ChickSpeak

If your wardrobe is in need of some serious refreshing and you don’t have the cash to purchase high-end designer looks, DIY! Do it yourself projects are easy, cheap and usually look just like the real thing. With a little elbow-grease and creativity, you can mimic designer trends without breaking the bank.

The Acid-Wash Tee

This trend is huge for summer because of its distressed and comfortable look and feel.  Celebrities like Ashley Olsen and Kate Bosworth love the look, but acid-washed tees from companies like American Apparel cost a little more than the average college girl has to spend on a simple shirt.

You will need:

A colored t-shirt, a small tub, table salt, sandpaper

How to do it:

1. Fill a basin or tub with 8 cups of water and 2 cups of salt
2. Soak the tee in the mixture for three days
3. Squeeze all of the water out of the shirt and rub with sandpaper where desired
4. Dry in the sun
5. Wash and wear!

Bleached Denim

This trend is really popular among fashion bloggers at the moment, as well as stores like Diesel and Urban Outfitters. The result is completely customizable because you decide where the white will appear.

You will need:

A pair of denim cutoffs or jeans, a spray bottle, bleach.

How to do it:

1. Lay your denim in a tub or somewhere bleach-safe
2. Mix three parts water and one part bleach in the spray bottle
3. Spray the denim wherever you’d like the stains to appear
4. Watch the color for no more than ten minutes, deciding when it is to your liking
5. Wash the denim immediately by itself or other bleached projects
6. Remember that it will wash lighter than it appears, so take it out of the tub when the stains are just a shade darker than you’d like

Ruffled Heels

The Christian Louboutin petal sandal is way out of budget for most girls, but if you’ve already got some out-dated strappy heels, you won’t need much to mimic the designer’s creation.

You will need:

Old strappy heels, sheer black fabric, 6-8″ black ribbon, black sewing thread, a needle, sticky Velcro, scissors, a ruler

How to do it:

1. Cut small leaf shaped pieces out of the black fabric. (You’ll neat a bunch!)
2. Measure out the black ribbon and cut it, leaving some extra inches for folding
3. Stitch a bunch on leaves up and down the ribbon to your liking
4. Measure out and press Velcro onto the back of the ribbon. Add a few stitches just to make sure it all stays in place
5. Place a tiny bit of the opposing side of the Velcro to the shoes, stick the petal ribbon on and strut your stuff!

The Updated Blazer

This one is super easy to do, but drastically changes the look of a plain old blazer.  If you don’t have one already, try buying a little boy’s style blazer from a thrift shop or cheap store like Walmart in navy or black.

You will need:

A blazer, large vintage brass buttons or unique brass buttons from a fabric store, a needle, thread that matches your blazer, scissors

How to do it:

1. Carefully cut off all the buttons that exist on the blazer
2. Hold the new brass button over the old stitch.  Loop the thread threw the button hole a few times, stitching it close to the new blazer
3. Cut off all extra thread and make sure the buttons are tight and secure
4. To really update the blazer, add some metal studs to the pocket or to a few inches on the bottom hem. Studding is one of model Erin Wasson’s favorite looks!

Knowing fashion trends doesn’t necessarily mean breaking open the piggy-bank. As long as you try and imitate them at their highest form, your personal creations will hit a beautifully wearable mark. 

Johnie Emma Gall is a senior majoring in journalism at Penn State University, Main Campus. When she isn’t writing for Foam Magazine, Tonic News or Chickspeak, she’s hunting around on eBay for Alexander Wang jackets and vintage bags. Photo also by Johnie Gall.