Dear Jessica, I absolutely love fashion. However, my shopping budget is quite limited. What articles of clothing and accessories do you suggest I invest in for the upcoming summer season? Thanks! – Kim
Dear Kim,
You don’t have to have a huge budget to indulge yourself in lux fashions. Try checking out your local thrift store for some fancy new duds. Some of our greatest style finds have come from second-hand stores! That being said, if we were to suggest a must-have clothing item for spring/summer, it’d be a dainty dress. Maxi or mid-thigh length, this girly and ultra-feminine frock is perfect because of its versatility. It can be worn day or night and on many occasions – fancy or casual! For footwear, invest in a basic t-strap sandal in a nude, black or white color. Also, snag yourself a killer pair of sky-high wedges to take your legs to supermodel lengths! These three items along can be mixed and matched all season long, lending you a chic warm-weather look and ample breathing room in your budget!
Dear Jessica, I don't want to waste money on skin care products I don't need, what are the essentials for good skin? – Rochelle
Dear Rochelle,
That’s a very good question! Whether you’re functioning within a budget or simply looking to invest in the absolute essentials in skin care products it can be tough to know which ones to invest in. However, we have two products that every woman should have in her personal hygiene arsenal: a cleanser and a night cream. These are the bare bones of skin care but if you’re only interested in the essentials, these are your bread and butter. Used two times a day, a great cleanser will renew your skin and rid it of any impurities that have built up either throughout the day or overnight.
Instead of buying a day cream and a night cream, we suggest just purchasing a quality night cream that is ultra-moisturizing. It’ll save you money in the long run and it will lend you the same results, if not more! Also, remember to always wear sunscreen (or apply products with SPF in them) and to drink plenty of water daily. Combining all of these products and tips together will lend you healthy, radiant looking skin in no time!
- Jess
Dear Jessica, I love everything that comes with warm-weather style; dresses, tanks and skirts. However, when it comes to wearing the right kind of shorts to flatter my body, I am at a loss. I’m very short, 5’2” to be exact and certain cuts just make my legs look shorter. What style would you suggest I wear? – Lindsay
Dear Lindsay,
You are not alone! There are many women who draw a blank when it comes to dressing appropriately for their height. It’s amazing how the wrong cut of bottoms can instantly cause your silhouette appear short and squatty. When it comes to donning the right kind of shorts during the spring and summer seasons there are a few rules to dress by:
- Stay away from shorts that hit at or right above your knee. Instead, don shorts that hit at mid thigh or stick with capri or chino style pants.
- Heels are always a surefire way to elongate your gams so throw on a pair of sky-high pumps!
- Rock a pair of high-waisted pants or shorts. This style will elongate your legs, creating a leaner look.
For more on how to elongate your legs in summer apparel, check out our latest article on the topic!
Good luck!
Dear Jessica, How do you make fingerless gloves?
Dear DIY Project Seeker,
Fingerless gloves are not only adorable, but also extremely easy to make! There are two separate ways to design your own pair, so take note!
Option 1 – (Use for acrylic or polyester gloves, not wool or cotton)
What you’ll need:
- Gloves
- Scissors
- Lighter
How to:
- Trim your desired length off the top of each finger. An ideal length is about 2 – 2 ½ inches.
- Sear the edges of each finger with the lighter. This will ensure that no unraveling takes place.
- Voila! Fingerless gloves!
Option 2 – (For long wool socks – make for cute, long fingerless gloves!)
What you’ll need:
- Long wool socks
- Sewing machine
- Thread
How to:
- Cut off the toes of the socks.
- Sew a zig-zag stitch all around the edge of each sock to keep them from fraying.
- To create the finger holes, sew a straight stitch perpendicular to the zig-zag stitch – about an inch apart from each other.
- Place your hand inside to decide where you want the thumb hole. Cut a slit where you want it and sew another zig-zag stitch around the edge of each tiny hole so they don’t unravel either.
-Done!
Dear Jessica, I have very thick hair and with the warm weather coming up I need some styling ideas. I don’t like to wear it all down during the spring and summer because on hot days it gets frizzy and way too puffy! Do you have any thoughts on a cute hairstyle I could try? Thanks! Kate
Dear Kate,
I have very thick hair too and I totally agree with you – it can get very difficult to maintain in warm weather. I have good news! There is a really cute and SUPER easy hairstyle that’s mega popular right now – the sleek low ponytail. This style has been seen on the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and it’s as sophisticated as it is effortless.
What you’ll need:
- Hair shine serum
- Hair tie
- Hairspray
How to:
- Run a dime-sized amount of shine serum through your hair to give them a lustrous look.
- Keeping your part either centered or to the side, tightly gather your hair back towards the nape of your neck.
- Secure with a hair tie.
- Hairspray any flyaway strands to ensure a smooth, sleek look.
