I think everyone who thrifts has those few items that you look for each time you go. Each time I go I have list in my head of what I’m looking for, but try to keep an open mind so I don’t miss anything awesome. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone back to look through an entire department because I forgot to just browse. My top go-to spots are 1) shoes 2) dresses and 3) jackets/blazers because I feel, in Canada, you can never have enough outerwear.  I’ve become a bit of a jacket addict so if I find a jacket I love at a second hand store it’s a bonus. For a while now I’ve been looking for that classic tweed jacket. The problem I usually face is the fit. When you go to the women’s section size small, most items have shoulder pads or are too big. This normally causes me to shop in the boy’s department. But when I was at my regular Value Village, sifting through the women’s size small rack with little hope, I found it! Meet my very own cute little black tweed jacket.

A Little History

Coco Chanel is credited for making the tweed suit fashionable in the 1960′s. 

source: Coco Chanel

A lot of Inspiration

Today the tweed suit is still popular but in separates. Here’s some stylish ladies who show how to modernize the tweed jacket. How inspirational!

source: Aime La Mode

source: Wendy’s Lookbook (great blog!)

source: Clemence Posey via Fab Sugar

source: La Mode

Classics: 

Tweed Jacket 

Leather Jacket (in my dreams)

Tuxedo blazer

Sequin shorts (that’s classic right? I’ve been searching for these for a while. I may end up making them)

……

That’s one classic checked off. Yaay!

The newest addition to the Shorts of the Summer series is: Scallop shorts! Scallop hems have been around for a while and you see this detail on a lot of clothes in stores right now. If you want this look on the cheap make it yourself! Honestly this was such an easy DIY and it yielded great results! I’m all ready for the summer. Now if only the appropriate weather would show up!

Materials

• Jeans
• Scissors
• paper
• ruler
• marking pencil

Instructions

1. Find shorts or jeans you like! I got mine from Value Village!

2. Cut to desired length. I try mine on, mark on the outside and inside where I want to cut. Then add a little more room because the scallop edge will rise higher.

3. Make a template for your scallop. First I drew a straight line (using a magazine, use a ruler if you have one on hand). Then I found a circle shape (used my cream blush- honestly I have no “real” tools just use what you have) and drew the first “scallop”. Using that to make the rest, I measured the distance from my first line to the end of the circular end of the scallop and mark the same measurement at the other end of the line. Then draw a line parallel to the first, this ensures that your scallop will stay even. Continue drawing scallops.

4. Place the edge of the scallops on the hem of the shorts, trace with a pencil, and cut. To get a smooth edge try cutting the scallop in one “slice”. This prevents any edges from appearing on your smooth shape.

5. You’re done!

We are done week two of the Shorts of the Summer series! What do you think of the scalloped edge?

Check out the floral print tutorial from week one! 

Summer is getting closer, get your DIY on!

It’s shorts season! (Almost in Canada) Stores are stocked with all their spring and summer styles and floral shorts seem to be in every store. My favourite are the Citizen of Humanity shorts below. With these gorgeous shorts comes a hefty price tag, the shorts retail for $204 at Aritzia. If you can’t afford them I have a solution- DIY! Click through to find out how to make your own!

Materials

• Shorts – I found new jeans at Value Village and cut them into shorts
• Fabric Markers – You can use paint but the markers are a lot easier to use

Flower print option 1: 

• Flower pattern – I made my own, you can find many prints online and trace it
• Bristol Board – This is used to make a stencil but it’s not ideal for repeat use

Flower print option 2: 

• Stencil – Buy a stencil! If you can find a plastic stencil at an art store that you like I recommend using it because the bristol board breaks down over time/many marker dabbings

Flower print option 3: 

• Freehand! At one point, after all my stencils fell apart, I used my own “skill” to draw the flowers. If you have an artist friend- get them to help you!

Step 1: Cut shorts and wash 

I wanted the shorts to be frayed like the Citizens of Humanity so I cut then washed them.

Step 2: Make a Floral Stencil

Use a flower print, your own design (try it! You might surprise yourself) or one you find online and trace it onto bristol board. Cut out carefully using an x-acto knife.

Step 3: Apply! 

Plant stencil on shorts and use the fabric markers to “dab” on  I tried to use the Citizen of Humanity as a template as I started placing and applying my flower prints but as you can see I got carried away. I love the results though! What’s great about using thrift store items is that you can experiment for little money. This is all about having fun.

