Sewn-In | DIY Shorts Inspiration

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

The Summer weather is getting so hot and humid here so shorts and tank tops are definitely my go-to look lately. But I'm thinking of turning to some Pinterest DIY-ing to add some daily 'fabulosity'. I've rounded up a few that I think will be super adorable in the next couple weeks.

Bulles et Bottillons

With little more than some bleach, old jeans, and some studs (or lace), the French fashion blog, "Bulles et Bottillons" (eng: Bubbles & Booties-- how cute in both languages!), shared a few ideas including the above. I think the ombre and studs looks totally cool and laid back.

P.S- I Made This...

It doesn't get much easier than "P.S- I Made This.."'s lace ombre shorts. Just spray and hang for a fun twist on chic lace shorts. How sweet would a pink ombre version be?

M&J Trimming

"M&J Trimming" shared this simple lace detailed short DIY that I think even I (a novice sewer) could handle! :) Cut shorts, cut lace, some hand sewing, and hit the boardwalk...

Swell Mayde

I'm majorly in love with the lace DIY ideas. "Swell Mayde" shared not just one, but two I really liked. The above is the no-sew lace hem and part two was a quick-sew tuxedo stripe.

FashionLushxx

Boho/Rocker always feels perfect for hot Summer weekends and these fringe shorts by "FashionLushxx" would totally bring a boho rocker vibe to any look.

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | The Jean Shop Raw Denim

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

We all love denim- jeans, shorts, shirts, etc. A pair of denim jeans are the most versatile item in anyone's closet. Jeans are usually washed after getting dyed for a softer feel. Some are 'distressed' to appear worn-in, but Raw (or Dry) Denim wears in to fit your body and shows all of the whiskering and cell phone lines. They're usually washed every six to twelve months- if ever.

One shop- the Jean Shop (@jeanshop)- in New York's meatpacking distract has been selling Japanese Selvedge and Raw Denim for over nine years. A couple years ago around Fashion Night Out, I saw this feature on the shop with Jared Blankenship...

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | Digital Textile Printing

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

Bold prints and patterns are so cool right now and I've always thought it would be fun to create my own with digital textile printing. Every season (or every season I've seen) of Project Runway there is an HP Intel Challenge where the designers get to do just that. With their HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabooks (some careful planning and beautiful inspiration) they just draw out their ideas, send it off to the printer, and within hours they have yards of fabric that they designed.

Polyester is used often with digital textile printing, but you can also use cotton, bamboo, and silk. The type and weave of the fabric helps decide whether high energy sublimation/ disperse direct, low energy sublimation/ dye sub, or acid is used. Dye sub and disperse direct are the most common with polyester, but UV and solvent inks- this would be HP's textile printing- also work. If the ink doesn't bond with the fibre used, the ink can rub-off. Low energy sublimation fades and doesn't produce very sharp images so it's not recommended for outdoor fabrics.

Digital textile printing reduces waste as no paper is really needed- going from computer drawing to print on fabric. It also uses less water and power than some other fabric productions. And with Inkjet Fabric Printing you can easily print from home with your every day laptop/tablet and inkjet printer.

Some Print-spirations...

by Lisa Martin of Pikaland

by Sarah Betz of Little Cube

by A Place for Art

by Botto Textiles & Print Design

by Leah Duncan of Print&Pattern

by Sarah

By Ashley Goldberg

I also think Bows&Beau-ties' background would be super cute on a dress. ;)

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | Gabardine

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

I adore Burberry's classic and chic collections and Gabardine Trench Coats immediately come to mind when thinking of the brand.

Gabardine is a tightly woven cloth invented in 1879 by the founder, Thomas Burberry. Fibres including wool, cotton, or polyester are woven with a diagonal weave on the face and smooth back. Water proof and strong, it can be worn in place of a rubber rain coat (like a trench coat). It is also used in suits, pants, and uniforms. Used as pocket linings, it prevents holes in an often-worn suit's pockets.

"Burberry clothing of gabardine was worn by polar explorers including Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole, in 1911, and Ernest Shackleton, who led a 1914 expedition to cross Antarctica. A jacket made of this material was worn by George Mallory on his ill-fated attempt on Mount Everest in 1924"

(wikipedia)

Mens Mid-Length Cotton Gabardine Trench Coat

Womens Long Cotton Gabardine Trench Coat

And along with their classic trench coats, check out the Spark Sunglasses Campaign Burberry released about a month ago. While they keep the same timeless style as they did when they were founded in 1856, I also love that they always stay completely modern and young at the same time

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

ps. Did you see part one of my weekend at Fashion in the Street and interview with Benjamin Cottrell?

