DIY Summer Wrap Skirt

Hi everyone - hope you are all doing okay during this strange time! I was wondering what I could write about as I know my content has been lacking so far this year. In the end, I thought it might be best to write about things that anyone can make/do at home (seeing as that's where most of us are at the moment). I put a poll on my Instagram story (if you want you can follow my account here @ohames) to ask what DIY you guys would rather see first, so here is how to make your own wrap skirt:

This is a very easy and quick way to add a new piece of clothing to your wardrobe without costing the planet - if you don't have enough fabric try to avoid buying anything new (use that ‘make do and mend’ mindset) and use what you have lying around, you can use an old duvet set or bed sheet and give it a new lease of life. I have been given quite a lot of old fabric from family members who no longer wanted it, so always ask around in your family to see what you can get your hands on.

These are all the bits and bobs you will need:

• Spool of thread that matches a colour in your fabric - I have chosen white polyester thread for this skirt
• Sewing Machine - if you don't have a sewing machine you can always hand stitch using a continuous running stitch (see below for further instructions for this) but it will take a bit longer than using the machine
• Fabric - roughly 1mx1m of your chosen fabric (or a single duvet cover in my case)
• Fabric scissors
• Tape measure
• Ruler
• Pins
• Pencil/Tailors chalk
• Notepad 
• Small embroidery scissors or an unpicker

Grab your tape measure and measure… 

the length you want the skirt to be (I measured 36 inches and I'm 5ft 3, I wanted to make a long skirt, so this measurement reached my ankles) 

your waist - then add half of your waist measurement to the original waist measurement. For example, my waist was 29 inches (29/2 = 14.5) 29 + 14.5 = 43.5 inches 

the waistband - to ensure the ties are accounted for use the previous measurement (43.5 inches) and double the number 43.5 x 2 = 87 inches and add 2 inches for seam allowance - the length of this waistband would therefore be 89 inches. The width of the waistband is up to you, however, make sure it is double what you want it to be. For example, I wanted a 2 inch waistband so I made the width 4 inches as the waistband folds over the top raw edge of the skirt. 

Once you have measured all three parts you can start to sketch out the skirt shape and waistband with a ruler and pencil (or tailors chalk) - it is easier to cut the skirt and waistband on the fold like the diagram below...

Instructions:

After you have cut out the waistband and skirt, pin and sew up the two lengths of the skirt, then sew the bottom hem

You can overlock then sew the edges or fold the raw edge in once, then one more time (below are the two variations)

Once you have made what looks like a big square with three neat edges and one raw top edge, it is time to attach the waistband. Fold the waist band in half lengthways and iron flat, using the crease place the waistband in the middle of your skirt. Right sides of both fabric pieces should be facing, pin along the raw top edge until you reach the end of the skirt square, leave the two excess strips as they will become the ties.

Sew the waistband to the skirt, iron the seam flat and the waistband in half so it is 2 inches wide. To ensure the ties are neatly finished sew the raw edges together right sides facing then flip the fabric the right way round. Carefully push the corners out with the tip of your scissors, do this for both ends of the ties.

Then fold the raw edges of the waistband inwards 1/1.5cm and pin. Line up the folded edge of the skirt waistband with the last line of sewing. Sew the edges together, it should look like top stitching.

Finally, to get the wrap effect, wrap the skirt around your waist and pin where you want the wrap to start, I pinned my waistband 39 inches from the left as the skirt was right side down. Next set up the buttonhole foot on your machine or follow this video on how to stitch a buttonhole by hand. Then once sewn, cut out the centre with an unpicker or small embroidery scissors.

Give the whole skirt a quick iron - then thread the waistband tie through the buttonhole to tighten the skirt around your waist, finish with a knot or bow.  

There you have it…a simple wrap skirt that can be made in just one afternoon!

TIPS: 

It is best to use a light cotton and nothing that's too thick, but if it is a very lightweight fabric like the one I used, feel free to line the skirt, to do this just cut two of the skirt squares out.

