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This is Ivy Frozen reminding you to support your local stores and industries this holiday season. Only YOU can save the magic.

Sticking it the Valdemart,

Ivy Frozen

P.S. Part two to successfully alter clothing will be up soon. We'll be looking at materials and know how before we can finally make the first cut in part 3.

How to Successfully Alter Clothing pt1

I love making my clothes unique and how I want them. And in sharing my creations, I've come aross many people who admire my work, but are too afraid to go after their own wardrobes. Thus, I figured I'd do a few posts to reveal how truly easy it really is to alter clothing to make it your own.

In this, the first part, I'll be covering the first step and sometimes the hardest: figuring out what to do to the item of clothing.

Figure out what you like about the piece. What attracted you to the piece in the first place? Perhaps you just liked the color or pattern and nothing else. Maybe you're a sucker for ruffles like I am. Or maybe it was all about the lace. Figure out what you like about the item so you can figure out what you want to keep.

Figure out what you don't like. Is it too long or too short? Is it horribly unflattering on you and can you pinpoint why? Are you not feeling the pleats? Is it too plain or WAY too much fun? Figure out what you don't like in the item to figure out what NEEDS to be changed.

Figure out your style. Take a look in your closet and note the items you wear most frequently and why you wear those items so much. Also note your favorite items in your closet and why you liek them. Perhaps you keep a StyleDiary or post to other street fashion communities like Wardrobe Remix or Stylemob. If so, check out your outfits there. Find your favorites and take a look at what you wear. Figure out your style so you can make sure your new item fits into it.

Find examples and inspiration. Street style sites, fashion blogs, fashion magazines, phtography books, and diy sites and books are all great places for inspiration. I really like Wardrobe Remix, street style blogs, and fashion blogs from around the world for inspiration. I also love looking at costumes and antigue clothing. Etsy, craftster.org, and Threadbanger are places where crafty people gather and share (or sell) and thus are rich beds of inspiration. Stores, the runways, and art can all inspire you and help you know what you want to do.

Check out my list of DIY Links for some more inspiration and help with your DIY needs. Also check out my sidebar, which I need to update, for more inspiration and help.

In these posts I'll also include some of the stuff I made but haven't done a formal write up of yet.

This skirt,

also in the outfit at the top of this page, became

this dress:

with some scissors, thread, red ribbon, and two white buttons. Look out for a formal tutorial (with photos!) or maybe video when I make another one. That might have to wait until January though. It's really quick and easy though. Just take a maxi circle or a-line skirt, cut off the waistband. Cut the waistband at the point oppossite to where the closure is (or anywhere you'd like). To make the waistband bigger to fit your chest, simply add ribbon or a strip of fabric to the waistband. If the waistband is already big enough, you can cut out a portaion and replace it with ribbon or fabric. Sew the waistband back on the skirt. Use some more ribbon (I sewed two strips of ribbon together, side by side) to create straps. If you want, you can create button holes on your straps, but I simply attached the straps to the dress and sewed the big white buttons on for show. And voila! You have a sweet pinafore tent dress, which is perfect for the summer and with layering for the winter.

images: click on the images in this post to be taken to it's flickr page, where more sizes, outfit deets, and further info is available.

doin it herself,

Ivy Frozen

Icon: Snow White

Not Disney's Snow White...

This Snow White is a Korean drama about a nerdy girl who falls in love with her best friend. He, naturally, does not know and thus continues to date other girls while rubbing our Snow White's, Young Hee's, face in it. Eight years down the line, Jin Woo, or leading man, shoves his delinquent younger brother on Young Hee while he dates the plastic beauty Hee Won. With Jin Woo getting serious about Hee Won, Young Hee must finally make some changes and confess her love to Jin Woo. But does Young Hee still love Jin Woo?
While I love the drama itself-- it's predictable with a twist-- I really love the wardrobe on all of the younger characters except Hee Won. (She would be the one int he blue dress. Her style is kind of boring.) Young Hee, Jin Woo, Sun Woo, Minako, Chu Lee, and the rocker couple with the babies all have great looks! Even when Young Hee is nerdy, I still coveted many of her clothes. I think when she gets hot she basically wears many of the same things.
Young Hee has this really quirky-sweet-girly style I love. I now need a jacket like the on e above and solid colored jacket the same color as one of the stripes to wear with all my stripey shirts. Btw, the title can also be translated as Taste Sweet Love or it's just also called that.
The scarf! And that cape/coat thing!

