DIY Denim

02:10 nm 0 Comments

Unexpectedly moving to Bangkok was spontaneous and exhilarating, but it had a few setbacks. For example; my clothing. My selection was a backpackers dream but a city slickers worst nightmare. In Vancouver I was bored of my clothing and I was constantly dreaming of a hella badass wardrobe. Now that I literally have 2 pairs of pants, 1 skirt, 3 dresses and a handful of T-shirts. I want to go back in time and slap my whiny self. 

Shopping in Bangkok is exciting. There are several massive malls filled with anything you could be looking for. One of my favourite places in Union Mall. The entire top level is used clothing with great prices. Ive decided that with my budget, my style and ethics; I am trying to mostly purchase used clothing. Strictly shopping second hand it is a really great way to build and interesting wardrobe and style. It takes some time and serious sifting to find the good pieces but its worth it. Sometimes you have to look beyond what is being offered to you. 

I love shopping for tops, shoes and accessories but when I need to go bottom shopping I have to be in a realistically positive mood. My mind must be in a place where I can walk away from trying on 12 pairs of pants, with not one pair working without having a freak out from frustration. Finding jeans that fit and accent my beautiful booty is such a challenge. When I find the magical pair, I covet them and wear them well.

At Union Mall I found a great pair of high wasted denim. My favourite part of them is the high yolk in the back. Seeing as I have mostly basic tops, my outfits with these jeans were looking a little drab. I decided to alter them and I am going to show you how!

I was inspired by The Ragged Priest, a UK brand that specialises in painted and destroyed denim. I decided that I wanted to transform my jeans into something simple that I can wear with basic tees or dress up with patterned blouses. 


What you’ll need:

Quick Drying oil paint (I used black)
Paint brush
Turpentine (for cleaning)
Masking tape
Measuring tape
Razor Blade or Exacto knife
Scissors
A piece of cardboard or plastic


First try on the jeans and mark where you want the cut outs to be. I had someone help me mark where my knees were exactly so I didn’t eff it up and have the holes too high or too low. 




Draw the shape you want, then place the cardboard or plastic in the leg and cut with the razor blade. To make sure that both sides were equal, I used the denim cut out from the previous leg and placed it on the other knee to cut it out perfectly. I used the razor blade to score short lines around the hole. When I wash my jeans, it will cause the holes to fray a little and it will look less perfect and more rugged and distressed.


Next run masking tape down half an inch away from the outside seem. Use a measuring tape to be exact. Do the same on the other side of the seem. You’ll have two pieces of masking tape protecting your jeans from the oil paint to create a long black stripe. Do this on each leg.



Now its time to paint! Place the cardboard or plastic in the pant leg again. This will ensure that the paint wont bleed on to the other side of the jeans while you paint. Shake the oil paint before you use it, then carefully start painting on the inside of the tape lines. I had a couple drops on my pants outside of the tape. I liked the way it looked, so I wasn't mad about it. Do this to both legs.

I let the paint dry a little, then checked to see if I missed any pieces. I ended up painting two coats just to be sure.

To finish, hang up the jeans with a pant hanger and putthem in a place where they wont touch anything else. Clean your brush, with turpentine.


In a few hours you'll have a revamped, hella cool new pair of jeans. 




0 comments:

Koh Lipe

00:59 nm 0 Comments

Bangkok is such a busy, booming city that I'm finding the need for a vacation from my vacation every now and then. There are moments where I am dreaming of inhaling crisp forest air, or sinking my toes into white, soft sand. In Vancouver was so easy to escape. There were beaches and mountains surrounding that young city of mine. After living there for 4 years, I knew all the sweet spots that made for the perfect staycation. 

Thailand has so many wonderful destination spots. Headed North, there is tropical Pai which is surrounded by jungles and mountains. South, are many stunning beaches with turquoise water and plenty of coconuts. I try not to travel in backpacker areas. I want to see Thailand like a local but with traveller goggles on. Luckily, I’ve made great friends who have suggested many places to see. Ive recently took an adventure to Koh Lipe island. I was invited to go with Go Grrrls  (check out my post on Go Grrrls!). These incredibly talented ladies were asked to play a gig for Valentines day. The travel posse included Dookie, Mae, Cleo and her boyfriend Richard. 

I was so excited to get to the beach, bask in the sunshine and practise mermaiding in the crystal clear waters. But before that dream could take place we had to travel.  From Bangkok we took a 2 hour flight to Hat Yai, a 2 hour bus to Pak Bara,  THEN a two hour boat ride to Koh Lipe. The milk run was worth it. My breath was stolen the moment we approached the island. White beaches, turquoise blue water, and traditional Thai boats decorated in neon fabrics, #nofilter needed for sure. 

We checked into our rooms, and set out to explore the island. First we stopped at Pooh Bar, this is where the Grrrls would be playing for the next 3 nights. Pooh bar is named “the friendliest place on Koh lipe” I would agree. The staff and owners were so welcoming and ensured that we were having a great time. 

Pooh Bar is located in the middle of the island. Not only is it a bar, but a restaurant, a bakery, bungalows and dive shop. It really has everything you could need. Including hilarious playful cats. Pooh’s isn’t your typical island bar, the drink menu ranges from Chang beer to signature hand crafted cocktails. Watching the mixologists create was fascinating. I kept ordering more just to see what show would happen next. Plus, I wasn't mad about the mid day buzz I had going on. My favourite creation was a torched pineapple, rum drink garnished with a smoking cinnamon stick.

