Street Style

Have a look around the huge amounts of
Street Style snaps on the internet to get inspiration and ideas
for ways to put together an outfit.  

It really is all about style sometimes
and not the clothes themselves.

If you style yourself right you can wear cheaper or 

second hand clothing and still look AMAZING!

Check out my favourites:

http://www.coggles.com/street-style

http://originalnative.com/style/

This outfit or ones inspired by this are easy to make up
from most things people have in their wardrobe
or basic plain items from the charity shop.

The leather jacket and the bright red sunglasses really add glamor
to an otherwise ordinary floral skirt.
Floral skirts are ten a penny (not literally!) in the charity shops!!!

Modelling Clay Jewellery

Here is a necklace that I made from modelling clay that you can bake in the oven to harden.  You can make whatever you like out of the clay and there are all sorts of colours available. 

Tips...

1. Figure out where you need holes for rings 

and chains before you bake the clay.

2. Use rings and chains from old jewellery you have lying 

around or from the charity shop. It's much cheaper than 

buying the craft pieces from a store.

3. Wash your hands between colours so you 

do not transfer colour, especially on the

 lighter colours like white and yellow.

4. Use tools to create a better finish.

Things like cocktail sticks, cutlery and pen lids are 

good to use, but anything will do if you can

 see how it would work. 

5. Press your clay onto textured surfaces to add detail.

Like on the clouds here 

I've pressed the clay onto a dotted surface.

Fabric Clashing and Patchwork Trend

I'm Loving these looks from Preen Spring/Summer 2013 range.  Clashing fabrics and patchwork, what a great trend for revampers!!!

You can get all sorts of old clothes and fabrics and create your own version with real ease. 

Some Favourite Bargain Spots

I like to shop around when it comes to charity shop shopping to find the best places with the most interesting items.  Things I look out for are:

1. Look how the shop is arranged, sometimes items are arranged in colour sometimes in size. Its a lot easier to shop in the colour arranged shops if you don't like to rummage too much.  Just use your eye along the rails and pick out colours and patterns you like rather than looking through every piece of clothing.  I like to look at every piece in case I miss a gem, but not everyone is the same.

2. I go to either affluent or creative areas to find items that either are more expensive or suit my style.  So for example I like to go to the charity shops in Leamington Spa and Stratford-uponAvon as there is quite a lot of designer items that have hardly ever been worn.  Shakespeare's Hospice in Stratford-upon-Avon even has a rail labeled 'Posh Pieces'.  Some still have the original labels on.  The smaller villages outside of the larger towns are sometimes just as good but a bit cheaper.  Another of my favourite spots is the Oxfam shop in Moseley Birmingham as the area is a creative hotspot and I can find lots of quirky individual pieces.

3.  When you have found a fantastic gem be sure to check things like crotches and arm pits for staining and wear.  The items do get thoroughly checked by the shop staff but it doesn't hurt to make sure.

Hi and welcome to the Shanty House Blog.  Here you can expect to find largely advice on styling yourself into designer trends for pittance.  Also lots of tips on little ways to revamp old bits and bobs of clothing into new pieces or outfits.  

I started out when I was young about 10 years old making clothes for my Barbie.  I couldn’t afford the packs of Barbie clothing with my £1 pocket money I got a week, so I started cutting up my old clothes and sewing them into dolls outfits.  I then found at 16 years old, that my pocket money (still £1 a week) wasn’t enough to afford fabulous outfits for myself and so started slap dashing myself new pieces of clothing together from old stuff too.  From there I’ve not been able to stop and I make things here and there when they come to mind, or if somebody nice I've met would like something in particular.

I got myself a gig on the C4 show ‘SuperScrimpers‘ and started up this blog to share some of the things I did on the show and other projects too.  

You’ll find all sorts that I’m inspired by; photography, designer looks and trends, street style and other brands and labels that I’ve discovered.  Also advice on how to style charity shop clothing into fashionable catwalk trends, and the best places to go to get what your looking for.  

I hope you enjoy the blog and hopefully pick up some tips.  Please leave as many comments as you like and send through any thrifty tips you may have followed or thought of yourself.  

Bye Bye 

Bex from Shanty House   

Pastel Paradise

Catwalk Trends...

Pastel trends 2012 gave us a fresh look for our spring/summer wardrobes and thankfully they are here again for 2013! 

