Summer Sunshine Inspiration
Summer is one of the most enjoyable seasons, where even the grumpiest of personalities tends to have a smile on their face as they enjoy the warmth and brightness of the mid-year sunshine. Friends and family get together outside, enjoying exciting activities and events through the long days. Cities become alive with bustle and natural landscapes bloom with colour. It’s the perfect time for my favourite hashtag #EverythingButDull!
And, as our wardrobes are dictated by the weather, It’s also a time of fashion. Suddenly, it becomes warm enough to shed our coats and begin adorning t-shirts and skirts, all while feeling it more appropriate to be covered in vibrant colours as we forget the cold and grey winter months and celebrate blue skies and golden sands.
Summer is a rich source for my own creativity. There’s simply something about the season’s wardrobe that makes DIY clothing even more fun. I often work with textures and colours that are each made more brilliant in the sunshine, just like my recent metallic balloon shirt. Flowers are also a common embellishment in my design work, and I especially love taking inspiration from nature’s beauty and an abundance of spirited floral patterns.
TIPS YOU CAN TAKE INSPIRATIONS FOR YOUR SUMMER DIYs
WATERMELON SUGAR HIGH - COLOURS OF FRUITS
Extend your usual colour spectrum and come out of your comfort zone. The colour of watermelon is the kind of red that everyone notices, makes you feel positive. It won’t fail you. Wear it with pastels or with even brighter pinks.
I have used a mixture of warm vivid colour to create a top what I call Smell the roses top, a garment covered with many many blooming roses in glorious red combined with fuchsia & light baby pink.
2. UNSURE WHAT TO WEAR ? JUST GO WITH THE FLOOOW…ERS
Yes! Flower designs, 3D flowers, fabric flowers, plastic recycled flowers, glued, handmade.
Just be in the FLOW - ers, since we know how beneficial it is to master the art of the now, and just be in the FLOW. So, creating DIY flowers, adding silk flowers, crafting them most certainly do good! Along with flower embellished shoes, I have also handmade a top completely covered with faux silk flower heads. It is a perfect way to upcycle old clothes and reuse fake flower bouquets so they won’t end up polluting the Earth.
There are also many summer-only clothing items too, those light garments and delicate accessories that can’t be enjoyed until the sun shines. I’ve found myself experimenting with slider designs, wanting to add bouquets and petals to spruce up previously dull designs, giving them the joy that sunny weather clothing deserves.
3. GARDEN PARTY DECORATION
Balloons, equal happiness. That is why it inspired me and started wondering how could I incorporate balloon shapes into my colourful wardrobe with some clever handmade DIY. Metallic lamè material is perfect for this project, you can create shiny metallic balloon shapes and apliques and add or sew on to your plain garment and can add add cut out felt letters.
It is true, however, that some people don’t feel as comfortable in summer clothing. Darker shades and standard outfits tend toward feeling safe, a confidence that comes from the misguided pressures of so-called fashion rules that tell us what colours to wear and how to style ourselves. It can be daunting to brave bright colours for fears that they might not “match” or that they the unusual clothing we choose might not fit certain standards. As somebody who does not support these fashion suggestions, or the self-doubt they create, I believe it is much more important and beneficial to enliven your outfits with the confidence you want to see in yourself.
This is why summer is truly the best season for our wardrobe inspiration because it is a time when the weather supports our happiness and there’s more reason to feel great, with the energy to be spontaneous and try something new. It’s certainly that way for me and I’m already beginning to feel very excited to wear some of my latest upcycled clothing creations!
To see exactly what I’ve been working on, as well as the summer clothes I have for sale, be sure to visit my online shop, which can be found here. And, to keep up-to-date with my work, subscribe to my newsletter where I share all the excitement and passion I have for upcycling old clothes, with behind the scenes tips and tricks to inspire your own textile recycling projects!
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Hello! I’m Dori,
Spice it up with Dori is a blog about bright DIY fashion, crafts & lots of creative endeavours.
Quarantine led me to start a website, where I can share my creations, ideas, inspirational digital content on transforming dull into cheerful, fun, refreshing and full of colours.
My aim is to create an upbeat positive vibe so you can as well cultivate your inner-creativity and establish an innovative DIY way of lifestyle and spice things up with your personal touch. Find out more about me.