A DIY Look at Teen Vogue

My favorite fashion magazine has always been Teen Vogue for two reasons. The size is easy to hold with a cup of coffee and to throw in your purse to read in a dull moment. And, most importantly, I have always loved the DIY feature they have in almost every issue. They have a very trendy item interpreted by a designer with instructions! I LOVE it. I have always been on the look-out for trendy ideas for my teenage daughter ‘s wardrobe that are fashion-forward and unique, but don’t have a fashion-forward price. Soon, I began to eye the whole magazine from the DIY perspective! I will share with you some pieces I saw in the May 2009 Teen Vogue that would be easily simulated by a creative individual.

First on Page 32, and appearing in the ad across from Page 56.....beads. But these beads are different in that they are PONY beads like from the aisle in Wal-Mart where they display the children’s craft supplies. On Page 32, they use silver ones strung on brightly colored cords for bracelets. In the advertisement, they are just the multi-colored ones like a child strings and wears. Pony beads are the ones with the large openings. You don’t even need a needle to string them. You probably don’t need it, but http://www.makingfriends.com has lots of info and pattens for beading projects.

Teen Vogue actually tells you how to make my next project on Page 36. Duct tape hair bows are featured in an article about these two little girls and their fundraising for a global project. They make hair bows out of colored duct tape. They fold the sticky ends in to the center, gather in the center with a small piece of tape, and apply hair pins. They dot, drizzle and stripe them with paint and attach a little bezel-set stone on the edge like a signature.  I am not sure if they used enamel paint, but it has an enamel look to it on the shiny colored duct tape. I would actually attach a more substantial clip. I can imagine a pair of these dressing up a pair plain shoes; you could attach them to clip earings and clip them on or glue them on permanently. Kudos to those two creative little girls!

I’ll throw this one in for free: There is a picture of a guy on Page 44, Jim Sturgess, He is dressed in what looks to me like a retro British Invasion 60’s look. You can get this look for your guy at thrift stores anywhere: jeans, dark jacket. White shirt, skinny dark tie, and some old dark dress shoes. No need to go broke on this one…..the older the pieces, the more character they have.

The Real DIY article this month on Page 55 was GREAT..one of the best yet. They featured the two designers of the team Vena Cava. They presented a new twistg on the old T-shirt dress made by attaching fabric to a tee shirt. They used a white tee and attached a rustic-looking clay-colored skirt to it. Instead of gathering like I always have done, they pleated the fabric and applied it to the outside of the tee. I have always gathered it and sewed right sides together, and turned in a traditional way.  This look is very interesting for an older teen, but I think the gathers are cuter on a younger girl. They calculate the needed fabric by measuring three times the measurement of the bottom of tee. Also, they attached it higher than usual at the natural waist. They introduced a neat embellishment using stick-on letters. They placed theirs to make a statement incorporating their Logo, with “Viva Vena Cava”….but you could do anything….French, etc…They show it in a short length with summer sandals. Cute!

The next trend is close to my heart….knitted and crocheted hats! And, lots of other hats! Page 66 has a knitted tam on Alison Pill, Page 76 has a crocheted mesh hat with a brim, Page 96 has a black felt beret, and Page 110 has what appears to be a cashmere or fuzzy loosely-knit tam. Here is a website with any kind of hat you could want to make; this is a GEM! It has sewing on the URL but it is every kind…crocheted, knitted, even scarves and religious head coverings.

http://www.fmfcorp.com/familyspot/haircover.html#Sewing

DIY looks at Teen Vogue can’t miss Page 83. Blue Jean skirts made from blue jeans and fabric inserts are as DIY as it gets. Since the 1960’s Hippies went around in all manner of embellished, deconstructed, recycled, and distressed (EVEN DIRTY) DENIM, DIY folks have been trying to see how much fun they can have with their jeans! Those who can’t  do-it-theirselves, BUY and pay big prices, but those of us wanting to recreate the pricy looks can start here.  This particular one appears to have been made from blue jeans and then fabric inserts on the sides. There are a gazillion ways to do this, but I will give you a link to get started with. You will need a seam ripper, and a strong sewing machine needle. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_needle_arts/article/0,,DIY_13768_5128110,00.html

DIY Purse lovers attention! Teen Vogue May 2009 has the cutest purse that you can make! :It is a little circle with a strap….It goes so well with the bohemian blue jean skirts. If you are an experienced crocheter of the old school that did circular motifs, etc….instead of just scarves like we do today, you can probably look at it and make one. It is two circles, crocheted together around the outside edge, wrong sides together and the edging turns into the strap. I would probably line it; you certainly don’t have to. Here is a link to instructions to a similar purse. http://www.indianchild.com/crochet_purse_patterns.htm

I never buy magazine subscriptions any more.  I receive Teen vogue for free and tons of other magazines through some things online.  Here is the link to an article telling you how I do it.  http://www.bukisa.com/articles/67035_how-to-get-free-magazine-subscriptions

I get mine with some online sites with package points, games, and surveys where you can earn rewards that you get magazines with!