Category: Style

by Stephanie Gerber

How to polkadot tshirt scarf

How to make your very own pencil polkadot tshirt scarf, using an old jersey tee.  A craft for the ages.  You guys!  Stop throwing out all your old basketball tees (shut up, you totally have old basketball tees hanging around.  Don’t you?).  *ahem*  Stephanie is a recycling, re-purposing ninja, so grab an old tshirt and your trusty scissors, pull up a seat, and learn how to whip up your own unity scarf. – (note from Allison)

DIY T-shirt Scarf

One of my favorite things about spring weather is scarves. Because one of my least favorite things is wearing a coat. (Somehow I managed to survive winter without ever buying one – I do live in Nashville though.) Scarves are perfect for adding warmth on a chilly morning and a touch of chic all day long.

DIY Scarf from t-shirts

And the best kind of scarf? One you don’t have to pay a dime for! I made these scarves from my dad’s t-shirts that were about to be tossed out. Seriously, don’t people know never to throw anything away without checking with the family crafter? The bigger the t-shirt you can start with the better.

How to Polkadot Tshirt Scarf

tee shirt scarf how to

How to Polkadot Tshirt Scarf Supplies:

Stephanie Gerber

Stephanie Gerber is a mother of 3 who writes for pretty mommies on a budget. She shares stylish and crafty adventures on her blog Henry Happened.

by Allison

Create some rustic style jewelry and hair

Time to create some cool rustic jewelry and learn how to create and style the perfectly messy updo because friends, The Croods movie coming out.  Have you heard of it?  It’s an adorable animated movie about the story of a cave family at the beginning of time, and a little rebellious daughter (my favorite sort or daughter) who opens their whole world.  It’s super cute for the kids, and I’ve got some sneak peeks of fun to keep you on the inside loop of magic while we wait for the release.  What kind of magic you ask?  It’s me, Allison here, which means we’re here to talk some cave-lady beauty and serious fashion.  You know I love me some of that.

In fact, I’ve got an entire Pinterest board dedicated just to The Croods with all sorts of cool animal print style + beauty.  You should go check it out and get inspired.  And stuff.

gem necklace DIY

Dreamworks teamed up with some talented peeps to create a whole plethora of sweet rustic style DIY’s for you and yours to make at home.  Like this super rad crystal necklace you can create in the span of a snack break on your kitchen … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Amanda Holstein

How to wear white pants in the Winter

Do you know how to wear white pants in the Winter, and straight into Spring?  It’s for real, we’re wearing white in the cold months now.  This whole “no white pants after Labor Day” thing has got to stop. Winter whites are just so chic, you can’t pass them up just because of a silly rule, don’t you think? Now I’m not saying to wear your whole summer wardrobe during the winter. I know that’s not realistic. But you can totally wear white pants any time of year, even in the winter, as long as you alter your look based on the season. As like as you winterize the outfit, you can’t go wrong.  Here’s how I wear white in the Winter:

how to wear white pants in winterThe key in how to wear white jeans now in the Winter is to, well,  winterize the look. Rather than wear a light blouse with your white pants as you might in the spring or summer, keep the look cold-weather friendly with a thick sweater. Stick to winter hues as well, like neutrals or jewel tones, to (show the world you know how to) keep the look season appropriate. It’s also important to have a sturdy pair … >> find out more…

Amanda Holstein

Blogger at Advice from a Twenty Something, Amanda Holstein lives in San Francisco, CA where she writes her modern advice column for the everyday, stylish girl. She’s not your high-fashion guru, she’s your friend who knows about the sale at Madewell and who’ll actually tell you if that shirt doesn’t look good on you (someone needs to, right?). Besides blogging, Amanda works full-time at Federated Media Publishing, helping some of her favorite online publishers do what they love.

by Stephanie Gerber

How to make a jeweled collared necklace

DIY Jeweled Collar Necklace

Here’s how to make a jeweled collar necklace: find a picture of your favorite expensive collared necklace, then go make one of your own for five thousand dollars less.  Easy as pie.

Have you jumped on the collar necklace trend? Yep, I’ve tried a peter pan version and even a chain one. But not long ago I was ohhing and ahhing over a Kate Spade necklace that was shaped like a triangle, like the points of a shirt collar. What a fun shape! Lucky for me (and you!) it’s easy to DIY your own.

Here’s the how to make your own jeweled collared necklace:

DIY Collar Necklace

This necklace won’t break the bank either because you only need a few basic materials.

Supplies for collared necklace:

  • Black felt
  • Plastic gems – mine are from the scrap-booking section!
  • Black ribbon
  • Jewel glue

DIY Necklace with scrapbooking gems

First decide how you want the necklace to look like (see above Kate Spade), and what colors you want. I went with black and clear gems because black and white is a huuuuge trend right now. But a single color, neon or even emerald would all look great. You can easily customize your colors by painting the gems with nail polish, (that’s … >> find out more…

Stephanie Gerber

Stephanie Gerber is a mother of 3 who writes for pretty mommies on a budget. She shares stylish and crafty adventures on her blog Henry Happened.

by Allison

Boy and girl Spring fashion savings

Grab your girl, your favorite boy, it’s time for some serious Spring shopping.  Even though my part of the world has me waist-deep in snow with a forecast of snow and a blizzard on top, I’m dreaming of Spring.

I’m always, always dreaming of Spring.

