Archive | May, 2012

Easy & Affordable Mix & Match Jewelry

30 May

I discovered something fabulous at Joann fabric and craft store today………Styled by Tori Spelling, an affordable and fun way to mix fashion and crafting. Four mix and match collections-Boho, Noir, Glitz and Glam-easily create earrings, necklaces, bracelets and brooches.

Styled by Tori Spelling

Glam-Gold Earring Findings  ::  $2.99

Glam-Gold and Coral Teardrop  ::  $8.99

Boho-Turquoise Medallion Drop  ::  $9.99

Glam-Gold Fancy Leaves  ::  $3.99

Tangerine Earring

The gold and coral teardrop look fabulous hanging from a latch back but one teardrop would also be stunning as a pendant on a necklace. Available connectors and chains make this easy.  Check out these stylish looks.

Feather Earring

Here I chose to add the fancy leaves to the hoop earrings. Want more easy mix and match ideas? Watch Styled by Tori Spelling

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Honoring Red, White & Blue

28 May

Memorial Day has been known to mark the start of summer. Friends and family celebrate a day off of work gathering for BBQ’s, pool parties and shoreline relaxation.  Relax and enjoy but please do take a moment to remember and honor our men and women of the United States Armed Forces and especially those who gave of their lives so that we may live free. All gave some and some gave all.

A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.  ~Joseph Campbell

Memorial Day Cemetary

Ballard Cemetery, Ballard California USA, appropriately decorated by our local Boy Scouts of America to honor all those who served for our country.

Me, honoring my grandfather, who served his time for our country.

Fashion Tip  ::  During a parade, remove your hat and stand as our flag passes by. God Bless America!

 

Top  ::  Hollister (Similar here)

Jacket  ::  Handmade

Shorts  ::  see thru soul (Similar here)

Shoes  ::  MRKT (Similar here)

Hat  :: @ Target (Similar here)

Jewelry  ::  D&G, JLo

Easy & Affordable Style for $180

Handmade Faux Leather Clutch

23 May

In my recent post, Sew Faux, I shared my handmade faux leather A-line skirt. I l-o-v-e-d the softness and texture of the faux leather. I l-o-v-e-d it so much that I had to make something from the left over fabric. So, I created a simple yet stylish clutch that can be used season after season.

snake skin purse

I came up with a design in my head and created a pattern. Instead of an envelope style flap I opted for a stylish curve. This softened the square clutch and made it a bit more contemporary. To add a bit of colorful detail, I chose to outline the clutch with a wide decorative stitch in a multi-colored thread.

More color! More detail!  I used a stencil, exacto knife, colorful fabric, fusible interfacing, iron and my sewing machine to create this fun motif and wrist strap.

The lining is colorful, of course, and includes a couple of handy pockets.

And what did I do with the lil’ bit of fabric I had left over after making the clutch? I made a mini clutch. I outlined it in the same fashion as the large clutch but this time added 3-dimensional detail by sewing on the butterfly previously cut out.

Suprise! Vibrant print lines this lil’ beauty too. And the wrist straps are interchangeable.

There you have it!

Easy & Affordable Style for  ::  $15

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Personal Styling :: Details Matter

21 May

Whether I am styling fashion, interiors or events, I am ALL about the details. I believe that it’s the time we put into the details, the textures and accessories, that create a fabulous look. Hence, my business name-Dettamoda. Detta from dettaglio meaning detail in Italian. Moda meaning fashion in Italian.

Such as this simple lilac and white look. Without all the little details it would be sweet but lacking real style.

white shorts

Imagine this handbag in a flat white and without the shiny silver handle. It would have been a nice, classic piece but in high gloss croc-stunning!

The grand beaded ring and bangle bracelets, which have wonderful thoughts etched in them, add to the detail in this look.

Shoes! Ahh, shoes make a look! And these shoes……..grey and white high heel snake-skin bootie.  Need I say more?

This blouse is sewn from a tone on tone lilac fabric. The seamstress, Lisa, chose to construct the blouse on a the bias or running the lines at a diaganol-Smart! This is more interesting and slimming.

Fashion Tip  ::  When wearing white……please do a panty check. Seriously, nobody needs to see your pretty leopard panties through your shorts. Save those for jean wearing days. Instead, opt for a nice nude or white pair. No patterns or colorful lace trim. And a thong, Spanx or no-line panty look best.

Blouse  ::  Handmade my gal Lisa

Shorts  ::  Mossimo (Similar here)

Shoes  :: BCBGMAXAZRIA (Similar here)

Handbag  ::  New York & Company (Similar here and here or here)

Sunnies  ::  Steve Madden

Easy & Affordable Style for  ::  $140

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Historic Costume & the Thong Leotard

18 May

Hello,

Alice Cooper’s 1972 summer anthem depicts my current state of mind………

School’s out for summer. School’s out forever.

Wahoo! Bring on summer! My favorite time of the year. Warm weather, back yard BBQ’s, lake trips, sun dresses and sandals. Four weeks of freedom from homework and school schedules. Yes, sadly I only have 4-weeks off and then…….summer school, blek! But until then, I’m whooping it up.

Yesterday was the last day of my Historic Costume course. For our final we were asked to create a costume and character from the 1820-1920′s. My costume was specifically from the Bustle period, 1870-1900. Check it out and the costumes of my two classmates below.

Historic Costume

As written in my post, Shopping for Chopines?, fashion history shows us that styles reoccur. As you can see from our costumes, what was once in style will, in part or as a whole, become stylish again. Long sleeve button up blouses are classic and always a wardrobe essential.  Long skirts, now called maxi’s, are a current trend. Lace, ruffles and ribbon trend in and out as do the up and side-do’s. Some styles are welcomed back with open arms and open checkbooks while others, like the thong leotard, should remain in the closet.

