D.I.Y.: Shred Baby Shred

This November it’s all about shred. Capitalize on this street-wear inspired look and transform any old tee from rags to riches.

The Essentials:
-A t-shirt,tank,etc.
-Scissors
-A seam ripper (optional, you could use a mechanical pencil or your fingers instead)
-A vivid imagination
-A lot of time

The Procedure:
1. Trim the hem off your shirt and stretch the raw edge to loosen the threads.



2. Using a seam ripper (pencil or fingers), begin to pull at the threads running horizontal to the hem of the garment. (Aside: Don't tear the threads, just pull them loose. You will see them unravel as you pull.) The first couple threads may break, but keep pulling until you have several threads loose.

3. Determine how wide you want your shredded section to be. Pull out a longer section of thread if you want a wider panel of shredded fabric. You can always create more panels later on.



4. Once you have several pulled threads, ditch the seam ripper and just use your fingers to pull on the thread and more should rip out. Some threads may break along the way. Not to worry. Just keep pulling.

5. Continue ripping until you reach the top of the garment or the height you desire. If you notice that the shredded panel of fabric tapers in as you go higher, backtrack and find where the thread is not pulled all the way across. Pick and pull at the spot until it comes undone and continue the pulling process.

6. Repeat and make multiple panels until you are satisfied.

D.I.Y.: Juicy Like Jolie

Angelina’s lips deserved top billing in her latest movie The Changeling. Framed by a series of stunning cloche hats and short, wavy brown curls, Brad Pitt’s wife’s lips, which received extra attention thanks to an unrelenting slathering of true-red lipstick, earned more screen time than the actress herself. Few smackers earn the four-inch vertical lip span of Angelina Jolie. But with some hints you can deliver luscious lips like hers. Follow these easy suggestions to amp up your look.

1. Moisturize your mouth. Most of us think that chap stick helps in the moisture department. Wrong. Chap stick only protects your lips. Make your lips as soft as cashmere with a lip moisturizer (Neutrogena Lip Moisturizer with SPF 15, 0.15oz., amazon.com).

2. Enhance those curves. Before heading out, use a natural colored lip liner to outline your mouth and make those lips pout.

3. Brush it on. To get an even look, put your lipstick on with a makeup brush. Be sure to sweep the brush across your lips in a consistent manner.

4. Plump it up. Make those lips even more luscious by applying gloss over your lipstick. Be sure to use colors that glisten and shine to make for a pucker no one can resist.

5. Really Desperate? If your still lacking the fullness you desire, add a lip plumper to your routine (Lip Fusion, 0.29 oz., Micro-Injected Lip Plump Collagen Shine, $20.55, amazon.com).

D.I.Y. : Pillow Talk

It’s Saturday evening and your closet looks sparse. When time or money constraints nix a quick trip to Marshall Street, look to your bedroom to find the perfect outfit. That old pillowcase transforms into a sexy shift dress. Gather these items: scissors, a marker, pins, needle, and thread. Follow these instructions:

1. Lay the pillowcase on a flat surface. Iron out any wrinkles. You need to make a head opening at the top of the pillow. The width of my pillow was 18 inches so I drew a neck opening that was 10 inches wide and one inch in height in the center. If you lack drawing-straight skills, use a French curve (A drawing stencil you can pick up at the book store), to help you get the exact shape you want. For the armholes, cut openings that are one inch into the pillow and seven inches down. Make the armhole and neck holes in whatever shape you desire.

2. After the holes, fold back the raw edges one-half inch into the wrong side of the fabric. Ironing this helps, but if you’re heat-averse, place pins to hold them in place. Thread your needle and sew the arm and neck holes to create a clean finished edge.

3. To create some wiggle room for your legs, use your scissors and split open the side seams. Then sew the two seams to create a clean “v.”

4. The fun part: Ornamentation. I sewed a long piece of vintage tapestry to center front to give my dress a retro feel. To belt the dress, I used a salmon-pink cumber bund I bought at Cluttered Closet for $3. Or, consider fabric markers, dye, buttons, or studs to assist you in achieving desired Saltiness.