If you are hand stitching the skirt use a sharp needle and use a running stitch like this to keep the skirt secure (I used black thread so you could see the thread clearly, but remember to use a thread that is a similar colour to your fabric)

If you do end up trying out this wrap skirt, make sure to tag me in your work – I would love to see your creations! If you have any questions leave them down below! 

All my love

Ames 

xxx

Fashion for Good - Part One

Hey everyone hope you are all well! I thought today I would tell you all about Fashion for Good, an interactive museum based in Amsterdam. Fashion for Good's mission is to bring together the entire fashion ecosystem through their Innovation Platform and be an instigator for change. I visited the Fashion for Good interactive museum (which is actually the world's first interactive museum for sustainable fashion innovation) back in April. It was honestly my favourite exhibition ever - it was well up my street, so much so I have made two parts to this. Part One will be all about the actual museum experience but Part Two will showcase the interesting work, Fashion for Good does.

Firstly the museum is free (if you are based in Amsterdam or just visiting I highly recommend popping in, click here to visit the website for more information) and provides visitors with Action Bracelets made from recycled plastic which you scan throughout the museum. The aim is to make a Good Fashion Action Plan using the bracelet to commit to actions. 

On my visit I was advised to start at the Journey of a T-shirt section first and learnt that the apparel industry accounts for an estimated 8% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. The museum shows in depth how a T-shirt is made, from the raw material stage to fabric production, dyeing, cutting & sewing, transport, retail and then the use stage. I learnt so much, but this one statistic stood out to me, for an average T-shirt an estimated 0.6% of the retail price goes to the factory who made the garment!! Within this section there is also a visual timeline of Good Fashion from the late 1700s to the late 2010s as well as a video showing the human impacts fashion has.

Upstairs is the Innovation Lounge which is full to the brim with information about innovative fabrics and sustainable initiatives. One that stood out to me was BEXT360 (USA) which traces raw materials and products from source to shopper. The platform can verify where products come from and whether they are authentic, using a unique combination of blockchain,(blockchain is a record of transactions originally developed for cryptocurrencies) machine vision and artificial intelligence technology. BEXT360 makes supply chain traceability into a science benefiting both the consumers and companies. To read more click here.

  

There is a shop on the ground floor full of sustainable and ethically made garments from really interesting brands. I really enjoyed having a look at what alternatives there are, compared to the average fast fashion brands! There is so much more at the Fashion for Good Experience that I haven't covered here, so if you are interested you may have to go and visit. 

Hope you enjoyed! 

All my love

Ames 

xxx

DIY Cleaning Products (Money saving tips for Students)

Who wants to be spending god knows how much money on cleaning products every month when you are living in a student flat or house? No one, so here are a few ways you can save money by making your own cleaning products. One of the best things about making your own products is that once you have the raw ingredients you will be able to make the products again and again. This therefore saves you so much time and money. I have trialled these products over the summer and I am definitely going to be using them during my next year at uni!

Product No.1 - Multi-Purpose Cleaner

Ingredients 

1 litre of hot water

1 tbsp baking soda

32ml of white vinegar

½ a lemon

Method 

1. In a small bucket combine vinegar, baking soda and hot water.
2. Squeeze in the juice from half a lemon, then drop the rind in as well to infuse the cleaner.
3. Stir well to dissolve the baking soda and allow to cool. Remove the lemon rind.
4. Transfer into a spray bottle or squeeze bottle and label clearly. 
5. Then use your cleaner in order to clean surfaces in your kitchen, bathroom or bedroom.

Product No.2 - Window Cleaner 

Ingredients

300ml of warm water

1 tbsp of corn flour

32ml of white vinegar

Method

1. Combine everything in a spray bottle, and shake well. 
2. Shake well before using, too, as the corn flour might settle at the bottom and not work as well. 

