Diary of a Third World Fashionista | A Personal Style and DIY Blog

Style Goals

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:44:00 +0000

Top, skirt & earrings: thrifted.

I have to admit, I do feed off of the collective motivation that comes from a symbolic "new beginning". However, I won't embarrass myself by sharing the more personal goals, but here are my style & beauty resolutions for 2012:

source

1.) Darker & longer eyebrows.

Think Elizabeth Taylor meets Camilla Belle meets Gloria Trevi.

source

2.) Different skirt lengths & pants.

I'm errrr "petite" and have always thought a specific skirt style suited me best. The heck with flattering, I'm going knee-length! I mean...maybe. And then the dreaded trousers, I might give those a try.

3.) Dust off my vintage jewelry.

My decent collection of thrifted & hand-me down bling from grandma rarely see the light of day. I want to wear it more often!

Earrings: thrifted

4.) Care less about being the town freak-o.

The older I get, the crazier the hats I want to wear. I'm thinking of making a squeaky duck headband next and NOBODY CAN STOP ME. Buahaha!

5.) Become a sewing master.

This one's been on my list forever. I want to make more of my clothes & fool around with the old one which means more DIYs for you!

Fingers crossed!

Farewell 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Second post of the day! First one: Thrift shopping tips. Now:

Last month I was invited to a Thanksgiving lunch. I wanted to wear something less casual than usual but realized I'm lacking dresses in the cocktail department. That should tell you something about my social life.

I had this thrifted skirt for a while and liked the tacky floral print. The length was all wrong for my height, though: not long enough, not short enough. If I chopped off too much the granny vibe would be lost so no thankyou. I went with a (wannabe) mullet that's been popping up all over the www.

It was so easy to do & you could prob figure it out but here are the steps anyway:

Works best with slightly gathered or pleated skirts in flowy fabrics. Be patient with the hem as it can be kinda difficult! Mine had no gathers but was cut on the bias (diagonally) which makes it more fluid and drapey. Not bad for a last minute outfit, right?

Skirt: Thrifted, Top: Tiendas Carrion (Honduran department store), Bag: bday gift from bf's sister.

Hope everyone has a wonderful end of 2011!
New posts 'til 2012, aka next week. ♥

Last Posts of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 02:00:00 +0000

Two posts in one day. More thrifting tips & an easy DIY. My end of the year gift to y'all! :)

I noticed how much prices have increased on my last secondhand shopping trip, so I made use of new tricks up my sleeve and here they are:

1. Stay away from the shops with a/c and real dressing rooms unless they have discount boxes. These usually sell Gap and Old Navy, praise them for being "Ropa Americana" (clothes from the United States) and have fixed prices. Big NO NO.

Christmas-y flats found on my last trip to the Honduran capital. Cay-ute!

2. If you fancy more than one item, ask for the price of one first. Then say, "How much if I take both?"

3. After knowing the asking price, when bartering say "I'll take it RIGHT NOW if you give it to me for so-and-so-price. Emphasis on "right now" can work magic.

By the way, vintage sizes usually run small. These flats are a size 6 but fit my little sister who's a 5.5.

4. Bring lots of change. You deserve to be punched if you barter and then pay with the largest bill in existence. I mean, seriously.

5. Befriend the salespeople. They're most likely underpaid and will appreciate a friendly customer. Once they get to know you they can point you to the "weird grandma dresses you like" when they get new stock.

Warning: tips might only apply in third world countries.

♥

Next post later today: Easy mullet skirt DIY!

20somethin'

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:40:00 +0000

May I present to you the most appropriate birthday cake ever made for yours truly:

Well hello there massive tomato pin cushion, lookin' mighty fine there.

I've never been big on bday celebrations, but my friends & bf certainly know the way to my heart. I started this blog years ago to vent out my I-will-never-fit-in style woes and was originally meant to be kept on the down-low. At the risk of sounding corny, it's now a very important part of me (despite scarce posting) and I'm happy to know that everyone close to me is okay with my absurd fascination for all things fashion. Hurrah! ♥

I leave you with a very casual birthday outfit from last Saturday.

Shorts: F21, gift from momma, Clutch: Aldo (obviously on sale), Booties: random mall shop, Pin: c/o MonkeyJam (two Honduran kids doin' business in NY, love them!), Tights: Pretty Polly.

Next up: more thrifting tips and a short & easy DIY ! :D

Peace of Me

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 04:48:00 +0000

I wrote about Paz aka "Pacita" before. A close family friend (almost granny's cousin), she gifted me her old sewing machine. My great-grandma taught her to sew, and the student surpassed the master. She was the shizzle, a bias cutting master! All the socialites of her time lined up outside her workshop with loads of fabric. It feels so surreal to even type this, but Pacita passed away a few months ago, and I was handed down many of her sewing supplies and half-finished projects.

Cutesie vintage buttons and studs.

A jacket needs these buttons smacked on it RIGHT NOW.

She kept her things neatly in whisky tin boxes. Whisky. How cool is that?!

Tons of lace and trimmings. SO. FRIGGIN'. PRETTY.

Catalogues with plenty of funny looking haircuts and vintage inspiration. Strips of fabric are still stapled to whatever style her clients were asking for. So much fun to see!

