DIY Chain Harness Bracelet

Ok, ok, I promise, this is the last bracelet tutorial for a long time. I hardly ever wear bracelets anyway. But now I do since I'm making a bunch. My chain supply is beginning to dwindle so there's only so long this chain-DIYing can continue. Last weekend's project was this wicked looking chain harness bracelet. It's super bondage-y, isn't it? So it goes.

When I initially bought my piles of chain, jump rings, and lobster clasps from Toho Shoji in NYC, I got them in black since I figured it's neutral enough. Luckily, black worked out perfectly for this project. I used all 2 feet of chain and secretly wish I had another foot of the stuff to add another level of bracelet.

I had no idea how to start out this project. I didn't know what I was doing. As I always think, DIY is half guess-and-check. SO that's what I did. I spent about 10 minutes winding chain around my hand figuring out what looked good, what worked, what wasn't physically possible. And the good thing about using jump rings and chain that's easy to cut with wire cutters is that if you don't like the way something turns out, chop it bend it back. I would cut pieces of chain too long and attach them... then chop more off 5 minutes later. Just play around until you get something you like.

(you can see my fading henna-bow)

I eventually decided on a pattern that resembles the right picture. The first picture most clearly illustrates what I did. While it's easy to just cut and bend, it really helps to count out links and make sure both sides are even. For example, I tried for some kind of symmetry. I used 6 links in between both the each hypotenuse side of the corresponding triangles (DID YOU SEE THAT!? I just used two geometry terms. But I incorrectly used "corresponding triangles". They're not corresponding. The smaller triangle's hypotenuse doesn't correspond to the larger triangle because it's disproportionately longer. See, I can be smart sometimes.)

And here's the finished project! The part that connects to my finger is too long so I actually shortened it after I took these pictures. 

Experiment! Have fun. 

(Neo)Grunge

I have finally found a tumblr of a style that I think is where my own style is currently headed. It's called "Grunge Style," but I can't say that I agree with this title. When I think grunge, I think 90s Nirvana style. I mean, sure plaid and ripped jeans fit under grunge, but the major difference I see is the FIT of these clothes. Grunge was completely baggy. This new style mixes a tight fit with loose fit, new clothes paired with thrifted and vintage pieces. That could be a nod to original grunge clothes, if anything.

I've seen this style referred to as neo-grunge. I agree with that a lot more. It's grunge influenced for sure, just tweaked and mixed with modern style.

What I love about this style is that it's a combination of SO many things; a complete tossed salad of already existing subcultures. Look carefully: goth, punk, retro, girly style, ...and grunge.

Who's a perfect poster girl for this look? Everyone's favorite alien model, pink haired princess- Charlotte Free.

(all pics via grunge-style)

18 Years Without Kurt

I pause for a moment from style things to bring you a video for Kurt Cobain's death day anniversary. Here's one of my all time favorite Nirvana songs (and don't kill me for saying this, but it always reminds me of the moment that they play this song in Jarhead). There's something so uncomfortably sad about this song... it's one of those songs that I always play when I'm in a real strange funk.

It's from the epically famous Unplugged performance, and features a little bit of Kurt being a doof at the end.

“Strap on your gee-tar!”

He's so odd in the greatest way. I wrote my final paper for my poetry class 2 years ago about “beauty,” and tangented off halfway through about how sad things are beautiful and used Kurt Cobain as an example of a tragically beautiful person (with a tragically beautiful, artistic death). I wonder if my professor was a bid WTF-ed out by it...

5 Gothy shoes to lust over

I'm not shoe crazy like most girls are. Most girls lust over stilletos and heels and cute flats. Personally, I prefer boots of any kind over anything else. I have big feet (size 9, eep) and I'm already pretty tall, so heels 3+ inches make me a monster. As I'm not one for much color at the moment, as I've been living in black boots or shoes most of the time. If you look at my laundry bin, the majority is going in the dark wash. I guess I've been inspired by gothy and grungey fashion lately. Here are my top 5 gothy shoes I'm constantly lusting over. 

CREEPERS

 Hell yeah. My bff just got a pair and I'm super jelly. If I had creepers, I'd do the creeper tiptoe walk everywhere I went. What's holding me back from ebaying a ripoff pair from China is that platform flats would make my huge feet look like boats. Other sasquaches out there, are you self conscious about that too?

THE ROCKING HORSE SHOE

Originally designed by Vivienne Westwood, these shoes are a Japanese street fashion staple. You find them on the decos, the lolitas, everyone. They're girly looking, but kind of hardcore at the same time. I wonder how hard they are to walk in. As you will notice if you look at the heel, the interesting design element of these shoes is that they're missing a huge chuck out of the back end of the heel. Crazy, right? Do they make you fall over backwards every time you take a step? I would love to find out. The platform is made of wood (if you get a real pair) and knockoff platforms are cork or compressed foam.

DOCS

Ahh, what can I say about Dr Martens that I haven't already beaten completely to death? I wrote an entire post about them here, which consistently remains the post I get the most hits on. I still lust over the short, white docs, but knowing myself, I'd scratch them up instantly. Since I already have perfect black mid-height AirWairs, white docs will forever remain lusted after. Sadness.

ZOE by SAM EDELMAN

I'm not sure if I blogged about this shoe before, but I think it's absolutely genius. This shoe was released at around the same time as Litas were, and in my opinion, this shoe should have smashed Litas to splintered bits. It's a hybrid of a wedge and a heel with this quilted buckle strap that screams “complete badass.”

CHINESE MARY JANES 

These really aren't that gothy, are they? They're just black. But this is my kind of gothy; blackish but still girly. Girly gothy grunge? Anyway, cloth Mary Janes are the most basic, basic flat in existance. They're probably made to fall apart, the soles are made of rubber and capable of bending completely in half, and you will probably rip the buckle off at least once since everyone is too lazy to actually unbuckle the shoe (I am). But they are a great staple because they will match absolutely anything you will ever wear.  

*Update

HEY all. Shout out to people who are following me; thanks for that! Glad to know people are reading. :]

Unfortunately, I haven't been super inspired lately in terms of Fashionable Things I Have Opinions About. Spring semester is always a drag and has a way of sucking the life out of a person. On top of that, I've been having health (coughmentalcough) issues so that also makes it less fun. HOWEVER, I still have a backlog of DIYs leftover from the week I was home for spring break so that'll continue to get posted in the coming weeks.

I've lately been living on various flavors of milk tea with mini boba and schlepping around the overcast 'Cuse (in the background is one of the SI Newhouse buildings, where I go to school). Speaking of which, have you checked out the inspiration blog for Craftistas? It's a great start-up site where I contribute as a DIY fashion blogger. You can find most of my recent posts there, along with ideas from other bloggers. Go look!