The next day we woke up early and headed to the beach. I was really looking forward to wading into the cool water and float the day away. I pride myself on being a beach bum. I can sunbathe for hours, get a little pink but walk away with a glowing tan. I wasn’t thinking about how strong the sun was, and It didn’t occur to me how southern Koh Lipe is. Adding to this, it was the first time I didn’t use SPF at the beach. I bet you know where I am going with this. My dreams of flawlessly emerging from the sea a golden goddess were crushed. I was more like a dehydrated lobster crawling into the shade begging for aloe. It took me a few days to recover from the burn, and I am sad to say that my tan is peeling off one skin chip at a time. 

At last the party day had arrived. The island was decorated with pink and red ribbons, people were selling flowers and I was hunting down chocolate. For myself. No sharing. There were even Go Grrrls posters and banners hung to promote the Pooh Bar event. The Dj’s of Go Grrls faces were all over the island. I was so excited to see my friends blowing in the tropical wind. I am pretty sure I was more excited then they were. The Go Grrrls Valentines Day party was a success. People were feeling festive and dancing the night away. Couples were dancing together, people were flirting and one women was solo grinding on a pole. Who says Valentines day is just for lovers? 

With one full day left, Cleo organised a boat trip to check out snorkeling and private beaches. Every day on Koh Lipe was fantastic, but this was the highlight of the adventure. We snorkeled small reefs. I saw so many beautiful tropical fishes. I showed off my diver skills off by playing with large purple clams and I even spotted a Nemo (clown fish) family chilling in their anemone home. We spent the afternoon relaxing on a private beach. Richard took advantage of the peaceful surroundings to take photos for his brand WG Trunk Co.

All fun adventures must come to an end. We had the same long journey ahead of us. A boat, a bus and a flight, and before we knew it we were back in smokey Bangkok. Despite the sunburn I was taking home, the Koh Lipe adventure was amazing and much need. I was sad to leave the beach and the chill island vibes but it was time to go home and hide in the shade for a while. If you get a chance, take the long journey to Koh Lipe. Its worth the trip, especially if you have SPF in tow.


































0 comments:

Go Grrrls

22:13 nm 0 Comments

I’ve been extremely lucky to meet some crazy, cool and talented people in Bangkok so far.
Not only am I lucky because the new people in my life are really rad, but because making new friends after moving can be a challenging adventure. Moving can make it really hard to find your place. It takes time and some questioning. Where are the cool coffee shops? Where are the hipsters? Where are my future sweet ass friends? 

Making friends or finding your group of like minded people isn't as easy as it used to be. You can’t just walk into a establishment and ask the guy next to you if he wants a sip of your adult juice box and then become best friends for ever and ever. There are 8.5 million people (Thats right, I said a MILLY) in Bangkok, which poses a challenge in the friend department. As grown ups we need to do a little research. Wether it be a meet up website, instagram creeping or shamelessly downloading Tinder. Tinder is a win win; friends, flirting and maybe something more for when the adult juice box gets empty. 

I met a extra wonderful woman on Tinder who introduced me to all her friends. These amazing people range from DJ’s, artists, designers, business owners and photographers. You can imagine how busy they are. I may not get to see them often and truthfully I don’t remember all of their names, but I can count on seeing or re-meeting them at Go Grrrls. 

Go Grrrls a party crew and a monthly badass queer event in Bangkok. Its a hub for anything indie and underground. If you think that Go Grrrls is a strictly gay night, your wrong.  Although the event is labeled queer; its for anyone who loves partying and indie music. The word queer can be skewed. A lot of people think it simply means gay, but it really it is an umbrella term for the LGBT community. Many people have their own definitions of queer. When I asked Go Grrls what their definition was they explained to me that they see queer as anything that isn't mainstream. If you're listening to a band no one has ever heard of, wearing your best finds from the local thrift store, and not drinking a pumpkin spice latte, you might be able to describe your self as queer.. or a hipster. You choose. 

Go Grrrls is made up of 3 extra bad ass ladies. DJ Dookie (AKA Lady Soma), DJ Cleo P, and DJ Mae Happyair (Click their names to listen!). Each of them are specialized in their own genre. Dookie is Queen of indie-rock, Cleo P throws down with hip-hop and trap, Mae Happyair gets weird to electro and tech-house. The party has been running successfully for 2 years, each one being themed with a new killer style, and some parties have special guests.  On March 4th Go Grrls and another local party crew called Powderpuff are taking the stage with Rich White Ladies at Live RCA in Bangkok! A guaranteed fun night, you must stop by!

Feeling apart of an open community where I can dance my face off, meet new interesting and inspiring people and know that I have a place in Bangkok at least once a month is such a comfort. If you're in Bangkok and you’ve never been to a Go Grrrls event, I strongly urge you to check it out. You’ll have a great time and walk away with a great new selection of music and potential new pals.

Check out Go Grrrls on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/gogrrrls/




















Photos by Tar Paisarnthanachok (Instagram: @tar311) and Siam 2nite.



0 comments: