DIY: Detachable Collar

Can also be used to dress up your pup, which is a bonus.
If, like me and my dad, this is your favourite ever moment from The Big Bang Theory, then have I got the project for you!

 I mentioned that I wanted to give making a detachable collar a go, but I'd gotten rid of a blouse that was an excellent candidate. Thankfully, I was idling through a box of old clothes and I found this excellent shirt that I bought from Supre about three years ago.


The problem with this shirt is that it looks a bit like the 70s threw up on it. It's a bit too bright and bold for me to wear without feeling like I'm in a costume. The fit is also a bit unflattering. However, I do like the print in small doses, so it's perfect for this project!

There are two types of detachable collars, and the first step is working out which of these you prefer, and which your shirt suits best:

By Miu Miu
By Carven
The shirt I'm using is chiffon polyester, so it's too light to be made into a bib (it wouldn't sit properly, unless I strengthened it). So I'm gonna take the easy route and turn it into a simple collar. I have a couple of collar tips that I'll add, to give it some extra flare.

The process is very simple, and can really be summed up in a couple of photos

Just cut the two collar segments off, exactly like this. 
I decided to add  couple of collar tips, using a hammer to lightly tap them closed.

Totally convincing! 
So easy!

Here are some links to sites with more comprehensive guides:
http://www.rookiemag.com/2011/10/diy-collars-marlena/
http://emilyjane.typepad.com/my-blog/2014/02/diy-detachable-collar.html
http://runwaydiy.com/2011/02/24/diy-miu-miu-collar/


Contributor: Kate, @Springerfield

Review: Ferret/Fox Blouse

I've already done a review of a cute printed shirt, and there are several more to come. I'm so obsessed with the range of $10-ish blouse sold via eBay and Aliexpress!

This blouse is pretty widespread across Aliexpress, and the page I bought it from can be found here. It's covered in little yellow ferret-like creatures, with their shadows also crawling around. It's bloody delightful, basically.

Photo from product page

This is one of my fave online buys, because it was super cheap and it's really great quality. The fabric is more of a polyester than the light, cheap feeling chiffon, which actually makes for a very crisp print and a soft feel. The white is a cool white, not remotely beige, and the yellows and blacks are vivid.

Are they ferrets?! Foxes? Weasels? Stoats?

As white as a Springer Spaniel's nose, which is pretty damn white.
The cut and fit of the skirt is pretty good. I got a Large, which is, as per usual, not a Large at all. It's a UK10. It's has actually got a very nice fit to it, being a little towards the snug side without being tight. It isn't very long, hitting just above the waist.

Not that the shoulder hem sits a bit forward, which is pretty clever in terms of fit.

So pretty! I'm really impressed by the vividness of the colours.
 Overall, I'm really happy with this shirt. It's very easy to wear and it just doesn't look like something you can buy for under $10 (USD)! If you are considering buying it, do be careful with the sizing, ok?

Ratings
Product Quality: 5/5
Accuracy of Description: 4/5
Similarity to Original: N/A, I think. I have been searching for the original with my trusted advisor, Google's Search by Image function, but I can't find it. I'm sure this is a dupe, because the photos of the model wearing the shirt look very professional.

Contributor: Kate, @Springerfield

Online Shopping Gems: Shirt Dresses

Since there are a bazillion cute, cheap dresses on Aliexpress, I'm going to be as specific as possible when it comes to categorising these gems. 'Shirt' Dresses are amongst my favourite breed of dress. As per usual, as of the time I posted this, everything is under $20, probably by a lot, and in a selection of sizes. Zooey Deschanel and Alexa Chung are some very fashionable ladies who totally rock these dresses regularly, so take inspo from them and grab yourself a preppy-meets-quirky frock!

(Click photo to view product page. A lot of these dresses are available in multiple colours/patterns, go check them out!)

Review: Orange Print Blouse

I saw this adorable blouse on an episode of Girls and stumbled upon it on Aliexpress a day or so later. At first, I thought it had to be the exact same one, because Hannah's a poor New Yorker who probably would appreciate some online bargains. It's actually not. The one she wears is this crazy expensive J-Crew one.


I love finding the original item that an aliexpress one is based on. It's so interesting how close they get sometimes and how the prices are vastly different. The one I bought was about $15, free shipping. The tags says it's from Asos, which it definitely isn't. 

As you can see in the photo above, the J-Crew version is a very crisp white. The one I received was pretty good, but it was slightly yellower and a lighter, more see through fabric. Here are some photos I took of mine to sell it on Trademe:




It's a very pretty shirt, and for $15, it's great. Why did I sell it then? Well, I didn't want to, but it didn't fit me AT ALL.

I got a Large, which the tag says should be a UK10. It's about a UK6-8 in actuality. That is the smallest Large in the world! I wasn't happy with that at all. I usually buy Large from Asian online stores and they tend to be a little snugger than they should be for a flippin' Large, but this was crazy! The Small would have to be a UK4! Does that even exist?!

If you are a UK8 or under, I do recommend this shirt, because it's very pretty and cheap. Plus, it has Lena Dunham's seal of approval and I love her. Cover anything in fruit and I'm in.

Ratings
Product Quality: 4/5
Accuracy of Description: 2/5
Similarity to Original: 3/5

Contributor: Kate, @Springerfield
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