I'm thinking A.Wang (mostly SS'10) with all these sporty silhouettes. Suddenly I'm in the mood for some mesh!

A stack of vintage fabrics with abundance of texture and shine, my cup of tea. Spot Chloe Sevigny? I'm in love with the woman.

I thought I'd never dare use these precious heirlooms, but I think it's about time I make justice to her legacy! Wish me luck, I 'll need it. I will miss Pacita with all my heart and really appreciate all these wonderful things she's left me. I'll make sure to post about what I come up with. :)

Paz= Peace, in Spanish

Overdrive

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:46:00 +0000

I've mentioned the lack of fabric choices in La Ceiba that leads to silly things like this, so once again I fell for a utility fabric with a funky print used for...TADADAAA...baby blankets!

The texture is kinda cool, it promotes safety driving and has tinyLondon buses all over so t'was a keeper. Made a pattern for the "petal" skirt before cutting (I'm not a gifted cut-and-voilà type of seamstress, dangit), and I think it turned out okay.

I don't really fancy T-shirts or anything jersey, but I guess they're a must-have for lazy days. I did like the cut & color of this one and it was really cheap, but the Snoopy print on the front was a wee bit too much, even for me. I figured I'd go Rei Kawakubo on it and wear it inside out, serged seams shining in all their mass produced glory.

These pictures were taken in a construction site in my neighborhood. I don't think anyone was very thrilled about me hogging up their cement machine...I climbed up on it at one point but it didn't work out. *embarassing*

Top: Department store Carrion. Skirt: Self-made. Shoes: Topshop (perhaps the only thing I own from Topshop, what the heck, it's really not as cheap as everyone raves, at least not for a thirdworlder like myself. By the wayyy, neither is Zara!)

Anway, it's nice to have a new skirt to add to my kooky-prints collection. :)

♥

P.S. You can follow me with Bloglovin!

Peek-a-boo: DIY

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 01:24:00 +0000

Over-sized tops are found in buttloads at thrift shops. Sometimes I like'm nice and roomy due to DIY potential. This top, for instance, had cute white polkadots all over but was faar too large at the shoulders. Rather than a cut-out, I added a slit that falls quite naturally.

Here's how easy it was to do it:

Hope my amateur drawings are decent enough to be understood! For best results, the top should be at least 2 sizes too big and the fabric should drape nicely. All can be sewn by hand, like I did, with a straight stitch as well as a slip stitch.

Slip stitch

Top: Thrifted, Skirt: Self-made. Necklace: H&M

I made this skirt a while back and now recognize a few construction errors, but I still wear it all the time. On my trip to London, the gals from the L'oreal UK blog caught me wearing it on my way to a Yohji Yamamoto exhibit. Pic looks a bit stretched out but whoo cares! It was such an honor! :)

Hope you enjoyed the post! Feel free to comment or email me if you have any questions.

♥

Pastels vs Neon

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:05:00 +0000

Corsets to me are what tanktops are to most girls. ♥

Found this pretty baby in a thrift store. It's pastel colors and and pearly white texture reminded me of these abstract paintings, more like printed repros, that were found in every doctor's clinic in Honduras back in the 80s/90s. Teehee...

Painting: Lee Reynolds Burr, ioffer

I'm not the best advocate for comfortable outfits, but wearing modern-day corsets like this one during lazy days is really not bad at all. Elastic back: check! Enough space for breathing: check! ;)

Blue blazer: found around my house (woopsies). Neon belts: Primark. Shorts: ex-pants from thrift store (DIY here).

It's a shame you can't see the corset details on these photos and that my face is shining like the sun. I'm still learning how to take flattering pictures. Bare with me, oui?

Next posts? DIY for next week and a cute car-print skirt I'm working on. :) See you 'til then you handsome people, you.

Helena, Queen of Mismatching

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:27:00 +0000

I like thrifted things and it's literally written all over my blog. When it comes to shoes, however, I rather stick to new. New and on sale, that is. My options are very limited and I'm a bit picky, so that's why it's happened before that I've ended up buying the same pair in different colors during 2 for 1 sales.

Red & yellow pumps: Nine West, Sandals: Carrion department store

Because I can, I decided to mix it up a bit and do like the fabulous Helena Bonham Carter at the Golden Globes.

imagen: VogueUK

The original plan was to pay homage to Helena and her "catastrophic" style with an outfit inspired by her own, but Vivienne Westwood gowns were nowhere to be found in my closet. Darn. I had to play it up with what I do have: vintage blouses and high-waist shorts.

Top: Vintage, found in thrift store. Shorts: H&M, Necklace: Primark (both purchases from the London trip)

When I was leaving my house in this outfit, I ran into my mother at the front door. Unexpectedly, her reaction was not one of surprise: "that's how Mirna, my friend from college, wore her shoes". Not that I should be shocked that mismatched shoes were an 80s trend, but that someone dared to in Honduras? Hats off to Mirna, wherever she may be. :)

Flowergirl

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:17:00 +0000

I was just about to step out of the craft store when I noticed my soon-to-be “big” accessory purchase. Right between the foam letters and wedding decorations laid a flower headband, stirring up childhood memories. If you were raised in La Ceiba before we got a mall, you'd know what I'm talking about. Sisters and I wore these headbands for all sorts of special occasions...

