DIY Bookworm Set Up : Birthday For a Cause

Event Styling is always a good idea. And when a good friend asked if I'm willing to volunteer for a cause and style a specific theme for an event, I giddily said yes.

I am staunch supporter of rustic motif and minimalist with a hint of muted hues, Now,I know that's a lot to take in and you might think it's all over the place. But trust me, with the right location and elements, you can absolutely pull this off.

So when I was assigned the bookworm setup, I immediately created a Pinterest board and pinned every picnic style/reading corner pegs I could find. It was such a joy to plan every detail and scout for props. An ocular is obligatory to visualize the setup and ensure that everything will suit as planned.

It's my first ever outdoor themed set up and I had mixed feelings on how it will turn up. My head was rambling with a lot of ideas. I didn't want it too look too "overly adorned" and I didn't want it to be too bare either. A tepee and picnic mat were the core items of the set up. With the help of friends, we're able to make the pillars for the tepee. We bought the cloth at very reasonable price and even got scraps for free which we eventually used for buntings.

I wanted a relaxed look hence I figured a swing would be a good element to boost the reading corner look. The white/blue light bulbs added romance which complemented the swing. To inject rustic vibe and a hint of vintage feel, we added old wine boxes, weaved basket and pillows in hues of brown and beige. There were long stemmed flowers and piles of books in one corner along with the Polaroids scattered on the picnic blanket.
The mini bicycle added a bit of playful wit to the entire ensemble.

As soon as we're almost done with the setup and I was almost way too eager to see the final look, a roving team approached us and requested for a permit. We didn't have any as we thought we're allowed to hang things anywhere given it's a public park. We were so complacent at the thought that it's for public use and become oblivious that this is Singapore and they have strict laws and high respect for nature. We were asked to take down the Tepee, remove the buntings, light bulbs and yes, the swing. It broke my heart to see everything taken down. And as much I wanted to bawl and rant, we did the opposite. We were doing the set up for a Photo Marathon and for a good cause. We can't let a little mishap ruin everything we planned for. So instead of whining, we re-arranged everything as a picnic set up while maintaining the elements we initially thought of.


The buntings were used as a background for couples who would like to take their couple shots. The light bulbs were placed around the reading corner. We were done as soon as the guests start to come in. I smiled sheepishly as I gazed at the finished setup. It was a work of love rooted for a good cause.



There were 3 setups done for this marathon and everyone poured their heart and thoughts to ensure that the backdrop will be picture worthy. The event was indeed a success. A birthday celebration for our 2 year old Anika and surprisingly managed to raise an amount which exceeded our preset goal .

There is something poignant about the image of people coming together for a cause and this experience was an eye opener for me. I've come to an understanding that more than the monetary assistance, there are different ways by which we can bless others. We can be generous with our  skills, time, talent and resources. With the proper mindset, objective and heart; we are empowered to unselfishly give, with no serving motives. Giving is always better than receiving and though it's human nature to believe that when have more, we can give more; if you come from this mentality you never have enough of anything to give.You gain more when you give and it's something which cannot be quantified nor measured. It fills your heart and entire being. So be generous of whatever you have and be cheerful in doing it; because it is when we lose ourselves for others that we can truly find joy beyond any possessions.

Xo,
Jhesy 

Flapper Girl - Dazzling 20's

Time-traveled for a night back to the Twenties, Known as the "Roaring 20s" or Jazz Era. It was the age of dramatic social and political change. People were speaking in the same slang, doing the same dance moves and listening to the same type of music. It was referred to as " roaring" as the society is more exuberant and a lot of people defied prohibition and indulged themselves to new styles of dancing and dressing, rejecting many traditional moral standards. It was considered the freewheeling popular culture of the decade.


With dramatic change in fashion came the "new woman" or the flapper. This is considered the symbol of this era referring to young women with bobbed hair and flashy outfits doing unladylike things. Corsets came off, skirts were shorter and style loosened up. Women dress more comfortably but put an added effort in embellishment. Pearls, sequins, tulle, lace and trousers for women were in for the first time ( Thanks Coco Chanel )

I absolutely adore the fashion in the Twenties. One because it is more relaxed yet flamboyant. It has a distinct style and everyone seems to be party-ready yet exudes dainty, lady-like style in embellished head dress, fur and satin gloves.

