Daily Outfit -- 8th December 2008
[ 8 December 2008 ]
Alternate working title: Gala Darling takes on Maison Martin Margiela
Alternate alternate working title: Ravaged-by-a-flock-of-zombies-chic
This is what I wore to brave the light rain & have dinner with old friends.
So, a little while ago I saw what Maison Martin Margiela did to a pair of black jeans — that is, shredded the hell out of them. I liked the look very much. I thought, I could do that. So today, I did.
It was time to evolve my jeans, anyway!
Sparkly skull earrings
Holographic unicorn necklace
Pearls
Deep V white t-shirt from American Apparel
Black jeans from Sportsgirl
Black cardigan from Ricochet
Siren heels
Wedding ring & Tarina Tarantino ring
Bag by Trent Nathan with diamante handcuffs from Madame Rouge!
I am so happy with how they came out!
How did I do it? I put them on, then grabbed a pair of scissors & made horizontal cuts along one leg (being very careful not to stab a big hole in my femur). I looked in the mirror as I did it so see whether an area needed more or less cuts, etc. Then I took them off & did the other leg. I held them up in front of the mirror to assess if they were even. Then! The pièce de résistance! I put them in the washing machine, then tumble-dried them. They came out perfectly — well-frayed, slightly fluffy & nicely distressed looking.
By the way, the longer the cuts, the better they look… In my opinion!
Is this a style you’ll try out for yourself? If you do, please send me pictures, I’d love to see how it looks on you!
Love letters & feather headdresses,
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Love it! Im totally off to go massacre those black jeans in the back of my closet. I’ve been thinking about cutting them up for a while, because i LOVE a bit of punk in my outfits, but i never thought of washing & drying them to get that awesome frayed look… Eeep! I’ll post pictures when im done! Thanks G you clever lady… xxx
They look great! I love the ripped up jeans look, but the ones that are deliberately made in that style kind of annoy me. It takes the fun out of ripping them up yourself!
They look amazing! You just get craftier and craftier Gala.
They look stunning on you, Gala! Unfortunately, I don’t think I could ever pull it off, but I’m happy there’s someone else in the world willing to try it out. =D It reminds me of a friend I had who would constantly DIY her outfits when we were in our freshman year of high school. She’d do things like put Christmas garlands on the edges of her pleated skirts with safety pins. =)
Oh my god, I love this outfit. Usually your style differs from mine, but this is absolutely stunning. I’m like Sunny; I never thought of washing/drying them to fray them. I might have to buy a new pair of black jeans just to try this. They would look amazing over some really funky leggings or one of these tights
I’ve seen quite a few girls on Chictopia who’ve tried this. It’s an amazing look.
oh wow they look great! i think i might have to wait to get a new pair of jeans before i shred my current favourite black pair…
also, your pictures are always so great, i’ve decided to invest in a nikon d80 (is that right?) myself!
xx
they look excellent, well done! love this outfit too :)
i love the unicorn/pearl necklace combination. they really stand out against the simple black and white. simple yet gorgeous.
on an unrelated note, i wanted to say thanks for the link to the polaroid software awhile back! i’ve finally gotten around to playing with it and here’s the first experiment: jumpingoverboard.blogspot.com/...
Looking gorgeous Gala!
Doubt the look would work for me though :P
Hi Gala! I was just wondering if you’re going to publish the winners to all your competitions in your blog. I assume some of the winners have been decided already, and I’d love to know which entry won the necklace!
Tierra — They would look awesome with good stockings underneath, I agree. It was too warm for that today though!
brodie — I was going to buy a pair for this exact purpose & then I just decided to go for broke! I’m glad I did, actually! If anything, it forces me to evolve my look, haha!
jumpingoverboard — Looks fabulous! I love Poladroid, sooo much!
Louise W — Psshhhh, why not?!
Cally — Hi! The winners will be published here, yup, starting tomorrow!
They look rather fabulous! Did they not shrink at all when tumble-dried though? I’ve always been told to air-dry my jeans in case I can’t get them on again afterwards!
BTW the wallpaper behind you is beautiful and if I had a decor notebook like Nubby, one of these photos would be in it!
more Gala (and Nubby) goodness:
nzgirl.co.nz/articles/11374
hurrah!
I like that look you look so tankgirl goes glamourpuss! and would do it if i had more jeans haha.. I really like the shredded tights look i only wish people would wear them in more bright colours aswell! OH and i love these tights lookbook.nu/look/28499
Wow Gala! those seriously look like they are the actual jeans! Well done!
if I could find a black pair of skinny jeans that fit me, I might be inclined to try it! A++!
Topshop sell some here, but since I already have their black skinnys I could just do it myself. I am super-tempted. But I think I’d go for bright tights underneath. Pink or neon yellow, or my face turquoise maybe.
oooh! Or you could go all Viv Westwood with tartan tights underneath! That would be F.A.B!