Paula

stylist & stiletto maven

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Shopping for Chopines?

16 May

Fashion history shows us that styles reoccur. What was once in style will, in part or as a whole, become stylish again. For example,  this seasons neon color and peplums; a flashback from the 1980′s.

Yesterday, while strolling Beverly Hills Rodeo Drive, my gal pal and I discovered that the 16th and 17th century platform shoe, the chopine, has made a come back.

Yesterday

Yesteryear

This isn’t the first time they’ve made a return to fashion. In 1956, Martin Friedmann pattened the design. And, if you’re the do-it-yourself type, Francis Classe offers a tutorial on making your own pair. If you attempt it, let me know.

 

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Ten Dollar Dress

14 May

Smack dab in the middle of Solvang, California sits a funny little place……..Shelbi Ranch. It’s not a ranch though. It’s a diner. No, a boutique. No, it’s uh, um…….well, let me explain. Downstairs, it’s a teeny little diner where everything on the menu is $1……everything! (and we hear that it’s pretty tasty.) Upstairs, it’s a  fabric, life-size plastic buffalo, log bed, large art, tchotchkes and $10 dresses store. Random right? But I say, “Right on!” because it’s where I picked up this too cute maxi dress. Yes, for $10.

Fashion Tip  ::  Remember that patterns are excellent for hiding figure flaws. Choose a pattern that is neither too small nor too large for your frame.

Dress   ::  Jody @ Shelbi Ranch

Shoes  ::  Cindy at DSW

Jewelry  :: BCBGMAXAZRIA, Plenty Boutique,  ”Fashionista” bracelet, a gift from my Mom today

Easy & Affordable for  ::  $150

Please allow me to interrupt this Mother’s Day fashion post to introduce you to my family.

4 Generations  ::  My grandma, Mom, me and boys (Gosh I love these people!)

5 generations

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What do Nudists Wear on Casual Friday’s?

11 May

Hello,

What nudists wear on causal Friday’s is, perhaps, something you’ve never pondered but it is a valid question, right? I mean, if Monday through Thursday nudists wear nothing how do you make nothing more casual? Maybe they don’t wear makeup on Friday’s. Wear a braid instead of bouffant? Sandals instead of stiletto’s? Hmmmm!

So, let me give you something else to ponder? What burning fashion question have you always wanted an answer to? Afterall, this blog is all about you-providing ideas and fashion tips to create the most beautiful and confident you no matter what your size, shape or style. So, here’s your chance to ask and it’s super simple. Click Comment at the bottom of this post and ask away. And don’t be afraid!!!!!!! Too often I hear, “I’m too afraid to comment”. It’s like raising your hand in class, everybody afraid to say or ask something silly. Well, there are no silly questions here. You don’t even have to enter your email or your name, (unless you care to) just ask your question and I’ll answer them. Okay, I’m waiting :)

Paula

stylist & stiletto maven

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Sew Faux

9 May

If you’re a regular Dettamoda follower you know that I’ve recently designed and sewn some of my own garments. I’m completely in love with the process of choosing the texture, color, silhouette, structural and applied design that make the garment my own. This week I created a simple A-line skirt in a faux brown leather. I’m particularly pleased with the fact my seam ripper (the handy little gadget that removes unwanted stitches) only made one appearance. In the past I think I did more ripping than sewing. I’m learning people!

Hand sewn leather skirt

Fashion Tip  ::  A-line skirts look great on most body types. Choosing a skirt with structural or applied vertical lines and pockets, like seen here, creates the illusion of smaller hips.

The skirt easily pairs with most shoe styles. Today I’m pairing it with brown leather booties and keeping the jewelry super simple.

Leather skirt

Top  ::  Michael Stars

Skirt  ::  Hand sewn by me

Shoes  ::  Sam Edelman

Jewelry  ::  KOHL’S

Easy & Affordable Style for $185.00

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Styling :: 50 Shades of Grey

7 May

I had you at the title, right? So, tell me…….have you read it? Was it all that we’ve heard it to be? Wait! What’s that? You don’t have the foggiest idea what I am referring to? Come on now……….unless you’ve been propped up on your couch in a Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream coma for the past 3-weeks you must know what I’m talking about………. E L James, erotically entertaining new book, Fifty Shades of Grey. I haven’t read it……..yet! But the title and text was the inspiration for this saucy style.

Style Tip  ::  Think outside the box. I layered this grey and cream graphic blouse over a grey dress with a high rosette trimmed neckline. The neckline looked too constricting so I wore the dress backwards and unbuttoned, creating a slight V-neck.

grey

In keeping with the grey theme, I chose to accessorize with a silver toned clutch, belt and jewels.

silver purse

Style Tip  ::  Create an hourglass shape by defining the smallest part of your mid-section. This belt is perfect……..stretchy, shiny and full of fab scale-like texture. It was worn by my grandma in the 70′s and 80′s and recently given to me.

retro silver belt

Style Tip  ::  Prints add interest. Pair larger prints, like the one on my blouse, with smaller ones, like snake-skin shoes.

Dress  ::  Chen Luu

Blouse  ::  BCBGMAXAZRIA

Belt  ::  vintage piece from my grandma’s closet

Clutch  ::  $2.00 yard sale find

Shoes  ::  BCBGMAXAZRIA (Similar here)

Jewelry  ::  gifts from my Mom

Watch  ::  Christian Audigier

Sunnies  ::  Steve Madden

Easy & Affordable Style for $ 214.00

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