Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Do-It-Yourself-Couture #1: Miu Miu Swallow Print Platforms

Currently Listening to:
"Breathe" by Miss A

The Spring/Summer 2010 season brought us some wonderful, glorious creations, most of which left us frothing at the mouths and hearts beating so fast we thought they'd burst right out of our chests! And I don't think that could be anymore true than for the Miu Miu SS10 collection and the amazing Pink Swallow Platforms that came prancing out of our dreams and onto the runway...


(The Pink Swallow Miu Miu Platform)

They still have fashionistas all over the world sobbing - some, into their slouchy Top Shop sweaters and don't even care - as they are virtually sold out everywhere now (even the Ebay knock-offs in anything bigger than a 7.5 have become extinct), making Prada's printed pumps some of the most coveted shoes in the modern fashion world by bloggers everywhere, next to the Jeffrey Campbell Lita. I myself spent hour after painful hour searching for a pair, which only left me in a mess of frustration and disappointment to find that every size 8, 9, and 10 was completely sold out. The opposite could be said of the Black Pussycat and Yellow Sunflower print platforms, which are virtually untouched. That's not say they aren't cute, but... my heart was set on the Pink Swallows.


(The Miu Miu Printed Platform Pump in Black Pussycat & Yellow Sunflower)

Even back when they were in-stock however, most of us could never afford them, not even in our wildest fantasy. With Ioffer and Ebay imposters running amok, selling from $58-$125 BEFORE shipping (which can run you anywhere from $25 -$65 depending on which foreign market you purchase them from), you still have to wait nearly three whole weeks for them to come in the mail - with no guarantee they'll be true to size, either - and you may end up stuck with a pair that don't fit. I'm sorry, but this just won't do. I'm an impatient girl as well as a rather frugal one, so instead of spending hundreds and waiting a month, I decided to go to Michael's and spend a grand total of $30 on making over an old pair of my platform pumps in a day!



My DIYC Version:



What You'll Need:

- 1 Pair of Platforms/Pumps in a light color (dark colors will need several coats of spraypaint). Any shoe type will work though; I just wanted something close to the original. If you don't have a pair of shoes to sacrifice for the project, but you have the money, I suggest springing for the new F21 Dita Suedette Heel in Tan for $22.80 and making them over. (With the exception of the heel, they are nearly the perfect shape for the Miu Miu Platform!)

- 1 can of Spraypaint. The kind I used was Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch brand in Sweet Pea (Pink Satin Finish). Any light pink should do though!

- 1 piece of cardboard.

- 1 Pencil.

- 1 Black Fabric Paint Pen. Sharpie or even Black Nailpolish will do too.

- Swallow/Bird pattern to trace/stencil. I used medium-size stickers that are technically Sparrow-shaped, but I'm okay with that lol

- Rhinestones for some added sparkle. My pick was Jolee's Boutique Stickable Gold & Clear Rhinestones. I loved them because they came in different shapes like the original Miu Miu crystals, as well they were larger in size, so they took up more room and were less work for my hands!

- Heavy-duty glue to secure the rhinestones. Water-proof E-poxy or Hot Glue works best. And again, the rhinestones I bought are stickable, but I decided to glue them too, because I didn't want my jewels to fall off with every step lol


Instructions:

1. Lay down a piece of cardboard in an open space (in the garage with the door open or outside in the driveway) to set your shoes on and apply the first layer of spraypaint to your shoes. Fill them with tissue/paper to help lift any creases as well as to protect the insides from getting too much paint in them.

Note: My shoes were White, which is the ideal shade (other than Pink, of course) to paint over, because its light and you'll get the most out of your color. However, the heels on mine were wooden, so it took two layers to hide the texture/pattern underneath. Be sure when you spray your shoes to stand at a decent distance apart too, that way the paint doesn't drip. Let them dry. (I let mine stand for about an hour and a half to be sure.) Meanwhile, take this time while you wait to set up a work space, as well as cut out your bird shapes and practice tracing them to prepare for the next step.


2. When your shoes are dry, bring them inside and set them on some tissue/paper (so if the bottoms are a little wet, you won't ruin your mother's counter or your art desk lol). Lay down your bird and trace the shape in pencil first. Continue all over the shoe until you're happy with the bird pattern you've created.

3. When you're satisfied with your print, go over the penciled outlines with your Black fabric paint pen, then proceed to fill them in. Let the shoes stand for a bit so the pattern can dry.


4. Now for some sparkle! Add some Epoxi or dot of Hot Glue to the back of your rhinestones and, one by one, add them around the front mouth/opening of the shoe. (Be sure to apply a little pressure to really get them stay.)