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Sewn-In | Haute Couture Shoes at Massaro

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

We see the term 'haute couture' thrown around a lot, but only a special few brands can actually use the term.

For a brand to call itself a haute couture house and be a member of the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture they have to follow these rules-

"Design made-to-order for private clients, with one or more fittings.

Have a workshop (atelier) in Paris that employs at least fifteen people full-time. 

Must have twenty full-time technical people in at least one atelier (workshop). 

Each season (i.e. twice a year), present a collection to the Paris press comprising at least thirty-five runs/exits with outfits for both daytime wear and evening wear."

And one house that has the privilege to call themselves a haute couture house is Massaro, an Italian shoe brand that creates beautiful works of art and makes shoes for other brands like Chanel.

I don't know if I could walk in Dani Stahl's killer heels for long, but from Massaro I would definitely try to live in them.

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | Open Knit Sweaters

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

We've all seen bolts of fabric, like cotton or nylon, in the stores, but what about putting together the fabric yourself? I have a few friends that are fabulous at knitting and it's pretty impressive to someone that has barely held knitting needles, let alone, try using them. Knitting can be done with machines or more often- by hand, and there are a few methods of that too.

You can knit with pretty much anything from wool, angora, cashmere, bamboo, and linen/cotton. Wool knit winter scarves are always so cozy and cute, but my favourite knit items are always open-knit sweaters. Warm layered over a button down or light layered over a bralette or tank top, they're awesome all year. Or wear them as beach cover ups.

1. Helmut Lang Open-knit linen sweater 2. Diane Von Furstenberg Raylee Open-Knit Sweater 3. Forever21 Open Knit Sweater 4. Billabong Liv For Love Sweater 5. Forever21 Cropped Open-Knit Sweater 6. Theory Tollie B Open Knit Sweater 7. Rag&Bone Vicky Sweater 8. Donna Karen Cutout-Shoulder Open-Knit Sweater 9. Helmut Lang Brushed Viscose Pullover


Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | Canvas Bags

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls

Canvas seems like such a 'summer' fabric since its used in sails, backpacks, tents, and beach bags. All things that come to mind when I'm thinking of my dream backpacking or boardwalk holidays.. ok so I wouldn't be roughing it so much with a tent and backpack, but I might use a cute bag while shopping before spending the night in a relaxing hotel.

"Modern canvas is usually made of cotton or linen, although historically it was made from hemp. It differs from other heavy cotton fabrics, such as denim, in being plain weave rather than twill weave. Canvas comes in two basic types: plain and duck. The threads in duck canvas are more tightly woven. The term duck comes from the Dutch word for cloth, doek. In the United States, canvas is classified in two ways: by weight (ounces per square yard) and by a graded number system. The numbers run in reverse of the weight so a number 10 canvas is lighter than number 4."

(wikipedia) 

1. Coach Bleecker Beach Canvas Tote with leather bottom and strap. The bag comes in six colours all with extra pops of colour in the strap. Like yellow, orange, and navy in the mango bag's strap. The navy one, pictured, has teal and brown. The bag is 20"x14.25"x7.5" with a 6" handle and 19" longer strap.

2. 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Mini Satchel with colourful floral canvas and leather. The bag is 8"x7"x3", but can be expanded with the zippers in the front. The handle is 2" and the longer crossbody strap is 26".

3. DEZSO Tulum Wave Tote with summer waves print and neon red detailing and navy lining. Or it can be reverse to be a navy tote with wave lining, but personally I wouldn't want to hide such a great print. The size is 17"x21"x3.25". 

4. Me&Emee Cotton Canvas Tote with Leather Handles, simple and to-the-point this is a cute beach bag. It closes with a snap button and is 15"x14".

5. Brooks Brothers Waxed Cotton Canvas Bowler- not really a 'beach bag', but great for holidaying with 'waxed cotton canvas and calfskin' and chambray lining. There are also two slit pockets and a zipper pocket inside. It measures 15"x13"x5" and has a 7" handle.

6. French Connection Canvas Beach Bag with super fabulous geranium rose trim.

7. Fossil Shay Shopper with both interior and outer pockets. The bag closes with a snap button and is 15"x4.5"x13" and 9" handle. It's really too hard to pick a favourite design with multi-blue and tan, pink/tan/and Neon yellow, and yellow floral.

8. Rebecca Minkoff Canvas Zip Top Tote with mint blue detailing and polka dot lining. The size is 15"x13"x5" with a 10" handle.

9. Jack Willis Malvern Beach Bag with adorable nautical print- little sailboats.

10. MICHAEL Michael Kors Large Marina Striped Grab Bag with more nautical inspiration through stripes and rope handle 'knotted through grommets'. The lining is monogrammed and includes a zipped pocket and four open pockets. It measures 12"x13"x7" with a 7" handle.

