DIY City Blog

“DIY tutorial: Marc by Marc Jacobs Lego Belt”

I´ve done stuff from legos in the past but doing a Lego belt buckle?? I´ve tried to figure out the fastening since I saw these in Marc By Marc Jacobs SS08 summer collection. Then I was doing some google searches this evening for something completely different and stumbled upon Morgan´s lego-belt tutorial. How simple solution! I mean it is always like that isn´t it? Simple just works! Great job girl! Now the only question is how will a make this work for a belt buckle for guys??

by Outi Pyy

I adore worn down secondhand leather and bags made from recycled or repurposed leather clothes. You just can´t beat vintage leather. My all time favorite bags designer in the sustainable fashion scene is Ashley Watson but recently I have also found other great designers and bag makers!

BAGGAGE recycled leather bags from Canada.

….
Recycled leather bags available at Amoosi.

Matières à réflexion bags by French designers Laetitia Azpiroz and Cyrille Railliet. Also check out their blog. Found via TheCoveted fashion blog.

Red leather bag sewn from a thrifted leather jacket. Made by a fellow Finn Jaana-Mari.

Recycled leather goods from thecraftydevils.etsy.com.

Charlott Vasberg inspires me with her bag designs. The Twiste bag from 2005 still looks new and fresh (zippers yey!).

Haruo Suekichi watches at Steampunk Lab

The biggest name in steampunk timepieces is Haruo Suekichi. His work just leaves me speechless. If his creations are out of your price-range, Etsy is an excellent place to find steampunk accessories (mostly just for women) hats, spats, gloves and jewelry. The level of craftmanship is amazing with these steampunk-crafters. Steampunk Gear Group in Flickr offers great inspiration. As a seamstress, I have no idea how to work with metal (except maybe how to glue it..) so I´m very happy to find so many crafters that do. Etsy Supplies also offers loads of watch parts and other metal knick knacks that you can purchase for your own projects.

Vintage watch parts available at ingeniouslycreative.etsy.com

Steampunk ray gun by Xevian13

Photo by Amanda Scrivener.

Watch movement earrings by dustDesignCo.etsy.com

DIY Steampunk umbrella by dbvictoria.etsy.com

Steampunk glasses by faradaybags.etsy.com

Goggles by J.Mars Design

Steampunk rings by Catherinette Rings

by: Outi Pyy

Steampunk fashion photography by Kat Bret. Check out also her website.
I have to write more about steampunk and especially the fashion/clothing aspect of it since it´s pretty much the only thing I´ve been thinking about for the past few days. Unlike it´s sister-gendres cyberpunk and goth, steampunk is not dark, gloomy or spooky but innovative, elegant and beautiful. One of the best online source is the Flickr group Steampunk Fashion. Also check out Steampunk Clothing Collective.

Steampunk devotees are almost always DIY people. They sew and assemble their own fashions, an imaginative mix of neo-Victorian, Edwardian and military style accented with sometimes crudely mechanized details and accessories like brass goggles, harnesses, clockwork pendants and of course the mandatory decorative steampunk ray gun dangling at the hip. Steampunk style is corseted and high-buttoned with crinolines, waistcoats, high-arced sleeves and top hats, bowler hats or aviator caps. Sort of 1890 “academical-inventor-chic” that you wear to a Jules Verne teaparty or a Time Travellers ball.

Photos by Amanda Scrivener. The green dress is made from charity shop curtains. Steampunk trashion…

Image via Wikipedia

Photo via Erwinevol.com

The thing that I admire most about steampunk fashions, is that as the genre demands they must do a lot of research to get it right. You know, visit museums and libraries! Unfortunately no brand or webstore covers steampunker´s fashion needs completely. After three hours of www-surfing all I found was Gypsymoon, Abneypark, Ebay and Etsy. Let me know if you know of any more links! Few patterns can be bought online (see links below). I would imagine that since “steampunk” gets almost 2,9 million hits in Google someone would set up a shop soon. The consumers are there!

Photo by TheCassettes

Photos by hmschronabelle

Photo by Suzanna

Steampunk corset dress by Scoundrelle

Steampunk corset by Scoundrelle

Steampunk corset by Louise Black

Victorian hat available from Ebay.

Steampunk fashion links:
Dreadnought Designs
Lorimarsha
Ms.Antiorder
Jaborwhalky

Victorian pattern links:
Dover Publications
Farthingales Historic patterns
Oldpatterns.com
Westernersoutfitter

by Outi Pyy

TING is a small company that produces luxury products to sustainable, ethical principles. Inghua Ting established the company in 2000. Following her graduation from the Royal College of Art, Inghua worked in Japan developing innovative, futuristic fabrics. However, working at the forefront of fabric technology led her to considering sustainable issues, and the challenge of designing and producing a desirable, luxury product from recycled materials. She is inspired by old leather belts, reclaimed seat belts, old braces, vintage leather saddles, salvaged fabrics and tie silks.

