How About You..

DIY

(Do It Yourself)

The holidays are over, and for some of you that means going back to school; and for others it means going back to a 'boring' way of life.

DIY projects are great for both the school-goers and the home-stayers. DIY projects saves you money (we all know, that going back to school means giving up those $200 jeans) but keeps you still looking up to par with the current trends; and secondly, it keeps the bored entertained.

However, I want to stress to you all, that i'm NOT trying to create my own DIY blog. I lack the time and, unfortunately, creativity to come up with my own projects, but there are many blogs out there specifically for DIY projects and I encourage you all to visit them for more ideas.

Here are some of my favorites DIY projects that do not take much effort or time:

(1) Distressed denim

I'm a huge fan of this look - especially when i'm having one of those 'plain jane' days, but have too much pride to wear sweats out - distressed jeans come in handy. Pair it with a basic tee/graphic tee, flats, and a cardigan and your set. However, a good pair of distressed jeans can be ridiculously priced for denim that looks like it's been through hell. So if you're budget savvy like me, or at least try to be, DIY distressed denim is perfect for you.

* If you're worried about wrecking one of your favourite jeans, try the following steps on an old pair of jeans you plan to give away or go to your local thrift store and buy a cheap pair (you'll be paying $6 or less).

Materials needed:

- jeans

- piece of white chalk

- sandpaper

- cheese grater/metal nail file

- Scissors

- Pen knife/cutter

Step 1: Mark any of the distressed looks you want to make on your jeans with chalk. For example, if you want a hole in the knee, draw a circle or line on the designated knee area or draw lines on pant creases.

Step 2: Place a block of wood/container/rock (item must be hard and stable) under the area you want to distress. With the cheese grater (hand held is best) rub against the area of denim you would like to distress. A gentle rub causes a more mild distress; a longer and more vigorous rub would cause holes and tears.

Step 3: Instead of doing step 2, you can make a small cut on the area you want to distress and then with the pen knife or steak knife fray along

the edges of cut.

Step 4: With the sandpaper, rub around pockets, knees, hemlines, etc. for a more worn out look.

Step 5: To finalize your look, wash your reworked denim for the final touch.

More ideas:

If you dampen a sponge with bleach and rub it on your jeans you can get a more 'bleached out' look. (See below photo)

It's a really simple task when done, but if my instructions are unclear or you need a visual, I have a found a website that does a wonderful job of showing how to create distressed jeans. Click here for the five-minute denim tutorial.

(2) Studs

If you haven't yet noticed, studs are in. They are everywhere - from jackets to bags to even shoes. If you're fashion savvy but do not have the benjamins to convey the look, you can go to any craft store and buy a shitload of studs or hardware for cheap. All you need is a glue gun and studs and a garment - from then on, it's just you and the glue gun. It's a very simple task - basically a kindergarden arts and crafts but more fashionable.

One of my favorite looks is putting studs/hardware on a jacket. For example, put studs on a lapel of a blazer for emphasis.

Gentlemen, this look isn't just for girls. Revamp your clothing with studs.

Remember to be tasteful.. you don't want to end up looking like this... unless that is the look you want to achieve.

Don't get me wrong, Ms. Olsen pulls this off nicely.

GUYS, don't be afraid of the thrift/second hand store. It can literally become your best friend. I just recently purchased a leather bag and black men's blazer that i hope to revamp, which cost me a total of ten dollars. Sure, fashion is fun and sure it's great to splurge but everyday folk don't have the money to purchase everything that is in and so these stores (second hand stores) help us create fashionable looks for less.

Check back for my "How to Shop Vintage" guide, coming up soon.

Stay Classy.

>> Let me know how your DIY projects turn out.

Do you have any of your own tips on how to revamp denim/ clothing/ etc that you could share with us?