Diana's kindergarden graduation

These flowers (and anything else DIY) are still pretty big in small town events. A few years ago, I went to the best wedding of my life in a nearby town (blogged about it before), and they were EVERYWHERE: the bride’s fabric bouquet, tucked in her hair-do, tied to the white balloons taped all over the walls, etc.

Imported peonies and exotic orchids were nowhere to be seen, but the bride was as happy as could be. Ohhh, the love!

The headband that caught my eye in the craft store was a pink/purple tone, perfect for the frilly, girly side of me. Slide a few bobby pins to keep it from moving around, and it's all set!

Inspired by the memories of my childhood party outfits, I took out a vintage, halter dress I'd hidden in the back of my closet and paired it with chunky heels and green eyeshadow.

With 60s and 70s band ~~groupies~~ muses in mind, I center-parted my hair and tousled it around.

The best part of it all? The headband was only 50 lempiras, less than $3.00...almost the same as my yellow dress. Hoo-rah! :)

Turbans & bright lipstick, mhm.

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:33:00 +0000

My sisters and I all have thick, uncontrollable hair. Tropical weather doesn't help either. We need to come up with solutions. They suggest a new frizz taming cream. I think we should do turbans. Here's a pictorial on how to wrap one around your head. No reading fo'reals. It's also a secret attempt to convince Diana (youngest sibling & this post's model) turbans are the way to go.

Fine lookin' lady, eh?

To sum it up: Two twists on the front, knot on the back, and tucking at the end to clean it up. Can be done with most large scarves.

xoxo!

Fish out of Water

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 07:07:00 +0000

At home, I usually have to beg my siblings (or whoever's around) to take photos for my blog. It's either that or the trusty timer. I'm 1.) too shy to "pose" for anyone else and 2.) aware that asking random strangers will most likely get me in trouble. That's why BUMMER I only have a few outfit pictures from my recent trip to London:

Skirt & bag: thrifted. Top: H&M

I arrived with a big'ol luggage filled with thrifted and mended clothes knowing this was surely the place to, well, NOT stand out. That's why it might be hard to believe I was stopped a few times by streetstyle blog photogs. I have proof of one!

The skirt is one of my latest thrift finds and all I had to do was scoot the button over and raise the hem a bit....the fish and fishing gear print really got me. And the price, of course. :) It was so flattering to be asked to have my picture taken! The short Honduran with the 50 lempira ($2.50) skirt? Mhm. ;)

I'm currently revamping a few thrifted items and have a couple of DIYs to share on the next posts. But OHHHH I REALLY need a trip to the downtown market for some inspiration. I've been sad because of the recent (absurddd) crime increment in my city...it's hit close to my heart. Praying things get better!

♥

Fabi

Recess

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:59:00 +0000

My blog will excuse me for the temp abandonment, but I was busy being a pretend...Londoner! :) I do mean the actual London, not a remote village in Honduras (there's a Miami and a Paris de Lean, but not a London).

The trip was, as you would expect, sponsored, and the purpose was a couple of summer courses on patterncutting and fabric awareness. So dreamy!

I made the typical newbie traveler mistakes: overpacked, wore heels to the airport and slept a whole day straight as soon as I got to the dorms. The small town girl inside me wept for being so far from home, but after a few days I was soaking up as much London as I possibly could.

Highlights? The short courses, of course. Getting into a sold out music festival for free and moshing like never before. A yummy Yohji Yamamoto exhibit. Carboot sales (like garage sales, but cooler). Finding a secret tea room even though I still think tea is kinda yucky. A few days in Paris with the bff. Dancing with hipsters to Missy Elliot tunes in east London. Charity shops. A Japanese expo. Peoplewatching at parks.

I'm home now, with moderate dip-dyed hair, ready to apply the learned skills and sew up some pretty rags. London was good to me, though, and being just "another" oddball will be very much missed.

Back to regular posting and more to come about my trip!

xoxo

Street Inspo

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:38:00 +0000

This isn't the first time I write about one of my favorite places in La Ceiba, "the corner". It's really just a random corner in a neighborhood near my own, that has entertained/inspired me in more than one occasion. Cheesy stuff, but true.

A nice ficus tree makes it a favorite spot for those downtown shoppers in the lookout for some shade, which in addition makes it a great place for silly gossip, rural outfit sightings and quick naps (if you're not afraid of muggers). Notice the fruit stand? My favorite thing about coming to this corner for some mid-day chillaxin' is exactly that.

Close-up. This is a picture from a post from almost 2 years ago.

Anyway, I became quite fond of the fruit stand owner, and was really excited to see he had upgraded his stand to a truck! Long time, no see.

It's now much easier for him to pack his things and get on the road. Rainy days are always bad for business, but it used to be especially difficult for him to protect his merch and boxes. I'm glad to see these troubles are long-gone.

Yummy "sandía", 5 lempiras a slice ($0.26).

Outfit inspired by new truck stand: Selfmade gathered skirt, thrifted bag, Carrion press-on earrings, SODA chunky heels.

