Well as promised here is my outfit for the Nuffnang awards in all of it’s minute details!
I put so much time and effort into this outfit that I think it deserves it’s own post if only for my records heeheee!
The dress:
I was so torn on what dress design to go with. I wanted something Hime Gyaru obviously but I wanted it to also feel like I was wearing a million dollars rather than something I’d made. Originally I wanted to buy a dress but I couldn’t find anything I liked so I improvised.
This is how it all started out:
I cut one of my basic patterns out of a stretch cream satin for lining.
Then I added the pink flower silk chiffon over the top in the pattern I wanted. I had no end of trouble with the chiffon, I wanted to throw it out the window so many times!
I feel the need to tell you all that I hand pleated the ribbon for the straps (and back up shoes). That’s right hand pleated. No where that could ship fast enough/was within driving distance sold pre-pleated ribbon! WTF?? I really wanted it though so I stubbornly decided to do it myself.
This is the neckline of the dress (yes blacked out the cleavage for protection of your eyes :P) The flowers are all hand sewn on and made of paper, in the middle is a giant heart shaped pink jewel which I just LOVE. The bust has a slight sweetheart line with a row of gathering to make it interesting.
There is also a 3 layer tiered petticoat which I made for this dress specifically. It’s out of cute dot tulle similar to my wrap. I wanted it to have a slight bell shape but nothing as extreme as Lolita so I kept it to 3 soft layers.
The whole outfit
I think this is one of the only photos of me without the wrap. I don’t normally show my shoulders or cleavage so I was a touch uncomfortable without it ^_^ James is taking a photo of my nails.
I made my wrap from some lovely dot tulle (different from the petticoat) which was edged with white pom pom fringing. The pom pom fringing was a super large pain to get as well! I swear that all the fabric shops in Brisbane keep a list of things that I desperately want and all collude with each other to not stock them…
The bag
This is how my bag started out. I got it on sale at Charlie Brown for around $20
I hated the ugly gold chain on the straps so I removed that and added a rose to make it match the rest of the outfit. It’s made of the softest faux leather I think I’ve ever touched.
The alternate shoes:
I found 2 pairs of shoes on sale at Wittner. This first pair was my back up pair, it took me forever to decide whether to wear these ones or the others because these were more comfortable but they didn’t go with the dress well while the others were stunning but were half a size too small *_*
Anyway these were $40 marked down from around $170. Before decoration…
After decoration… Notice the pleated ribbon again 😉
Detail shot: Yep I’m so detailed obsessed that I glued diamantes to the buckles ^_^
The real shoes
Now this is how the shoes I actually wore started out… On sale for $30 originally like $150ish.
After the Violet treatment…
They are so pretty but holy bajeebus are they painful! Seriously I think I hobbled around for half the night but it was totally worth it XD
Detail shot:
Interestingly enough these shoes tested by deco abilities. I couldn’t use plain old epoxy glue because it was too brittle, every time I put on the shoes a bunch of jewels cracked off. So I came up with the solution of glueing with epoxy first and then doing 3 top coats of plain old craft tacky glue. This gave it the flexibility to move with my feet 😀 Totally interesting right?
The nails
I didn’t get too many detail shots of my nails because I completely forgot about them ^_^ The are a pink base with a touch of glitter, white lace with ceramic flowers in pink and white on the very tips. The white lace even has little roses on it!
Funny story- I ran out of nail glue so I had to rush and get some for the flowers. They didn’t have my usual brand so I just grabbed one marked “Professional”. Turns out what they meant by “proffessional” was actually “rubbish and doesn’t stick to anything”. This lead to all kind of shenanigans with little roses flying off and having to dig around under heavy cabinets to get them back before the night. Lesson: Once you find a good nail glue stick with it!
Thought I’d show you my other nails for the trip while I’m here 🙂 These are blue and blue glitter stripes with silver tips and blue/silver diamantes.
Some of the small diamantes are heart shaped.
The jewelery
My choker, brooch and one of my bracelets were all custom made by the beautiful Celeste from Little Waltz. I commissioned Celestewith a jumble of ideas even before I had a dress and she made the most beautiful pieces for me!
This was the package that arrived from Little Waltz. Everything was packed super well.
The choker is pink pearls with a silver crown backing and a large flower over the top. There is a little chain with more pearls hanging down. The brooch has Swarofsky crystals dangling down in a vintage metal base and a beautiful pink cameo. She also included 2 absolutely beautiful bracelets with diamantes and little bells which jingle whenever I move. When I wear them I feel like a fairy!
I would absolutely recommend Little Waltzfor anyone needing custom or off the shelf jewelery, the designs are wonderful and the craftsmanship is just beautiful. Celeste handled all my panicky emails wonderfully and couldn’t have been easier to work with! The craftsmanship on the jewelery is immaculate and the prices were really reasonable, I’d give it all a 10/10!
The face
I decided to keep my make up fairly simple for the night with some false lashes and a hint of pink eye shadow. Lip gloss was of course a must too! 1000 Hoursent me some lashes to test out so I decided it was the perfect night to take one of the sets for a test run.
This was the set I was wearing, “Wild Damsel” you can buy them at Priceline for RRP $8.95. I used a different glue because of my allergy.
Of course here are some shots of them in action…
I found the application of these to be very easy, they held their shape quite well so it wasn’t a pain to reuse them next time. They were very easy to clean with warm water and with the help of my heated curler they were the perfect shape. I think if you wanted them more or less curled it would be quite easy to achieve. 1000 Hour sent me a couple of other products so I’ll be reviewing them soon for you all too!
Shot to see the length…
Well that’s a wrap everyone! I’ll be back to blogging as normal now that most of the move is out of the way 😀
Hope to see you all at the next Nuffnang Awards next year!
So this is a regular old ACEO Friday post but I also have to let you all know that I’ll be without internet for a few days while we move in with James’ parents so I won’t be able to reply to comments until I get my internet connection back.
Everything is a mad house here at the moment! I’m knee deep in boxes and packing tape at the moment which is fun. I’ve got around half of the house done but the rest looks like a bomb has hit it ^_^There is row upon row of bejeweled bits and pieces in piles of “Keep” and “Throw out”. I went through all my hair and make up bits and pieces yesterday… here is a snap shot of the carnage!
So when I see you all next week I’ll be living with James’ parents ^_^ Have a great weekend!
As always click the image to be taken to the ACEO etsy store.
I’ve done quite a bit of traveling in my time and I love exploring new and interesting places but I always try to travel in style.
I try to make my everyday life as beautiful as possible and traveling is no different. You won’t find me in sweat pants and thongs (or flip flops for my American readers), I want to feel as pretty leaving a 7 hour flight as I do going out to dinner!
So with my recent trip to Singapore I thought it was the perfect time to show you all how I travel in style. This is a compilation of tips I’ve picked up on my travels and my “must have” items for along the way.
First thing’s first…
Take something lucky
I’m not a superstitious person by nature but there’s a story behind this one! The day before we went to Singapore James and I were doing some last minute shopping in the city. I was feeling a little light headed so we stopped at McDonalds for some fries. As I was walking away I checked my change and what should be there but a Singaporean 10 cent piece!!
I was so surprised, normally if I get anything foreign in my change it’s New Zealand currency. This seemed so random and fateful that I kept it in a special compartment in my bag the whole trip!
On the plane:
Take some good headphones (and an ipod if you want to listen to *good* music). I hate airplane headphones, they are usually uncomfortable and don’t block outside sounds. Also they aren’t anywhere near as cute as mine! Headphones are super easy to deco, even if you have little ear bud ones a few diamantes will jazz them up nicely!
Keep hair and make up simple but elegant.
If you want to do make up, take a kit with everything you need for touch ups before landing. Keep in mind that you might need to sleep in what you’re wearing. I love false eye lashes because they are hard to mess up even in your sleep! On flights to and from SG I wore little individual lashes on the corners of my eyes for a little punch with no effort (review on the lashes soon). I did my hair in Kitty Rolls which were comfortable, survived sleeping but still looked cute.
Below are some of my travel essentials. Clear zip pouch with make up and liquids, letter writing kit, wet naps, face washer, mini sewing kit and bag tags for checked in luggage.
A cute travel document holder is an essential.
