Showing posts with label midsummer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label midsummer. Show all posts

6.29.2011

{ glamourai DIY } floral headdress

many of you really liked the floral crowns i wore in my first and second midsummer posts ~ so i'm excited to show you just how easy it is to make your own!

first, a note: i used fake flower branches for my crowns (mine came from assorted stores in new york's floral district, which is located on 28th street between 6th and 7th avenues), so they could be worn again and again. if you're okay with a more ephemeral effect, then the same steps can be followed with real flowers.

the materials i used were:
- faux floral branches (i chose relatively sparse stems for a natural feel, but you could easily go more dramatic and pick fuller pieces to work with):

- extra decorations (for my first crown, i added vintage silk geraniums that i found at tinsel trading. for this second round, i used little white feather butterflies that i picked up in the floral district):

- needle nose pliers, wire cutters, jewelry wire and clear nail polish:

STEP 1: choose two branches and secure them together, end-to-end. do so by cutting a short piece of jewelry wire and wrapping it tightly around the ends of both branches with your needle nose pliers.


STEP 2: make a second connection so that your two branches now form a full circle. before securing this time, make sure the circle fits around the top of your head!

STEP 3: now that you have the base of your crown built, you can begin layering on more frills and frippery ~ as much or as little as you please! cut smallish sprigs off your faux floral branches, then connect them (individually) to the crown using more little bits of wire, as shown below:


STEP 4: once you've filled the crown with flowers, add in whatever additional bits and bobs you'd like. i chose the white butterflies to better coordinate my crown with my theyskens theory dress. these came with clear threads attached to their backs, so i didn't need jewelry wire to attach them. instead, i just tied a very tight knot, which i then double-secured with a dollop of clear nail polish:


STEP 5: once the polish dried, i snipped off the excess thread. and... that's it!!

remember that the possibilities with this project are essentially endless. use these basic steps on any kinds and combinations of floral lovelies! and if you decide to make one of these babies yourself, please share the pics on my facebook page. happy crafting!!

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PS: click HERE for brand new midsummer photos!

6.28.2011

{ more } midsummer

last friday, i posted an ensemble inspired by midsummer (one more photo below!). the shoot was staged in my bedroom, and designed to subtly reference a time-honored midsummer tradition, in which young ladies pick 7 different flowers and place them under their pillows at night, in hopes that the man they should marry will appear to them in a dream.

since my dreams veer more toward the sartorial than the matrimonial, i went a bit fashion-mad in my interpretation ~ filling my whole bed with flowers and donning the prettiest gown i own. i felt so summery and light, and wanted to re-capture that feeling for last week's midsummer celebration at the soho grand. so, i put on another fluttery frock, made myself a brand new floral crown, kissed the pup adieu and floated off into one of the most wonderful nights i've had in quite a while:



{ self-made floral crown, theyskens theory dress, badgley mischka shoes }

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click here to see some party pics, and remember to also click here to enter kanon's epic summer sweepstakes!!

6.24.2011

{ a midsummer day's dream }


{ self-made flower crown, kelly framel earrings (coming very soon!), vintage gown via shrimpton couture, tiffany + vintage bracelets }

this week marks both the summer solstice (which officially kicks off the season) and also the celebration of midsummer ~ a largely northern european tradition that, while not as common a custom in the states, still makes for a wonderful excuse to party! CLICK HERE to learn more about midsummer and enter to win some pretty ridiculous prizes (including pamela love jewelry, bobbi brown makeup, and a 3.1 philip lim bag!!).