DI(fr)Yday: How to make a book clutch

I've been quite in love with Olympia Le-Tan book clutches for almost a year now. You've probably seen them on the red carpet, carried by Natalie Portman and Clémence Poésy.

Photo credit: harpersbazaar.com

I'm also quite partial to a similar style of clutch put out my Kate Spade. I particularly like the Emma one.

Photo credit: atouchoflovely.wordpress.com

When you look up close, you can see that The Olympia Le-Tan ones actually have fabric covers and embroidered titles.

Photo credit: ieatfashionforbreakfast.com

I wanted to make one of my own, to upcycled an old book (or, perhaps I should say recycle, since an old book is already quite a lovely and useful thing). But, when I scoured the internet for a good tutorial, I couldn't find a method that pleased me. There were suggestions to place a zipper where the pages would be, or to fasten the whole thing with a big button and an elastic loop. These are all convenient ideas for a DIY version, but I wanted my finished product to look almost exactly like a book from the outside with no visible zipper or other closure. So, I created my own method.

There are quite a number of supplies, but nothing you can't find on one trip to Hobby Lobby and one to Half Price Books.

You will need:

- A book (though I doubt you can pick just one). The book must be a hard cover and should preferably have a pretty cover under the dust jacket. I chose books that I either had an affinity for, liked the cover design, or both. It's also important that the book be a good size for a clutch -- too thin, and it won't be able to carry your cell phone, etc.

- Fabric in a complementary color or pattern to the book (count on about 1/2 yard.)

- An iron

- Metallic gold paint (You didn't think I was done with it, did you?) See here and here

- Newspapers

- A saw

- Plywood or a yard stick

- Measuring tape

-Fabric glue

-Wood glue

- Pen or marker

- Craft knife

- Magnetic strips

- Sewing supplies

Part One: Preparing the framework

Step 1. Measure the length and width of the book's pages (not its cover). You will want to cut one strip of wood the length of a page and two strips of the the width of a page minus the thickness of the wood -- i.e., if a pages is 4 1/2 inches wide and the wood is 1/4 inch thick, the two strips should be 4 1/4 inches long. If this is confusing, have no fear; it will all make sense soon when you see the wood lined up.

Step 2. Cut the wood to desired length. You may also need to cut it to the desired width if it is too wide. It should be about the thickness of all the pages stacked together, but it doesn't have to be exact.

Step 3. Check that the wood is the right length by lining it up on top of the pages to form three sides of a box.

Step 4. Laying down newspaper first, spray paint the strips of wood taking care to get the thin edges painted as well as the surface. Don't worry about the bottom side, as it will be hidden by fabric.

Step 5. Using your craft knife, carefully cut the pages free from the cover.

You will be left with the cover (the only part we'll be using), some lining pages (if decorative, these could make cute stationary), and the majority of the book (which can be salvaged with a new cover made from a cereal box, brown paper, etc. if you wish). But those are projects for another day.

Part Two: Making the lining

Step 6. To make the pattern for the lining, trace around the open book cover on a pice of newspaper, leaving enough room for a seam allowance.

Step 7. Set the cover upright on another piece of newspaper, as shown, opened as far as you'd like the clutch to open. Trace the shape it makes, leaving a half inch to an inch of space to the edge of the cover.

Step 8. Using the triangular pattern, cut a quadruple layer of fabric. Cut a single layer of fabric with the rectangular pattern. Also, cut a strip of fabric the width of the gold-painted wood strips (plus a seam allowance) and the length of the three of them together.

Step 9. Sew two of the triangular pieces of fabric together (rights sides facing each other). Cut a few notches in the seam allowance, turn the piece right-side-out, and iron it smooth. Do the same with the remaining two triangular pieces.

Step 10. Sew a hem around all four edges of the rectangular piece of fabric. You needn't bother turning the hem under twice, as the raw edges will be hidden by fabric glue later.

Step 11. Sew the short edges of the triangular pieces to the long sides of the rectangular piece, centering them as shown.

Step 12. Sew each long edge of the triangular pieces along the sides of the rectangular pice as shown.

Step 13. Hem the long strip of fabric all the way around making sure that, once hemmed, it's exactly the width of the wood strips.

Part Three: Assembling the clutch

Step 14. Using the wood glue, attach the wood strips to the back cover (and to each other at the corners) with the gold sides facing out. Let dry before proceeding to step 15.