You’ve got such a fun way with your togs, Gala. You somehow make punk look ultra-feminine.
Love the article in nzgirl….
Ooooeh tartan-tights that sounds GREAT
Ah these are fun. You look magnifique in them especially in all black with a shock of pink! :)
If I decide to buy a pair of skinny jeans (I mostly look better in straight leg styles) I would totally do this.
Looks awesome! So hott. I really like the wall behind you, as well… :)
Hey Gala!
Those jeans look magnificent, you sure are very crafty n_n.
I’m soo in love with that wall, really!
Wow, they look great.
oh my goddd these are so amazing & you make them look so cute!! i /need/ to do this, haha.
I was just thinking woah cool pants!! Then i read you made the cuts yourself, awesome! Go Gala! x
Hi Gala,
Not sure if this is the right place but I’m a Kiwi who’s been living in London for 3 years. I’m starting up a business and if it works out (hopefully!) I am pretty sure it would mean relocating back to NZ. SCARY!! I love it over here, big city, cosmopolitan lifestyle, lots of travel etc etc.
My question is – how are you finding being back in NZ? I know it has its wonderful things but are you finding it stifling? Your style would kind of stick out over there amongst the masses too…. How are you finding the attention I’m sure you’re getting (over and above a larger, more anonymous city like London or NYC).
Anyway, I’d be interested to know, maybe some other people may be too!
Hope you’re enjoying the summer anyway. Looks lovely.(typing at 5pm and its pitch dark over here)...
Jess x
I totally love your style. I wish I were either younger or lived in a more “stylish” city. I could never get away with the stuff you do!
Love, love, love it!
Not something I’d do myself, but LOVE it on you!
I’ve got a pair of grey jeans I never wear that I have to try that with, I’ll definitely send you a pic once I find time to do ‘em.
The shredded jeans look isn’t something I care for on myself, but it looks stunning on you, Gala! (I like how you’ve paired it with the rest of the pieces you’re wearing – the whole gives you a neat zombie-gnawed-but-sophisticated air. :D)
I saw a pair of ripped jeans in a preview for Topshop in a magazine, just like these. They look exactly the same = awesome!
as soon as i find a pair of black jeans that i like, i’ll buy a second pair and do this. :D
ooooo please wear colorful tights underneath them one day so i can live vicariously through you. thank you :D
oh GOSH, they came out brilliantly! How totally inspired. I might have to go do that to an old faded pair that I’m already going to skinny-fy…might as well shred them too! Then I can be one step closer to my ultimate dream (the Givenchy shredded gladiator knee-high boots that walked the runway in the spring)!
I made some pants with Meat Loaf lyrics all over them! I adore Meat Loaf
I made some pants with Meat Loaf lyrics all over them! I adore Meat Loaf. The pants actually have more tears in them now, but here is what they looked like when I first finished them (a year or so ago)
flickr.com/photos/33056380
flickr.com/photos/33056380
wow great outfit. think i’ll start fraying away!
Looks fantastic! Totally taking me back to the 80s. Got Def Leppard playing in my head . . .
Now, IS IT TRUE that if you shredded your jeans when you were 16, you shouldn’t do it again when you’re 36? Please advise.
So amazing! They’d also look fantastic with coloured tights or long socks underneath.
I see you’re turning heads again! That outfit is so hot Gala. You are looking awesooooome. I never got into the frayed look but you are kicking ass and taking names with it!
This made me so excited because I happen to have a similar pair of pants that I wore today! I thought I had retired them but then I ran out of things to wear…I’m not sure if I aught to expand on distressing them…maybe some more rips, or black dye/ink splatters. But anywho, here they are!
www.flickr.com/photos/33229555
www.flickr.com/photos/33229555
Not a huge fan of the outfit, it’s pretty basic (I need to do a wardrobe overhaul). They also aren’t skinny jeans, but it’s funny that I’ve had these like this for two or three years and the idea is coming into fashion lately. I do this to all of my jeans when they reach the point where they don’t fit so well or I get tired of them…it breathes new life into them! My jeans go through a lot, haha. I’ve also been experimenting with bleach lately, but that’s…a work in progress :P
I found it so cool that the first day I wear these in forever, and you’ve shredded yours up as well! They look amazing! __
xox
Its a cute look but, I’m not sure that I would try it out myself. I may with some cute tights underneath though.
I love wearing tights (tights with holes) under cut up jeans. :D
I wouldn’t wear them (too punky for me, perhaps?) but, as usual, you look amazing and they work perfectly on you :D DIY ftw!
I knew it! Grunge is totally making a comeback, I’ve been saying that for the past year.
