Due to the fantastic response from Tuesdays post about fabric , I thought I’d continue with just a few more helpful tips about choosing certain threads to match your fabrics. Hopefully it answers some of your questions…

• When choosing a matching thread, choose a colour  that matches the most dominant colour in your fabric.

• If you can’t find a perfect match, select a thread one or two shades darker. Stitches made with a lighter shade of thread will stand out more.

• Also try and use the same thread as the fabric you are using. I.e use cotton thread for cotton and Synthetic thread for everything else… here’s a little guide

1. Cotton thread: Suitable for light to medium-weight fabrics that have little or no stretch to them. Cotton thread will not ‘give’, and the stitches may break if used on a stretchy knit fabric.
2. Polycotton: This thread is usually labelled ‘all-purpose’ and is the thread you will see most frequently in fabric shops. It’s suitable for all types of fabrics and for both hand and machine sewing.
3. Polyester: Most suitable for synthetic fabrics or fabrics with a lot of stretch to them. The finish of this thread, however, can appear waxy or shiny.
4. Silk: Silk thread is more elastic than cotton, so opt for silk if your fabric has stretch to it. Use on very thin or delicately woven fabrics such as those used for lingerie or sheer garments.
5. Heavy duty: Used for sewing projects that require extra strong and durable stitches, such as upholstery using very heavy or stiff fabric.

Hope this helps a little…

Clothes swapping is becoming increasingly popular. Its free, its fun and makes perfect sense! You can go to a pre-organised event or set one up yourself for you and your friends. And now, easier still, fashionistas around the globe are signing up to swap online!

Below, I’ve listed a few online swapping sites to get you started…

• www.whatsmineisyours.com

             Buy, swap or barter for designer, vintage and high street clothing

• www.rehashclothes.com

             Swap pretty much anything and help the environment

• www.swapstyle.com

            ‘the world’s biggest online fashion party’

• www.swishing.org

              fashion swapping parties

Public swapping events are becoming more and more popular, you just have to be prepared to do a little research as to where and when. A good place to start is http://www.myspace.com/swaparamarazzmatazz

This is brilliant. Swapping parties are held monthly in an East London location. When the klaxon sounds you must swap garments with the person next to you. ‘Don’t wear anything you can’t live without, God knows what you’ll be going home in’

Next Event…

Hold your own swapping parties

This must be the easiest way to swap clothes. Pick a night, invite your friends, get some wine in, sorted!

Here are some tips:

• Make sure your clothes on offer are presentable. i.e washed and ironed!
• Don’t be too picky about what you want to swap, you’ll be surprised what people want – one mans trash, etc.
• Have a few full length mirrors about, and plenty of space for people to try on.
• Work out before you begin what to do in the event of 2 people wanting the same item. i.e. tossing a coin etc

xx

It sounds so obvious, but properly looking after your clothes, shoes and bags is a lost art.

• Stuff your Shoes: And not just when it rains.  Placing crumpled-up newspaper inside helps them to keep their shape in between wears. And also recycles your daily London Metro.Bonus!

• Learn to iron properly:  Invest in a bottle of  Spray Starch. Clothes can often appear old and floppy looking. This little miracle in a bottle can stiffen clothes back up again in minutes so they regain their jauntiness. (The best place to buy this is definitely Ebay) Advice for ironing those silky numbers, is to iron when still slightly  damp.

• Use a clothes brush: Not only does giving your winter coat a good brush combat fluff, it also keeps the fibres perky, making it look less flat and brand new for a lot longer. (check out Ebay for a cheap clothes brush)

• Replace your Zip: Any local haberdashery will fix them for you at a very cheap price. Or better still, learn to fix them yourself. I’ll write a post on how to do this for you soon, because its honestly an invaluable skill.

• Use moth balls: Honestly, even if you don’t have any right now, those little bastards always find a way in and will deffinately destroy your entire wardrobe.

• Use a good deodorant:… no seriously…  Some of the more aggressive brands out there can literally eat away at the fabric under your armpits… sexy! The unscented deodorants are the best to use.

• Weather proof your leather and Suede: For Obvious reasons. And use specialist cleaner on these special fabrics also. You will increase the items life dramatically.

• Shave off bobbles: Cheap wool produces millions of little bobbles, so shave them off regularly.     

• LEARN TO HANDWASH: This will save the life of your garments! Because I work in the industry, I know that we stick ‘DRY CLEAN’ on the labels to pretty much cover our own backs against shrinkage and possibilty of the colours running. In actual fact, you can pretty much get away with hand washing nearly everything. So here’s the truth for you…

• Any label that says ‘DRY CLEAN’ can be hand washed.
• Any label that says ‘DRY CLEAN ONLY’ can probably be hand washed, but proceed with caution.
• Any label that says ‘DRY CLEAN ONLY’ and has the dirtiest mother of all stains ever, only then goes to the dry cleaners. Purely because seriously stain removing at home can be pretty risky for the untrained.

