DIY OF THE WEEK

SMOOTH AS SILK

Soundtrack: Summertime - Ella Fitzgerald


Customizing your clothes needs to become an essential part of your lifestyle. Every man should have a tailored suit in his wardrobe. One in black, one in mat silver and one in navy blue with soft thin pin stripes. Don't even get me started on double-cuffed shirts.

Luckily for women, there are a few more choices in materials and patterns. Generally, you can get away with being far more flamboyant and frilly.

Silk has a kinky undertone I think. Shiny and liquid. It is perhaps more of a feminine material but gentlemen please don't shy away from it. Have you tried silk boxers?

NATIONAL TREASURE

It's been a long tradition for Thai people to wear silk. Somewhere as an heir loom or as formal wear, it is folded nicely or hung in the majority of Thai closets.

There is this particular shop that sells vintage Thai silk by the metre. The patterns are amazing; mostly block printed but some woven.

Walking into the shop is like stepping through a time machine. Even their computer is still the size of a small fridge where the screen is black.

These fabrics can be made into anything you can think of. They are strong enough for upholstery and soft enough for garments.

YOU WILL NEED

•  3-6 metres for trousers
•  2-4 metres for top
•  3-7 metres for jacket
•  3-5 metres for dress
•  3-5 metres for shirt
•  3-5 metres for shorts

FOR MEN

Do not let the colourful patterns put you off. There are very appropriate subtle patterns that you can easily incorporate into your modern wardrobe. 

Like plain mat silk materials or if you are open, some checkered patterned ones are great for a bit of variation. Flower patterns are not always your enemy, it is all about subtlety and being poignantly understated.

WHAT KIND

Shorts

Suit/pocket/cuff/collar lining

Pocket squares

FOR WOMEN

There are all kinds of possibilities here but perhaps invest in key pieces like skirts or jackets. Shorts for the summer? 

WHERE

Most department stores will have fabrics shop, There is one in Sukhumvit soi 24 that sells Pucci prints by the metre and beautiful French lace.

The vintage silk shop mentioned above is called Pattanapusa.

Here is their address:

300 Phahurat rd

Wang Burapha Pirom,

Phranakorn

Bangkok

10200

Call them at 02 222-0723

Happy tailoring!

Colour Box

DIY OF THE WEEK

LIVING IN A COMPACT SPACE

Soundtrack: In my room - The Beach Boys


When you live in a city and your lifestyle only gives you a small window to organize yourself before you have to step out of the door, having your things arranged in a way that is easy for reach becomes essential.

Meet Mayan. A small town girl, vintage queen and notorious organizer; lives her life on military time. Here, she shares with us her tips on filing your life and sentimental things.

COLOUR BOX:

Hi Mayan, thanks for letting us raid your room.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

MAYAN:

I'm from the Philippines and I live in Bangkok in this area called Victory Monument.

COLOUR BOX:

What made you choose to live in Bangkok?

MAYAN:

I basically fell in love with Bangkok when I was traveling after college, so I decided to settle here.

COLOUR BOX:

Have you always lived in a studio apartment?

MAYAN:

No actually this is my first. I have always lived in houses or apartments with separate living areas and when I arrived in this small space I seriously panicked because I had no idea how I was going to organize everything let alone fit all my things in.

So I've had to just sort through everything, get rid of or give them away and kept what I felt was necessary for me at the time.

COLOUR BOX:

So how have you arranged your belongings? Must be hard to divide your space in a square room.

MAYAN:

Well I have all the things I use on a daily basis close by and visible. For example, my bed is the centre of the room so I have my stationary desk on my left with my pens, papers and laptop because I love writing. My accessories are in a little basket on my book shelf level to me so they are easy to sort through and obviously my important documents are hidden away.

 

COLOUR BOX:

So you've arranged them according to 'use'.

MAYAN:

Exactly. It is actually my clothes that I've arranged like a crazy person. My clothes are like catalogued according to its purpose. For example: work clothes, gym clothes, weekend clothes, holiday clothes etc... and then colour coded and sorted by style also. So long sleeve, short sleeve or sleeveless something like that. I've folded the items that wouldn't need ironing also otherwise they would be hung.

COLOUR BOX:

What about your shoes? How do you keep them?

MAYAN:

Well luckily I have a balcony so I've put a closed cupboard out there and store my flats. I don't wear high heels often so I am always in flats which is lucky because they are much easier to store.

Also by them being outside it airs them out and keep dirt outside my room. I've used the same logic in organizing for my shoes. So use, colour coded and style. But I do clean them before I put them back into storage.

As for my heels, I actually display them next my other miscellaneous things. I find it adds a little texture. 

COLOUR BOX:

We've noticed a bag tree at the corner of your room...

MAYAN:

Hahahaaaa, yea well for me it's the easiest way to store them as they do take up a lot of space. Although I can never really have high-quality or designer bags because I have no space to keep them and it would be silly to hang them like I do now.

COLOUR BOX:

You have a lot of art on your walls and around your room. Where did you get all of this?

MAYAN:

Actually, most of these were presents from my friends or simply something they didn't want. So they all have sentimental values to me and I like to have that around me, around my space. It just makes me feel more at home.

COLOUR BOX:

Lastly, are you planning to move to a bigger space?

MAYAN:

I'm always on the look out for a bigger place as I do miss having a kitchen. But for now I am very happy with my little Aladdin cave.