Product No.3 - Toilet detergent 

Ingredients

10 drops of tea tree essential oil

10 drops of lavender essential oil

113g of baking soda

113ml of white vinegar

Method 

1. Combine baking soda and essential oils in a mixing bowl. 
2. When ready to clean toilet bowl add vinegar and pour mixture into the toilet. 
3. Then scrub with toilet brush.

Note: This is a single use recipe. There is no method of storage due to the fizzing action.

Hope you all found this helpful! Have a fabulous weekend 

All my love

Ames xx

Capsule Wardrobe 101

Hey there you lovely bunch! Today I wanted to share with you how I have gone about creating my capsule wardrobe. But before I do, if you are sat there wondering what the heck a capsule wardrobe is, well I can tell you! A 'capsule wardrobe' is a term first used by Susie Faux, the owner of a London boutique called "Wardrobe" in the 1970s. A capsule wardrobe is a collection of a few essential items of clothing such as trousers, skirts, and coats, that won't go out of fashion/you don't fall out of love with. 

“The basic idea is simple: by building a capsule wardrobe you will buy fewer clothes of a higher quality that you will wear more often. You will look and feel confident and successful because the quality will show and because you know that the overall look works.” ~ Susie Faux 

Faux has defined her idea of the core pieces: a jacket, a skirt, trousers, a blouse, a sweater, tights, shoes, a coat, a dress, a bag, and a belt. However, she also mentioned that it will depend on person to person. By creating a capsule wardrobe you will be able to get dressed with ease as well as save time for the things that matter most. Say goodbye to those 'I have nothing to wear' dilemmas we all know too well. 

If you want to a) find your own style/are fed up with what you are wearing, b) be more sustainable or c) actually wear all your clothes follow these 5 simple steps...

1. You don't have to have an exact number, but aiming for 50 or fewer pieces of clothing will be a good start...To begin with if you are a bit of a shopaholic try to be strict on yourself and don't try to fill up your wardrobe as soon as you have emptied it. But give yourself the freedom to evolve over time as you learn what works and what doesn't for you.

2. Begin with a simple clear-out...Limiting your wardrobe to a specific number can help, yet make sure that what you don't want anymore is either donated to charities or used as scraps for cleaning or other purposes - remember that simply throwing away your clothes is not only bad for the environment but a waste of money.

3. Trial the process if you're a bit scared to commit fully...Pick 10 items of clothing that you are going to wear for the week and don't wear anything other than those items. See if you'll be able to do it!

4. Be honest about your lifestyle and what you need from a wardrobe...Don't end up with 'fantasy-life' clothes instead of 'real-life clothes'. 

5. Don't worry about making it perfect...Accept that you won't have the perfect 'Instagramable' wardrobe, but you will have one that is unique to you and makes you feel good inside. Who wants to be perfect anyway, that would be boring!

Hope you guys liked this post, let me know if any of you make a capsule wardrobe! All my love,

Ames xxx

VOGUE - Forces for Change #September Issue

Hey guys hope you are all doing well! Today I wanted to talk to you a little bit about the new issue of Vogue. I would say it has been my favourite issue of Vogue EVER! I think that Edward Enninful and guest editor HRH The Duchess of Sussex has changed the magazine for good...but also for the better! It has had a lot of attention in the media both negative and positive but all I can say is that you need to make your own judgement - by reading it! Personally, I think it was about time that Vogue highlighted sustainable fashion as well as ensuring a diverse range of women were portrayed on its pages. There's so much to cover from the September issue, including interviews with Michelle Obama, Dr Jane Goodall and 15 powerful women who are campaigning for change but let's start off with the new packaging!

1. It is biodegradable 
2. It is made of potato starch 
3. You can use the wrapper as a liner for a food caddy 

I think this is a really important and needed change in all industries - using packaging that isn't going to stay on the planet for hundreds of years is important - a reason why this change away from plastic hasn't been widespread is due to money. It is cheaper to package magazines and groceries with plastic and more expensive to use biodegradable packaging but as more businesses begin to use new ways of packaging, positive change will follow.