I love this whole outfit! Unfortunately, I can't find a picture of the whole thing. That looks like Sun woo behind her, and I love his outfit too!

Chu Lee has this AWESOME '80s style that I adore. It's hard to find pictures of her though.
Minako has crazy awesome Japanese street style. It's adorable! In this picture, I love her hat with the long white coat and how her hat matches her guitar, though this is far from her best outfit.



Jin Woo has a very preppie style-- he's a news anchor-- so you think his wardrobe would be as boring as Hee Won's. But Jin Woo manages to be preppie, casual, and hip.


I think his scarves and great use of color are the key.



Sun Woo is the bad boy of the group, but he doesn't get by on just leather jackets.

He wears snakeskin too!

Here, I like the pinstripes on just the cuffs and collar. I wish I could find a good picture of his formal event suit-thing, but the internet is being uncoorporative. I guess you'll just have to watch it yourself.

You can find the whole series, sixteen episodes, on youtube (& elsewhere), with lazy subbing. They don't translate when the characters are speaking sometimes, but they translate more than enough for English speakers to understand.

My homage to the ladies of Snow White.

Minako made me want to wear my hair in pigtails. Chu Lee made me want to go a little 80s and Young Hee was all about the scarf.

Images: HanCinema & me. Click mine for more info., such as outfit deets and more sizes.

Snow White,

Ivy Frozen

Trend Alert!

This just in!

A lot of neck action...

Bra Outline Visible through a colored shirt.

A Sorta Fairytale with you.

This scarf...with EVERYTHING!



Business on top, party on the bottom!

• The neck sees a revival of the double scarf but in a new (and exciting!) way. Instead of two knit-type scarves, I'm using a big rectangular one and a long one to create interesting arangements. It's like Marie Antoinette hairstyle, but for the neck.

• For some reason, I've been loving the idea of a visble bra silhouette through a thin shirt. I'm not so crazy about it as white under white, but under a colored shirt is floating my boat.

• I've also been feeling the Fairytale vibe after Gala Darling's fabulous post on the matter. That photo shoot was delicious, and implanted many ideas in my brain.
• 
  Recently, I've gone crazy for that scarf in my hair. I'm crazy about the color and pattern and how it interacts with the rest of my wardrobe. I wear it has a belt, around my neck, and even in my hair as there. In fact, it's in four of the five pictures in this post. I wonder if France is still relaxed about those marriage laws...

• I also noticed in going through my photos that I have been relegating fun prints to skirts while wearing solids on top.

So, what are you wearing this autumn or just really itching to wear?

Images: Clicky if you have a mind to know where I got something, see more sizes, and some other info.

Setting her own trends,

Ivy Frozen

NewsReel

I figured I might start a new feature, the Newsreel that is basically a place for me to share articles and news I found with you dear readers. So, without further ado, the headlines that caught my attention.

Dare to Bare: Are Indian Models Ready?

This article is about Indian models and lingerie campaigns. I found it while looking for something, but the article is interesting and has some lovely pictures. I especially love the one on teh second page. The whole site looks awesome and I saved it to my favorites to explore more another day.

Prada breaks free of the skinny model mold

I saw this and went to seek more. It seems Prada sent a curvier model down the runway. Unfortunately, a google search turned up little more. This blog post has a little more information. I'd love to see a bigger deal made out of it to encourage designers to start moving back up in model weights.

I was also happy to see this article from the first site I mentioned, saying India is ignoring the whole ideal body shape of disappearing behind poles and embracing a curvier shape. I especially enjoy Dr. Ghei's comment on body types on the second page.

AP: Sexual Misconduct Plagues US Schools

While it's not fashion related, I was greatly disturbed by this article. You'd think schools would take greater care to ensure child molesters weren't teaching our children than they do. I do understand the school's position in this; if it became public that a child was molested by one of the teachers at the school, it would lead to all sorts of other accusations and investigations, and possible punishments. That happened at my high school, and the event was used to fire our principal, who did a good job. (Our principal would fight for what the students want at our school, going against what the district head-person wanted. Also to clarify, or principal was not the child molester.) I was also pretty ticked about how lightly the teachers seemed to treat this. Just saying sorry and people believed they wouldn't do it again. You have to be pretty messed up to molest a child, especially the younger ones. There is no "I won't do it again."

