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Friday, November 27, 2009

See You In a Few!

Hello loves!

I hope you're all having an amazing Black Friday!

I'll be MIA for a while, as I'm off to Japan! :)




I can't wait to get some style inspiration from Asia! Since I'll be on a tour with no promises of internet, I'll just say toodleoo for now--be back in a few!

Yours, etc.
CurvyGirlChic

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Shoe size comparison

I ordered a Basic Miss Piggy in May and she has finally arrived. She's about as tall as Tonner's 16" dolls, but as you can guess, she's a bit wider. The picture below shows her with Sybarite Savoy.


Because she is a Basic Miss Piggy, the outfit is simple and so are the shoes, which are on the right side in the following picture. On the left are shoes for Sybarite and in the middle shoes for American Model.


As you can see, Miss Piggy's feet are considerably bigger, which is a good thing as it means more room for details in the shoes. Right now I'm making latex moulds of her feet and next I will make plaster castings of them. Then I will hopefully have time for making something interesting. I guess it's time to look at the shoe books and calendars for some inspiration.
For the Finnish post, see here.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Designer Spotlight: yystudio on Etsy

Aaaaaaand, we're back!

Sorry for the long lapse of time between posts! First my internet went down, then I was off in NY helping my sis move into an apartment...without any internet set up! Ack!

Anyhow, I've been wanting to blog about another amazing Etsy find: yystudio!
I believe it's a completely family based company specializing in custom made garments for petite and plus size women, which is fantastic! The shop is on the pricey side, but the items are TO DIE FOR.  Plus, with a perfect fit, you don't need to worry about returns! Make sure you have up to date measurements taken for you--and be thorough! They require almost every body measurement!

Some of my favorite items from searching through their shop on Etsy are:
Classic Three Quarter Sleeve Victorian Retro Long Coat: $348

I LOVE this coat. I think this is my favorite item from their shop! It's so cute, with a vintage-y/swingy shape and three quarter sleeves! I also love that it's made from cashmere, and has a silk lining--this is not for those afraid of dry cleaning!


Why, hello there gorgeous.

I want this jacket so bad. I could do without their long winded description of this jacket (I took the liberty of shortening it on this blog) but it. is. gorgeous.

It's a little Chanel inspired, and and just SCREAMS ladylike with a touch of bad. Soooo hot. You can also get the non-cashmere version for $159.80!


I'm kind of amazed by the originality and quality of design that independent artists have. This coat, for example, seems completely normal, with just some cute detailing on the back and ruching sleeves, but it definitely doesn't end there. This other photo of the front of the jacket is what really does it for me:

Isn't this gorgeous?? It would be so perfect for those days where you have to look polished but just want to curl up in a blanket. Perfect combination!


I want this so BAD! I die for anything with bows, so the big slouchy bow on this totally does it for me! You can also get this in any solid wool color. Hooray for options!


I love the vibrant color of this piece--and, it's another great comfy-looking item! I think the sleeves on this are fabulous, and the heavier fabric makes this is fabulous option for winter! At $130 too, PLUS free shipping, it's a total steal!

Orange Pure Cashmere Victorian Retro Cape-Style Hooded Coat: $268

I love the bright orange color of this coat. You can also get it in several other colors (the gray version can be found here). This would look so fabulous with leggings, boots, and some fabulous accessories, like fur! Looooooove.







That's all for now, my loves! Let me know what your favorite items from their store are or if you decide to make a purchase!

Yours, etc.
CurvyGirlChic

Monday, November 2, 2009

Trend Spotlight: Roaring 20's Glam

I've been going absolutely nuts over modernized 1920's inspired clothing and accessories! When the SpeakEasy episode of Gossip Girls came out, I knew I had to do a post on it.



I think this will be SUCH a hot look for the holidays! I love the bows, fringe, lace, sequins, headpieces, gloves, and jewelry overload!

Here are some great pieces that you can work into your glamorous plus-size wardrobe:



I love this--pair it up with tons of layers pearls, some t-strap heels, a netted hairpiece, and black satin elbow length gloves and you're all set!


This dress is HOT. You can dress it up in so many different ways, too. This would be amazing with some printed tights and T-strap heels!

Love it! If you want to take the look to a more literal level, this is an amazing choice. I seriously want to buy this item and just go all out with the 20's look for one of my Christmas parties!






I love me a good headband. This one is so cute--I'd wear it with everything!


This is so cute! It's the perfect accessory to get the 20's look across. Now all you need is the perfect wavy coiffed hair to go with the piece!


I absolutely die for this hair clip. It's absolutely perfect--classic, chic, and stylish!


This would look amazing layered with a ton of other necklaces!

I love this necklace--it's the perfect complement to a black dress, and has some serious flexibility--wear it with your 20's glam, and with jeans and a tee shirt!



Nordstrom Glass Stretch Pearl Bracelet: $58
So pretty over some long satin gloves!

To stay true to 1920's fashion, I would only wear earrings if you're leaving your wavy style down and long. If you're opting for an updo or bob, you can stay earring-free!


These are an absolute necessity to pull off the 20's glam look. They're even better if you layer on more bracelets and rings! (Make sure you match the color to your dress.)


To finish up your glam 20's look, make sure you choose a great shoe! I love the ruffle detail on this! What's even greater is that they also offer this style in purple!


I LOVE the bright color of this! This would fabulous over a black tight. The platform is decidedly modern, and the skinny t-strap is so 20's!


