Ladies, if you’re anything like me then you are constantly in a love/hate relationship with the copy of In Style that arrives in your mailbox every 30 days. Part of you cannot wait to rip it open and scour the pages for new fashion trends, while the other part just wants to trash it, knowing that as a student, there’s no way you can afford any of it!
Well, it’s time we take matters into our own hands – literally! We’ve all walked into an art studio or been to an art museum and looked at a painting worth $400 (or higher) and thought, “I could do that.” Well, why aren’t we thinking about fashion the same way?
One of my favorite trends right now is a long, layered chain necklace; they dress up any T-shirt perfectly. I’ve seen them at J. Crew for $85 and at Kohl’s for a much doable $36. But again, I just thought, “really, how hard could this be?”
What you will need to make a necklace of your own is one yard of ribbon (your choice of color and thickness, I use about one to two inches), two large jump rings, about eight (two for each layer) small jump rings and gold and/or silver chain (I like to mix it up with different shapes and sizes). All of the above will cost you about $10 from Michael’s craft store. You will also need a pair of needle nose pliers, preferably with a wire cutter built in, which can also be purchased at Michael’s or any home improvement store.
Now for the easy part: just cut the chains to different lengths by holding them up around your neck to see where you would like to them fall. Next, use the needle nose pliers to slide the small jump rings through the chain and attach to the largest jump ring. Repeat on the other side so it the chain is connected to both large jump rings. Once you have as many layers and lengths as you would like, take the ribbon and string it through the largest jump rings and tie it around your neck. This way you can make the necklace as long or as short as you wish.
When I made my necklace, I also added a layer of pearls to class it up a bit, again, also bought at Michael’s. You can personalize it however you would like with things like beading or mixing gold, silver and gunmetal chain. The great thing about making it yourself is that no one else will have it and when you get complimented–and believe me, you will—you always get to say, “I made it!” which is so much better than, “I overpaid for it.”
Aside from jewelry, I’ve also been on what has been called “The Great Onesie Hunt of 2010.” The only problem is onesies are extremely hard to fit; either your legs are too short or your torso is too long. Whatever the problems is, these things are definitely not made with everyone in mind.
My solution is simple and you probably already have it in your closet. Find a pair of shorts and a top (I like a button-up work shirt) that either match or complement each other. Tuck in the shirt and put a wide belt around where the shirt meets the shorts and voilà, an instant onesie look-a-like. Throw on some heels and that necklace you just made and you are ready for a night out!
So next time you are looking through a magazine or wandering around in a store you know you can’t afford, always stop and think, “how could I make this?” Just don’t forget to follow through and actually make it!