I was also shocked at parents comments. "I thought it was just innocent ducktaping [of students and putting them in a closet]." No. Children are our future! Let's take better care of them. I'm sure the article exaggerates, but abuse of any kind has always struck a cord in me. The Michael Jackson story movie when his dad is going to beat him always freaks me out more than any horror movie. Abuse of any kind freaks me out.

Pix: As always, click for more info.

Reading Headlines for Once,

Ivy Frozen

DIY Link Love

Now that Halloween's over, I figured I'd post a lot of cool DIY (do it yourself) sites I found. I know, too late to help with your costume this year, but the links include a plethora of DIY projects that can be used for daily wear, Christmas pressies, any other events you'd love to wear a costume too, and maybe just give ya something to do rainy/snowy/I just don't feel like going outside weather.

Note that all of the sites, regardless of category, offer projects or tutorials of some kind. At least, I'm pretty sure.

If you like that site I posted about before, with those demon-deal inducing dresses, you might be interested in some of the following historically accurate reproduction sites I found.

Modar University has a few tutorials on Medeival Clothes, but it's real strength is ALL THE LINKS. I haven't had time to explore them all, but how could something Medeival Russian clothing tutorials and Persian clothing patterns not be awesome? Join me in nerdy revelry! I drool, I drool! Scroll down ont he page and click on "Clothing" to find this treasure trove.

The DIY Guide to LRP has some great stuff to use for costuming projects and if you're bold, to wear eveyday. Unfortunately, a lot of the links aren't working and it places the tutorials uin the tiny sidebar. Maybe if you download the link...

Shira.net Belly Dancing Costumes page has some great tutorials and advice for costumes and everyday for the bold. I've been aching for a pair of full harem pants ever since I saw Aladdin when i was a little girl. I've got that project, from Ask the Costume Goddess, bookmarked for me to complete when I find some good fabric. And maybe I'll try some of the skirts, a veil, headress...

Dance and Shantall is another bellydancing costume site. Click on costume design for a few cool tutorials. What I really love is the guide on making the Turkish-Macedonian vest. I fell in love with it in Art history class and must now make one. Duly noted for self.

Katherine's Dress Site goes from the 18th century to the Edwardian period. Lots of inspirational eye candy, including fashion plates!, and some patterns. It includes instructions for making the items both the period way and the modern way. How awesome is that? Also check out Katherine's costumes. A+ from me.

Vintage sewing. info offers "offers free online access to public domain sewing books". Gotta love the advice in those old books. It offers information 1893 to the 1950s.

Sensibility.com has some awesome period costume patterns and tutorials. Check them out! I might try the Romantic era dress but make it shorter.

Tudor links! has a wealth of information on the Elizabethan Tudor period. Click on Textiles and Costumes for enough information to fill the historical clothing nerd within you with glee and keep you reading for several hours. The Ladies Treasury , somewhere connected to this site thoguh I can't find the right sequence of links to follow, offers these free Victorian/Eduardian patterns too, as well as articles on Victorian & Eduardian period dress. More drooling!

Check out this Custum Corset Pattern generator for Elizabethan style corsets meant to flatten the chest and not narrow your waist. So it's different from the more Victorian corsets that are popular. The wide skirt in Elizabethan dress makes the waist look smaller in comparison. It gives you a pattern and instructions.

If you love modern free patterns and tutorials, clap your hands. *clap, clap*

DaciaRay.com is a visually stimulating blog with a few fun tutorials to try out, like a yo-yo, wallet, and pear satchel. The lovely DaciaRay also has a useful tutorial on how to hem jeans. Worth a looksie.

Whatthecraft is one of my favorite places for tutorials. I use several of them regularly, although now I know them by heart. There's also a forum, contests, a blog, and some helpful articles and links. Check it out if you haven't already.

BurdaMode has some really cool patterns that I NEED to try. Click on Downloads to get there. They also offer suggestions for simply refashioning items you already have into the items in the pattern. Awesomeness abounds!