...And voila! There you have it! Your own, DIY'd pair of Miu Miu Swallow Print Platforms :}

Of course, these are just the steps I took to make mine, so feel free to get as creative as you'd like with your's! Mine look a little like a hybrid of the Ankle Platform and the Mary-Jane, and I plan to add on to them at a later time; when I get the chance, I hope to add a buckle/strap and maybe even the stand-up Swallow tail. But for now... I'm ready to don these bad boys out on my next adventure <3

Enjoy!

xoxo coco

24 comments:

  1. Wowzers! I am so so impressed with your handiwork, they look magnificient!
    xx Comtesse xx

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  2. The shoes turned out so well and are absolutely adorable! I really need to be more crafty.

    Best,
    Emily
    http://emilyplusfashion.blogspot.com

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  3. I can't believe you made those yourself, they're incredible!

    I'd love to repost this on my blog - giving you full credit and linking back of course!! Would you mind?

    www.blahblahbecky.co.uk

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  4. Coco, you are amazing! I'm so blown away by your crafting skills. When scrolled down and saw your version, I thought the print looked so much like the real deal. It makes me want to get up and go DIY something. First I'll need to wait to get an ID before I can buy spray paint.

    Your nails!! ♥♥

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  5. Great work! Looks authentic! Does the paint peel off or anything?

    -Lee

    http://beautifuldayfashion.blogspot.com/

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  6. Thank you so much, ladies! I appreciate it :}

    @Becky: Not at all! Go for it! :D

    @Kaiami: Aweeee. Thank you! Lolol Well when I bought my spraypaint, they actually didn't check my ID. They just asked if I was the one buying it for me? Which I thought was weird XD Yeah! I tried your nail idea. Mine came out good, but my light pink polish was a little old, so it was a little rough. I need to re-do them. I did my sister's though and they rock! Lol!

    @Lee: I haven't experienced any peeling so far. Though the rhinestones do have a bit of a stick already on the back of them, so be careful when you lay them down (I put them down first to figure out where I wanted to glue them) and they pulled up small bits of paint with them. Its okay though, because the rhinestones will hide that once they're all on :} I definitely don't suggest wearing them in heavy rainfall or snow though! Lol!

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  7. They look amazing!


    xoxo,

    colormenana.blogspot.com

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  8. Holy crap, this DIY is amazing! I too have been "frothing at the mouth" for some miu miu platforms. You did such a good job, I am so clumsy when it comes to things like that I probably would mess up the swallows, but I def will try!
    www.LaPetiteMarmoset.com

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  9. you KNOW I drooled over these all night @ the fashion show tonight. DUDE. I'm coming over & we're makin' shoes. done. xo JJ

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  10. This is the BEST DIY I've ever seen... I'm totally in love with your version (more than the Miu Miu pair)!

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  11. I love them! I love the components of the Miu Miu pair, but they're just too chunky and overpowering for me. Yours, on the other hand... I would want to wear them with EVERYTHING! How do you resist?

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  12. You're brave but they look great! Let us know how they hold up.

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  13. Absolutely adorable! I have a question about the Marvy pen: Can you see the brush strokes or does the silhuette come out solidly black?

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  14. Thanks for all the positive feedback, everyone! <3

    @Katie W & Making A Mess: Awe shucks! You two totally made me blush. Thank you :D

    @cairobat: The tip of the Marvy pen is very pointy thankfully, so its easy to follow the pencil outlines with it. When I first filled them in, they looked a little sloppy and I was worried, a little unhappy with them even. But I let them sit and dry all the way and then the bird shapes looked very, very clean :}

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  15. Love this! :)

    http://fashionbabesfashiondaydream.blogspot.com

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  16. Hi, just to let you know I reposted this on my blog today so thanks for allowing me to do that!

    See it HERE!

    Becky x

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  17. wow, so impressed. I like your version better than the original!

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  18. those look amazing!!! I can't believe you made them! I can't wait to try this!!

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  19. wow, nice work! these are super duper cool! you are a clever and crafty blogger indeed!

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  20. I found your post, this is amazing, beautifully done and perfect. well done with this post, looking forward to more diy

    xxxKarin

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  21. Can you tell where you got all the supplies from like the Jewels?

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  22. AAAAAAAAAMAZING!!!!
    LOVE IT!!!
    CRACK
    WWW.MEFLIPALAMODA.BLOGSPOT.COM
    OR MY FACE PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Me-flipa-la-moda-by-Bambina-Monella/209044062443724
    I THINK UR GONNA FEEL INSPIRED!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for stopping by MTB and for all the kind words, everyone. I love reading what each and every one of you have to say! Seriously, it means a lot to me <3

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