Nylon Challenge: Sweaters Weather

Aaaah! It's that time of year to get really cozy and cuddle up with a love one (or a sweater!) Now this "Nylon Challenge" is actually from Teen Vogue. The November issue of the magazine highlight sweater fashion. How big baggy sweaters are double up as a dress, how cord knit sweaters are back in, and of course where to find these sweaters for ridiculous prices.

I mean let's be honest for a minute. 2nd hand stores and places like Goodwill were MADE for sweaters. Trust me, you'll find the best sweaters. For example:

Goodwill

a. $5.99 b. $7.00 c. $4.99

d. $3.99 e. $3.00 f. $8.99

g. $6.50 h. $3.00 i. $3.99

Salvation Army:

a. $5.69 b. $4.99 c. $7.89

d. $2.99 e. $4.49 f. $5.85

Secrets Sweater Shopping Tip: The best secret is go at the end of the month to shop at Salvation Army because most likely everything is 50%. Also if you want an oversized sweater look to the men's section. They might be a little more money but they have way cooler designs. I am talking about REAL Bill Cosby sweaters.

ALSO: I am going to be in New York for a poetry show and for my birthday (Halloween)! I will take as many pictures as I can. I will update my twitter and the GUTTERSNIPE tumblr.

Side note: I figure out my Halloween costume. I am going to be My Little Pony!

Hearing Wedding Bells (in sneakers)

For those who know me I am a very strange hopeless romantic. I can be a sap one moment then someone who find true love a total joke. For right now I find love and anything sightly romantic sicking.

(I go through many phases.)

However, yesterday I went to my dear friend's wedding: Maya & Ela!! First off, it was the sweetest wedding ever! It was so gross how much love their was. Best part about the wedding was that both brides (Yes, BOTH BRIDES. Gotta love a gay marriage :) wore sneakers. So they wanted everyone to dress it up however they want. So I of course showed up wearing this fantastic outfit:

I felt like an 80's barbie.

Shoes - (Gift) Jeremy Scott ADIDAS

Tights - (Nordstrom Rack) $4.00

Dress - (St. Vincent De Paul) $5.00

Belt - (Forever 21) $7.00

Blazer - (Salvation Army) $2.50

DIY Hoop Earrings

Congrats Maya & Ela! You guys have become my closet friends. I love you both. I hate how much in love you guys are but it makes me believe in love again. I wish you too nothing but the best.

DIY Halloween Costume: Pigs

felt pieces from JoAnn's*

Little fact about my sister: She's the one that really got me into the passion for cheap fashion. Although our mom took us to second hand stores all the time as kids; it was my sister who took me to my first Goodwill Outlet when I was 13. My sister is actually the person who came up with Guttersnipe motto: "Ballin' on a budget, we make broke look good."

Yeah, she's pretty awesome.

So when she told me her and her roommate are being "Pigs" for Halloween I was more than willing to lend her my sewing skills. This was actually all her idea and creation; I just followed her careful instructions.

Here is what you need:

• Pink felt sheets* in two different colors: Hot Pink & Powder Pink (99 cent sheets at JoAnn's)
• Two Toned Thread ($4.50 at JoAnn's or any fabric store)
• Elastic piping (Prices varies)
• Powder Pink Velcro (99 cent for 2 feet at JoAnn's)

To Make the Ears:

1. Cut one large triangle using the powder pink felt and cut on smaller triangle using the hot pink felt. Also cut two small pieces of the elastic piping that are the same length as the sides of the smaller triangle like so:

2. Place the hot pink triangle in the middle of the powder pink triangle and place the elastic piping on the sides.

3. Fold the edges of the powder pink triangle so they cover the elastic piping. You can use a pin to pin them down as well. Then sew.

4. Now enjoy! Sew them on a hat or headband

To make the Feet or hooves:

1. Cut one large powder pink triangle and one large hot pink triangle. Overlap them so both the peaks are side by side. Then sew them together like so:

2. Now using the velcro cut a square piece. Sew the rough side of the velcro to the hot pink side and the soft side of the velcro on the opposite side on the powder pink side like so:

3. You want your outcome to look like you are making a funnel or a bracelet. Like so:

4. Now strap around your boots:

To make the Tail:

1. Using the powder pink, cut a long strip. Almost like a rectangle:

2. Using your elastic piping, cut a piece that is slightly shorter then the tale. Put the elastic piping in the middle.

3. Then sew:

4. Then curl the tail and it's a prefect pig tail!

The best part about this Halloween costume is if you mix up the felt colors it could work for any animal. If you want to dress up like a cow, horse, donkey, whatever! Follow the same instructions and there you have it! Once my sister and roommate get their whole look together I will make sure to post photos soon.

Wearable Art

"Fashion is wearable art."

I don't know who said that but boy is it true!

Yesterday most definitely started on the wrong foot and it stayed that way for awhile. However I took all the little things as a sign to be less of a Debbie Downer. My wonderful and extremely talented friend Janae needed some shopping advice. So of course I jumped to the opportunity to help out.

I found her this really amazing sailor dress (which was originally a romper that I recut and sewed into a dress) for $2.00 at Goodwill. After we did some shopping we went to a very interesting art gallery opening. So I wanted to be look like walking art.

Shoes - (Nordstrom rack) $25.00

Pants- (Topshop) $40.00

T-shirt- (Melrose Trading Post) was $17.00 talked it down to $10.00

Sweater- (my mother's/hand-me-down)

DIY Hooping earrings

Today I am working on the last minor details on my first chapbook of poetry. Not going to lie, kind of stressful but should work out in the end. Also here is a video Janae shot at the Twin Shadow show that I edited. It's our first project as Sealevel Pictures. (More details later...)

