DIY: Chunky Paperclip Bracelet!

Tags

chunky paperclip bracelets, DIY bracelets, paperclip bracelet, studded bracelet

So as I am near to the end of my legal studies (postgraduate currently doing the Bar), I suddenly find no use of my paperclips. So one day it struck me to make them into bracelets which was featured in my previous post here. I’ve never done this before, but I’m pretty sure almost everyone’s done it. Have you? Anyway, here’s a very simple guide on how I did it!

Here’s what I used:

• Paperclips (mine were golden in colour)
• Jumprings to tie the ends up (I used 4mm ones)
• Lobster clasp (or bolt clasp)
• A pretty button (or you can use charms)
• Flat Nose and Round Nose plier (to connect those jumprings)

How To Do:

• Slide the paperclip through! I used a maximum of 4 paperclips per column.
• In the below photo, I used 4 and 3 paperclips per column to give it a fuller look.
• Make sure it’s organised, if you’re using the pointy ends, then stick to it throughout.
• Connect jumprings at both ends (using the pliers).
• Choose one end to connect the lobster clasp.
• Choose the other end and attach more jumprings as an extension.
• End the extension with a cute button you’ve found! Or charms 😀

The end product should look like this:

Now you have a chunky paperclip bracelet! Stack ’em and have a great arm party! 😀 I paired mine with these amazing studded cuffs from Cuff and Neck!

I’ve now ran out of paperclips – but I managed to make 4 bracelets! Woohoo. If you do try these out, let me know how it goes – I’d love to see!

P.S: I’m finally done with my Advocacy exams – nerve wrecking but hopefully it went ok! Had a horrendous exam today (Opinion Writing) which lasted 5 bloody hours AND STILL NOT ENOUGH TIME, 2 more exams to go and a legal pro-bono porfolio to hand in and then I’ll be done (hopefully) with Bar school! Here’s hoping…

♥ P E A C H E S

11 Excitingly Random Links You Won’t Want To Miss

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carolinesmode, Dinosaurs you can overpower, DIY necklace, Natalie Tran, random links, The Beauty Department, zooey deschanel

Other than immersing myself in the pages of a fashion magazine (wow Minty, you’ve got some really deep interests) there really is nothing I love more than trolling the Internet for things that induce giggling or swooning.

And not necessarily in that order, either.

So. Filtered, for your viewing pleasure:
How common is your birthday? Mine’s in the ‘most common’ bracket! ..And here I thought I was special (also, I can’t seem to spell deulsional – see what I did there?).

Delicious outfit inspirations. Very self-explanatory.

DIY Geometric Necklace. I love Meg Allan Cole! Such an amazing Youtuber.

Dog lovers, take heed: 10 Deceptively Dangerous Dogs. …Call me stubborn (or whatever), but I basically ignored everything between the number “10” and “Dogs”.

Crazy neon Navajo nails by Chronicles of Her that make my day so much brighter.

Eat your Kimchi. This blog has given me countless hours of entertainment. (Time badly or well-spent? You decide.)

As has Nat Tran.

Head on over to The Beauty Department for all your hair and beauty needs.

Hands down, a list of the most disturbing children’s books nobody should ever have to be subjected to.

Look guys, I’m not going to lie. This is going to be a little strange. I’m a huge fan of Zooey Deschanel, but I’m not sure how comfortable I feel about knowing that there are people out there creating Facebook fan pages for a set of eyeballs… (Tho to be COMPLETELY FAIR, a fan page dedicated to eyeballs is way classier than one dedicated to someone’s arse).

Also, a good guide to have if you ever find yourself lost in Jurassic Park: 7 Dinosaurs you could take in a fight.

You’re welcome.

xo, Minty

Print Trend: “Cat & Mouse Play House”

Tags

cat print, Charlotte Olympia, kitty shoes, New Look, peplum top, Victoria Beckham

So I usually like Victoria Beckham’s line, but the one with the cat print? Not my kinda taste.

Sure, it’d look cute on some people but it definitely would fail as an outfit on me – it’s just not me.

The collection above was complemented by Charlotte Olympia’s heels, and yes, it was also cat print.

Then Charlotte Olympia started churning kitty shoes like these:

Now, I wasn’t overly excited – I mean, with a price tag going into the hundreds of pounds…I wasn’t going to be a fan.

Then.

I walked into New Look when it was having one of its recent sales a few weeks back, and I spotted this ultra cute cat print top in a beautiful colour, at only £7! It was too cheap to resist, and did I mention it has an awesome back??

Top: New Look; Belt: H&M; Spiked cuff: Cuff and Neck; DIY chunky paperclip bracelets (tutorial soon!)

It’s a cat and mouse playing house! With a skinny belt, it transformed itself into an ultra cute peplum top! It’s something I normally don’t wear, but what can I say? Cheap and cute? Yes please! (Maybe also that the print is quite subtle!)

What are your thoughts on the cat print trend?

♥  P E A C H E S

Snake Print, Harem Pants & Studded Shoes

Tags

Bimba and Lola, bing bang, Low Luv x Erin Wasson, outfit of the day, Steve Madden, style, The Local Firm, Witchery

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
– John Wooden

Witchery top, Trousers from The Local Firm, Bimba & Lola bag, Steve Madden shoes, Metal cuffs by Bing Bang & Low Luv by Erin Wasson

Dressing like a venomous animal sure does alot for a girl’s confidence.

Otherwise, it is entirely obvious that I have an unhealthy obsession for shoes with hardware on them. (Note to self: break out of style rut.)

In other news, I’ve been getting all mentally bludgeoned at work (RUDE), which really explains the sudden lack of updates from my corner of the ring. Am also possibly in the throes of a quarter-life crisis… something that was probably about due to happen anyway, if a couple of celebrities about my age are any indication…

xo, minty

DIY Friendship Bracelet for Mother’s Day! (and Peaches in a Barrister’s Wig!)

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Barrister's wig, DIY friendship bracelet, filial piety, Happy Mother's Day, love, macrame bracelet, Paperchase

Here in the UK, Mother’s Day has come and gone. I am however, from Malaysia and Mother’s Day is on the 13th of May 2012! Fortunately I didn’t forget and got a Mother’s Day card for my mum. I’d make my own but…I’m going to spare my mum my horrendous card-making ‘creativity’. I’m quite sure she’s chucked my old ones away and kept the beautiful ones I get for her from Paperchase 😉

I do like sending something personalised to her, the last one being a Polaroid picture I took with a placard saying: “I LOVE YOU MUMMY!” This time however, I have been on a DIY frenzy (clothes, nails, jewellery) so I decided to make her a friendship bracelet! (With whatever little ingredients I had)

I don’t know if she’s had a friendship bracelet given to her and even though my relationship with her isn’t as tight as other relationships I still think she’s the best mother I could ever have and I love her loads! Besides, lately she’s been trying to copy my style (hmph!) so I hope this will make her happy! 😀

I chose:

• Maroon string to represent love and filial piety
• Silver balls to represent abundance spiritually and physically
• Star charm because my mum’s a shining star in my eyes

I gave the bracelet a lobster clasp because if my mum does decide to wear it, I know she’d get frustrated at having to tie up loose ends! I hope she likes it, but even if she doesn’t…it’s the thought that counts, right? 😉

Edit: Mum let me know today she did receive the card and was very delighted as it was a nice surprise! She said the bracelet was “pretty and professional looking” so that’s a good sign. Mum never lies. Hahaha!

Happy Mother’s Day to all celebrating!

Okay so you thought I was going to end it there?? In my previous post on What To Wear A To A Festival, I also mentioned about barrister’s wigs! Why? Because I had to wear them for my advocacy exams (I’m in Bar School). I also mentioned that my dad was getting overly excited at this piece of news that he was persistent in asking me to take a picture donning the barrister outfit.

Sigh.

So I did my best on Thursday, and ‘ninja-ed’ it with the help of a good friend (who appeared before my exam and clicked away). I’ve covered my eyes because I’m shy, but I left my smile on to show that it IS a real picture, y’know – proof that it’s me, Peaches. Hahaha! 😉

So…

Don’t laugh.

Peaches ‘ninja-ing’ it before her Examination-in-Chief advocacy exam!

I’m a petite 5’2″ so that gown was practically falling off me! If you notice carefully, the right shoulder of the gown is slipping off! The wig wasn’t too uncomfortable to wear, but I remembered to fasten a hairclip just in case it falls. It happened to one of my bar mates and her witness standing in the witness box laughed. Whoopsies!

My exam went alright hopefully, and my witness (who is an actor) wasn’t being too difficult. I’ll be donning this outfit again this coming Tuesday for my Cross-Examination exam, wish me luck!!

♥ P E A C H E S

Kahlo Spring/Summer 2012

Tags

Australian designers, Australian style, basic style, Kahlo, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, model off duty style, monochromatic outfits

kahlo.com.au

I rather enjoyed perusing the images of the relaxed, grungy take on basics that Kahlo sent down the runway during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Sydney. I mean, not to sound obsessive about things, but I’d wear every single piece for a good month and not get sick of it. It’s always a thrilling experience for me to while away my time staring at (and fantasizing about) reworked classics that both work for every body shape and will last the test of time.