Peaches and cream, lilacs and mint greens, pastel pinks and mid tone blues in clothing, bags and shoes. Our whole wardrobe can be filled with light pretty romantic colours and patterns. 

But it doesn't have to cost a fortune!.....

Mulberry-Spring-Summer-2013
This outfit is beautiful the I adore the addition of pattern to the light colours
and I love the colours from the set too!

Here are some of the coolest celebs stepping out in their pastel outfits.
The tone of pink on trend is more a mid tone than a pastel.
Mixing pastels with mid tone colours
 (deeper than pastel but not as bright as brights)
helps to add richness to the look.

Photo - http-//static.lindex.com/Archive/Umbraco/1897249/celebs-in-pastels

The catwalk is bringing us beautiful pastel pinks, blues and greens
in wonderfully feminine flowing fabrics

Photo - http-//lustrelife.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Pastels

 Now for the Charity Shop Copy....

Here I've styled a nice simple mix of soft blues and pinks.
All the fabrics are floaty and soft adding that femininity
we saw in the catwalk trends for the season
I've brought in pattern with the blouse and then used
block colours of pastel pink and mid tone blue that tie in with it.
Don't shy away from wearing pastel trousers.
Most people stay safe and wear the darker colours
at the bottom of their outfits.
Do the opposite and get a more designer/celeb look
that stands out from the crowd.

I found this blouse in a charity shop and on closer inspection found that it was hand made!
It only cost me £2.50.
The blue top was just £1.99, and the trousers were £3

Remember...Pick up the key points from the trends and copy them in your own way.

This way you can get the look but do not have to spend a fortune.

For this trend its, pattern, pastels and mid tones mixed. 

Check out some more pastel trends to copy here....

http://www.elle.com/fashion/trend-reports/spring-2013-trends#slide-1

http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-articles/pastel-shoes-bags-accessories-trend-1212#slide-1

Foxy

 It's hard to find good quirky stuff to buy for guys, so why not make your own. Get an old or second hand T-shirt and revamp it into a quirky one off. 

Quirky Recycled old T-Shirt...Lets see how its done 

Take an old plain T-shirt, some scrap fabric with a bright print you like... 

...and a scrap piece of leather or other  plain fabric 

Turn the T-shirt inside out.
 Fold the fabric you will be adding to the top of the T-shirt in half.
Place over the top half of the inside out T-shirt with the fold in the centre.
Cut the fabric following the edge of the T-shirt seams around
the sleeves and neckline.
Leave at least half a centimetre extra when cutting so you can
fold this under when stitching.

Open out the cut fabric and check how it fits to the top of the T-shirt.

Fold the edges under and align with the neck and sleeve seams of the
T-shirt that is now the right way round. Pin in place and topstitch. 

Stitch on your pocket...you can put on a simple pocket shape,
or play around like I have here and make the pocket into a funky shape...
like this fox.

I hope you enjoyed this post.

I'd love to see your own versions so please send them to me at shantyhouseclothing@gmail.com and I'll post them in a top 10.

HAPPY SEWING! 

Feminise Your Winter Silhouette

Mulberry Catwalk Autumn Winter 2012/13
Big Warm Layers + A Belt
Adding femininity to the winter silhouette.

Mulberry's catwalk was inspired by Where The Wild Things Are 

You don't need to spend a fortune to get 'The Look'
Add your own style but just follow the general rules used by the designers on the catwalk.
Here I've added a belt to this awesome Wolf gilet, teamed it with a chic handbag and added some roughed up biker boots 

Hello Mr Wolf! 

Cheap Boots + Sandpaper = Biker Boot Heaven
Get sandpapering those cheap boots to give a designer look.

Patent Leather has been everywhere this Winter Season and this cute little find for £5 beats
anything I've seen on the catwalk!! 

Alternative Accessory Tip

A scarf ring is a really cheap way of accessorising a blouse or shirt. 

They are usually half the price of a broach.  

They are hard to find on the high street but the charity shops are full of pretty and interesting designs. 

Just clip the scarf ring over the top button to give your outfit a beautiful feminine retro touch. 

Please let me know If you have found any fantastic designs out there I'd love to see them. 