Step 4: Add something fun! 

I added studs to make mine stand out a bit more from my inspiration.

Step 5: Wash 

I wanted a more faded look because the colours turned out really bright. When you’re at the craft store, be sure to test out your markers!

Step 6: Wear! 

I’m ready for summer! This DIY was a lot of fun so expect more fun shorts DIY to come!

 First Pair of DIY Shorts for the summer complete!

For a sneak peek of what’s to come, check out my ideas here: Shorts of the Summer!

Bleach Black Coolest.DIY.Ever. Valerie and Kristin are those cool girls from school that you wanted to be best friends with. Their DIYs are original and edgy and their blog is full of gorgeous photos. If you ever need inspiration, Bleach Black is a great site to visit.

Anchor Bracelet DIY

Ramblings of a Designer Charlotte Tang is a fellow Torontonian and fellow graphic designer! A girl after my own heart she has “caught the DIY bug” and created some really cute bracelets. Visit her site for more!

The Yellow Clutch DIY

Style Scrapbook Andy is always chic and provides us with amazing and simple DIYs that we can’t wait to try. This clutch DIY is on my to-do list!

Balmain-inspired mini DIY

A Pair and a Spare Geneva’s site is one that I visit daily. Her blog is a great DIY resource and just happens to look amazing in all of her own creations including this Balmain-inspired mini skirt that she embellished herself!

The Weekend Bag DIY

The Weekend Designer is hands-down the best site I’ve found that include cute projects and very detailed instructions. The site is not updated much anymore but there are tons of projects including this amazing bag that I cannot believe he hand-made. It’s my favourite find this week!

Elle

I have been haunted by this cargo jacket (above right) with leather sleeves for some time now but I couldn’t remember the brand or price. So I was walking with Wes down Yonge street and I found it in the window of a boutique! It was clearly a sign. I went in and asked the sales person about it and she took the beautiful coat off the hanger and handed it to me to try on but then I saw the price… $396! I died a little inside and didn’t try it on, then slumped all the way back down Yonge. Later, I realized how easy it would be to replace the sleeves on a regular coat! All I would have to do is find the perfect coat and leather pants or a skirt from a thrift store for the sleeves. Here’s how I did it.

Sewing Level: Intermediate

DIY cost: $33.80 Jacket, Forever 21; $14.00 Leather pants, Double Take Thrift Store = ~ $48 vs. $396

Instructions:

1. Find a jacket without lining that is suitable to your taste and budget. I wanted to look in second-hand shops for a cargo coat but I figured it would be easier to buy them in-store since they’re everywhere and because I wanted the body to be similar to the original Vedo coat. I found mine at Forever 21 (Fairview Mall) for $33.80.
2. Using a stitch ripper, separate the sleeves from the jacket and then the seam of the sleeve, making it lay flat – make sure to note the front and back sleeve and mark.
3. Create a pattern using packing paper, newspaper, gift paper or whatever you can get your hands on. Lay the sleeve on the paper and trace around it. Mark the seam allowance which you can see from the dismantled sleeve. Again mark the back and front on the sleeve pattern.
4. Find leather for your sleeves. You can try the “big” name thrift stores but they usually charge a lot for their leather. Try to find a “mom-and-pop” second hand store. I got mine at Double Take for $14. Try to find leather that would be easy as possible to sew. Mine is calfskin so it’s nice and thin.
5. Place the pattern on the leather pant leg (dismantled the same way as the sleeve). My pant leg was in panels so there were seam lines throughout. In this case I lined up the tip of the shoulder with the main seam on the pant leg so it would match up with the shoulder seam on the coat. (see below for how I positioned my pattern). If you are using a fabric other than leather make sure to match your grainlines.
6. Sew up the sleeve seam.
7. Attach the sleeve to the body of the jacket matching the back and front of the sleeve to the back and front of the jacket.
8. Finally hem the sleeve hole.
9. Be careful sewing with leather. Use a walking foot and a needle suitable for leather… unlike me, who broke four. Eeep!

Pics

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For those of you interested in Veda Jackets (which are awesome!) they can be found online at ShopBop. If anyone knows of any boutiques in Toronto that carry Veda let me know and I’ll post them.