The glorious Queens over at Kingdom of Style have posted a few tutorials. Unfortunately, they're hard to find. So here they are linked: Tulip Hem, Cocoon Hem, Bubble Hem. Those are the only ones I saw; there might be more. Give me a holla if you find more and I'll add them here. Don't forget to check out their awesome fashion blog while you're there!

Get Creative! Conference Center has all sorts of crafting goodness tutorials and advice. It's more crafty and accessories, and less clothes, but it has a lot of information that I have yet to explore. I would say they could just a few extra pictures in the tutorials though, such as a picture of the finished project. Otherwise, check it out. Now.

Sewing.org has a lot of articles on sewing. Tips, tricks, techniques. It also has some cool projects to do. I'd say it's strength is crafty versus clothing. Click on fun projects; I really want to do the Dancing Diva project. Also, for the world concious among you, check out the charitable sewing projects. I might have to give one a go when I have more time.

that*darn*cat is a blog by a sewing and crafting mother with some cool projects for inspiration and some tutorials and explanations which might be useful. I bookmarked it for the quilted wallet tutorial.

13 Things You Can Make out of Your Old Blue Jeans. I think that's self explanitory. You should check out the rest of the blog too, if you're into thrift.

Martha Stewart, the DIY queen. Her emphasis is more on crafty, but she does have some cool clothing tutorials too, like this swimsuit, what to do with old bridesmaid dresses, and this flower hat.

One Hour Craft is a crafting blog which features quick and easy projects and inspiration. Love.

Super Eggplant has a simple tote bag tutorial. It's a great crafter's blog with plenty of eye candy.

Fitzpatterns offers free and low cost downloadable patterns. It's got some good stuff too. Scroll down and click on "free" for the free ones. I wanna make the cape!

Get Crafty! is a crafty DIY zone, with crafting-related articles and some tutorials. It also has some good articles on living cheaply. They also have a store, forum, and other things.

Costume Wardrobe has some cool projects for your costuming needs. I really want to make the cat ears, the petticoat, and the shoe covers! The instructions assume some knowledge of sewing. It's really more write ups of the costumes than full step by step tutorials.

If you need some help with sewing, you might take a look at these links.

About.com has some helpful articles on sewing techniques. All sorts of sewing related advice are there. Give it looksie if you're having trouble.

Expertvillage.com has some videos on sewing techniques and projects. I personally found them kind of boring. They basically say word for word what's in the articles, so I usually use the articles. You may find the videos more helpful than I do though, and occasionally I use the videos for the visual. Plus, I can listen to them while doing something else.

Simplicity.com also offers sewing help, tips, tricks, and advice. They also have some free patterns and projects online somewhere.

If you're in need of inspiration, motivation, and perhaps some new friends to talk shop with, you might enjoy the following DIY Communities.

BurdaStyle has free patterns, many tutorials, and plenty of inspiration from it's fabulous members. It also has a handy-dandy sewpedia, a forum, a blog... Basically everything you need for sewing delight. They are more foucised on clothing then say crafting.

Threadbanger.com. If you don't know them you should. Weekly videos with project ideas for stuff you already have or can get cheap. They've also got a banging forum with even more project ideas and a place to show off your creations, get inspiration, and get help. Check them out. They're image is hip, fun, and thrifty. They alsosupport independent designers and eco and world friendly stuffs. Great for crafty, though an emphasis on wearable stuff.

Cosplay.com is a HUGE forum for cosplayers and those interested in it. Take some time to browse it for some amazing costumes. For this post, I'm mostly interested in this link, which has a bunch of links to tutorials for various cosplay related things, which can also be used for other costumes or even everyday clothes. I really love the tutorial for feather wings and I hope to make it sometime. Unfortunately, many of the tutorials are in Japanese, which stinks since I can't read it. Hey! Maybe if I use the google page translater thing...

Craftster.org is a large forum for the crafters. It offers great resources for crafting and sewing clothing. It's the cosplay.com for crafters! Check it out for tutorials, advice, help, inspiration, and maybe some encouragement and companionship.

Me and Twinkle stayed up very late to write this post.

Be greatful, peons!

Pix: Click on the pic for more info, as always.