His fruits are usually in a better condition (picked the wrong day for pictures), but the watermelon was delicious and I'm also a big fan of the cheap-o chips.

Mangos? Check! Oranges? Check!
When he doesn't have any coin change, he'll give you a couple of candy pieces instead. No problem-o.

Besides inciting watermelon craves, I hope seeing pictures of this cutesie little spot will also inspire a few outfits out there. :)

♥

La Vie en Rose

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 05:34:00 +0000

One of the main excitements of our local carnival is catching the colorful necklaces that are thrown from the parade floats (us thirdworlders are big fans of free stuff, including the plastic forks from Wendy's or BK). People walk around the streets with dozens of these wrapped around their necks. I, as usual, missed out on the grubbing fest and decided to purchase these instead:

The beads are quite large, and I figured would make a great addition to my inexpensive jewelry collection. By "purchase" I mean pay 5 lempiras ($0.27) for each one. Found them at a department store, Carrion.

Double wrapped and paired with a simple, brown dress I sketched up and had a local seamstress make for me. She was fast (which I LOVE) but I had to fix a few things myself. It's always good to know at least the basics of sewing! :)

Anyway, as you can probably already tell, I'm currently having a love affair with hot pink. I've been embarassed to admit it because the first things that come to mind are the Legally Blonde poster (not that I didn't love the first movie) and the famous Hilton heiress. Cut me some slack, a'right?

Top and skirt: thrifted. Yey-ah!

Press-on earring: gift from grandma.

I can't keep this purdy thing from seeing the light of day, despite it's loner status (grandma only found one). I keep the rest jewelry-free, to avoid 80s overload.

Monochrome, clean lines, white sandals...sounds like a potential hassle-free, summer uniform.

Don't know if I can stay away from my kooky patterns for too long, though. I'm currently sewing an A-line skirt and a maxi dress...wish me luck!

♥,

Fabi

Double Duty

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Fri, 20 May 2011 00:06:00 +0000

Due to a very limited budget and shopping options (oh, the consequences of a peculiar taste in a third world country), I have recurred to the one and only: recycling. It’s a good way to make people believe I own endless racks of dresses/accessories. : )

I thought I’d share two of the silly tricks I have up my sleeve.

#1: Simple black heels + press-on earrings.

The bigger the earrings, the better! Mine are from Tiendas Carrion, a department store.

The result: a "new" pair of pumps. ; )

#2: Hair bow + sleeveless top.

Lately, it’s been too hot for layering, so this reeeeally cheap bow I found in downtown Tegucigalpa (Honduran capital) was just what I needed to cutesify a summery blah outfit.

The result: A “new” top, double the frill!

♥

Fabi

DIY: Cuffed shorts

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:10:00 +0000

As an attempt to achieve an Annie Hall look, I purchased these pants at a thrift store for a little over a dollar (25 lempiras).

However, they never did my small frame any justice. That's why, after a reader from my spanish blog requested a tutorial for turning pants into cuffed shorts, I decided to chop these off. I'd already done it before with a pair of Eiffel tower-print pants, and the process was quite simple.

Here's what you need:

As reference to the final length of the shorts, I used a pair that I already had with the length I wanted. I used a ruler and tailor's chalk to make my first marking, on the wrong side of the pants:

Next, I marked 3 inches below my first marking.

This second marking is the line you will cut through.

I recommend pinning together both sides of the pants in order to cut them evenly.

Now, fold them upwards (still wrong side up) along first marking you made. Iron the fold flat:

Fold another half inch towards the inside of the fold; The result is a 2.5 inch hem. You can use the tape measure to make sure the hem is even, and use pins to keep it in place.

Now, the fun (and sometimes most difficult) part: sewing! Sew a straight stitch along the very edge of the fold.

Once you've finished sewing, your hem is officially done. Flip it towards the right side, heat press with the iron, and the backwards hem is now a cutesy cuff.

This is what it should look like:

The pink, dotted line is where the straight stitch is visible (inside the shorts). If the fabric is somewhat flimsy, secure the cuff by sewing the sides of it to the shorts, and maybe a few stitches center front and back.

I did it all with my sewing machine, but it can be hand sewned as well. : )

The final result:

Worn with thrifted corset and red blazer from Tiendas Carrion

Not frumpy enough for Annie Hall, but frumpy enough for some lovin'. ♥

Hope it was understandable...feel free to ask any questions!

xoxo

Fabi

Orange you glad?

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 05:59:00 +0000

In La Ceiba everyone shops at the same fabric stores because we don't really have many to choose from. As a result, real life “who wore it better” segments abound! Here’s proof: a friend made a handbag out of tapestry fabric that I, naturally, used for a skirt. This was NOT on purpose, people.

I guess in my case, curtains and handbags are the competition. Maybe it's because of this lack of variety that I’m such a sucker for strange prints. Even before the fruity Prada collection, I was already going nuts (ermm, bananas) for fabrics that are traditionally used for curtains in little cafeterias. I didn’t lead myself into buying one until I found one with perfect colors: turquoise and orange!

I made a simple skirt with two seams front and back so the oranges wouldn’t look so “literal”. Heh, please excuse me if I don’t make a lot of sense.