Step 15. Using the fabric glue, attach the thin strip of fabric all the way around the inside of the frame made by the wood stripes.

Step 16. Still using the fabric glue, attach the lining to the inside of the book cover as shown.

Step 17. Using the wood glue, attach the remaining edges of the wood frame to the book cover as shown.

Step 18. Cut the craft magnet to desired length (and width if needed) and glue a strip to each edge of the clutch as shown. I used hot glue here, but wood glue would work as well. My craft magnet strips came with a peel-away adhesive side, but it wasn't strong enough.

Step 19. Enjoy your new book clutch!

I hope you like the technique for making book clutches that I've shown here and that you find the tutorial helpful. When you make your own, please do send me a link.

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What I wore today 10/06/2011 (Dandy)

Even though it's well into fall, I somehow ended up with nails that look like Easter eggs. Oh well. Still good colors if somewhat out of season.

I think I look a bit like a dandy today with my ruffled shirt and velvet blazer. Even though I often wear ultra-girly things, I do love looking a bit androgynous sometimes. (My thoughts on this dichotomy of style here.) There's something about wearing men's clothes that makes a women look even more womanly. Think Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn if you don't believe me.

The blazer I wore today is one of my most treasured pieces. Many years ago I saw Natalie Portman wearing a velvet blazer of about this color during an interview and I fell in love with it. I looked everywhere for one like it. I was willing to pay a hefty price and expected to. And then, one day, it showed up - the perfect size, color, and fabric - at a thrift store for a couple bucks. Amazing.

Velvet blazer - thrifted

Ruffled chambray shirt - The Limited

Straight-let jeans - Gap

Striped canvas lace-ups - Big Buddha (bought on this trip)

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Designer taste on a budget: white lace dresses

I've been seeing cute little short white lace dresses and 3/4-length sleeves and I love so much. There are a lot of expensive designer ones, but I've also found some affordable styles.

Leave of Grass, $1,010

Sandro, $390

Juicy Couture, $280

But, for Vanity Fair's Oscar's after party, Natalie Portman picked one by H&M from their yet-to-be-released eco-friendly line.

I think this one is my favorite of all (mostly because I'm obsessed with Peter-Pan collars). It's from Ruche and is $46.99.

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What to wear for Valentine's Day

The question of what to wear for Valentine's Day can very much depend on both the weather and the formality of your plans, i.e. bare legs are not a good idea if you live in a place where February is quite cold and a cocktail dress isn't the best choice for a cozy dinner at home with your sweetheart. However, I can give you a general rule of thumb, which is to keep things feminine and romantic with a hint of sexiness. This holiday is all about romantic love after all, so if there was ever a time to wear a red dress with white lace trim and pearls, this is totally it.

As a kid, you may have worn red and pink together for Valentine's Day, and now you might be thinking to yourself that the combination is immature, even costume-y, but I invite you to think again. When done well, red and pink can look quite lovely together. For example, I give you Natalie Portman's Viktor and Rolph dress at the Golden Globes and this look from Loewe's spring 2011 collection.

However, if you still aren't convinced, I do urge you to consider wearing red or pink, even if you won't wear them together. And if your really in the Valentine's Day mood, you might even consider something with a heart motif, like this cute slip dress from Urban Outfitters.

Or, you might be interested in wearing something with roses, such as this top from Forever 21 that I wore last Valentine's Day.

(note the heart tights)

Or this red dress with roses or this white bodice with rosebuds

Or you could really go all out with something like this open-heart blouse from the window display at one of my favorite vintage shops, The Mustard Seed.

The heart shape is actually cut out of the blouse to show a cheeky bit of flesh.

By the way, look what was on the mannequin outside the door when I stopped by The Mustard Seed the other day.

My New Year's Eve dress, that I got at Anne Taylor for like a zillion percent off!

(She'd even styled it with a black leather jacket as I had.)

Anyway, if your wondering what I'll be wearing this year, I'm considering this pink polka dot chiffon dress that I bought while at The Mustard Seed.

(better pictures of it to come

Whatever you choose to wear yourself, the important thing is to have fun expressing yourself and getting in the holiday mood.

Get the look: Natalie Portman in Lanvin for H&M

Natalie rocked it red carpet style on a beer budget. See how you can too.