HOW TO HAND WASH AT HOME

To have a go at home, I highly recommend Hagerty Dry-Cleaning Kit £8.80.  It cleans up to 16 garments  – anything from a silk tie to a coat. That’s as little as 56p per garment. It basically turns your tumble dryer into a ‘virtual dry cleaners’ . BRILLIANT!

For those with a bit more guts….

• ” Get some very mild soap, dissolve in hot water, then add cold so that the water is tepid.
• Rub dirty spots and marks VERY GENTLY (with one finger, using a stroking motion). Swirl the clothes around the sink and leave them sitting there in the warm soapy water for a bit, NEVER WRING, TWIST OR SCRUB!
• Let out the soapy water and replace with clean. Swirl your clothes around until they are rinsed, changing the water as appropriate.
• Press out the water – DO NOT WRING- put the garments to dry on a piles of towels and leave until dry

Lastly, NEVER stick anything you’ve just hand washed into the tumble dryer. It will shrink to death

And there you go…. now there’s no excuses!

Since ’Vintage’ has become all the rage, it appears all vintage specialist shops have taken it upon themselves to double their prices and limit their stock. So I thought I’d give you a few little pointers on how to track down the best and most bargainous buys out there, in the good old fashioned charity way!

• If it’s genuine designer vintage pieces you’re after, then head straight for the posh end of town. Here you’ll find all those much treasured designer cast offs. Be warned they might not be as cheap as you’d expect, but normally in perfect condition and deffinatley worth it. 

•  The best charity shops are those off the beaten track. If in town, head away from the high street!!  My Boyfriend comes from the most divine little East Anglia village where the Charity shops are wholesome and wondrous, and filled with genuine treasures. I find  these locations tend to have an entirely different collection of  items than that I’ve ever found in a city and are also a hell of a lot cheaper so definitely worth a look!

• Don’t gently parruse the selection… Really get stuck in there and have a proper good rummage through the rails and piles of cast offs. I’m a bugger for not looking properly and then watching as the person next to me picks up a gorgeous cardie that I would have found, had I have looked properly!! Pull clothes OUT and look at them properly and don’t be afraid to try them on.

• THINK CREATIVELY AND OPEN YOUR MIND!  If it doesn’t fit you can easily adapt and adjust.  If it’s only  the fabric you like then think of using it as a trim on another garment or if there is enough of it.. make a whole new garment. Don’t be put off by stains, missing buttons and holes. All are fixable, and also gives you the right the haggle down the price.

• Check out local Markets. I’m lucky enough to live in the East End of London, the mother of all market locations. If you have the patience and time to look past the utter shit that some stalls sell.. then you’ll find some excellent buys at real knock off prices.

• Check out your local Car Boot and village jumble sales.  http://www.carbootsrus.com/

• Raid the lofts, attics and garages of your Granparents. The older generation tend to hord away some beautiful vintage clobber and also appear to have looked after it all incredibly well!

• Chat away to the owners of the stores. Ask if they have anything hidden away ‘out back’. Make friends and build up a relationship with them so they get to know who you are and your style, in the hope they will start putting stuff aside for you! They may also be able to source stuff specifically for you.

• ONLINE IS GREAT!  A few sites to check out are
• www.stardustonline.co.uk/ 
• http://www.absolutevintage.co.uk/  
• http://www.rokit.co.uk/ 
• and my faveourite  http://www.legacy-nyc.com/
• Don’t forget Ebay either for some brilliant Vintage Shops

Good Luck Troopers!! xx

After a heavy session of window shopping for a dress I had no occasion for, I kept coming  across a number of clothes that were damaged. Not severly damaged, just a button missing here and there, a loose thread or a dirty mark.  Normally I wouldn’t look twice at damaged goods, but then up until recently, I wasn’t writing for the Style Diaries…

I’de like to think that it was my charm and great haggling skills that got 30% of the most gorgeous sequin and chiffon dress (see above)…but alas, it wasn’t! Apparantly it was already discounted on the ticket I’de missed. Damn!

My point? Don’t be put off by that missing button or dirty mark. It takes 2 minutes to sew a button back on, stitch the hem back up or bung in the washing machine. Some shops will already have it discounted for you on the ticket, but if you spot the damage first you are more than entitled to ask for those all important pounds off!

And every little helps!