Another skirt I wore A LOT last year had a cool print of a less conventional fruit. I found a pumpkin & apple printed dress in a thrift store that was too small to fit, so I cut the bodice off to turn it into a skirt.

And voilá!

Worn here with an 80s dress+thrifted choker and belt.

I don’t think my fascination for tablecloth-y fabrics will die anytime soon...expect to see more!

I’m currently taking the most efficient patternmaking classes I have EVAA taken and I’m sooo excited about sewing more complicated stuff without having to guess how to do things along the way.

Oh, and if you haven’t seen the Prada collection I mentioned above and think I’m insane and delusional and made it up, here’s the video campaign. Keep your eyes open for the bananas! ;)

XO,

Fabi

P.S. Quick updeyt! I’m now writing a blog in Spanish, sponsored by a Honduran department store called Tiendas Carrion. I’ve been sooo nervous+excited about it. I have lots more to say about why I decided to take on this project, but I will do so on my next post.

The Big Tent

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 06:47:00 +0000

I was lucky enough to get into a tent during NY Fashion Week.
Okay, okay, bad joke…

When the Renato Circus came to town last week, I decided I would stop by and try to peek in. The show wouldn’t begin for another hour anyway, and my friend Mario agreed to come with me. When I was a kid I wasn’t allowed to visit the circus for various reasons (trauma stories, naughty clown jokes) and that’s probably why I still felt like I wasn’t supposed to be there. You would've laughed at the sight of a 7 year old in a 23 year old's body.

Pleated skirt made by myself, vintage choker from granny.
We took a few pictures outside waiting to be kicked out any second, but instead we were surprisingly greeted by friendly circus performers (who weren’t in their costumes yet) and they offered a pre-show tour. HOW COULD WE POSSIBLY SAY NO TO THAT?!

Mario's big entrance. Heehee. Vintage Ray-bans that me loves.
It was very spooky…the large dark tent, stunt cages, old furniture, clown makeup...so strange and exciting at the same time.

One of the trapeze act boys insisted I go touch the tiger and I LOVE tigers, but caged animals are not my cup of tea, so I insisted he let us in one of the dressing rooms instead and he agreed!! :D

Friendly welcome. :)
The dressing room on wheels was quite tiny, and the costumes were all squeezed into one small room. A few things were hanging on a wall.

Cool looking nude mary janes. Primary colors. Sequins. It's a shame I wasn't dressed for the occasion…my preppy button up and stiff pleated skirt were so BLAH in the midst of all the flamboyance.

It was funny how the crew kept asking me if I was a model (camera+heels give that vibe, I suppose), and asking me for me “eemay” address so they could see the pictures online. I was sad because my pesky camera REFUSED to behave in low lighting, and I couldn't get a good shot of everybody. :(
Here's one with the stunts boy, son of the ringmaster!

Cute-ay. ♥
Such a memorable visit. The next day I happened to bump into some of the crew members at the mall! I'll make sure to visit them next year...and with a better camera at hand. I leave you with my circus inspired outfit:

Vintage 80s top, thrifted belt. Thrifted uniform skirt and T-strap mary janes to tone down the Madonna. Tehee. xo!

Silver Lining

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:52:00 +0000

For the sole purpose of adding to the pressure, I have decided to make my first post of 2011 about a few of my new year's resolutions because I am old-fashioned like that and have about 138 of them. A little late, but hey! if Christmas decorations are still up in some places, I can still do this. :)

Self-made camo print skirt. Jersey draped top and vintage belt.

Anyway, for once, I had my whole year perfectly planned out: I’d be moving to a city two hours away from my own (San Pedro Sula, even after hearing too many stories about kidnappings and car thieves) for an Apparel Technology and Textiles certificate program, I'd be taking business admin classes twice a week and going wild in the kitchen (cooking for one! Hoorayyy!), as well as holding solo-mad-woman sewing allnighters.

Turns out both courses were cancelled because no one cares about Apparel Technology…and now, here I am, redesigning my whole year with a John C. Maxwell book in hand (while keeping in mind, of course, that plans are to be placed in God's hands).

I begin with the resolutions, no order in particular...

#1: Visit surrounding towns/villages more often.
They're so inspiring and I only stop by very VERYY occasionally during family trips when the parents agree to.

Boy was adorableee AHHH! He brought me his duck and put up a show with the chickens and let me use his hammock!!

Leopard print cape-like jacket previously an XXL nightgown. Pleats and gathers in the right places and that's what you get...I wear it over everything. :)

#2 Buying not so much, sewing way too much.
I rather have a lovely dress with zigzagged seams than a perfectly sergered “bleh” dress that I buy only because it semi fits. I already have plenty of fabric to work with so zero excuses.

#3 Less talking the talk and more walking the walk.
I’m always talking about weird ideas that make people smirk, but it never goes past that. The plan is to focus and start DOING things that will make people smirk. This last resolution can turn into a deep "existential crisis" one so Imma leave it at that. Heh.

So there they are. Care to share yours? :) The rest of mine are kinda silly so I'll have to share them with my sisters...I can't embarass myself in front of them any more than I already have. Heehee.

Have a good year everyone. xo!

I leave you with a random, beginning of the year outfit...

