Trim Up For Autumn

With summer slipping away, fashion can seem to stagnate in the autumn as more layers are put on and darker colors take precedence. As it gets colder, our clothes begin to match the dull weather as warm jumpers and trousers become the outfits of choice. However, this does not need to be the case, as the Autumn/Winter catwalks showed; costume jewelry and simple embellishment can breathe new life into a dull ensemble. 

If you are looking to revamp your winter wardrobe, and add color or a new design to your clothes, Shanghai markets might just have the solution you are looking for. The Yu Gardens Trim and Fabric Market is a fashion lover’s paradise, filled to the brim with little stores containing hoards of material, buttons, fur and feathers. For a couple of RMB, you can transform your outfit by adding a string of pearls to a headband, lace to a skirt or even rhinestones on your shoes. We went with the mission of finding items to recreate catwalk trends for everyday wear. There is a lot to see and choose between in the market, so we would recommend spending at least a whole afternoon to really look properly at the stalls and find little treasures to add to your wardrobe. 

Customizing clothes can be tricky, especially if you are not a sewing expert. However, for beginners, we found that adding to a plain shirt is definitely the easiest option. While always a staple in your wardrobe, especially for the office, your shirt does not have to remain plain to emulate simple style. We took inspiration from Valentino’s Ready to Wear collection, with their bold shirt collars and detailed cuffs. We added simple pearl style buttons, white lace flower detailing to the cuffs and striking collar tips to our oversized sheer shirt. With a bit of simple sewing, your old shirt is reborn yet is still appropriate for both smart and casual wear. Collar tips are our top recommendation, but other designs and stones are available at all good fabric markets if you are feeling confident. 

Taking inspiration from Givenchy’s floral headwear, we decided to keep summer alive in Shanghai and made a floral headband, a great way to bring some colour to the autumn months. This look can be difficult to make, especially finding the right flowers, but we used a bouquet of fake flowers that we then sewed onto lace, before attaching to a plain headband.