As I have just read Michelle Obama's Autobiography 'Becoming' (Book review will be coming soon) I was excited to read HRH The Duchess of Sussex's interview with Michelle. They talk about how growing up is always an ongoing process and how it is important to treat everyone the same, boys and girls alike. The interview is full of honesty and makes you warm to Michelle even more than you already had. If you want to read the whole interview it is on page 266 in Vogue's September Issue.

Dr Jane Goodall, if you haven't heard of her, is a world-famous primatologist and in 1986 began to focus on people and the human issues of conservation. HRH The Duke of Sussex interviews Jane and they talk about how there is much more awareness now surrounding the issues we face as a planet. However, there is a lot more apathy and not as much action that is needed. Her message she tells everyone she meets is that, "every single person makes some impact on the planet everyday" which is so true, we all are responsible and all can help our planet. She still has hope, as she believes the youth and the "indomitable human spirit" will help solve the environmental problems we are facing. Read more on page 183 in Vogue's September Issue.

This issue of Vogue focuses on 15 inspiring women. If you don't have time to read the whole magazine or the 'Forces for Change' article then have a watch of this video where the women talk about their stories. The article starts by mentioning that in 2019 the way to global success is to first attract visibility, then convert visibility in to a platform, then use your platform to effect change, which all the 15 women mentioned have done. Here are a few snippets from the interviews Vogue had with these women.

LAVERNE COX - LGBTQIA+ advocate and actor
Known for many firsts, Laverne Cox has been the first trans person to have a large role on a primetime TV show (Orange is the New Black), the first openly trans gender person to be nominated for an Emmy and the first trans person to win an Emmy for being an executive producer. She is taking this world by storm!

CHRISTY TURLINGTON BURNS - Founder of Every Mother Counts and Model
Once a 'super' model now a 'sometimes' model Christy founded Every Mother Counts in 2010. Maternal morality rates have progressively been getting worse in the US for 30 years as women don't have enough access to care. With Christy's initiative, now the younger generations are fighting for their futures.

JAMEELA JAMIL - Body positivity advocate and actor
Her digital campaign I Weigh was created to go against diet culture, this initiative has not only helped so many people, it has also helped Jameela more than she expected it would.

GEMMA CHAN - Actor
The perception is that it has become easier to make films about minorities or women - but it is actually still really hard. Gemma wants to see a really change in the diversity of the people making decisions in her industry and is advocating for this.

YARA SHAHIDI - Founder of Eighteen x 18 and actor
Yara's main aim is to ensure more young people vote, especially for the 2020 presidential elections - in order to do this her organisation emphasises how politics relate to each and every person in their communities.

GRETA THUNBERG - Climate change activist and student
If you haven't heard of Greta I don't mean to be rude, but you have definitely been living under a rock. She is wanting to change the way we look at the climate and ecological crisis, so that pressure can be put on to those in power to change things. In order to do this she and young people all over the world have been school striking every Friday for the right to a future.

ADWOA ABOAH - Mental health campaigner and model
Setting up Gurls Talk has meant women can talk about mental health, sexuality and education on an online platform. One of Adwoa's goals is to make Gurls Talk reach schools so that girls can have time to talk and be educated on what the curriculum doesn't give them.

JANE FONDA - Political activist and actor
Jane believes having a platform carries with it a responsibility to others, as it can be very effective, when used correctly. She uses her voice to highlight issues that wouldn't otherwise be heard. She thinks it's wonderful how things have changed from when she was starting out in the industry.

RAMILA ALI - Boxer
Being the most decorated female Muslim boxer in history she has brought inspiration to a generation of girls. Originally from Somali, Ramila was a refugee and like many, unsure of her exact age or birthday. She would love to see more female leaders in federations as this will lead to more positive change for women.

FRANCESCA HAYWARD - Royal Ballet principal dancer
Nairobi-born and Worthing-raised Francesca is very proud of the colour of her skin and she is happy that she has inspired people from all backgrounds to try ballet.