11. Kate Spade New York South Of The Border Bon Shopper with sweet Popsicle print- what could be more fitting at the beach? The interior pocket even has another Popsicle with a '50 cent' label. It is 13.5"x12.3"x4.9" with a 8.5" handle.

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | Loro Piana Casentino

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

I love watching any videos relating to fashion whether it's a show, designer interview, or behind the scenes- well at pretty much any fashion event. One brand's videos that I can't get enough of is Loro Piana. The first time I saw their "Who We Are" and "What we Do" videos I was so inspired by their dedication to quality and perfection. And I am still awed by them every single time I watch them They are incredibly involved in the entire process of creating all of their gorgeous pieces. And they share a lot of what goes into the pieces in videos and photos on their website and facebook.

The following video is on their cashmere Casentino fabric.

...an ancient textile invented in Tuscany in the 1300s. Soft and warm, Casentino features an uneven finish and characteristic curled texture.
The cloth is treated with a special machine, only one in the world still in function, which uses tiny stones to create the characteristic curls.

-Loro Piana 

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | Elastane-Spandex-Lycra

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

A third very common synthetic fibre materials (two others being nylon and polyester) is Elastane. It is also known as spandex (anagram of expands) mainly in the US. Lycra in the UK, Ireland, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand. And variations of 'elastane' (=elastic) in various parts of the world.

The Facts

"It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1959 by chemists C. L. Sandquist and Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia." (wikipedia)

Another DuPont invention --> nylon ;)

The prepolymer can be produced using melt extrusion, reaction spinning, solution wet spinning, and solution dry spinning. Nearly all (94.5%) of the world's spandex is produced by solution dry spinning. A breakdown of what that actually is..

1. The prepolymer is a combination of macroglycol and diisocyanate monomer (ratio 1:2).
2. It's diluted with equal parts diamine so the solution is thinner and easier to work with.
3. It's poured into a spinneret and goes through a process "similar to the production process for cotton candy".
4. It's bundled to the desired thickness.
5. A finishing agent is added so the fibres don't stick and they are added to spools.

The Fashion
When you think of spandex, you probably think of shapewear, activewear, and undergarments and you would be totally right. But small amounts of spandex can be found in a lot of clothes. In 2010, about 80% of clothing bought in America included at least some spandex. (source)

1. Mens Bloomingdales Monitaly Horizontal Striped Blazer (US$616) in 'indigo'. It looks like the thin stripes between the indigo and white are maroon. The lycra is mixed with cotton and acetate. This preppy blazer has three buttons at the cuffs, is unlined, has three interior pockets, a chest pocket, and hand pockets. made in the usa.

2. Mens Emporio Armani Dinner Jacket (US$925) in 'lead'. It is an unlined zipped sweatshirt, but calling it a dinner jacket sounds so much more chic. It's made of 64% cotton, 21% polyamid, 13% viscose, and just 2% elastane.

3. 7 For All Mankind Slim Chinos (US$198) in 'coated tropical green'. The cropped pant will be great this summer- it's already getting hot- and the slim fit and tab/zip front is fantastic. The spandex is mixed with lyocell and cotton. made in the usa.

4. Cynthia Rowley Party Dress (US$410) in bright blue. This dress is totally cool and surfing-inspired and bold in the blue (also great as a LBD). But it's still completly feminine with a 'sweetheart neck with corset detail', full skirt, and cross-back straps. It is a lycra-blend. made in the usa.

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | Polyester

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

Like nylon, polyester is one of the most common synthetic fibre materials.

The Facts
There's a lot about the polyester's synthesis so sticking with the basics...

"Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include naturally occurring chemicals, such as in the cutin of plant cuticles, as well as synthetics through step-growth polymerization such as polycarbonate and polybutyrate. Natural polyesters and a few synthetic ones are biodegradable, but most synthetic polyesters are not.
Depending on the chemical structure, polyester can be a thermoplastic or thermoset, there are also polyester resins cured by hardeners; however, the most common polyesters are thermoplastics."  

-wikipedia 

Also like nylon, it's widely used in many products like seat belts, bottles, furniture, and (of course) clothing. It's used in finish for wood products like pianos as it can fill the wood grain quickly and can be sanded and polished. 

"Liquid crystalline polyesters are among the first industrially used liquid crystal polymers. They are used for their mechanical properties and heat-resistance. These traits are also important in their application as an abradable seal in jet engines" (Wikipedia)

In clothing, it is wrinkle, water, and wind resistant, durable, and holds colour better than natural fabrics.

