Lately there’s been a plethora of crafty accessories all over the stores. Colorful tassels, fringe, pompons, and embroidery evoke a 70’s Summer with an 80’s pop flair. This means that any wily DIY’er can easily create the look for less and craft up accessories that look fresh, fun, fantastic, and on-trend this Summer without breaking the bank.
Take this Loeffler Randall Tassel Pouch – a big, trendy investment at $225. (And now totally sold out – for good reason! Similar in beige with silver tassels here.)
Why not be inspired to create your own fun version at a fraction of the cost?
BUY – Original
Loeffler Randall Tassel Pouch, $225 (similar here)
DIY – Your Own Version
YOUNA Small Leather Crossbody Purse, $15.99
1/10yd Custume DIY Craft Leather Fringe Tassel trims, $0.99 per 1 yard piece
Loctite Vinyl, Fabric, and Plastic Adhesive, $10.50 for 2
Pick up some suede tassel trim from your local crafts, notions, or leather working store – or from eBay here. (At $0.99/yard – plus a little wait for shipping – eBay is definitely the most affordable options_though if you can buy local, go for it!) If you’re buying on eBay I recommend these colors from the seller to truly recreate the Loeffler Randall look: Yellow, Watermelon Red, Blue, Orange, Purple, Dark Purple, Pink, and Beige.
Use a plain black zip pouch as your base (or try my DIY Leather Laptop Sleeve to make from scratch – just add a zipper closure to the top instead of an elastic!)
Roll up the tassel trims, spreading some Loctite Adhesive at the base to hold the rolls. When you feel the roll is full enough, cut off the remainder. Allow to dry, holding closed with a piece of tape.
One dry, fan out the pompons (you may need to trim the end of the tassels shorter) and use a generous dab of Loctite on the base to secure to the pouch. If you’re worried about adhesion, a hand-stitch using black polyester waxed thread and a leather hand-sewing needle will secure those suckers on there!
Pair with some natural wedges, some washed skinny jeans, and a wrap top make of striped shirting – and you have yourself a foolproof day-to-night Summer outfit!
Happy DIY’ing!
xo
Carly