Top: homemade. Belt: vintage. Shoes from random mall store. Ring: 10 lempiras ($0.50) from random store.

Downtown Kid

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 06:09:00 +0000

Last month I attended the Fashion Week Honduras event for the second time. For this post, however, I’m going to focus on my personal experience rather than the fashion itself. Blogging kinda loses its fun when people start taking my opinions too seriously. Not even I take them seriously! :P

Anyway, I took an 8 hour bus ride to our capital (sore bum for sure) and was able to make it to the second day of shows. I missed the first day which was, err…at a mall. And YES, yours truly sat front row for two nights. It wasn’t exactly due to the fact that I blog or because of my extreme (and inexistent) popularity...I payed for my tickets! Hahaha…just like anybody else could’ve. P.S. ENJOY YOUR LIFE TAVI GEVINSON. -_-

IIt was fun, but the poopy part about front row seats is that you reeeally have to watch how you sit. Serious lady mode: ON!

Above: Lutfi Janania. See his yummy lookbook here.

Gio Hair Accessories

Luis Menieur, from the Dominican Republic

Galeano

As usual, my camera wasn’t at its best behavior, but I'm posting these anyway, plus a few a friend let me borrow.

Aldo Alonso Marcucci (lookbook pictures soon)

I noticed something I thought was kinda silly. The event was promoted as Fashion Week Honduras 2010, Fall Collection 2011! It seems that we are one season ahead of, well, anyone else?! Paris Fashion Week better catch up! Heehee.

My outfits were very last minute, and I don´t mean it in a “I’m so effortless and cool I just threw on the first thing I saw” way. I actually panicked because half my clothes were dirty and had zero time to make anything on my own.

On day 1 I ended up wearing a vintage blouse + long sheer skirt. The skirt is made of a lovely, textured, sheer fabric my cousin’s grandma gifted me. I made a quick sketch for a lovely seamstress and she sewed it up for me in a day. :D Pictures of the skirt:

On day 2 I wore a printed, linen jumpsuit I designed. Wore it with a pair of tights I’ve had for a few years already, but have only used them a couple times. Vintage clutch + red smoochers.

FWH is a very elitist event, so two nights of it are more than enough for the shy but also strongly opinionated-when-it-comes-to-politics person I am. Every now and then it feels good though, to step out of the microscopic bubble I live in and hang out with a few people who are just as enthusiastic about fashion as I am. Speaking of which, I finally got to meet Raul! He wrote an awesome and may I add particularly blunt post on FWH.

Armando Carranza aka AnonymousC

Mute by Annette Kafati

I was pretty upset because I missed Tirso Rubio’s show. He’s been doing great lately. Here’s a link to a site with pictures of his show in the Dominican Republic event “Dominicana Moda”. How cool is that?!

Tirso Rubio

It's really no surprise how tough it can be for most aspiring designers in this country, or any third world country for that matter. These collections, until now, have never gone past sample sales and the veterans who've been doing it for the long run have dedicated themselves to dressing socialites: mostly night gowns and prom dresses to be precise. Is this all there is? Of course not! Our status quo should only inspire us to be truly and organically creative as well as perseverant. :)

For more pictures of the collections you can go here: Augeboga.

xoxo to all
...and thankyou so much if you keep coming back! I know I'm not exactly the most efficient blogger. *Insert embarassed face here*

P.S. I'm now decently active on my twitter. :D

Casa Ennabe+DIY

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 05:05:00 +0000

This is probably the longest I’ve ever been without posting. I perromiseeee it’s all been for the better! I’ve been doing school, working on a few projects and getting ready to move by the end of this year. London is waiting for me. Haha...NOT! I’m moving to a nearby town/city but I’ll share more on that later.

Anyway, this post is about the fun of shopping for handcrafting supplies in La Ceiba plus a really passé DIY bib necklace to go along with it (I know, I know…there’s plenty of them on the www already).

Here's the thing, there’s only ONE major supply store in La Ceiba, so when shopping it must be done expectation-free. What to do:

You make a TO BUY list to bring with you, knowing half the things you're looking for might not even be there. In a way it's good because it forces you to be creative. Once you’re there, you take a number. Stand behind the counter. AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO JUMP OVER THE COUNTER DON´T DO IT. Browse quickly. Don't make people wait! The ladies who will attend you are really nice, but it's always crowded in there.

TO BUY lists aren't effective for me, though. I always end up buying random things because they stock up on weird thingies (stored in food containers). If I’m lucky enough to catch them with my eye, THEY’RE MINE.

On to the DIY...

Draw the shape of your necklace on paper to use as the pattern. Place it over felt and cut two pieces. Buy ribbon and buttons or steal them from grandma’s clothing. I did a square shape with my ribbon, to fit my pattern, by flipping triangle shapes until it was formed into a square shape…I have NO idea how to explain this properly. Pardon me. :S

The rest is mad easy, I just hand-sewed a bead to the center of my ribbon square on top of the sheer ribbon strips and then on to one of the felt pieces.After that, I glued the other felt piece to the first one right after I had added the long ribbon that would be tied around the neck.

