Duct Tape Magic

Oh you are definitely going the wrong way if you put on some tape on your clothes and pretended that other's wouldn't take notice or think that it can rescue a wardrobe disaster that's about to unfold. I mean besides, whoever gets an idea that a duct tape can be fashionably necessary?

Jane Aldridge, a young (just turned 18!) beautiful girl who has a high sense of taste in fashion, dares that idea and does it perfectly. So perfect that the duct tape turned out to be the spotlight of the Martin Margiela blazer. That's what I call the duct tape magic!

How to wear husband's T-shirt

"I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now?"

~ John Lennon

I can't resist it, I had to put on my husband's Mr. Lennon shirt. I love the print details and how easy it felt on my body. I just returned from home for my mama's-short-and-early-night-time-off feeling lucky. I would've not worn this oversized shirt in public if it isn't for the face.

So how do you wear your boyfriend's/husband's shirt? Wear it like it's yours! Pair it with tights, or skinny jeans, or shorts... even wrap it around with a belt. Black tights, brown boots and jacket are on with mine. Not bad at all.

I ran across Adeline tonight from her LOOKBOOK who rocks her oversized shirt in her black leggings and suede wedges. Beautiful.

I spotted two more shirts from my husband's closet. Haha you know what that means! :)

STYLE GUIDE: build a portfolYOU!

Portfolyou sounds really funny, I know! But it's true, your portfolio is branding YOU online. So it's important that you get the message out there: Who you are and what you do best.
I am in the middle of remodeling my portfolio website again. If I get it all done, it's my 10th design since 2004. I am easily displeased, not because I have done it bad. It's just being the typical me squeezing in a healthy creative exercise, recreating a fresher and straight-to-the-dot navigation, even if I just uploaded a "new" look last month. Or maybe I'm just really *yawn* with my current website.

I made a short guideline in building your portfolyou websites:

✔ Showcase. Only those that are worthy. Do not put anything half-baked. Yes, even if that means showing only three print ads. Show them what you are made of!

✔ Easy driving. No one likes a complicated navigation. It may be fun the first time, but when you feel that it's beginning to annoy you, scrape it all up and start from scratch. Take it easy. Remember: the simpler, the cooler.

✔ Blah blah blah. Keep your "who i am" page short. Short but precise. Precise but friendly. Your online voice should be well coordinated with you offline.

✔ Style smile. Lastly and more importantly, build a portfolio website that takes a smile on style. Have a trademark or a logo or whatever that which makes your home online truly YOU - with your name written all over the place. Oh but don't overdo it. Do not shout and never boast. Just smile with your own style.

STYLE GUIDE: find your own illustration style.

I think it's important to maintain a certain style to your illustration no matter what the trends are out there. It took me more than 10 years to finally find (and accept) my signature style and I am still facing the challenge of truly putting it to the fullest. Here are my thoughts on finding your own style in your illustrations.

✔ Know your strengths and take them higher than your expectations. Super realistic figure drawings? An eye for details? Textured experiments? Focus and get to work.

✔ Speak up! Having a big idea behind your illustration makes better storyteller in you. And when you have a story to tell or a thought to share, you get to imagine how you would share it. Your tone makes it uniquely your own.

✔ Surprise! If you surprise yourself with your process, that's a good start. If you're satisfied with the end result, make room for more surprises next time.

✔ Don't get too inspired. Inspiration becomes deadly when it grows with you that you start to imitate (maybe unconciously) exactly that which got you inspired.

✔ Review review review. Review your work over and over and see if it doesn't "look like somebody's".

✔ Stick to YOUR style. But let them grow in maturity - not in numbers or popularity.