When our company announced that our Year End Party is all about Haute Couture collaboration; my mind spinned and I became giddy thinking about the runway and the look I would put together. We were given the freedom to choose the style theme for the event and I thought that Gatsby would be nothing short of perfect!

Pulling the Gatsby look was not an easy feat.I didn't realize the limited resources I would have. There isn't a lot of flapper or sequined dresses to choose from in Singapore. I decided to consult the internet and checked for options online. I did find several dress styles which fit perfectly to my preference however, it would take them two weeks to deliver and we're talking about shipping outside of SG. Thanks to some fashion enthusiasts online and to Carousell, I found the "dress". It's copper and gold in color with sequins and beads intricately hand sewn ( see below ). I tried to veer away from wearing black for a change and wanted to experiment with a different shade this time. I fell in love with the dress the moment I saw it online. I figured that with the right accessories, I should be able to pull off the 1920s look. 

How to dress like a flapper girl :

Dresses : 

Shapeless dresses with beads, sequins, lace, fringes, satin and chiffon. Anything that has v-shaped front and back will surely define the flapper look.  Rummage through your closet and look for dresses with knee length, dropped waist-line and has v-shape front and back. This is a good shape to start your 1920s look. Concern about your body shape? 1920's dresses meant to hide the curves. The straight-waisted dress will you give you the figure you need to pull off for the Gatsby look. Show off your decolletage and hide those curves instead. 

Tip : You can also create the illusion of a dropped waist by tying a scarf around your hips. 

Shoes : 

If you intend to go all out and complete the look with the 1920's shoe then I would suggest to exclude stilettos. They were not invented in this era yet. Choose shoes with round closed toe adorned with a t-bar strap and buckles. Opt for chunky heels with medium heel. Another option is to wear Mary Jane Shoes or a tap shoe instead. 

Hats and headbands

You can play around with anything you want to put on your head. Hat or headband is one way to recreate the 1920s look. You can use a satin belt or thin scarf and tied it on to your end. Or bejewelled your hair with beaded accents and sparkly headbands. The goal is to accentuate your hair and it will surely look good on any 1920s outfit.

1920s flapper hairstyle

Bob hairstyle was big in the twenties. One thing I've noticed is that women in this era tend to sport short curly hair or the classic bob cut. Those with long hair pulled theirs altogether in a low bun or chignon. Alternatively, you can also create the kiss-curles hairline using gel or hairspray. This may take a bit of work but definitely possible for those with short hair. 

Tip : Here, I'm wearing a gold necklace which I practically used as a headband. Pinned it using bobby pins and voila! A headpiece. DIY is again so much better. #resourceful

Final Touches : 

Stockings: 1920s flapper girl ensemble will not be complete without these. You can pull them right below the knee. Just make sure they're not thick enough that you'll be mistaken sporting a preppy look

Scarf: Long feather boa or fringes and even fur  are quintessential 1920s flapper style.

Gloves: This will add the classic vibe to the entire 1920s look. Be it in Satin black or gold,  wrap your arms in them and you'd be rocking the flapper look in no time.

String of pearls: Anything shiny, long and beaded. Pile them altogether or layer them around your neck. And remember, the longer the better.

Make-up: If you've seen Gatsby ( the movie ) they altered the look a bit. Daisy was rather looking pale in a fresh -faced make up mostly in flush of pink and pastels. However, if you do want to be the utlimate flapper girl then you need to have your eyebrows defined and your eyes in smokey shade. Red, dark lipstick is a must. You can even emphasize it by drawing a cupid's bow to create the silent movie star look. 

So there you have it, if you're planning to host a party or attend one with Gatsb-esque theme, then you're in for a treat. It is a fun, fashionable era and you can go all out with accessories and embellishments. Dress up and don yourself with shiny beads and pearls, travel back memory lane and relieve the roaring 20s. Dance the night away in jazz and party in glitz n' glamour ( just take it easy on the alcohol I must say ). Oh and don't forget to take a snap of your #ootds. I bet they will be instragram-worthy! 

♥♥,

Jhesy