Hey guys, a reminder about the Old Navy Kid Spring sale:  it’s still on until 2/24 so hurry up and get your shop on!

boy & girl spring fashion

Girls Pop Color Skinny Jeans / Cut Out Faux Leather Sandals / Tie Belt Pocket Dresses / Girls Lace Up Sneakers / Girls Raglan Sleeve Jersey Tops / Skinny Faux Leather Belt / Girls Printed Jersey Leggings / Girls Embellished Sunglasses / Girls Polka Dot Bow Tie Headbands
boy spring clothes

Since Spring feels far away (I think the groundhog is a big, fat liar) I’m going to have to be content with doing some shopping.  That sort of thing is always dependable.  Plus, Old Navy is having a mega-sale for the littles and now is a great time to stock up.  That way, when Spring actually rolls around, (I’ll believe it when I see it) you don’t waste any precious time indoors.

I put together a few outfit ideas for the little boy

… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Stephanie Gerber

DIY bracelet with old brooches tutorial

Today: old brooches turned into a DIY bracelet tutorial for your Wednesday, just the way you like it.

DIY Bracelet with Old BroochesAn old box full of beautiful brooches sits on my dresser, most of them inherited from my mother and grandmother. Almost every day I look at them and think, ‘I really should wear those more often.’ And then because they don’t match or I’m worried the kids will pull at them, I throw on a bracelet (either sequins or studs) instead.

When I saw this pretty Anthropologie bracelet I had an epiphany – I should be wearing my old brooches as bracelets; they definitely add a touch of glam to a basic bracelet and I knew a bracelet would be so easy to make so I created this DIY tutorial so you can make your own old (grandma inherited) brooch bracelet.

Anthropologie Bracelet Tutorial

Supplies for a DIY bracelet tutorial with old brooches:

  • A cuff bracelet. Chances are you have one of these on hand. If not, you can get a cheap one at any craft store.
  • Ribbon. You can make a couple of bracelets out of a yard.
  • A sparkly old (or new) brooch. One you don’t mind removing the backing from.
  • Glue

    • … >> find out more…

Stephanie Gerber

Stephanie Gerber is a mother of 3 who writes for pretty mommies on a budget. She shares stylish and crafty adventures on her blog Henry Happened.

by Allison

How to make your own strawberry facial

Learn to make your own strawberry facial; it’s what separates the women from the girls.  What separates the ladies from the gents, and … I’m all out of clever and it wasn’t even that great.  That’s it folks, nothing to see here!

DIY strawberry face maskBut seriously, let’s talk about how to make your own facial: a strawberry one at that.  I love me a good DIY facial, and this one is fantastic.  You only need three ingredients to whip up this face mask and it is so deliciously fabulous for your skin.  Strawberries are filled to the brim with healthy antioxidants, vitamin C, and salicylic acid (found in good acne creams) and let’s face it: strawberries make a girl feel nice and pampered.  Don’t they?  Is it just me?

Strawberries remind me of champagne, which although I don’t drink, feels glamorous, and feeling glamorous reminds me of a spa.  And when there’s a spa, there’s probably a facial.

If you give a mouse a cookie he’s going to ask for some milk, and if you give a girl a strawberry, she’s going to ask for a facial.

(mad props to Laura Numeroff for keeping me entertained at story-time)

DIY strawberry face mask

Alright, enough … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Stephanie Gerber

Make your own DIY kiss stamped jeans

You can make your own DIY kiss jeans, did you know?  I’m all about learning how to make my own inexpensive DIY versions of awesome stuff, and these jeans are no exception.

Read on to learn how to make a pair of your own.

DIY Kiss Stamped Jeans

Most of the time February is all about hearts and flowers. But my favorite part is the hugs and kisses. For one day, it’s allowed – encouraged! – to shower the people you love with affection.

Ok, the chocolate is important too. Every holiday needs a dose of chocolate. You can show you someone you love them with a Whitmans Sampler, right?

DIY Jeans

But back to kisses. I recently saw a fun pair of kiss stamped jeans online and thought how fun they would be to make. Wearing more prints definitely takes your outfit up a notch. Sort of like wearing your heart on your sleeve … only it’s your lips on your pants. Same thing really.

And you know what’s great? Unlike hearts and flowers, you can wear these pants long after the holiday craziness has passed.

DIY Jeans with Kiss Stamps

how to stamp jeans

To make your own DIY kiss jeans, you need:

Stephanie Gerber

Stephanie Gerber is a mother of 3 who writes for pretty mommies on a budget. She shares stylish and crafty adventures on her blog Henry Happened.

by Allison

How to get the Downton Abbey style

Style mavens do you know how to get Downton Abbey style?  I’m sure you’ve heard of Downton Abbey by now:  the British period drama (my favorite kind!) about some upstairs aristocrats + downstairs servants on a gorgeous country estate in England and all the surrounding drama at the turn of the century?  No? 

It’s AMAZING.  So juicy.

how to downton style

With all the hubbub about the show I’ve been thinking about all the onscreen style.  It’s hard to miss.  Sir Matthew Crawley dresses like a proper gentleman complete with a hat for every outfit (swoon) and Lady Mary dresses for dinner every night in elbow length gloves and pearls.  I can’t get enough, I really can’t.

I put together a fashion board of Downton style: 1920′s, elegant, lacy, ladylike fashion, fancy, white-gloved, post WWI fashion.  Here are the pieces how to get the Downton Abbey style (aristocrat version):

  • 1 part fancy ankle length dress with lace detailing
  • Pearls, natch
  • Fur stole, (for the English weathers)
  • Bejeweled hair piece and/or bracelet
  • Art deco clutch or purse
  • Simple T-strap heels
  • Sneer

Mix all those up, add a dose of sass and an air of superiority and you’ve got yourself a perfect Lady Mary Grantham.  I … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.