I would be forever loosing my boarding pass or passport if I didn’t have something this bright to remind me! I deco’d this one myself.
And of course a matching passport holder helps too 😉 These are all made of suede so they feel soft enough to be used as a pillow if it’s an emergency!
A sleeping mask
Something overly cute suits best! I want to be adorable even when I’m asleep so I picked the sugariest thing I could possibly find ^_^
A jacket
Take it on the plane with you, seriously. Even if you’re going to a hot destination the plane is always freezing and those little blankets don’t help. Good protection against the rain too.
Things to keep you entertained.
I take pens, note book, DS and games and well as my little UFO hand massager which is awesome for when you just want to relax. I am a very fidgety person so I take as many little things to play with as possible. With this I can continue my Japanese lessons on the DS then practice kanji or sentence structure in my note book.
Candy!
Candy is good to pop your ears in the plane and also tastes great. And they are a good conversation starter if a cute boy is sitting next to you 😉
<
p style=”text-align: center; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);”>Beating the climate bug
Pick clothes that are appropriate for your situation. Fabrics that don’t wrinkle or require ironing are great for long flights but synthetic fabrics are horrible in hot climates! On the plane to SG I wore a cotton printed cord dress with a lace cardigan over the top.
Fabric choice is important. While in the heat in SG I wore thin stockings, cotton dresses and cardigans. Everyone was sweltering in the heat, even though I was wearing more layers I was cool because I was wearing fabric that could breathe.
Layering is the key to being ready for any weather! Cardigans are awesome, you can dress them up or down, take them off if you’re hot or add a jacket if you’re cold.
Weapons of choice:
A fan
I picked this one up for $0.70 and added bows, diamantes and lace. They are compact and can be invaluable in the heat. They can also be used to hide yawns behind in boring situations, keep your coughs or sneezes to yourself or whisper gossip to a friend 😉 Keep it in your hand bag!
A singlet
Singlets are the ultimate versatile piece of travel clothing. Wear during the day if it’s hot, layer with a cardigan to go out to dinner, use as pajamas or as swimmers if you’re in a pinch. Cute pajamas are surprisingly important, if you have luck like mine you’ll end up outside at 2am for a fire drill chatting to the other hotel patrons so this is probably not the right time to sleep in the nude 😉 Be prepared for anything because holidays are all about going with the flow!
Sun protection eg. a sun hat, sunscreen etc.
The sun is mean and evil, stay away from it! No one likes sun burn, it’s icky. Don’t stop protecting your skin just because you’re on holiday. ‘Nuff said.
Sunglasses
… ok maybe not “‘Nuff said”… These are only half for the sun protection though. The other half is looking damn good! There is nothing classier that popping on some nice sunglasses when you’re not feeling 100%. Hide the bags under your eyes from the 7hr flight and look like a rock star 😉
A handbag sized umbrella.
These fold down so tiny there’s not much of an excuse not to have one. This one has an aluminum frame so it’s super light and is perfect in unpredictable weather or in place of a parasol.
A scarf
I carry a scarf and a face washer with me pretty much all the time. The face washer was a gift from a friend in Japan, the lady’s bathrooms there don’t have hand towels so most girls carry their own but it’s also useful for mopping up spills on nice dresses, fixing make up, using as a small pillow and the list goes on!
The scarf is not only useful but looks damn stylish hanging off a handbag! Did your hair get ruined? Then wear it like a 50’s movie star. Forget the hot rollers? Use it for pin curls. Sudden hay fever attack and not a tissue in sight? Well you get the idea…
Other travel musts:
Gifts for the new friends you meet!
I didn’t get to hand any of these little babies out because we were just so busy but I really wanted to give them to the organizers at Nuffnang. It’s a really great idea to take something from your home country. These little kangaroo and koala toys didn’t cost much but I hand glued a bow and diamante to each to personalize them. That way your friends will have something cute to remember you by 🙂 And you won’t feel awkward if someone gets you something nice because you’ll have something give back!
Slippers
You never know where you’re going to have to walk in your hotel. Whether it’s for that proverbial 2am fire drill or you want to visit a friend down the hall, you never know who’s icky feet have been there before you. Cute little ones like these only cost me $10 and they fold up to practically nothing in your suitcase.
Nail repair kit
I am a big believer in preparing for any situation, James says I should have been a girl scout. That’s why I carry a nail repair kit with spare nails, glue clear polish and anything else you might need.
Bags within bags within bags within bags…
This is important because it keeps everything nice and separate in your suitcase, no searching through the make up bag for a hair band because they have their own bags! Being organized is key to a fantastic wardrobe, if you are well organized you can find all the right accessories at a glance… and there are is always room somewhere in here for more little bits and pieces you buy along the way.
Tiny cute bottles.
These cost $1.50 per pair and they are some of the best things I’ve ever bought. This way you can take all of your usual bathroom liquids with you. You can even get ones with spray lids for things like curl enhancer. Very cleaver.
Business cards:
You never know who you’re going to meet while out and about and if you’ve got a blog or business then it’s a great idea to have a couple of business cards with you. Mine are double layered so there is my blog card on top and by graphic design card on bottom. They stand out because they are fastened with a bow in the top corner ^_^
Foreign currency
Don’t go anywhere without it. Some places don’t accept credit cards etc so make sure you check before you go, it’s always useful to have some foreign currency on hand for taxis etc anyway.
A bag full of cables for your various gadgets.
Definitely important so you can charge your ipod/laptop/phone etc. A power point converter is also a great idea. The most important part of this is the bag, don’t bother going searching through your whole suitcase just grab the bag. On the way home the bag also be used as carry on luggage for all that extra shopping 😉
Luggage:
I hate not being able to find my luggage at the other end. I’m also paranoid because I’ve had luggage stolen before and no matter what compensation you get there are some things which can’t be replaced. So if it can’t be replaced, don’t pack it. I also hate that all luggage pretty much looks the same. Ideally I would have liked one of these babies by Hideo Wakamatsu but as we only discovered how broken our old cases were the day before we left, I didn’t really have time to shop for a new one :(… It’s made my dream list for next time though, in fact I would go as far as to say that this is my dream suitcase! (click the image for the specs)
So in lue of one of those beauties we borrowed plan old suit cases from James’ parents. To make it more memorable I tied some old crappy acrylic lace around it several times. James laughed at me but it worked, we spotted our bags in like 2 seconds at the other end and were out of there!
Super bright bag tags help too if you can’t afford a whole new suitcase.
When you get home…
Unpack everything as quickly as possible otherwise you’ll get lazy and it will never get done! I’ve left a suitcase for weeks before because I was tired when I got home and then got busy at work, don’t fall into the trap! It only took me like half an hour to unpack both of our cases this time.
So hopefully you’ve enjoyed some of my silly tips and they make your next trip even more fun!
Do you have some fun tips to share with me? What are your favorite tips to travel in style?
So remember when I said that I’d have a surprise when I reached 100 followers? Well today I reached 109! How exciting! My surprise is I’m going to start video blogging 😀
Because I’m still working on some real videos I thought I’d share with you a video of the fun Candice aka Super Kawaii Mama had while we were over in Singapore. This is why I was holding back the photos of us over the weekend. It’s so funny when you meet someone for the first time and feel like you’ve known them for years, I couldn’t have asked for better traveling buddies ^_^
So enjoy and let me know what you want to see in my future videos 😉
Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed the silly princess video!
Illustrator. Strong tea, knitting, watercolours, and making a video game called Moonlight in Garland. Living with her adorable husband Jimmy, fluffy puppy Miss Lottie and Bergamot Bunny in Melbourne, Australia.
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The choker is pink pearls with a silver crown backing and a large flower over the top. There is a little chain with more pearls hanging down. The brooch has Swarofsky crystals dangling down in a vintage metal base and a beautiful pink cameo. She also included 2 absolutely beautiful bracelets with diamantes and little bells which jingle whenever I move. When I wear them I feel like a fairy!
I would absolutely recommend Little Waltzfor anyone needing custom or off the shelf jewelery, the designs are wonderful and the craftsmanship is just beautiful. Celeste handled all my panicky emails wonderfully and couldn’t have been easier to work with! The craftsmanship on the jewelery is immaculate and the prices were really reasonable, I’d give it all a 10/10!
Of course here are some shots of them in action…