Shanty House Oxfam Show

Shanty House decided to put on a little Fashion and Music event in November last year.  The aim was to create fab looks from charity shop and recycled clothing.  I think we achieved it.  Everyone had so much fun thanks to the great guys at 'The Rainbow Warehouse' in Birmingham.  We had the catwalk, a stall, bands and DJ's even a beat box battle!!  We raised over £400 for Oxfam (where we sourced all the clothes) and had an amazing time.  Lots of people came away with a different view of what can be done with second hand clothing.  I've posted some pictures of the Catwalk below with a few tips on how the looks were achieved.  

Women's Winter Warmers Collection: 

There are always so many interesting jumpers in the charity shops.
When winter comes you don't have to look less girlie because of it.
Wear your jumpers with a skirt and show off your feminine waist with a belt. 

You can always find a good fake fur in a charity shop.
If the length is too long and you not handy on a sewing machine,
 advertise at a fashion college for students who are willing to take it up in return for the left over fur.

This interesting skirt was made from a men's cardigan my friend gave me.
I cut the sleeves off with just enough left to cover the arm holes.
I then sewed the left over sleeve down to close the arm holes up.
I added a couple of darts to the neck (now the waist) to give a better fit and add femininity.

Bright Brights Brights......I love to mix an old style print with a Glam Plain colour skirt to give it a modern twist.

Men's Collection:

This is one of my favourite shirts from the show.  So simple.
The collar is cut off and the edges left raw. The front is taken up to waist height and the sleeves rolled up.
Teamed with these bleach jeans it becomes a big love for me.
Designed and Created by Chris Pitts. 

What a find... a bit of haggling and I got myself this Jaeger smoking jacket for just £10!
Thanks 'Credit Crunch' Birmingham.

Love Love Love these velvet trousers. Teamed with a simple white shirt so we don't overkill the look.
The snood is made from two jumper torso's.
It's a great British eccentric look. 

You gotta love a mac!

This shirt is two shirts melded together to create a wonderful one off piece.
The button strip and bottom of the shirt were cut off and added to a plain black shirt.
Designed and Created by Chris Pitts.

Women's Glam Collection:

Easy to make Glamourous dress.
This dress is made from an old jumper that I cut the sleeves and torso off.
Those were used to make leg warmers and a snood.
I attached rectangle of fabric to the bottom
of the cropped jumper that was left and voila......A beautiful Glam Dress. 

When I found this sequin boob tube everyone turned their noses up!
Sequins can be tricky...but this long floaty skirt adds chic to make this really glam outfit.

If you find something wonderful like this sparkly silver leopard print cardigan,
make sure you team it with something simple and classic.

A beautiful find in the back of the Charity Shop.
Always ask if they have special vintage stock out the back that they have not put out!

This dress is made from a T-shirt and some snake print chiffon from an old 90's dress. Its extremely simple to make.
Cut the chiffon into long rectangles the length you want.
Sew on to the the bottom of a T-shirt...easy.
This particular style has the length of the T-shirt shorter at the front. 

Charity Shop Chic Catwalk Copies

Women's

This outfit really shows how you can create your own versions of Catwalk styles really easily.
The top is a backward cardigan sewn up with the sleeves cut off.
The skirt is 2 skirts mixed together to create a lush one off.
This outfit cost just £12!! including accessories!

This Sweater was a great find!
Its 2xXL but it looked pretty cool so i took it home and added lace to the sleeves.
An old lace dress was cut up to make a lace skirt insert which is worn over the top of a simple black pencil skirt.
The Jumper cost just £3 

Love this Mulberry Copy Outfit!!
The skirt is a revamped piece made from an old top and an old fashioned flick bottomed bias skirt. The skirt was cut down the side seams. A black panel was added either side and shaped into a pencil skirt shape.
The Gillet is made from a backward cardigan with the sleeves cut off.
This whole outfit set me back just £11

Men's  

This cute shirt was found in the charity shop....£3
 Mixed with a beige Mac type coat it looks really designer. 

This is a revamped Shirt costing £3.
I took 4 shirts all the same size and swapped all the pockets and sleeves over....simple

Easy bit of styling here to create this classic look.  The coat was just £20!
Teamed with a black shirt and black jeans...always slick.

Don't spend loadsa money on clothes!!!!! Follow this Blog and get tips and ideas on how to create designer looks and amazing one off pieces for your wardrobe.  Everything I buy is from charity shops and all looks here are created for pittance.  Not to boast but my outfits always get compliments when I'm out and about and I get asked a lot where I get things from....my answer is ALWAYS "the charity shop"..."I can never find anything" is the general reply, so........I've made this blog to show you how it can be done.