i’ve always had a soft spot for prints. looking at all my sewing projects, i very rarely go for non-print fabrics. that’s why i keep buying new fabrics as well, because the bad thing about prints is that once you wear it, people will remember it. and so when you go the next time to meet the same set of people, you’ll have to wear something else. (actually, that’s probably not true, because really, who cares? it’s just my own fake reason to buy more fabrics.)
to me, the crazier the print the better. that way there’s less chance that anyone else would dress the same as you. this past month i’ve bought several crazy-print fabrics already, but since i haven’t sewn them yet, i’m not gonna share them with you. instead, in this post, i want to share my other findings of somewhat crazy-print stuffs (= NOT fabrics, but ready-to-wear fashion items). and because i’m that bored, i even did a photo shoot for them. :p
second hand t-shirt from Pasar Senen – Jakarta, print trousers and studded flats from Dappermarkt – Amsterdam, pearl detachable collar from Indonesia Wholesaler store, Miffy watch.
the pants were my first purchase at the Dappermarkt, Amsterdam. i love how the print is asymmetrical, since it goes upwards on the other leg, and downwards on the other one. 😀 for some reason, the print reminds me of a Marimekko print (the Raanu or Ryijy print). i got them for 15€ and thought that was a good bargain… until i saw another tent selling them for 10€. well, at 15€ they’re still cheap, but i just wished i had seen the cheaper place before making the purchase.
the studded flat shoes were at least (i hope) real good bargain. they only costed 6€. 🙂 there were of course also other shoes that only costed 5€, but after lots of thinking (= less than 15 minutes) i decided to get these instead because i didn’t have any black shoes that i can wear to a semi-formal occasion and yet casual enough for every day use.
second hand t-shirt from Pasar Senen – Jakarta, Zara kids mini skirt, leggings and studded flats from Dappermarkt – Amsterdam, self-made collar/necklace, batik bag given as a gift from my aunt.
leggings are my other addiction. can’t seem to get enough of them, nor tights! so of course i couldn’t resist getting print leggings! especially not when they only costed 5€.
the left picture is unfortunately a bit blurry, but what i like the most about these leggings is that those parts on my left & right knees are actually from 1 picture, so if i put my legs next to each other, you can see a woman’s face wearing big earrings & sunglasses. yeah, i know, who would ever notice something like that, right? but I do, and since i’ll be the one wearing them, it’s what i like that matters. 😉
Hema tank top (kids wear), Esmara tank top (worn under the Hema tank top), self-made vest, Marimekko-H&M shorts, Dutch-print socks from a souvenir shop in Amsterdam, studded flats from Dappermarkt – Amsterdam, moustache bracelet from Indonesia Wholesaler store.
i wrote on my previous post that the Jip & Janneke tank top i got from Hema was meant for 6 year olds, and seriously, it looked so tiny that i was so sure that even i can’t fit in. but i tried it anyway, and lo and behold, it fits! 😀 i wouldn’t wear it just like that though, since it’s so short and tight. i’ll probably sew something to the bottom part of the tank top, or then just wear another top underneath it. i think i got it for 4.50€ or something like that, thinking that it won’t be such a big waste even if i couldn’t wear it. but i’m glad i can! 🙂
the socks were actually something i didn’t even plan on buying. it was our first day in Amsterdam, and it was still a bit cold that after visiting some book shops downtown, we decided to warm ourselves inside a souvenir shop. i wasn’t wearing any socks, so seeing these on the shelf made me want to get them (so i could wear them right away). i can’t remember now the brand of these socks, but i like the print! (actually, the pattern is woven, not printed, but still.)
maxi dress from Dappermarkt – Amsterdam, tassel earrings from Indonesia Wholesaler store, Miffy watch, Spirit sandals.
okay, so this one isn’t exactly a crazy print, but i just wanted to put it in here anyway. i very rarely wear maxi dresses, because it’s not that easy to walk in one (and my job is the kind that i walk around all the time). but i was interested in this one because it was just so darn cheap! 😀 5€! sure i can get a fabric for 5€, but with all the time used to sew it, a self-made maxi dress would worth more than just 5€. plus, my husband said i look good in this yellow one. 🙂 so i got it just for the sake of it! and if the length of the dress starts to bother me, i can always tie it to one side like on the right picture.
