Its not a vest, its not a cowl, its a VOWL!  The luxe and long duster was inspired by the master crafter himself, designer & man-we-bow-down-to: Rick Owens! The American born designer hails from California, and is currently dreaming and designing in Paris.  Owens is wildly known for his avant garde approach to tailoring, draping, and the infusion of asymmetrical angels.  Take a note from the school of Rick and expect the unexpected.  I suggest taking risks and applying the “departure” approach to your own personal style.  Get inspired by a real genius, and get crafting…

To make a VOWL duster, use approx 3 yards of fabric (P.S.- Mood Fabrics has the best selection), and fold in half. Fold and glue down angled corners, which will create an A-line silohoutte. P.S.- Make sure you’re folding/gluing on the inside of the piece. Create an exaggerated fold at the top for the cowl collar (approx. 10 inches), and glue underneath the fold.  More experienced DIY’ers can opt to stitch. Measure your shoulder width, and cut arm holes just under the collar. Use a Large pin to close, or wear open for a more free-flowing option.

Birds of a feather flock together!  I teamed up with Who What Wear for a DIY that I’m DIY-ing over.  This season were seeing flirty and fancy feather detail all over the place.  Follow in flight and join the ranks of Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Cynthia Rowley, and more.  Boasting frilly feathers say a lot about your personality: You’re bold, a fashion risk taker, love to twirl on the dance floor, and have a keen eye for beautiful things.  Get involved with a trend that transcended from 1920 Flappers and continues to make our arms flap.  For a DIY do, take my advice and take the plumage plunge!

Choose your favorite feather trim and a skirt of the same color. With just a pair of scissors and fabric glue, you will be in business and ready to fly away with your newest DIY fashion.  Glue and wrap the entire way up, starting at the bottom, leaving approx. 2-3 inches.  P.S.- Check the weather report: Feather weather is in full effect!

Cut - it - out… Literally!  There’s no time like the present to give yourself a present!  Being crafty and creating fun fashions can take seconds.  Case in point: The cut out sweatshirt! REIMAGINE, REUSE, &  REINVENT this very instant.  Take two things you probably already have at home: a sweatshirt and your trusty scissors and get inspired by the casual cool Alexander Wang and the athletic inspired looks were seeing all around.  Going the distance is easy when you sport the sporty look like a DIY Champ!

P.S.- My good friends at Fashionista.com and I both agree that GREY is the new BLACK!  We teamed up for a fun video DIY.  Click HERE to watch the how-to- and say P.S.- I made this…!

Fashion, art, and creativity make the world go ‘round.  When all are combined, endless and innovative magic happens.  The never-ending cycle of a circle is something that is sought after.  This season, set your sights not only on infinite possibilities, but also scarves!  The circle scarf has become a staple in everyones’ wardrobe.  Infuse the essential chunky knit to stay cozy and au currant.  Continuous knit circle scarves can be worn long and loose or wrapped up right.  Either way you style it,  circle gets the square!

To create your own DIY circle scarf, simply cut off the bottom half of your sweater, hem the raw edge with Gorilla Tape by sticking halfway down, and folding over to seal.  After completely “hemmed”, roll underneath several times to hide the tape and create a soft edge.

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!

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!

Put a little PEP in your step and a WOW in your wardrobe with a refined, sophisticated, and slightly sultry peplum skirt! These classic styles that were once on hiatus are premiering on the runways and back on television.  AMC’s Mad Men is in one word J’AMAZING! Take style notes from Joan Holloway who proves that pencil (skirts) and pen (necklaces) are a must.  Banana Republic is having a Casting Call for Mad Men… I wonder if Don Draper is judging?

To create a retro-inspired skirt, reach for a curtain panel (use a panel with a skirted top).  Gather, and pin top (front) to create a slight pleat every few inches.  Sew and reinforce with stitching where pins are holding material in place. Flip material to the backside.  Cut to desired length and hem by stitching. To finish off the back, use kilt pins to connected material. Cinch and style with a bold belt and you’ve got a perfect peplum!

P.S.- Click here to submit your best Mad Men style and enter for a walk-on role on the show.  I think my friend Jessica from What I Wore is spot on!

We are all giddy and ruffling our feathers to kick off the summer season.  Keeping cool and looking good is easy, breezy and effortless with the help of our light-hearted friend, the ruffle!  Whimsical breaths of girlish charm show a playfulness and elude to an anything-goes-attitude!  Mixing the ruffle with the ever-popular asymmetrical trend results in a summer crush that wont let you down.

Purchase a pack of white tees (the more tees, the more ruffles you can create).  Cut off a few inches from the bottom hem.  The wider the panel, the larger the ruffle. Cut off one sleeve with sharp fabric scissors for the asymmetrical neck.  Scrunch, pin, and sew to the diagonal neckline.  If your tee is too loose around the underarm, add a few stitches or pin it to achieve the perfect fit!