So ever since I saw these  burberry boots from the Fall ’10 collection I’ve been obsessed with finding my own version, ie. cheaper and flat. BUT after searching high and low I can’t find any! I’ve seen many similar styles but they are all either heels or just ugly so I’ve taken it into my own hands (like any true DIY-er) and made my own. I took the boots I got from Common Sort last year and jazzed them up with shearling inserts. Check out how incredibly easy it is to make your own!

Materials

• Shearling (currently on sale for $12/m (down from $40) at Fabricland)
• scissors
• pen/chalk for tracing
• sewing machine

Instructions

1. Cut a large piece of shearling and place it in your boot to trace.
2. Use a pen to trace around the boot- keep in mind that you may want to extend the shearling to the front of your boot where your laces are.
3. Add a seam allowance, I used 1/2″ and cut.
4. Fold sides in and pin. Then fold (cuff) the top of the shearling down and pin where side fold is.
5. Sew down the sides making sure to catch the top- this creates an open “cuff” that will fit over the top of your boots. By sewing down the sides you make sure that only shearling will show and not a raw edge showing the suede (in my case leopard suede).
6. Done! Hopefully the pictures help illustrate this DIY- it’s a bit hard to explain. Let me know if you have any questions!

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As a frequent second-hand shopper, it’s easy to go in and out of vintage stores and find that someone has already grabbed the good stuff. As much as I love vintage-saturated areas to shop in, it’s makes it difficult to find something really great. Common Sort, a thrift store full of fantastic “hand-picked recycled fashions” (at a good price point) is  just out of reach of densely-populated shopping areas, making it worthy of a visit.

If you’re the type of shopper who wants the vintage experience but doesn’t want to over-pay for second hand clothing or hunt through one hundred racks for a great find, Common Sort is the perfect shop for you. They hand pick their clothing according to their customer and will “trade” in your old clothing for money or credit within their store. Even though my shoes were rejected, (no hard feelings, it’s nice to see that they’re picky) they accepted the rest of my old favourites and paid me on the spot (yesssss). While rummaging through my clothing, they gave me the chance to browse around (nice tactic, it’s impossible to leave with nothing!) and I found this lovely navy suede clutch-bag originating from Brown’s. I’ve been obsessed with large clutches,  so this was a great find! Together with cafes, pubs and restaurants, shopping at Common Sort completes the perfect day down Queen East so take a friend or go on a date in this area- you will have tons of fun!

Now with their new location in Parkdale, whether you decide, “Queen East? or West? Common Sort will find you.

Happy Thrifting!

Oh Mary Kate, how I wish I was you (and not just for canoodling with Uncle Jesse all those years)! Ever since I saw this picture I’ve wanted to replicate this outfit… sans feather headdress that is. This is the perfect combination of adorable/casual. I saw this picture about two years ago and every time I found into a full skirt I thought of Mary Kate but when I tried on the skirt I saw an awkward eight- year old. Full skirts are easy to find but tough to pull off. For me, they have been very unflattering, adding a few pounds or when paired with a t-shirt, creating a mid-section bulge- never good.

I found this skirt by accident. I was at the Goodwill at Bloor and Sherbourne, where I was searching for the perfect black winter short, when I found this adorable, on-trend, elastic-waisted circle skirt! Trying not to get too excited (as a thrift store junky, finding the right size is always an issue) I went to try it on.  It fit! And for the low price of $6!

My favourite thing about this skirt (besides the twirl-ability and non-bulge) is the label which reads, “Mes Trois Soeurs”, or “My Three Sisters” for those of you who weren’t forced to take French. It made me think of my sisters and my mom, who has turned into both a sister and a best friend. Ahhhh I miss you guys!

Since I didn’t have time to post a picture I’m using the magic of Polyvore to show you what I wore my skirt with today using similar items. It ended up being a tad bit too school-girl but it had a classic vibe which I loved.

Mes Trois Soeurs outfit by MyVintageSecret featuring a double breasted coat

Have a great day!

-Kaitlin

Weird hey? But nice. I didn’t know what to think of these shoes when I got them. They have this nostalgic feel , like something I could wear on a balcony while drinking cognac and smoking a cigar but also something you could wear lawn-bowling. The toe shape, the colour, and the overall weirdness of them ultimately won me over.  Now to find some cognac and join a lawn-bowling league…