Fashion Archives - Nomadic Decorator

Painted Jeans Inspiration

I’m seeing painted jeans everywhere! And not just because I hang out around people who paint. I’ve seen painted jeans in our local Sundance store on Johnny Was jeans. And believe me, the paint was no accident!

You can buy jeans already painted, or you can do your own design freehand with finger painting or brushes, or even stencils.

For ideas, see these jeans from Free People …

Gray print on white jeans – this could easily be stenciled:

Free People Printed Jeans

Faded denim jeans with white flowers (affiliate link) – again, this could so easily be stenciled with white paint. Just arrange flower stencils in random directions like they’re falling down the jeans:

Free People Faded Denim Jeans with White Flowers

A darker jean for greater contrast with the pattern:

Free People Dark Denim Patterned Jean

Maybe I would stop the pattern a little lower on the leg, around the knee or low thigh, let it fade out. The patterned waistband is cute.

Free People Printed Jeans

And, I love border prints when they hit the hem of pants.

Here’s a different look. These are crochet panels. But you could tape off sections of jeans in squares and paint a pattern like these Free People jeans (affiliate link):

Crochet Pattern Free People Jeans

Free People Crochet Jeans

These are embroidered. But you could paint flowers in color to look like these Free People jeans (affiliate link):

Free People Embroidered Jeans

Free People Jeans Embroidered

Pull out your blue paints and paint the blues on your jeans like this:

Blue Embroidered Jeans Free People

Also please do not think this is only for models of this age or with these bodies. We should all live fun and free and do whatever we want with our jeans!

Maybe the jean style matters though? I did notice while scrolling all the jeans at Free People, that they’re mostly doing this design on the flared jeans, and not the straight leg, boyfriend, cropped, or skinny jeans. I don’t know, maybe they’re typecasting the flared jeans as bohemian? Maybe paint wouldn’t look so good on straight leg jeans? What do you think?

I’m about to go raid my closet for jeans and pull out the paint and stencils …

Vacation Sandals with Bohemian Chic Style

What do sandals mean to you? If for you, they mean “every day footwear,” oh boy. Do I ever envy you!

For me, sandals scream sum-sum-summertime! Wave your arms and twirl around in the sunshine! Tans! Sand! Eating ice cream cones OUTDOORS!

See, I live near Chicago and for about seven months of the year, there are no sandals to be seen. I will push and stretch sandal season into the odd day in November when the weather is unusually warm. And sometimes you’ll see me wiggling my toes in sandals in February, feeling free of the tyranny of work pumps and their rigid structure that keeps you office appropriate, squished pinky toe and blisters be damned. Kind of a metaphor for life, huh.

So, the best summer vacation sandals are those with free bohemian style. Express yourself. Flowy fringe. Floppy tassels. Strips of strappy straps. How about jangly metal coins? Rhinestones. Studs. Like, straight outta the souks of Marrakech!

If you can’t get to Marrakech any time soon, you can get the look by simply going to Etsy. I tripped across an Etsy store (while barefoot!) that sells hand-crafted embellished Greek leather sandals from Athens — Dimitras Workshop.

Looooove these “artisanal sandals” with magenta accents and bronze coins:

Dimitras Workshop Etsy Shop Boho Chic Sandals

They popped up in my Pinterest feed. And I held my breath while clicking on the picture, because Etsy products are ALWAYS sold out by the time you see them on Pinterest. Or the shop is long closed. But not this time! Dimitras Workshop is there and alive and well, and selling these sandals and all kinds of fun summery vacation sandals.

How about these “Yasmine” sandals. Wear them with everything from classic denim cut-off shorts to tie-dye indigo caftans:

Dimitras Workshop Etsy Store Yasmine Boho Chic Sandals

These “Flamingo” pink sandals are slightly more under-stated yet still fun:

Dimitras Workshop Etsy Shop Bohemian Style Sandals

I am probably old enough to look ridiculous going to Coachella at this point in life. But hey, I could wear these bohemian chic style sandals to the movies! The grocery store! Why not?

Dimitras Workshop Etsy Shop Coachella Style Sandals

If you want just a little neutral bling, go for these handmade leather sandals:

Dimitras Workshop Etsy Shop Neutral Blingy Sandals

I’ve bought plenty a sandal on sale at DSW. But what I like about these is the idea of supporting handmade products, and appreciating the vision and flair of an artisan.

Hmmmm. You may see these in the future on my feet as I make a run to a toilet warehouse in Chennai, India. (Yeah, I have to do things like that sometimes to keep our bathrooms in good working order … ) Or better yet, you may see me on a beach in Sri Lanka soon! Happy vacationing!