Also, a touch of asymmetry never hurt either. Just for a bit of dimension.

Thoughts! What do you think about basics being sent down the runway? Are they tiresomely overdone? Yes, or no?

xo, minty

What To Wear To A Festival & A (Barrister’s) Wig

Tags

Barrister's wig, British TV series Silk, coachella, festival wear, Havaianas, Rainforest World Music Festival, vanessa hudgens

The recent Coachella Festival over in the States had people and celebrities in all sorts of ‘festival wear’.

The only massive outdoor music festivals I have been to is to the Rainforest World Music Festival which is held every year in Kuching, Sarawak (on the island of Borneo) in Malaysia. The weather one gets on the equator is hot and humid, so boots is definitely not an option! From my experience, the perfect wear for a whole-day festival event would be:

• A good bra that doesn’t let you down!
• Havaianas flip flops (comfortable and gorgeous!)
• A sling bag (so your arms are free to dance!)
• Sunglasses
• Comfortable clothing which is as airy as possible (shorts/short dresses). Sleeveless as possible – it gets too hot!
• Mosquito repellant bracelets (this is a MUST!)

I’ll be missing the above said festival back home this year – so if you are heading to it, have fun and the less the better 😉 If I were going, this is what I would wear:

Crochet/lace top: New Look; Necklace: Vintage; Skirt: H&M; Bag: Ted Baker

If you noticed, I mentioned a wig in the title. Well, more so a barrister’s wig. If you are new to reading this blog (which I write with an amazing other; Minty), I am a law graduate currently doing her Bar in the UK so that I can qualify to practice as a barrister (or a lawyer back home in Borneo).

I will be having 2 advocacy exams this coming Thursday and next Tuesday in which I will be examining witnesses in the witness box, in a mock court room.

Well, guess what I’d be made to wear on the day of my exams??

YES. A wig AND gown, like the real thing! This is either very exciting or very nerve-wrecking. Eek! I suppose it puts us into character, when we have to question the witnesses (who are actors). FYI: Did you know a barrister’s wig costs at least a few hundred pounds?!

My dad has asked me to take a picture of myself in the wig – I suppose I’d have to use my ninja skills to do so! Watch this space.

Also, Happy Bank Holiday to everyone in the UK! I hope it is sunny where you are 😉

Have a great week ahead 😀

♥ P E A C H E S

1 Way to Wear a Man’s Shirt: DIY Strapless Dress (No scissors needed!)

Tags

bustier dress, Creativity, DIY dress, how to wear boyfriend shirts, men's shirt, strapless dress

I have another easy DIY following this previous DIY post last week, where I used a man’s shirt to make a paperbag skirt! The significant other doesn’t complain anymore – he kinda likes how I’m having fun with his work clothes (he’s a doctor)! 😉

Note: I am petite and standing at only 5’2″ and therefore this DIY would work as a short dress for me. If you are however tall, this DIY would work as a top for you 😀

Incorporating the same steps as the DIY paperbag skirt, pull the shirt upwards to cover your bust!

Step #1: Thrift through any male’s closet (secretly), and find one you like!

• Step #2: Wear a strapless bra (just in case of wardrobe malfunction!)
• Step #3: The upper part of the shirt(where the collar is) should be fitted above your breasts.
• Step #4: Button the shirt as desired until you get a ‘sweetheart’ neckline like a bustier/corset.
• Step #5: Take the sleeves, pull tight and make a knot below your bust. This gives the grecian effect.
• Step #6: Take the excess sleeves and make a bow!
• P.S: The way to keep this from falling off is to firstly wear a good strapless bra! Make sure the buttons are tight and secure wherever you button them on your bust, and lastly make sure you tie a tight knot!

This is the finished product:

Men’s Shirt: New Look

I hope you found this fun! Let me know if you’ve tried this before, and if you are going to – I’d love to see a picture 😀

♥ P E A C H E S

Fashion Against AIDS By H&M

Tags

13 inch pink satchel, AIDS prevention, charity, H&M, H&M FASHION AGAINST AIDS, The Cambridge Satchel Company

The campaign collection arrived in selected stores on the 26th of April 2012 (last Thursday) and I was delighted to see that the H&M store on Grey Street in Newcastle was one of the selected stores! 25% of the proceeds go towards HIV/AIDS prevention and I am a sucker for giving towards causes. Fashionable & charitable? (See why I bought TOMS shoes) Count me in!

Even though I had a mock exam the next day, my hands were full with pro-bono legal work and Newcastle was having one of its horrid rainy & windy days – I simply HAD to get to town to take a look at the collection! Even if it meant my shoes and socks were soaking wet.