Get the look: Natalie Portman in H&M by lapetitemortxo featuring black dresses

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Best and worst dressed at the 2011 Golden Globes

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

That's right, awards season is here and with it comes some super fun best and worst dressed list. First up: The Golden Globe Awards

Best dressed finalists:

Natalie Portman looked lovely in this whimsical gown by Viktor and Rolf. That valentine's colors were sweet and the shape flattered her developing baby bump nicely. The only thing I might have changed is the bag. Red was a tiny bit matchy-matchy for my taste. I think something silvery to match her necklace might have been a more astute choice.

Anne Hathaway looked stunning in this illusion-back gown by Giorgio Armani, proving that sex appeal and sophistication are not mutually exclusive.

A gleeful Lea Michele looked like a bubblegum princess in this gorgeous number by Oscar de la Renta. Some said it was too much, but I think, when it comes to ruffles and awards shows and Oscar de la Renta, there's no such thing. Remember the old French saying: "Everything in moderation... even moderation."

Christina Hendricks was looking très va-va-voom (as always) in this figure-hugging gown by Romona Keveza. As with Lea Michele's gown, some said the ruffle was too much, but I have to disagree. I will say, though, she might have rocked it better with her hair back, so that the ruffle could take center stage instead of mingling with her wild hair. Still, she looked fantastic. Johnny Depp must have agreed. Look at him eyeing her from the background.

But the out and out WINNER has to be Angelina Jolie, who took subtle sophistication to a whole new level and blew everyone out of the park with this unique Atelier Versace dress that cannot even be compared to the others. Her hair, makeup, and jewelry were subtle, as was the silhouette, but they all came together with her gorgeous body and face to make her to belle of the ball.

Before we get to the worst dressed, lets take a look at a couple ladies who could have made the best dressed list, but something was a little off.

Not quite there:

January Jones chose red, like her costar Christina Hendricks, but the blonde bombshell doesn't achieve the same killer affect as the redhead. The long fringe on her Versace gown was fab, and the cutaway bodice could have looked super sexy in black, but the ultra-sexy color paired with the ultra-sexy cut made the whole look come off as a bit showgirl-ish. This dress might work at the Grammys, but, at the Globes, it's not quite right. Had the dress been black and had her breasts been separated instead of squashed together, she would have looked like a million bucks. As it is, though, she looks a bit cheap.

Poor Sandra has had a hard year, so I can't fault her for cutting her bangs, but that choppy haircut really doesn't suit the soft, romantic feel of her Jenny Packham dress (and after she wore had one of the loveliest looks at the Oscars last year).

And now, the moment you've been waiting for...

Worst dressed finalists:

Nicole Kidman picked an awfully plain-Jane dress for a night when she was nominated for a top award, which gave off a feeling that she didn't care too much. The Prada dress might have look elegant (albeit at a less prestigious event) if the soft hue of the fabric had been left pure, but that atrocious black broach on her shoulder is all kinds of wrong. What was her stylist thinking?

Again, we have a usually classy woman, looking like she's going to the Grammys (or possibly walking the streets). The short Nina Ricci bustier dress looked cheap, and the combination of textures and lengths was schizophrenic.

Michelle Williams looks like she's getting married in a hippie-ish back-yard-garden ceremony. Someone please tell her that the '60s ended a long time ago. I love Valentino, I love quirky, I love Michelle Williams, but I hate this dress. It might work for another occasion, but on the red carpet, it looks wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too casual.

Also look far too casual, Heidi Klum. Look, Heidi, I know that you are super excited to wear your new Marc Jacobs Spring 2011 dress (and it's a great dress, I know), but this is not the time or place for it. You look like you're going to the beach. You know I love you, but dressing so casually in disrespectful to the prestige of the event.

But the out and out WINNER (LOSER) has to be Helena Bonham Carter. I love this woman. I love everything about her, including her nutting fashion sense and crazy mouse-nest hair, but this outfit was too ridiculous not to be the clear winner (loser) here. The mismatched shoes are one thing, but the completely unflattering Vivienne Westwook dress was ill-fitting and made of a revolting fabric. The whole thing was just too busy and impossible to process, and gorgeous Helena gets lost in all of it.

And the thing is, she is totally capable of translating her quirky style to red-carpet sensibility. She's done it in the past. I give you exhibits A and B:

Ah, well, you can't win them all.