Tuesday, 6 December 2011

DIY TRENDS OF 2011 - YEAR IN REVIEW

The DIY 'year in review' post has to be one of my most enjoyable of the whole year to write. It's a chance to look back at the trends that inspired us – and to recap the best projects of the year. I'm posting this a little earlier than usual so that if there were any projects you didn’t get a chance to do, you can plan ahead for your holidays as a time to get seriously crafty. After all, Christmas is a time for family, for friends… and for spray painting the crap out of things, right? Oh and make sure to check out my post for 2010 to see how things have evolved.


Neon
Coming to a high note at the end of this year and sure to continue at full throttle well into next summer (thank you Sass & Bide SS12!) – neon DIY projects are the shiz-niz. The Cambridge Satchel Co brought florescent yellow and orange (previously best worn in vest form with a hard hat and steel toe boots) to the forefront for the hipsters, and those of us without the cash to splash on a new bag sought out a cheaper option. If you follow me you’ll know my addiction to getting crafty with neon spray paint is slightly out of control and I'm sure I've lost more than a few brain cells from spraying in unventilated spaces... Check out:


Zip Clutches
Everyone was keen to be seen clutching over sized pencil cases this year - thanks to Celine and a host of other brands. Although American Apparel got on board selling a bank balance friendly version, DIYers everywhere knew we could make one for less. Check out:


Arm Parties
Ok, so is there anything that Leandra of the Man Repeller says that doesn’t go viral? Aptly coining the trend of wearing a kilo of jewellery on your wrists an ‘Arm Party’, the look was very quickly seen on the streets and in magazines. Many thanks to Tommy Ton who seemed to be able to pick a editorial-worthy arm party on the street at 5 miles. A flurry of DIY arm party tutorials popped up in no time, including friendship bracelets, leather bracelets, rope bracelets, diamante bracelets, watches and cuffs. Never one to shy away from telling people what to do (feel for my poor harassed boyfriend!) I did a little HOW TO for putting together the perfect arm party. Check Out:


Dip Bleached
As soon as I saw the Dries Van Noten A/W11 collection I knew that the dip bleached trend would be H-U-G-E with DIY fashionistas all around the world, and I wasn’t wrong. Probably because it’s so simple and cheap – who doesn’t have a bottle of bleach and a pair of old jeans lying around? This was one of the biggest trends of AW11, and it was so good to see such a range of different dip bleached items and looks attempted. Check out:


Lace Embellished Sportswear
Is it just me or are designers purposefully choosing collections that are easy for us to emulate ourselves? The amazing lace embellished sportswear that came down the runway at the Jason Wu A/W11 show is one example of designs that appeal directly to cheap and cheerful DIY projects. And many of us got amongst it didn’t we? Adding back scalloped lace to jeans, tops, sweatshirts and just about everything else. To my utter surprise, Jason Wu even posted the lace embellished jeans I did on his Facebook page - you can imagine how happy I was to see a designer embracing a DIY project based on their collection. Check out:


Jil Sander Brights
Another collection we all went ga-ga over was Jil Sander S/S11. Colour blocked maxis, white tees and the ubiquitous market bag worn to perfection, these looks filtered down to the high streets in a matter of days. But as usual, it took only a matter of seconds for DIY bloggers all over the world to make their own Jil Sander inspired creations. Check out:


Glitter Shoes
Ok so unless you live under a rock (or this is the first time you’ve clicked on my blog) you'll know that everyone is mad about glitter. On feet of course. Glitter adorned hoofs bounded down the runway at the Miu Miu A/W11 show and promptly into the hearts of DIYers everywhere. Man, Miu Miu sure know how to start a DIY trend don’t they? The bird embellished collars were an epidemic in 2010! Probably because it’s so frickin easy to do, it seems we've all enjoyed getting amongst the glitter shoe trend – regardless of how difficult it is to rid your home of glitter once a project like this has been completed on your dining room table. Hands up if you’re still dusting glitter out of your bed? Check out:


A Hint of Tribal
A huge number of collections over the last couple of seasons have had a Tribal/Aztec element to them – anything printed, colourful and full of texture is go in my books. And can we talk for a minute about the December Issue of Vogue Australia that paid tribute, in its entirety, to everything tribal? Burberry, Mara Hoffman, Carven, Sass & Bide, Missoni and a host of other designers mixed prints, colours and textures. What else were we to do than to have a go at making some tribal inspired projects ourselves? Check out:

Hardware Store Jewellery
Last but not least, bloggers all over the world decided this year that they would rather shop for accessories in their local hardware store than anywhere else, and set about making nuts and bolts into bracelets, rings and necklaces. What wasn't to love? Check out:


And there you have it! The best of the best DIY trends witnessed in 2011. This list of projects should keep you knee deep in craft during the Christmas holidays and well into 2012.

Please don't look at this list as a definitive overview of this years DIYs - amazing projects have been done on a weekly basis by DIY bloggers and websites all over the world but sadly I didn't have the time or the perserverance to include them all. If you are looking for more inspiration, make sure to click on the DIY Blog links in the right hand bar which will lead you to many many more amazing projects.

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