I know, it's veeeeery expensive. But hey, a classic glam outfit deserves a classic glam bag!


Finally, make sure you've got all your bases covered--including hair! Charlize Theron absolutely hit the target with these gorgeous finger waves. Quick how-to here!













Now go get glam, my lovelies! If you want to feel extra glam, you can even pair a fabulous fur stole to take your outfit to the next level!

Yours, etc.
CurvyGirlChic

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Designer Spotlight: Yokoo on Etsy


My sister and had I discussed infinity scarves the last time I visited her in New York--we had come to the conclusion that they are absolutely ingenious and completely indispensable. Thus, my hunt for the perfect one began.

I came across Yokoo while searching through Etsy, one of my favorite sites for handmade originals. Her pieces are on the expensive side, but they're absolutely gorgeous, high quality, and so incredibly one of a kind, making them totally worth the splurge. Also, I absolutely love how her quirky style works with these pieces--she models them all herself! Take a look:




White Lightning Combo in Grey: $135


This gorgeous set comes with a huge cozy cowl and an adorable Minnie Bow (which is actually a headband). Since everything is made to order, you can choose which of her 25 available colors you would like the pieces!


Isn't the bow cute? I would wear it off to one side of my head for a super girly look!


The Vermont Snuggler: $50


This is Yokoo's most affordable piece. The color of this snuggler can also be customized, and it looks like it can loop around twice comfortably!

For those of your looking for gifts, this is a fabulous and stylish option!
The New Yorker: $90


If I'm not mistaken, that is one GIANT cowl--full of drama and awesomeness!


I would stack one of these on top of my winter coat when it's freezing out of a thick layer of extra warmth!

Circle scarves are such a great option for cold places because you never need to pull your hands out of your pockets to fix a flyaway scarf!





The Soopa Scarf in Pony Grey: $150


If you aren't a fan of circle scarves or "snoods,” but love Yokoo's designs, the Soopa scarf is perfect!  The knitting of this scarf is identical to many of her cowls but is structured similarly to your typical scarf.

The only difference?

This one is 8 FEET LONG., which is perfect if you're looking for something to protect yourself from the elements!





Woodsy Brown Cowl: $110


I splurged and bought this cowl as a gift to myself for the holidays! I customized it and went with a gorgeous and vibrant navy color instead of brown--I think it will look fabulous with my winter coats!


Fully extended, this cowl is about thigh/knee length, so I'm expecting this to be so fun to play with and style! Can't wait to receive it!







Braided Chain in Pony Grey: $75


Also available in the Yokoo Etsy shop are whimsical pieces like this Braided Chain! This is absolutely adorable and so original--I would get this in a bright color like cranberry or burgundy and loop it around once to give a simple outfit some interest!






Yokoo Yarn Color Chart

These are the gorgeous colors her items are available in. Gorgeous, aren't they? The navy, forest green, burgundy, and cranberry are my favorites!








Are you guys head-over-heels with this designer like I am? I adore the quirkiness and originality of her designs and I hope you lovely readers do as well!

As is usually the case with items on Etsy, all items are handmade. Thus it takes 2 to 3 weeks to make each item, so if you plan on purchasing one as a gift, order early. Support handmade!

Yours, etc.
CurvyGirlChic

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Christian Dior shoes for Silkstone Barbie

I've got the Shoes Gallery Calendar 2009 (Page a Day Gallery Calendar) and I noticed something interesting when I bought a Barbie outfit set a couple of weeks ago.

The picture for May 4th was a Christian Dior shoe from 2007:




And this is the pair from Mattel's Barbie outfit pack (it had three dresses for Barbie and a groom outfit for Ken):




The similarity is quite remarkable, although the Barbie shoes are much too small to include that twisted strip structure the Christian Dior shoe has.

For the Finnish post, see here.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Silver leather ankle boots for Sybarite

I got the idea for these ankle boots from two pictures in the book A Century of Shoes: Icons of Style in the 20th Century. The pictures are these:


The good thing about this design is that it is a lot easier to make than normal ankle boot as the parts to be glued under the inner sole are almost straight.

I used a pair of soles I cast using casting resin. The color is a bit off in the picture as the soles are actually pale blue.


I drew a pattern first and marked the places for holes in it. Then I cut the pieces out of leather and marked the places for holes in them using the pattern.


The special tools needed are the pliers for making the holes and the tool for attaching the eyelets.


Here are the leather pieces with eyelets in place, but not hammered flat yet (if you want to see how to attach the eyelets, see the beginning of the video in the previous post). The eyelets are even paler blue than the soles. I would have preferred smaller eyelets in a slightly darker shade, but these were all I got.


Here are the inner soles before cutting the extra leather around the cardboard soles. As the outer soles are made of hard resin, the inner soles only consist of one piece of cardboard and one piece of leather. This is enough to keep the form during the assembly.


Here are the boots before gluing the outer soles in place.


And here are the finished boots.


For the Finnish post, see here.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Making boots for a Pipos Baha Cat BJD, part II

Here is the second part of the video for making the Baha Cat boots.




The boots with the polymer clay outer soles glued in place.


With laces made of cotton yarn.


And last, but not least, Baha Cat in an outside photo shoot.





Earlier posts on the subject:
Mould making: Flat soles with Sculpey Mold Maker
Making a foot last for a doll with flat feet
Making boots for a Pipos Baha Cat BJD, part I

For the Finnish post, see here.