Tomyo Hime,

Ivy Frozen

Ivy Frozen Presents: How to Layer Ivy Style

Layering is so last year. Toss grunge back in the dumpster from which it sprang. This year is all about ladylike looks.

Bwahahhahahahahahaha!

And once you're done laughing with me, let's forget that. I actually have no idea what bull they're pitching this year, but layering is always in with shizo California weather and temperaturaly challenged classrooms. And so, as my gift to you, I now present the proper way to layer.

Now I know, all those magazines make layering seem like a science. Or you know, you just wonder how the models can still move their arms since they've piled up enough clothes to rival the little brother in A Christmas Story's orange snowsuit.

Step 1: "I'm cold."

Step 2: Look in closet.

Step 3: Eyes land on tights and long socks; put on a pair.

Step 4: Eye sweaters and jackets.

Step 5: "But not that cold."









Step 6: Opt for a cropped jacket with short sleeves.

Because Ivy's have layers,

Ivy Frozen

P.S. Yes, that was a Shrek reference.

P.P.S. I know I've been MIA, but I've been busy with school and trying to make costumes this month. My return is forthcoming though. Cheer, masses. Cheer.

Everyone Else is at Style.com

And where am I?





Here. An Antique dress gallery. But look at the lovliness that is there and you won't blame me. Like that dress above from swan lake. ::drool:: That's the lovliness that led me to this site. But I must confess,



it's this beauty that captivates me. ::drool, drool, drool:: Just look at the collar! I suppose my actual fascination with this coat is because I've had the image of a cape in my mind that has a collar like that. My "dream cape" came about before I saw this, and is actually extremely short and striped. But I want that neck on it!

Look! They even have accesories like hats and shoes. And they're actually selling this stuff, for hefty pricetags of course. That doesn't stop me from totally considering selling my firstborn child for an antuque dress. Not even the fact that I would probably be to scared to wear the item ever can dissuade the dark recesses of my mind from turning that idea over.

Images: Clicky!


Should Not be allowed the have children,

Ivy Frozen


P.S. I did not eat Yoda.

Fashion Fun

Lessons in shopping from Kelly.

#1: Forget it; just get it.





#2. Shoes. Shoes. Shoes.

As per usual, clicky the pix or video for more details, different sizes, etc.

Rad,

Ivy Frozen

Ivy Presents:3 Steps to Bubblicious

How to bubbleify a skirt. Apparently, next year bubble skirts are out. In this heat, I like to take my long skirts and hike them up. I'll just tell them that I didn't get the memo. So, without further ado, here's my three step plan on how to take your maxi a-line skirts from this:

to this:

Materials:

long a-line maxi skirt
safety pins
(optional) needle and thread

Directions:

Step 1: Put on skirt.

Step 2: Grab a section of the hem and fold it inwards (towards you) and pull it up until the fold falls at desired length of skirt.

Picture of the inside. See how it hangs? I used six pins on this one.

Step 3: Pin from the inside or sew a few stitches to secure. And repeat until you're done.

Tips:

• I usally start with one pin in each of the four main directs, front, back, and the two sides, then insert and extra pins.
  


• It should only take about 15 minutes or less.
  


• The skirts I use are cotton, which folds just right to get that bubbly effect. Other fabrics might not work as well.
  


• You can probably thrift an a-line skirt, if you don't already have one.



• Try to keep pins relatively at the same height, depending on the shape you want. It gets more jagged and crazy the more you vary them.



• Less pins adds to the slouchy shape of these ones. Using more pins or actually sewing it up should be more uniform and neatly bubbled.
  



• I haven't tried it with a circle skirt, but it might work.
  


• I only used 4 to 8 pins and they're pinned to about the top of the pockets.
  
  

The same thing can be used on longer pencil skirts to result in a hem like this:

You want to put the pencil skirt on inside out to fold up and pin though.

Easy, no? It truly is. Just put on your skirt and go to town. I should warn, of course, that this could leave needle holes in your skirts. If you're having a tough time inserting a needle, try not to force it. Instead try removing the pin and then trying again to help prevent the tiny holes. The pin should go in fairly easy, depending on the thickness of the fabric.

My outfits: click the pics for additional details.

Bubblefied,

Ivy Frozen