To finish it, I carefully zig-zagged them together with my sewing machine so I wouldn't catch the ribbon, and it was dunzo. Ohhh, and don't forget to slightly burn the ribbon edges before you assemble the necklace so they won’t fray .

My sis is keeping this necklace, she looks smokin' with it...and she knows it! Goodness,that worries me sometimes.

As for my personal style, dark and gloomy days it has been. I’ve been going to a school where I have to wear jeans and flats and it’s poopy. On weekends I RUN back to my skirts…I literally run.

I haven't even been able to do any thrift shopping lately, either. I did get these glittery gold á la Dorothy shoes for like 50 lempiras (less than 3 dollars) a loong time ago when shopping with Lutfi.

By the way, I went to the Fashion Week Honduras event last weekend and had a pretty good time, but I’m still debating if I should post about it or not.

For now, I leave you with a Fall inspiration picture I took in front of grandma’s house...the sir was quite the gentleman. Hooray for tiny flower prints, earth tones and plaid, flat caps! :D

‘Til next post,

Fabi

May-hem.

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 06:28:00 +0000

May=carnaval in La Ceiba. Luckily, there's no inappropriate flashing a la Rio de Janeiro, but it’s defnitely the month of unlimited booze, chicks in skimpy clothes and excessive crepe paper.

I happen to reign in the land of night life party poopers BUT I do looove to go out during the day with my sisters to share our critique of the parade and obnoxiously stare at the funny looking costumes. We also shamingly admit to DIE for the over-fattening food and underpriced hair accessories. YUM for both.

Sunglasses...I still frowned at the $5.00 price though. My goodness, I'm such a cheapskate. =S

It's like inspiration paradise…a couple of proper little ladies in peter pan collars stand out in the crowd and bright color combos are EVERYwhere.

Cutie petuties for cash keepin'.

Panties anyone?

(By this point I realize I used the word “chicks” on the first paragraph. =S It’s the vibe, I tell ya!)

I missed out on some interesting costumes I later heard about. Dang it. I was probably too busy stuffing my face with cotton candy or small talking with random boys.

By random boys I mean these, of course!:

As for outfits:

On redhead sis, thrifted dress I altered for her + vintage belt.

On me, thrifted top + selfmade skirt.

Lace+scalloped edges+waist cinching+platform wedges...feels good to be a girl.

Another neat thing about May: los juegos mecánicos. Exact translation would be "mechanical games". I love these. LOVE them. It's as close as we get to having a theme park and they're only here for one month a year.

I had a few bad experiences last time I went (one included literally jumping off the ferris wheel when it was stopped halfway while they added more people "to balance it out because something wasn't working correctly". I turned pale.) I came back the same week. Not kidding when I said I love them.

I prefer to get there early because there's something *CHEESY ALERT* magical about it when it's empty. Magical and freaky.

Besides, it's always a plus to have access to delish mango salads without having to fight anyone for the best slices! Don't you agree? =)

I have plenty of new thrift finds and sewing/design projects to share. Ohhh, and Geral got herself a new sewing machine WOOHOOO.That will be for next post..this one sure took up half the online universe. =P Thankyou to those who keep coming back...I know I usually take an eternity to post.

Hugsies and kissies,

Not your typical bicycle post.

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Thu, 06 May 2010 05:08:00 +0000

Even before the fabulous Catherine Baba+bike pictures surfaced, I decided to make a bike my official form of transportation and failed miserably. Turns out sidewalks are not my friends and brakes seem to hate me, so that chapter was closed shut and locked.

Do you see anything shocking about me wanting to ride a bike to work? If you're in "third world country thinking mode", then YES. See, down here it's all about hierarchy. If you ride a bike, it's ONLY because you can't afford anything else. Either that, or you're a tourist.

It has nothing to do with enviromental consciousness, avoiding traffic, being healthy or fashionable. It gets you places. PERIOD. It's a shame, I know...but I also shamingly admit I have smirked at the sight of over-tanned caucasians pedaling their way across the streets. =S Sorry.

Observation of this Tommy Ton shot: I'm sure we all agree Miss Hanneli looks way too incredible. However, I have a question: Is there no such thing as pervs in NYC?!! Down here girls could never ever. In La Ceiba, a hint of exposed knickers would put me in headlines! And I'd perhaps even be expelled from our city forever! (Slight exaggeration =P)

Anyway, the hierarchy thing applies to most other things.

For example: cheap buses vs. comfy A/Cd expensive ones. I prefer the cheap, dirty ones because I find them more interesting and inspiring. The cheapness I obviously love but for me that's not the main attraction (which is what third world logic would indicate). I can't get my friends to come with me on these. Ugh.

(Pic re-post alert..woops) My sister and I on a Mirna bus (less than $5.00 for a 3 hour ride). Interesting stories about ilegally crossing borders and raising chickens are included. =) I love those and I'm not kidding! Only occasionally do I ride on the colder, more expensive (safer, blahblahh) ones. The latter are obviously less dangerous and they do plenty of ID checking, but I can't help it!! I heart Mirna buses even if they smell funky. =S

Inspiration shot:

Garifuna lady+pastel gingham+red leather+dark nails. LOOVE.

