What’s a party without a Cardi?  The quintessential cover up got its name from a British military commander, James Brudenell who was the “7th Earl of Cardigan”.  Crazy, cool fact-right?!  Traditional, classic and sophisticated cardigans have totally transformed and transcended, making their mark as an everyday essential.  My j’amazing, fashionable friends, Hillary and Katherine of Who What Wear, and I agreed- we’re all crushin’ on Marc Jacobs FW10 knits.  The backwards styling seen on the catwalk made us ooooooh and aaaaaah, and decide to collaborate for this Designer inspired DIY.

Get swept up in the sweater storm and update an existing cardigan with uber chic, sparkly, and ornate buttons… AND WEAR IT BACKWARDS! Old Navy has great cardigans or you can re-purpose one from your closet. Use vintage buttons or purchase some-  my gems are from  M&J Trim. Make sure to sew buttons on the side where the button holes are, and the original buttons will still go through the existing button hole.  P.S.-DO NOT COVER THE BUTTON HOLES!  The decorative buttons, will cover the existing ones when buttoned up.  Note: Be a style warrior and wear your buttons on the back -if you want to be a front-runner in fashion!

Peruse your closet and prepare to POM! Currently, we’re seeing the fluffy pom pom detail all around us.  Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney have made a seasonal statement with touches of pom poms on bags, whereas Sonia Rykiel took to the Pom as inspiration for the hair shown at her FW10 show.  We can’t get enough of this puffy and whimsical wonder.

Right now, grab a bag… embrace this cozy and cute trend, get inspired and get crafty.  I opted for this cute FOREVER 21 bag paired with gray POM POMS. Use your trusty glue gun and dot a dab of glue on each pom and place on the bag. Make sure you don’t leave too much space between each pom, they should completely cover your surface.  Feel free to get creative with your colors and infuse the pom on practically anything and everything!

P.S.- October is Breast Cancer awareness month- try and infuse the color and cause into your life! Sharpie is spreading the word, which benefits The City of Hope! Get involved.

Falling for this seasons top 2 trends are inevitable.  The color of CAMEL and the essential CAPE have captivated our hearts.  Anyone and everyone knows this sophisticated hue is the preferred palate that will complement your Autumnal look. I’m loving them all…  Chloe, McQueen, and Stella McCartney each have a fab version.  And don’t forget essentials available at Shopbop and H&M.  The curse of Camel is something that we all wish to be cast with.

To create a camel cape of your own, simply find a camel blanket or even a large piece of fabric, in the perfect shade.  You can use any type of material… soft cottons, heavy fleeces, or nubby knits.  Make a pattern, follow the lines, and cut your neck opening.  Glue back the edges, creating a clean, finished, hem.  Sew 2 buttons on both sides.  This will be your arm hole opening and also a nice detail to add a bit of shape and help it drape.

P.S.- Be a caped crusader… and cruise through the season in camel!

Do you MARVEL over MARBLE? I DO!  Whirls, swirls, twists and turns is the name of the game.  Marble surfaces, sculptures, and architecture have made their mark in history for centuries.  The delicious markings have inspired fashion, accessories, apparel, home decor and even food!  I teamed up with my friend Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge, where I showed her how to MARBLE PAPER and make cool things.  P.S.- It’s very easy, and SO fun.  Anyone can do it and it ALWAYS turns out looking J’AMAZING!

CLICK HERE to watch the DIY video.  Learn how to marble your own paper, and create decedent lamp shades, necklaces, and stationary!  All you need is Methyl Cellulose, Paint, and Cotton/Watercolor Paper (the rest you probably have at home but check out the full tutorial on Design*Sponge).  P.S.- For a shortcut, purchase decorative marble paper at your local fine art store and get creative!

If you roar or rip through life, chances are you don’t waste time mussing and fussing over a raw edge- in fact, you welcome them with open arms!  That’s just what the phenomenal designing duo, Rodarte creates season after season.  This Fall we are seeing lots of tears, shreds, twists, unfinished seams, fabrics, & fibers galore.  Adding a bulky texture into your Autumn outfit is au currant; and beautifully bold when worn in a pleasing palate.  Drape yourself in a statement necklace and look ultra luxe a la Lanvin.

Repurpose items in your closet or go to a fabric story and simply ask for swatches of an alike color palate. P.S.- THEY ARE FREE! Cut into leaf-like shapes, slit with fabric scissors and slide onto a ribbon.  Add some knots for a touch of texture and you should be happy with something scrappy… and chic! P.S.- DON’T FORGET TO CLICK HERE to watch the DIY HOW-TO with DAILY CANDY!

Bow down to the bow trend, which the Who What Wear team and I j’adore beaucoup! (translation… we’re crazy over bow heels).  Inspired by the sophisticated Isabel Marant and Louis Vuitton versions, we wanted to do our own take on an chic baby bow that will twinkle your toes with a touch of talent- via Designer DIY.  

Grab some textured leather ribbon from M&J Trim and a sheet of Momi Paper (avail at any fine art store, (fabric with a dense weight will also work for the knotted bow). Have your glue gun, scissors, and Velcro on hand and you’re good to bow it up!  P.S.- CLICK HERE for my step-by-step directions! Make all sorts of flirty and fun bows, velcro to just about any pair of shoes (add dabs of glue to secure the velcro)!

Lucky Charms are magically delicious and so is JEWELRY!  One of my favorite jewelry designers, Dana Lorenz of Fenton/Fallon continues to wow us season after season with her over-the-top statement pieces, terrific textures, and sparkling situations. Dana recently invited me and a few other fab friends over and let us loose in her shop. She graciously gifted charms and broken pieces of past collections for a special P.S. project!  I loved the idea of blinging out my fall bag with a bag charm using her fun elements.

To create a chic bag charm, re-purpose broken or old jewlez, charms, pendants, pieces, basically anything fun you can get your hands on.  Tie your bits and bobs onto string or cording and secure to a binder ring. Make sure you hang at different lengths to create a staggered effect. Clip onto your bag with a carabiner clip and you are one leading lucky charm lady!

P.S.- NEVER SAY NEVER TO NEON!  I love infusing bright and funky highlighter shades into my world.  My good friend, the uber talented Ben Watts, is known for his always electric and punchy photos.  I’m always inspired by his fashion infused Art and Photography. Chances are you have seen Watt’s work gracing International fashion magazines and billboards. His 2nd and most recent book that came out this year, Lickshot, is dope- so check it! Also, he contributed some fab shots to my new Book, so get excited!

To make this fun, eye-catching, crazy-cool heels- hit up your local sporting goods store for reflective running bands.  I picked up a thick and thin style at Eastern Mountain Sports and Modell’s.  Use the already existing velcro (trim down if necessary) and wrap around your heels.  It’s a quick and easy way to rev-up and re-vamp your stems!