Dear Jessica, I’m not one to wear a lot of makeup but I do like to have a little bit of coverage on my face. All of the liquid foundations I’ve ever tried have always been too heavy and mineral foundation doesn’t quite do the trick for me. Any suggestions? - Cierra
Dear Cierra,
There are a lot of women who, like you, prefer to steer clear of layers of makeup and opt for a more “minimalistic” type of look. Luckily for you, we have the perfect suggestion to your little makeup conundrum – tinted moisturizer. This product is light-as-air yet lends a tint of color to even out skin tone. It also saturates skin with various moisturizing agents, leaving you with a natural looking glow! Doesn’t get much better than that! Since it’s easy to use and application can be done in a snap, this is the perfect item to use during the spring and summer seasons. A couple of our favorites are Ultraflesh Tinted Moisturizer for $17 and Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer for $58; both can be found at Sephora! Hope this helps!
Dear Jessica, I love my flat riding boots. Is there a way to wear them for summer and will they still be in style next fall and winter?
Dear Fellow Riding Boot Lover,
Who says that every summer day must be a sandal day? Not us! You’ve certainly got the green light on wearing these killer kicks year round! Our only advice when it comes to boots is to be aware of your rise-to-leg ratio with skirts, dresses and shorts. If you wear a pair of tall boots with a skirt that touches at your knee, then you run the risk of making your legs look much shorter – instead, you always want to elongate. Short, slouchy boots are perfect to wear with flowy summer dresses or with a pair of trendy shorts. Stick to wearing the tall riding boots with a sexy pair of skinny jeans and a stylish tank. Follow this advice, and you'll be looking fabulously boot-iful all summer long!
As for whether or not they'll still be in style for the impending fall/winter season - yes! This style of footwear is timeless and is around to stay!
Dear Jessica, I have spring break coming up in a few weeks and am in need of a super cute bikini for my trip to the beach! Any suggestions? I was also wondering if you had any get-tan-quick kind of tips as my skin-tone is showing off my “Northerner” status right now. Thanks! Jackie
Hey Jackie!
You’re in luck because we just wrote up a great article on some of our favorite bikinis, tankinis and monokinis that are all totally beach-worthy for spring break! Check out the story here – there are a slew of amazing swimsuits to choose from for a little fun in the sun! Also, we put together a list of some of the highest-performing sunless tanners on the market. Whether you prefer a gel, lotion or spray – all of them work equally as well and will give you the glow you crave before you hit the beach - lucky lady! After a few applications of any one of these sunless tanner products, you'll look like you belong on the beach!
Dear Jessica, I have a huge event to go to in a few weeks - super exciting! However, I've been feeling quite ho-hum about my appearance lately. Whether it's the winter blues or some other kind of fashion and beauty-related, it's no fun at all. I was hoping you could help me think of a few easy and budget-friendly ways I could kind of "refresh" myself before the big event. Mostly, my issues are with my static-prone hair and rather lack-luster complexion. Thanks so much!!
Hi there Amanda! We feel you on the "winter blues" but we're positive you're still as beautiful as ever!! That being said, we find it important for you to feel good about yourself so you can truly enjoy your upcoming occasion. And luckily, we have a few do-it-yourself pointers to get you feeling primped, pampered and ready to go in no time!
Let's start with your hair. The cold air can reek havoc on our tresses, but no need to stress - this DIY hot oil treatment with soften your strands with ease!
What you’ll need:
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Saucepan
- Spoon
- Comb
- Towel
- Shower cap *optional
How to:
- First, combine the olive oil and honey in a saucepan and heat on high until it all comes to a boil.
- Remove the saucepan away from the heat and allow the mixture to cool down. Stir the mixture so that the two ingredients become well blended.
- Now, comb the honey/olive oil mixture through your hair. Once it’s evenly distributed, wrap your hair in a towel or in a shower cap for 15-30 minutes.
- After the 15-30 minutes is up, shampoo and condition your hair as you normally would.
Next up, your face! Renew your kisser with this super-simple concoction - an at-home alternative to the uber-expensive microdermabrasion.
What you’ll need:
- 3 tablespoons baking soda
- 1 tablespoon water
- Small mixing bowl
How to –
- Combine the two ingredients together.
- Apply to face in a circular motion.
- Let it sit on your face for five minutes.
- Rinse off with warm water.
Dear Jessica, I’m trying to grow my hair very long for my wedding. I would love to get extensions but on top of everything I’m planning, those just aren’t in my budget right now. Until then, do you have any tips as to how I can naturally make my hair grow faster? - Kate
Dear Kate,
First of all, congratulations! All of us here at DIY are sure you’ll make a beautiful bride! Now, as for your hair – we actually just wrote an article about stimulating natural hair growth. The article, Going to Great Lengths: The Dos & Don’ts to Faster Hair Growth, gives a handful of tips concerning what to do to encourage natural hair growth. These tips are easy and not time-consuming at all so they’ll be easy for you to incorporate into your beauty regimen. Stay tuned for an article about hair masque recipes you can make at home that stimulate hair growth as well. Here’s to long, luscious wedding-ready locks!