JACINDA ARDERN - Prime Minister of New Zealand
Proud of her country and proud of the change that has happened, Jacinda believes that politics is a solution for many issues rather than part of the problem.

SINEAD BURKE - Diversity advocate and lecturer
Sinead's goal is to ensure that a world is created where those who are not considered now, are considered and those who are not heard now, are heard. People shouldn't be excluded.

SALMA HAYEK PINAULT - Women's rights activist, actor and producer
Salma decided to write about her experience of working with the disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein and the reaction to her piece, 'Harvey Weinstein is my monster too' was humbling for Salma and as a dyslexic, empowering, as she has become confident in her writing skills which has made her feel free.

CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE - Author
We praise ambitious men and judge ambitious women. Chimamanda hopes for more stories of women who are strong but not superheros, who don't need to be extraordinary to be admired.

ADUT AKECH - Former refugee and model
Refugees are normal people. Just like everyone else the only difference is that they have been uprooted from their homes out of fear, not choice.

I really enjoyed reading this issue of Vogue as it has covered so many topics and has signalled for important and well overdue change. I hope you all enjoyed this post - I really enjoyed writing it and let me know what you think of the Vogue September Issue!

Lots of Love

Ames ♥

2019 Time to Sustain

Hey there you lovely people!

Today I wanted to start writing again and update you on what I’ve been up too. I've just completed my first year at university studying Fashion Technology and it has been a whirlwind. I LOVE my course (I think it was actually made for me!) as I have had the chance to decide what I want to study, whether that's a module on Ecology or 20th Century Fashion. Throughout first year, I have been conscious of the impacts humans are having on the environment, in particular the damaging format of fast fashion and over consumption. I have learnt a lot and have started to live more sustainably as well as shop ethically or not at all (as a 'make do and mend' mindset is bloody fabulous when it comes to being sustainable). In this blog post I wanted to share with you a few of my simple sustainable tips, because being conscious of our impact on the planet doesn't have to be expensive or hard.

Only buy what you need (or make do with what you have) - when it comes to shopping online or in-store many of us are guilty of buying a brand new outfit for an upcoming event or night out. But it just takes a bit of thinking and creativity to use what you already have by either purchasing some basic pieces for your wardrobe or re purposing. For example, if you have a pair of jeans you love but don't know what top to wear with them, just use a pretty headscarf and tie twice at the front or back for two different styles (if you don't already have a headscarf ask your family first as most grandparents would have some but if not charity shops are your best bet)

Put reusable bags in every bag you own - this saves using plastic bags (and if you still have some, Morrisons and other supermarkets have collection bins where you can deposit your old plastic bags if you no longer want to use them rather than disposing of them in the general waste) and ensures you are never without one if you have to pick something up unexpectedly. 

Make your own cotton pads - disposable cotton pads aren't great for the environment as production requires significant amounts of water and energy so using old T-shirts or cut off fabric from up-cycled tops/bottoms you can make reusable pads that can be washed and used over and over again without having to buy or use new fabric, which tends to be expensive. 

Reduce how much you wash your clothes - research has shown that microfibres and microplastics are in our oceans, further research will highlight the impact these contaminants will have on our planet. Therefore reducing how much you wash your clothes, in advance, will help to avoid an unnecessary amount of mircofibres entering our oceans and being ingested by very important crustaceans and sea plankton. (For more information visit - BBC NEWS)

Use Tupperware or old jars - many households acumulate many boxes and containers over time, so instead of buying cling film/tin foil stick to reusable containers. By doing this you reduce on waste (air tight containers keep leftovers from going off) and once redundent containers like jam jars and pasta sauce jars are re purposed.

I hope you found reading this post useful and if you did let me know in the comments! My blog is going to start becoming more centred around an ethical lifestyle, as well as information on fast fashion and the future of fashion as there are both positives and negatives when it comes to the fashion industry (it provides millions of jobs yet it is a very very polluting industry - I will talk more about this in a future post!)

Have a lovely weekend lots of love 

Ames ♥