Luckily, I wasn’t disappointed. I had my eyes on this ensemble:

Especially the print cropped top! However, when I tried it on it flattened by boobs too much and it wasn’t flattering on my bodyshape so I had to sadly put it back on the rack… 😦

I did take the skirt though, and am loving it! I also saw this plain tank top with a floor-length cape.

I couldn’t resist. I WANT TO LOOK LIKE A SUPERHERO!! So I took it. Hehe 😀

Top with floor-length back at £14.99, Print skirt at £7.99

The two amazing and affordable items I got from FASHION AGAINST AIDS by H&M! What did I tell you about the amazing back on that tank?! Superhero worthy 😀 The front of the top is made of cotton, while the back is made of chiffon so it flows easily without much restraint.

My pink 13″ Cambridge Satchel matches the pink and I like how it doesn’t look too girly – the twist is that from behind the top looks like a dress but it actually isn’t 😀

You can see the full collection here! Also, if you want to, you can upload a kiss with your significant other and H&M will donate $1 to AIDS prevention! You can do it here. I have! 😉

What are your thoughts on the collection and the campaign? (FYI it’s not H&M’s first Fashion Against AIDS campaign)

♥ P E A C H E S

Yellow For Change! Chronicles Of A First-Timer

Tags

BERSIH 3.0, demonstrations, freedom of speech, H&M, how to wear yellow, New Look, People Movements, rallies, yellow outfit

Last weekend over Twitter, I said that I would be joining fellow Malaysians and supporters in Newcastle for a meaningful and peaceful demonstration.

• WHAT’S IT CALLED: BERSIH 3.0 [‘Bersih’ means ‘clean’ in the Malay language, and the 3.0 stands for the 3rd time the demonstration is happening]
• BY WHOM: It is a genuine people’s movement
• PURPOSE: For FREE and FAIR elections in Malaysia
• LOCATION: Primarily in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Malaysians around the whole hold the same demos in support
• DATE: 28th April 2012
• COLOUR: Supporters wear YELLOW

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to talk about this on the blog, but maybe it would give our readers some insight about what has been happening across the ocean in South East Asia. Most of our readers come from the USA and Europe and a lot of things that come out of Malaysia isn’t always the full picture.

I wanted to support the demo that was happening in Newcastle, because numbers mean everything. In fact, when I went along with some of my Malaysian friends who are also doing the Bar with me – it was a great feeling. There was a patriotic, determined and brave feeling in the air where we stood at the steps of Monument. We stood and sang our national song, we gave our salutes, and we cheered a lot. Passerbys stopped to look, smiling at our enthusiasm, and taking pictures of (and with) us.

There were approximately 130 of us there that day, small in comparison to the >80,000 that filled the streets of Kuala Lumpur:

Though here in Newcastle we were small in number, we had strength.

Different races coming together to make it worthwhile. This is what our generation wants. This is for our future. As citizens of Malaysia, one has a right to make an informed decision on who to vote as their right to vote is a basic right.

Here are some pictures from the day in Newcastle:

BERSIH 3.0 demonstration at Monument in Newcastle, UK

The 8 demands:

• #2: Currently only overseas students, Government servants working overseas, and military serving overseas are allowed postal voting. A majority of overseas Malaysians (working adults) actually fall out of the limited criteria and would have to FLY back to Malaysia just to vote. Reason being: One is not patriotic if they are working OUTSIDE Malaysia.
• #3: There have been cases where vote slips are tampered with while in transit.
• #4: If I am not mistaken, the maximum campaign period is 10 days. This is simply NOT enough for campaigners to campaign, nor does it give enough time to voters to make an informed decision.

And oh, because this is a *ahem* fashion blog… I dugged deep into my drawers to find something yellow and came up with this:

Shorts: H&M; Yellow shirt with cut out sleeves: New Look

Back home, demonstrations started out peacefully but it became violent with people getting tear gassed and watter cannon-ed by the police. A few of my friends who were in the rally recount their tales of being tear gassed.

For me, the official press release by The Malaysian Bar is the least biased. Read it here in which they state that the police response during the BERSIH 3.0 rally was disproportionate and excessive.

Note: The demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia did NOT amount to rioting.

Overall Experience: I found the demonstration in Newcastle peaceful, and to be honest, fun. It was my first time doing something like this 😀

Most importantly, if you are a Malaysian and eligible – have YOU registered to be a voter? Know your rights and register at your nearest post office!

Have you ever, in your younger years (or not) taken part in a good cause? Let me know your experience I’d love to know!

♥ P E A C H E S