(I'm going to sound really weird for saying this, but in the Mirna buses I also get to sleep confidently with my mouth open because I don't feel judged...HOORAH! All I have to do is stay alert while doing so, to avoid waking up without any shoes on. Hahaa.)

On the road pic. Rusty red, army green, mustard yellow and hints of pastels. YUMMY. I need to make me some clothing ASAP.

Speaking of which, I finally wore this dress I sewed up with ugly scraps of fabric I had lying around. Not my fave, but was great pattern-making practice.

I haven't sewn much lately because I was sick for over 10 days AND my family and I just moved. It was dreadful and I've missed my sewing shop. =(

Cloud print shirt, bag and short: thrifted.

Ohhhh, and I already wore that one dress with the DIY straps I posted about before. Voila!

By the way, I'm not an angry person, I promise! (Boyfriend not allowed to comment. =P) It looks like so in the pictures because the sun is usually in my eyes. I work hard to tone down my obnoxious laugh...I'm not angry, I insist. =)

The sun has been more like on our everythinggg lately! It's the hottest summer we've EVER had...some people have even been getting sick! It's also making my brain dead and all I do is re-wear the same 'ol summery pieces.

Same peachy slip from last post. *yawn*

On me defense, I'm not the only one doing it. Geral: guilty!

My same dress & her same blue cropped jacket from last post. =O

Howeverr, I'm done with packing and I'm ready to make peace with the heat. I'll make sure to take better pictures on future bus rides so then maybe I'll (indirectly..ahermm) convince my friends that Mirna is the ONLY way to ride.

A salute to glam bikers all over the world...enjoy! And to other third worlders, whatever it is that you like riding in...enjoy! Even if it's cheap.

xoxo,

A slightly dehydrated Fabi.

Mas vale tarde.

noreply@blogger.com (ThirdWorldFabi) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:04:00 +0000

First post of the year…took me a while, eh? I’ve actually been longing for an update as well…after all, this is my diary. =) I ended last year with two garage sales. These, of course, had somewhat of a cheesy “Goodbye old life, hello new life” very “Uptown Girls” connotation. I had fun and the process wasn’t too painful since most of the stuff I sold HAD to go. Besides, I became friends with some clients/helpers that happened to be shorter than me! YAY!

Dress: fave thrifted find. I wear this dress all the time with ANYTHING…pictured with THE best helpers EVUHH.

The new year brought a buttload (pardon my French) of decisions to make, mostly concerning character. I’m the eldest of five, so during family trials I have to do my best to be an example…selfishness is never an option. I keep remindind myself that tribulations are a good way to mature, stick together and make pretty clothes. ;-)

Shirt: thrifted. 10 lempiras ($0.50) Chain necklace: hardware store.

As for my sewing shop, I’ve been spending a lot of time in it “training myself” as I like to say. Right now, I’m mostly fixing up an old sewing machine I got as a gift from a close family friend. Pacita, age 90, dressed most of the pretty socialites of her time. Her own suits are INCREDIBLE but she hates getting her picture taken. Sorry. =(

Geral comes over to help me out. I wrote about Geral on my old blog, but that old blog is pretty much dead *pause, TEARS* so I’ll introduce her again. I met her at church when we were kids. Tough girl who’s had a tough life… we’ve become really good friends and she either loves to listen to me rambling on about London fashion week, or she’s reeeally good at pretending. =O

Shirt, shorts, and handbag: all thrifted.

I’m currently teaching her English, we’re learning sewing tricks together and (I’m afraid) her thrifting skills have succeeded mine. =S

Power shoulders, electric blue, cropped jacket: (prepare to DIEEE) 20 lempiras=a dollar. Mhm.

We will definitely be inventing clothes together for a while. I like our little collab. More like LOOVE. Even though I predict future cat fights during our shopping dates. I kid, I kid. ;)

2010 Sewing update:

I started to make this skirt the day before I found out McQueen had passed away. Therefore, in my head, it has a McQueeny vibe to it every time I wear it. I will miss Mr. McQueen’s work. I obviously don’t own anything of his but I have my skirt. =)

I wore it to an event where a friend of mine, Annette Kafati, was debuting as a designer. My pictures from the event are crazy lame, but here’s another site with better ones.

With gorg friend Marce. =)

I layered the skirt over a see-through, peachy colored, vintage dress I slightly reinvented. Faux fur was the life saver of the night…I’m a coward for the cold.

Latest thrift finds:

Velvet collar coat. Denim shorts. Studded handbag. All under 50 lempiras (About $2.50).

Flower printed XL nightgown turned into dress. 40 lempiras=$2.00

Here's one resolution I've managed to slightly succeed at: eating healthier. I mean, I've changed the usual mini marshmallows and chips dinner to much better options. By better I mean healthier, not exactly better tasting. =( I love peaches, though.

P.S. I got in trouble for these photos, almost kicked out by security. =O I don’t really get into trouble often, so please forgive me if I share in such an exciting tone. Hahaha! And boy did I have a public…bunny ears don’t exactly go unnoticed ANYWHERE in the world, let alone in La Ceiba. =P

CONCLOOSHONS.
I have a new camera. I SHALL post more often (blahblah). I PROMISE, really! I’m in love with my sewing/workshop and my family is sticking together.

Hugs and kisses to all.

Fabi