How very 90s of you Gala :D
I have quite a few pairs of ripped up jeans [ripped, bleached, dyed, completely chopped to pieces..lol] thanks to boredom and creative buildup but they never came out this gorgeous. I’ve seen jeans like these around…I want to try this.
Hmmm..i just need some new skinny jeans…
& OMG the handcuffs eeeeee! love. i miss my handcuff necklace & earrings. [sadface]
Ah, I saw some jeans like that in Topshop today! Looking good :)
Vixel — I always throw my jeans in the dryer, haha! But I also always buy jeans with a bit of stretch in them, so I don’t have that problem! Also, thank you. These photos were taken in the upstairs bathroom! My mother has amazing taste!
lozabelle — That article is so cute, Anya from nzgirl is totally awesome to me!
Amika — You should go to an op shop & pick some up! Or even dye your own. I love Nubby’s Kill City jeans, they’re kind of marbled white & grey, amazing!
Caitlin — These aren’t skinnies, they’re bootcut! ;D
Hannah — Tartan stockings would be amazing!
Freya — They’re bootcut, I look awful in skinnies! BOOTCUT FOR LIFE BABY!
Jess — Good question! Being back in New Zealand is fine but there are a few things that make me feel okay about it; like, for example, knowing that I am not here for a long time! I am very much over the slow pace of NZ, & that’s why I love New York so much. I don’t find it stifling here because I view this as a holiday, I’m here for a couple of months & then I’m going back to my actual life, so… Also I don’t really notice how much or little attention I get any more, I just tune it out so most of the time I am sweetly oblivious. Hope that helps answer your question!
Emcee Morgan — Yay, do it! I’d love to see how it turns out!
Nadine — Oh, that old adage of don’t-do-it-if-you’ve-done-it-before, huh? Well, I say rules are meant to be broken… Haha! & if doesn’t turn out well, you can always move on!
Emilybean — Yours look awesome! You should definitely do more to them, splatter some bleach on them or something!
Ms Constantine — I was too young/uncool to do the grunge thing so now I’m taking advantage, haha!
harley — Do it! Ripped jean revolution, yeah yeah!
The jeans look great! I’ve been meaning to attack an old pair of mine, but I think I’ll do it with my seam ripper rather than scissors… maybe next week when my washing machine is fixed. It decided to die yesterday. Not happy! Lol xx
haha i actually did this after i saw them on your wish list! Black fluff everywhere! I need to dye mine more black however. I have pink leopard tights that would work a treat under them. rawr!
On the topic of cutting up clothing, could you please give me some tips on how you cut up your stockings, which i remember seeing a picture of, i think you said you wore it when you went to meet marykate and ashley.
anyway, when i tried, instead of turning into nice long horizontal cuts, they ended up pulling into big round horrible circles. mega failure, rock chick look not achieved.
were might tights made of too much elastic? am i meant to cut a hole and pull, or cut a line? what am i doing wrong?
help please!
Holy shit! These look so hot!
Hmm… I think I have found the basis for my NYE outfit…
Thanks for the inspiration! :D
Oh, man…I burn with envy now. I thought about doing the same thing but with burgundy dyed jeans. Not sure though but they look fucking amazing on you Gala. Like walking sex.
This totally brings back memories from when I was little back in the nineties when my favourite aunt used to wear shredded jeans all the time. So, naturally I’m quite fond of this look. :D
I may have to decide to sacrifice a pair of my jeans now!
:)
www.flickr.com/photos/mayhembaby/3095219034
here’s a pic of how i wear mine!
i need to put them throught the wash to get them to fray more.
and some black dye to make them look crisper! (for ripped jeans) :P
you did a really good job, they look hot :)
oh amazing! I did those to a pair of jeans of mine not too long ago but what I found out is that the more you wash them, sometimes the more they frey! D:
the best way I found out to keep them from fraying too much is just dabbing on some ‘fray-away’ on the edges of where you cut them and it stops it from fraying.
Or I’d run a stitch right ontop of where I frayed out the stuff. It helps add an extra design onto the pants as well 8D
Stunning! c:, I actually did that same tecnique with a shirt of mine. I ended up tying bows on the sides of the shirts. Just thought I’d share >-
I just massacred a pair of jeans!
i hope they turn out well ;)
thanks for the idea Gala~
i love your fabulosity.
Oooh I just tried this and they came out super amazing! They were very faded black stretch skinnies, and when they frayed there’s some white fluff and black fluff. Yum! My uncle said it looked like I had an accident with the power saw, but he doesn’t understand fashion. :)
I was just wondering, did you do anything to the back of your jeans? I left the back of mine the way they were and frayed the tops of the pockets, but I’m not sure if more slits would be too much. Ayee.
I did this last night to my beloved pair of black skinny jeans (after buying some new ones) and I love it!
www.flickr.com/photos/impactdi…
I did something JUST like this when I was 15!
And I would wear fishnet tights underneath :].