The Fashion

The Alternative Pullover in dirty blue stripe (US$58) is a polyester/cotton/rayon blend and with the colour and mixed/duo-colour stripe pattern it's so spring. The NYDJ Petites Marilyn Straight Jeans (US$130) is polyester/cotton/spandex. With a 9" rise, 29.5" inseam, and 15.5" leg opening they make your legs look longer and leaner and with an "exclusive criss-cross panel flattens tummy and lifts behind, recommended ordering one size down" (Bloomingdales). They are also made in the USA like the Ella Moss Bikini Bottoms (US$49) with portofino tab sides made of polyester/spandex/metallic/nylon. For the guys, the Ted Baker Nathe Textured Sweater (US$175) in 'natural'. The chevron stripe pattern sweater is made of cotton/polyester/viscose.

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | Angora Wool

Pin it!
Photo: National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club, Quote: "Despicable Me"

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

It's actually finally getting warmer out, but I recently got to help in donating to Heifer, partially toward a Knitter's Basket which includes angora rabbits. If you've ever gotten to pet one of those super furry rabbits (above) then you know angora wool is an incredibly soft material.

The Facts
Not to be confused with mohair from angora goat or cashmere from cashmere goats (ps. watch for those in future posts). Angora wool comes from a variety of angora rabbits, but the National Angora Rabbit Breeders Club recognizes English, French, Giant, and Satin angoras. The angora is warmer and lighter than wool because of the "hollow core of the angora fibre". A diameter of 12-16 micrometers is usually considered good quality and the fur is about $10-16 per ounce (source). The rabbits need to be groomed weekly to prevent matting. They moult about every four months and their fur can be collected after having moulted, plucked (plucking moulted fur), or by shearing. Shearing takes less time than plucking and collects more, but plucking gets longer and better quality fur. The best quality is taken from the back and upper sides, followed by neck and lower sides. The third and fourth quality are best for bird nests and taken from the bum and legs. The fur is sometimes mixed with wool to give wool the elasticity and keep the fine angora together.

The Fashion

Pin it!

The Addison Cable Swing Sweater (US$125) from Saks Fifth Avenue is so chill and effortless. What's better than an oversize sweater and leggings? The angora is mixed with nylon and viscose. The Acne Blue Micah Angora Jumper (US$230) on MyWardrobe is so cute and I imagine very soft with 70% angora to 30% nylon. The Diane Von Furstenberg Noa Knitted Sweater (US$245) on Net-a-Porter is bright in 'dandelion'. I really like it mixed with the green. It would look great whether you went as bold as Net-a-Porter or subdued paired with blacks or greys. The visible zipper down the back is also so cool. It only has 7% angora, but it is also 40% wool, 28% viscose, 15% polyamide, and 10% cashmere.

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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Sewn-In | Nylon

1. Wallace Carothers 2. Emporio Armani Women Long Sleeve Shirt 3. Ralph Lauren Phoebe Stretch Shift Dress 4. Ralph Lauren Men's Treeline Anorak

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

I am sort of a geek about clothing materials and love seeing what my favorite pieces of clothing are made of. One of the most common synthetic fibre materials is Nylon (others being polyester and elastane/spandex).

It is part of the synthetic polymer family of polymides- you may see polymide listed on labels instead of nylon.
Science Facts: Denisty- 1.15 g/cm³; Electrical conductivity- 10⁻¹² S/m; Thermal conductivity- .25 W/(m-K); Melting Point-  463-624 K/190-360 °C/374-663 °F [source].

It was produced by Wallace Carothers in 1935 and used  commercially for toothbrushes. It's use as an alternative to silk was really helpful when silk was harder to get during World War II. Nylon could be used in parachutes, protective vests and in tyres. Today nylon is also used in carpets, musical instrument strings, rope, hair combs, and of course clothing.

DuPont developed and patented Nylon 6-6.  It's used in automobile parts that require high strength and heat resistance. Paul Schlack then developed Nylon 6 to copy Nylon 6-6 as closely as he could without violating DuPont's patent. It is one of or the most common nylon, though Nylon 6,6 is the highest quality commercially produced nylon. Nylon 6 is used in automobile production as well as toothbrushes, string instruments, ropes, and tights and other clothing.

In clothing, nylon is durable, elastic, light, easy to wash, fast to dry, and keep their shape (great for holiday). Of course, the clothes needs to look good too. Emporio Armani's womens long sleeve shirt, 20% polymid, in both black and white is a staple everyone should have in their closet. Ralph Lauren's womens Phoebe Stretch Shift dress from their Blue Label is 25% polymid is super chic in aviator navy. And from Ralph Lauren's Mens nylon&down jackets, the Treeline Anorak is totally cool and preppy made with 35% nylon.

Stay Fabulous,
xoxo Aimee ♥

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