DIY Studded Shoes

Before i start my post, i just need to throw out that I am madly in love with the John Mayer cover of "Free Fallin". I'm a huge Tom Petty fan (he's a local!) and John's sweet voice just melts me!



On a shoe hunt, i was looking through photos from fashion shows and found these awesome Balmain strappy heels. They have studs and rhinestones all over (i LOVE bling) but i couldn't figure out where to find them so I decided to make a pair of my own.



I also bought some rhinestones to decorate mine with! I would also recommend buying the shoes FIRST then the studs/ bling just to see what matches the shoe style.

To place to studs, you can either hammer them through the fabric (be careful!) and then use wires to bend the edges in OR you can buy a stud setting too for a relatively cheap price. If you find hammering to be too difficult, you can also glue. If you plan on gluing, make sure to wipe down the shoe first.

Next, you can add rhinestones for a little bling. I really like how the Balmain shoes have rhinestones as the band on the ankle strap! Now just let the glue dry and you have your very own, custom studded shoes!

I wish my camera cord was working so I could upload my creation! the key to creating awesome shoes is to pay attention to the anatomy of the shoes and to not overdo one the studs. I wanted to find platformed heels so i could add bling to the platform but no luck!

Time to get creative and don't forget, you don't have to spend a lot to look hot!

-Meredith Leigh

DIY Headbands

As a sorority girl, it’s safe to say all of my sisters have a passion for Lily Pulitzer and/or Vera Bradley but with sundress prices averaging in the $200 and $300 (hence my hunt on ebay for NWT styles) and tote bags over $40, it’s a bit unrealistic and pricey to have a variety of these labels.

A great way to add the color flavor of these looks is headbands. You can buy basic, wide plastic headbands at any Wal-Mart, Target, or craft store.

Next you need to buy the fabric. For Vera fabric I suggested just buying the napkin in the pattern you like (I believe it is $6 at most retailers or you can find it on ebay). For Lilly, you should either search ebay for fabrics or another great place online is http://thelillypadshop.com/home where you can get fabric in different shapes and sizes.


Usually you end up with more fabric than needed but these would make great gifts! To spice up the headband, you could bedazzle it (oh how I love bling), add a bow, or anything else to add personal style!

You could also do this with other fabrics you have lying around or fabrics you find in the scraps bin at your local craft store.

-Meredith Leigh

all girls play dress up!

This year, my Halloween will be spent at The Landing in Jacksonville with some of my sorority sisters and other Gator and Dawg fans alike. It will be Halloween night and the Gators will have just capture another victory against UGA (yes, I’m that confident) so we’ll want to celebrate in costume style.
The thing that always worries me with Halloween is that I don’t want to be the only crazy person all dressed up. The perfect costume is easy and completely obvious so that there’s no confusion as to whether you’re dressed up or if you really do look like that. I decided to share a few simple, easy to do ideas for Halloween that I’ve picked up on from friends or costume ideas from date functions.

Toga: yes, a toga. The modern version of the classic getup involves brightly colored, shiny fabric which you can wrap around your body to highlight your assets and hide everything else. Get creative with shiny fabric, gold rope, bangles and cuff jewelry, headpieces, etc. Bright gold eye shadow as part of your makeup would also highlight the sexy Greek goddess in you.


Boxer: This is the comfiest of all outfits if you ask me. Pair a sports bra with either hot shorts or a pair of short athletic shorts. If you don’t have gloves, just tape up your wrists and hands (think Rocky) and if you want and extra touch, hit up your local Wal-Mart for a mouth guard and/or create a black eye using smoky eye colors and some plum colors.


Biker babe: Almost every girl still has those jorts or the jean skirt that was already ripped to shreds at the time of purchase and now you have an excuse to wear it again. Pair this with a black cami or vintage rock tee (which you could alter to your liking). All types of boots and heels work for this look, especially black. Don’t forget the shades and the bandana wrapped around the teased out hair. Red lipstick and a B.A. tat (draw it in eyeliner, then hairspray over it to stay) will complete this look.



What have been some of your best halloween costumes?

-Meredith Leigh