India’s Textiles Go High Fashion

What happens when Roberto Cavalli, Burberry, Missoni and Christian Louboutin get ahold of India’s textiles? Fashion magic happens! Vogue’s Project Renaissance paired the world’s most famous fashion designers with fabrics like Benarasi brocades and Kanchipuram silk sarees. Although we know the famous fashion brands, we don’t know the names of the weavers of these fabrics unfortunately, as they are just as much artisans and geniuses of design. Here are the results of this celebration of India’s textiles …

My personal favorite is what Christian Louboutin did with Kanchipuram silk, the “wedding saree” fabric from South India:

Christian Louboutin Kanchipuram Silk Saree Fabric Bootie

I don’t know if this is what was intended, but what I see here in the gold spikes is an edgy homage to the real gold threads that are often woven through Kanchipuram sarees. Yes, real gold woven in fabric!

Although the iconic zig-zags of Missoni are a pattern you will find in India, Missoni broke from that tradition and used Chikankari to create a dress that could fit in at a New York City evening event:

Missoni Chikankari

Chikankari means “embroidery” and is from the artistic city of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, India. It’s a delicate embroidery usually done on lightweight fabrics. Usually I see it on beige fabrics where it feels cool and summery. Here on this red dress, it looks so lush and rich.

From Nazrana Chikan, here’s a detailed view of the complexity of this embroidery:

Nazrana Chikan Embroidery

Of course Burberry made a trench coat, of Maheshwari silk:

Burberry Maheshwari Silk Trench

You can see how the silk was layered to build it up into a substantive fabric.

I love this little ETRO jacket. If you have a small piece of a treasured textile found while traveling, sewing a little jacket is a great way to use it:

ETRO and Indian Textiles

And Roberto Cavalli. Who would guess it’s a Rajasthani bandhini (also called bandhani) fabric?

Roberto Cavalli Bandhini Fabric

I’ve always believed textiles from India can be used in Western fashion silhouettes.

One of my favorite fabrics of India is Benarasi brocades, and here’s how Jimmy Choo turns it into a shoe:

Jimmy Choo Indian Benarasi Brocade Shoe

From Prabal Gurung, another creation from Benarasi brocade and an example of shaping these fabrics into a very different silhouette than you usually see for this fabric, but it works:

Prabal Gurung Benarasi Brocade

See the full story and all the designers’ creations at Conde Nast Traveller India.

Goin’ to Goa: Beachy Bohemian Style

I am going to India again later this year, to Chennai the City rather than Goa the Beach. And I’ll be packin’ oversized boxy T-shirts and comfortable knit pajama pants with paint splatters all over them. But not for style! Because I’ll be painting in the India pied-à-terre. I’m also hauling my sewing machine across the planet to make the coolest curtains and other things for the apartment. So it’s a “working” vacation.

If I were on a relaxing seaside Indian vacation, Goa would be the place to go. And …

When going to Goa, you gotta go bohemian!

Here’s some Goa boho chic style ideas from SHOP LATITUDE, showing the latest boho chic trends:

Fringe
Tassels
Pom poms
Beads
Semi-precious stones
Caftans
Maxi dresses

And no, this isn’t a sponsored post (I rarely do those) it’s just something that hit my email box that I thought would be good style ideas for summer vacations.

Fringe Elements Boho Style

I often wear black, even on hot summer days. Here’s how to wear black and be cool. If anyone should know how to make cool clothes for the heat, fashion labels from Mumbai and New Delhi would know.

Goa Boho Chic Style

Blue and black cotton dress from Mumbai’s Bungalow 8
Isharya lapis lazuli earrings
Black beaded fringy bag
Beaded bracelet

Now, I realize these prices aren’t H&M bargains. I now choose to buy quality rather than super inexpensive. I find it costs less in the long run. Jewelry doesn’t fall apart, sweaters don’t pill too much, colors don’t fade, and fabrics don’t shrink in the wash as much. I’m only 5-feet tall, and seriously, I’ve had petite pants shrink so much they become floods for my height! Ridiculous! I’ve been burned by having these things happen too often with bargain priced clothes and jewelry. So lately I buy less, because it costs more up-front, yes, but I buy better. Anyway, look at these as style ideas, no matter what price point you’re looking for. You can find these bohemian styles in many stores right now.

BEACHY BOHO STYLE

Teal and Tassels

Yes it’s hot in the summer to wear a scarf, but I’d tie that scarf on the handle of the tote bag to add some more beachy blue color. Then it’s available for other uses, like to tie around your hair, or wrap around skin you want to protect from the sun.

Colorful Goa Town Style

Goa Gypsy Style

If you’re not goin’ to Goa, there’s no reason why these looks wouldn’t work at other popular beachy vacations like Cabo, Tulum, Belize. Or how about right in your own backyard?