Logo dress, leggings & studded flats from Dappermarkt – Amsterdam, H&M necklace, Miffy watch, & Other Stories straw hat.
after years of wanting a galaxy print fabric, i’m now so satisfied for having found a galaxy print dress and now these galaxy print leggings. bought these from the same place as where i got the photo leggings up there, and also for the same price. there were actually more galaxy print leggings there, but i decided that 1 pair should be enough. and for a few minutes, i was so happy and proud at myself for scoring these leggings for only 5€…
… until i found another tent selling almost the same product (also galaxy print leggings) for only 2.50€!!! 😥 upon further examination though, i found out that those cheaper ones have a slightly lower quality of fabric, so… yeah, let’s hope mine last for a long time so i can feel a bit better about paying them double the price!
Esmara tank top, loose pants from Dappermarkt – Amsterdam, second hand blazer from Pasar Senen – Jakarta, tassel earrings & moustache bracelet from Indonesia Wholesaler store, green plastic bead necklace from Legian – Bali, second hand chain belt (worn as necklace) from UFF, Marimekko fabric bag hand-sewn by my late grandmum, Spirit sandals.
the  loose pants were, in my opinion, my greatest find at the Dappermarkt. the print is just too crazy for me to miss, and the price? 3.50€. i mean, hello???? that has got to be my lucky day! 😀
the bag also has its own story. when i first came to Finland for a visit (and to meet my then-future-husband’s family for the first time), we went to a Marimekko store together with my then-future-husband’s mum. she heard how much i love the prints of Marimekko fabrics and offered to buy some for me, and also for my grandmum since she also knew how much my grandmum loved sewing bags/pouches/cushion covers. i chose one for myself, and chose this strawberry print for my grandmum.
when i gave it to my grandmum, she was pleased and thought that the Finns must be quite colourful (little did she know! :p). for some time afterwards, i saw that she kept the fabric inside her cupboard (which was also full of her other fabrics), and i almost thought she forgot about it completely.
about half a year ago, i heard from my mum that my grandmum had been telling her how she had made some bags for me, and that she wanted me to have them as soon as possible. but since i wasn’t going there, and no one from my hometown was coming this way, it never happened. after my grandmum passed away a few months ago, my mum had to sort out a few of her belongings, and among all of them she found, of course, the bags that she had made for me.
when the White Shoes band was coming here a few weeks ago, my mum asked our ex-tabla classmate (= the drummer of the band) to bring a few stuffs over for me. and she told me that she sent at least one bag that my grandmum made for me (apparently there’s more than just one). when i received the package, i was so touched to see that the fabric my grandmum chose to make a bag for me was actually the one i had chosen for her. 🙂 i guess she knew that i chose it for her because i myself love the print, and since she wasn’t going to be around that long anymore to actually use the bag herself, she decided to make it for me instead.
so thank you, Oma! even now, i’m still the number one fan of your handmade bags! 🙂
and that’s it for the ‘crazy print’-craze for now. just one more picture for close-up views of some of the accessories & shoes: (click on it for a bigger version)
clockwise from top left: the Dutch print socks, Miffy watch, studded flats, moustache bracelet.
about the Miffy watch… i wasn’t even planning to buy anything Miffy (or Nijntje, the famous rabbit character created by Dick Bruna), because even though i do like it, it wasn’t as nostalgic for me as Jip en Janneke was. if anything, i wanted a Miffy stuffed toy, LOL. but that was before i found this store at the airport that sells Miffy watches for only 5€! so instead of a stuffed toy, i opted for a watch instead, because you can always wear it & it doesn’t even look that childish (what a surprise, me not wanting to look childish. :p).
now all i gotta do is sew those other crazy print fabrics i have in my cupboard. 😀
Step Into The Silver Rain 