Car seatbelt cushion and vintage belt floormat, available at Branch Home

Ting produces three main collections: a range of luxury leather bags, belts and wallets; home and interior accessories and Orange Label, a range of bags made from seat belts. Belts, Bags, Wallets are crafted from vegetable tanned leathers and vintage leather belts. They are lined with bright vintage fabrics, tie silks and corduroys and have belt buckle fastenings.

Ting shoulderbag and coinpouch available from EcoBTQ.

Ting belt camera bag available from Ecocentric.

by Outsa Pop

Vintage lace ages beautifully. Just like wine it just becomes better the older it gets. There is always a romantic feminine feel present and it just needs to be touched. Here are some of my lace-favorites from this weeks surfing.

Lace in trees - The Magnolia Project: (by Poppalina)

Colored lace earrings: modesign.etsy.com

Lace and mixed media cuffs by Robes of Earth

by Outsa Pop

It seems I have been a fan of Steampunk for years. I just never knew what this style/genre was called until today. Steampunk is 19th century victorian fashions (tophats, tailcoats, bustiers, corsets) and industrial styled design mixed with future-like gadgets. According to Wikipedia, the term steampunk denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. “What the past would have been like if the future hadn’t happened so quickly“.

Steampunk laptop by Datamancer

Steampunk corset by Louise Black

(photo by fatalattraction)

William Gibson’s 1982 novel Neuromancer is generally considered to be the first example of a literary form called cyberpunk. This science fiction subgenre places computers, networks, and electronics (the cyber- part) inside a future that is anarchic and often dystopian (the punk part; from the anarchic, dystopian punk rock music of the mid- to late-70s). Move the setting to the past, especially the Victorian age, take out the electronics and replace them with mechanical devices, especially elaborate, steam-powered contraptions, and you have a new genre: steampunk. This genre has been applied to films such as Wild, Wild West, Brazil, City of Lost Children, Timemachine, Golden Compass and even Edward Scissorhands.

(photo by teelakallisto

(photo by a_clockwork_zero)

Ring by JewelsofLuxury.etsy.com

If this genre interests you, just search the word “steampunk” from Flickr, YouTube, Etsy or Google. Prepare for hours of surfing… Etsy alone carries almost 4000 steampunk related items. I found so much inspiring stuff that I decided to post only a few pictures and a looong list of links.

Steampunk inspiration and wearables:
Steampunk Gear Flickr group
Steampunk Flickr group
Steampunk Fashion Flickr group
Etsy Steampunk Flickr group
Steampunk style article in The Star
Steampunk Workshop blog
MadArtJewelry
SteampunkLab blog - Projects
Brassgoggles blog
katbret_photography steampunk picture set
A_Clockwork_Zero jewelry gallery
Steampunk SF Photoshoot 2008 by JLinto
Steampunk fashions by Dreadnought Designs
lilibat mistress of Antimony & Lace’s photostream
Wyldfire Studios steampun apron

Steampunk interior & object design:
Steampunk lamps by Frank Buchwald
Customized steampunk keyboards by Datamancer
Steampunk watches by Haruo Suekichi
Steampunk Home interior blog
Steampunk weaponry by Wetanz
Steampunk clocks by Marcel Betricey
Steamunk computer mouse
Tom Sepe’s Steampunk Motorbike
Atonefabrik goggles

I read an article from the Swedish Elle about artist Sandra Backlund. She is a swedish fashion designer specialized in handknitted pieces with volume and organic shapes. Read the complete article here and continued here.

I think her “Pin Dress“ is quite amazing and it has a very scandic look to it.

by Outsa Pop

Postdecadent reconstructs clothes. Recently she made this amazing shirtdress. I think it has a touch Westwood.

Heres how she describes the dress. “This one is made of three “uniform” shirts. This time the collar was left in place, and I used external darts to shape the top. I inverted the sleeves as well so they can be big pockets. Just having some fun. I came across a whole pile of these shirts and I grabbed them because I’ve always had a thing for gingham.”

This dress is made from four uniform shirts.

by: Outi Pyy

I have a habit of snoozing daily. In the bus, car or sometimes even in my workplace. Call it slightly narcoleptic, my husband calls it “blond thinking”.. I never thought I´d find DIY projects or gift ideas for narcoleptics, but I did! Downstairs Studio is a Canadian company that draws inspiration from the everyday things around us. They also share my liking to add humor to their products. These Pilo pilo’s are designed to be worn as rings so when you lean your face on your hand it will have someplace soft to rest. How practical and comfy is that! The perfect gift for a snoozing student. (I also love their idea of using shower caps as bicycle rain seatcovers.)

Joo Youn Paek is the designer of The Pillowig. A groovy design that allows you to doze off where ever. Love it. I´m so making this for the bus.

Via Bientot Demain blog

by: Outi Pyy