Ever since I saw the Chloe version a few years ago I’ve yearned for a scalloped bikini – to me they seem like the perfect (ultra feminine) beach attire. Although this style seems to be everywhere this season (here, here and here), I’ve always wanted to make my own, however deciding on the right method and finding a black bikini I was willing to sacrifice has taken longer than it should (two/three years even!). When I was trying to work out the best way to do this I had soooo many different ideas, from cutting lycra into scalloped trim to cutting the actual bikinis themselves into scalloped shapes, but at the end of the day I knew that unless I could hem the lycra (tricky) those options would only be good for one or two wears, which wasn’t what I was looking for. Read on to see how I did it!
Wearing: DIY scalloped bikini, Madewell silk boy shirt, Whistles denim shorts, Coach watch, Horseshoe necklace.
You need:
- A triangle bikini set
- Matching polyester Rik Rack (curly trim) 1cm/half inch wide or more. If you can find it with some stretch opt for that version, if not that’s ok. Mine had a little bit of stretch but not much. Make sure to get polyester so it doesn’t shrink in the water.
- Pins
- Scissors
- Needle and matching thread
How to:
1. Measure the rik rak to your bikini size. In addition to doing this on the floor (as shown below) I put the bikini on and measured it that way. Lucky for me the reinforced edge of the bikini didn’t seem to stretch too much which was great for attaching the rik rack – too much stretch can lead to puckering.
2. Cut the rik rack to suit – I added a few more inches for each piece which I later trimmed off. When you trim the rik rack make sure to singe the ends with a lighter (carefully run the flame back and forth over the ends) or they will fray like crazy.
3. Now pin the rick rack to the underside edge around the bikini. What you want is the scalloped part to show without showing any hole.
4. Pin the top and the bottom. You can choose to put the trim where ever you want – I put it around all the edges but you can put it along the top of the bikini bottoms or just the sides. I suggest when you are doing this to put the top and bottoms on and pin that way – this will then allow for any stretch in the bikini. You will notice when you take it off the rik rack seems to be too big, but that’s just the lycra of the bikini stretching back.
5. Using your needle and thread sew the trim to the underside. Instead of sewing really tight, I did a stitch every two inches or so, allowing some slack in the thread to allow for the stretch of the bikini. I know this isn’t exactly the textbook way to sew stretch fabric but it worked!
Voila! All done. It took me a while to finish but don’t they look cute in the end?
Top photo by Lauren Engel
Wow this looks incredible! Would never have guessed it was a DIY, it looks so professional!
-Kate xo
http://www.bleached-mort.blogspot.com
What a fabulous idea…looks great and fantastically simple…xv
http://vickiarcher.com
This looks sooo good, you did such a good job, I love it!!
http://www.beblacknblue.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.beblacknblue.blogspot.co.uk
This is so cute and it’s done so well!
This is brilliant, I want to do this, even have the perfect black bikini already!
Lauren
livinginaboxx
bloglovin
I’ve been eyeing off the Chloe version of this, so excited to give the DIY version a go! Thanks for the idea 🙂
Love this! So chic yet sexy.
http://www.fullbellywornsoles.com
This is so awesome, will make it in white for sure.
xo
http://pinksole.com
Your DIYs are so amazing! Love this bikini!!!
Visit my blog: http://www.minisaska.blogspot.com
Amazing! I loove it!
wwww.DeluxeFashionista.com
Easy but with a great end result, love it! xx
ENTER MY GIVEAWAY
http://www.creativityandchocolate.com
You’ve done such a fabulous job!
I just did a post on a skirt that I made. Love diy!
Xox Soph
So simple and looks stunning on you!
Elena
http://thecoup.eu/2013/06/12/outfit-for-the-office-pink-peplum-python/
Wow it looks great 🙂
Lovely idea!
We’re going to do this, of course!
Giu&Si
This bikini is amazing!
The end product looks pro, is it comfortable?
I want to try this 🙂
Vestiaire Collective xx
Love it! Uber cute, definitely going to try when it gets warmer over here!
Fantastico!!!! Que gran idea.
I’m such a big fan of details. Adding trim to the bikini that is the same colour as the bikini is so much prettier and more elegant than adding it in gold. It’s that perfect mix between something plain and something extragant. In both ways the bikini would stand out but I prefer the subtle way. =)
http://love-your-ego.blogspot.de
Wow this is a brilliant DIY.
I recently purchased a really cute bikini from Forever 21 in purple, and I think I’m gonna try this as well. Hopefully I get the rickrack lace in the same shade, or maybe I might even go for a nice contrast!
Thanks for sharing!
what a smart way of spicing up a triangle top!
http://www.styleandshades.blogspot.com
OMG that looks so nice. And it doesn’t even look that hard:-)
Great idea!!!
Kisses
Ewelina
xxx
chiclifestyleofewelina.blogspot.com
wawwwww need to tryyyyy asap
thnx so much 🙂
Lovely idea it looks amazing … check out my DIY with the black bikini 🙂
http://www.iamlovingthis.blogspot.com
Oh lovely and original bikini 🙂
What a great idea to update a plan old bikini!
you never ever fail to impress. this idea is so brilliant!
definitely on my to-do list xo
http://noise-and-confusionn.blogspot.co.uk/
this is genius! looks just like those super expensive designer ones! (:
Very cute!
looks amazing and super easy! one of my favorites, for sure!
http://guesswhatfashion.blogspot.pt/
SUPER cute! I’ll have to try this if I can find ric rac that matches my bikini’s color.
Easy new update for a much loved string bikini 🙂
This is absolutely brillant. I would have never thought to use trimming to do the scallops. I would have probably done something impossible like cutting the hems as scallops and turning them inside out, etc.
I have been waiting for this tutorial. It looks amazing – love it!!
Oh wow, the finished bikini turned out amazing! I never would have thought of DIYing it that way.
Love this bathing suit! I’ve found a couple cute and inexpensive bathing suit tops at Target and Asos that I can do this to, to spice it up a bit! Great DIY and great post XX
http://thelifeofshikhu.blogspot.ca
OMG I love this. Such an easy way to get that look. I think I’ll probably attempt this one myself!
Hey! DO you know that you are truly amazing!
http://bythewear.blogspot.in/
i am gonna do the same for sure!
I love this, it looks so sweet and it’s actually pretty easy to do.
http://sincerelylara.com
Never would have thought of this, such a good idea! xx
http://lhdc.blogspot.co.uk/
This is so simple yet really effective- love it!
http://laurenslittleblogs.blogspot.co.uk/
xx
Wow such a great idea.. I wanna do the same! Cool <3
http://carolinabin.com/
<3
This is SUCH an amazing post and idea! you have a new follower! would love it if you checked out and supported my new fashion/beauty blog!
http://www.fashion-form.blogpspot.co.uk
xxx
Such a good idea! May have to try this out – Welldone 🙂 XX
Wow!
Great job! I have a friend who has a red swimsuit like this and I wondered where she got it from – Now I can just make my own!
Perhaps I should try this for my upcoming trip to Sweden 🙂
– Nicole xo
I’m going to do this!! Such a good idea.
http://www.fleur-light.blogspot.com
http://www.fleur-light.blogspot.com
X
creative and looks great.
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