaur-esque shirt- all cowboy party on top and chiffon business at the bottom. 

It's allure is the Ying Yang effect- the perfect balance of two

contrasting elements. It's as prevalent in Fashion trends as peanut butter and jelly is in a grade school cafeteria.

 As my little tribute to this, I 

created my own version of a balancing act by replacing the back of one of my denim shirts with thrifted lace shirt. Then I stitched a bit of leftover lace onto the front two pockets of the shirt.

 

Available at the Aster + Brine store at www.esty.com

Now I do understand that this requires time and access to a sewing machine which most of us don't have. Fear not for I have created a DIY to transform a blouse quickly from everyday to chic. 

You Will Need: A needle and thread, a 3"x3" cut of lace, scissors, and

                                                   a blouse

1. Clip a triangular piece off from two separate ends of the lace- any size will do. Make sure that it overlaps around to the back of the collar.

2.  Stitch the lace onto the blouse by threading through the middle of the collar instead of all the way through to the front. This will keep the thread hidden.

3. Knot the tie by stitching again and again in one spot and then looping it several times over. Now you have the finished piece!

Tip: Also looks great with gold fabric or studding to create a fully western look.

Rip 'Em Up- High waisted cut off shorts

As a girl who has gone through a pretty serious "emo" phase in her pre-teens, I feel confident in saying that I have a little rebel in me. What Fashionista doesn't? Being prim and proper all the time is just no fun. From the acid washed tappered jeans that permeated the 80s rock scene to Britney Spears' lower than low hip huggers, ripped denim is something that will never go out of style. It represents the ironic Oh-I-so-do-not-care-but-I-still-want-everyone-to-look-at-me feeling that we all embody from time to time. 

 In the spirit of ubiquitous summer music festivals I figured, "Why not to an easy DIY for cut off shorts?" My inspiration comes from the king and queen of destroyed ensembles, our favorite disheveled couple, Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love.

 

 Known for their---er... alternative habits, these two lovebirds became a symbol for fashion. In rebellion to the yuppie-mall scene created by the Reagan economic boom of the 80s, Kurt and Court helped create a catalyst for social change through their music, clothing, and attitude.

So, my inspiration begins with all things grunge. I'm referring to of course destroyed, high-waisted, and 100% cut off denim. Don't use anything with stretch unless you want to work for hours. 

You Will Need: Scissors, sandpaper and denim pants.I have already cut off my chosen Goodwill mom jeans and frayed them in the washer here. 

Pro-tip: cut off the shorts about 2 inches longer in the back than in the front. High-waisted shorts love to ride up and this prevents unwanted cheek reveal. 

1. Take the scissors and run them back and forth and side to side in a 2" x 2" area on the front of the denim. This will loosen and make little cuts in the fabric so the sanding will be easier. 

2. Next, use the sandpaper rubbing quickly back and forth to remove the layer of top denim. Tip: fold the sandpaper over into a square so it is more handheld. 

The finished product here takes about an hour to do but looks great!