DIY: 3 (MORE) Ways to Jazz up a T-shirt

That's right! Since the last DIY about t-shirts was such a wild success; I'm bringing it back for round 2. So here is 3 MORE ways to jazz up a plain old t-shirt.

First: No Sew

This DIY requires no sewing! It's quick, easy, and fun.

1. Find any t-shirt. (Fairly larger the better.)

2. Cut off the tag, the neck, the bottom, and the shelves.

3. Fold the t-shirt the long ways so it's pressed arm pit to arm pit.

4. Then cut varies sized long strips. (I like to cut long ones at the top and work my way down to shorter ones.)

Now... Flaunt it!

Coast? The Shirt was 99 cents at Goodwill.

Second: "Frankenstein"

For this shirt you will need to sew. I used a machine but you can hand sew if you want too as well.

1. Find two t-shirts that are same size (get larger sized shirts to give you room to sew)

2. Cut along the seams of both shirts. (You can use scissors or a seam ripper)

3. Then take the front of one shirt and the back of the other. Pin them together.

4. Then sew a new seam on the two shirts

BOUNS: The shirts I bought had pockets so I seam ripped the black pocket and sewed it on the gray one.

Now... Sport it!

Coast? Thread was $3.00 and each shirt was $5.00 from JoAnn's. Plus you get two cool shirts out of this project.

Third: The Pin Up Girl

This idea is actually one I got from one of my favorite DIY blogs: P.s. I made this... so my directions are pretty much the same.

1. T-shirt (any size works/any color shirt)

2. Get some safety pins. (Small are best and so are gold ones)

3. Pin the safety pins around the neck line. You can just pin them one by one or cluster a bunch together to add some texture.

Now... Show it off!

Coast? A pack of 100 old pins at fabric store was $5.00 and the shirt was 99 cent at Goodwill.

So there you go! 3 MORE ways to jazz up a plain old T-shirt. I will make sure to post something like this again. Enjoy!

Tomboy

First off -- It's been a crazy month. I mean CRAZY month.

• I got a new job!
• Meant Yelawolf (You know just walking down the street in Seattle)
• Went to Chromeo show (Shout out to my sister for getting me the ticket)
• Will be sending my birthday in New York
• Found out I will be preforming Bowery Poetry Club at the end of this month
• And finished a promo video that my client LOVED

I like to think all this awesome stuff is happening because it's my birthday month. So you know.

Now back to your normal program...

It's no secret I love men's fashion. If I could I would design men's clothing and lately I've been finding myself helping my guy friends get dressed. Because let's be honest: there's nothing sexier than a well dressed man.

I grow up with a very well dressed Irish father. And anyone who knows my father knows he is always the best dressed man in the room. He is never seen looking a messy but always a clean cut gentleman. He has a huge influence on the way I dress and present myself. So thanks dad!

So today being a crispy sunny fall day I thought I would be a bit of tomboy. Why should the guys have all the fun?!

Timberlands (Nordstrom Rack)

Jeans - (H&M) $7.00

Sweatshirt (Los Angeles Goodwill) $4.00

Belt - (Salvation Army) $1.00

When all else fails: Keep it simple.

After a very hectic week it's nice to take it easy by not getting too fancy with my outfit. I still have to work today but it's fun work. (I get to go shopping at thrift stores for movie props. I mean really... I was born to do stuff like that.)

Now the thing about fashion is that it doesn't always have to flashy, loud, and out there. It can be simple. For example: the little black dress, flats, skinny black jeans, the "Rebel Without a Cause" white t-shirt, etc.

My biggest fashion tip is when you wake up in the morning and you've tried on everything and I mean EVERYTHING. Stop, breathe and keep it classic. I believe your closet is telling you to just put on a t-shirt and jeans or a oversize sweater and leggings.

You don't have to be a shop stopper every day. Sometimes being simple is the prefect show stopper. Try it out.

PLUS: You can always jazz it up with jewelry and accessories

boots - (Melrose Trading Post) $35.00

pants - (Nordstrom Rack) $12.00

oversize sweater (Target) $6.00

scarf - (Goodwill Outlet) $0.25

Review From The Gutter: Melrose Trading Post

Firs off: Shout out to my friend Olivia for telling about this gem.

In Los Angeles, every Sunday in the parking lot of the Fairfax High School (on the corner of Melrose & Fairfax) something amazing happens: The Melrose Trading Post.

This blessed flea market is remarkable! It's vendors after vendors of clothes, knick knacks, jewelry, shoes, etc. It's so overwhelming, it will make your head spin.

It does coast $2.00 to get in but once you are inside you can shop to your heart's desire! I do have a few tips:

1.) Bring your own bags.

It's just easier and helps the environment.

2.) Don't buy something right away.

There are so many vendors and booths it's best to shop around before actually purchasing something.

3.) Bargain!

Most booths are willing to work out prices. First ask them what something is worth then see if you can knock it down a few dollars.

4.) Take your time.

This flea market is HUGE! So make sure you sent aside a few hours to go out and really shop.

Now, you know me, I love things at a good price. I am picky about how much something is worth and how much I am willing to pay. So I will be honest, this flea market is a bit pricey compared to what I am use to in Seattle. A lot of the stuff I found were things I've seen at Goodwill/Salvation Army/2nd hand stores etc. Most of the sellers actually shop at places like that and then mark up the items for a profit.

There are a lot of vendors that have hand made customs items which I was more willing to pay more for. It's a one of a kind garment and something someone put some real thought into making special. To me that adds value.

But of course, go check it out yourself. So if you're ever in Los Angeles, go!