Ten head-turning pairs of earrings you can easily make at home.

A pair of great earrings can pull together a look like nothing else. We love how they can transform a simple outfit from borderline boring to head-turning in a pinch. Instead of spending tons of money on these baubles, get out some basic tools and make them yourself. Here are ten great pairs of earrings you can easily make at home.

Fabric Button Earrings
A bit of a throwback to the 80s, these cute button earrings can be customized with any fabric – to match your outfit or not. All you need is fabric, earring backs, a button cover kit, hot glue, pliers and this tutorial by Casa de Lewis. You may just end up making a whole bunch.

Friendship Hoop Earring
You’ve heard of friendship bracelets, perhaps you’ve even tried making them. But friendship earrings? Brilliant. In this tutorial, P.S. I Made This shows you how to turn a pair of plain hoop earrings into colorful statement pieces. We think these would make excellent gifts for your girlfriends too.

Hammered Metal Earrings
People will be amazed when you tell them that you actually made these gorgeous hammered metal earrings. They do require a bit more work than some, but it’s really very doable following these instructions by My Girlish Whims. The most intense tools you will need are a hammer, hole punch, and anvil.

Prada-inspired Rose Earrings
Some of the standout pieces of Prada‘s spring jewelry collection were necklaces, bracelets, brooches and earrings featuring large resin flowers and crystals. They’re retro and feminine and surprisingly easy to wear. Learn how to make a pair in this tutorial by Honestly WTF. (Also learn how to make those Dolce & Gabbana pasta earrings here.)

Dangly Gem Earrings
For your next cocktail party, there’s no need to spend money on fancy accessories – just make a pair of bright, sparkly gem earrings. This simple DIY tutorial on the M&J blog, created by Thanks, I Made It shows you how to make these beauties using sew-on gems in colors that capture the oceanic and pastel trends of the season.

Hex Nut Earrings
Hex nuts are one of the DIY movement’s secret weapons, simply because they have so many uses. You would never guess this pair of dangly earrings were made from hardware store supplies. Letandas will show you how to make them, using just a few basic tools.

Paperclip & String Earrings
Ever thought you could make a pair of stylish earrings from a humble paperclip and string? Well, you can, following this great tutorial by Evie S. We think this would be a great project for a slow day at the office.

Tassel Knot Chain Earrings
These are so ridiculously easy to make there’s no reason you should ever buy them in the store. Learn the tricks from Glitter and Glue and let your inner disco diva out.

Feather Earrings
I think we all have a hippie chick somewhere inside, and what better way to let her out than to sport some major feather earrings? What we particularly like about these, by The Coveted, are that they use wire instead of beads and pre-made clasps to attach the earwire. Make them simple and black, like these, or crazy and colorful – you can use any kind of feathers.

Antique Copper Rose Earrings
Created with little more than pliers and wire, these earrings have serious closet staple potential. House of Avandan gives you step by step instructions on how to make them. We give them serious bonus points for teaching us how to make earwires and how to antique copper – it’s easier than you think.

See Also:

10 DIY Bracelets You Can Make This Weekend

DIY: 10 Things to do With an Old T-Shirt

DIY: 10 Summer Shorts You Can Make At Home

Top photo by Honestly WTF

The post DIY: 10 Statement Earrings You Can Totally Make appeared first on EcoSalon.

Ten great DIY printed summer shorts you can easily make at home.

Summer time is shorts time. Hot days and warm nights means you won’t have to wear pants for at least another few months. Cute print shorts are all the rage this season, and you can channel that trend without breaking the bank. Just get out some basic tools and make a few of these great summer shorts.

Scarf Print Shorts
This is the more summery version of the pajama pant (which will be all the rage this fall). You can easily make a great-looking pair of scarf print shorts from a vintage scarf and just a few basic tools. Find out how in this simple tutorial from a pair & a spare.

American Flag Shorts
Yes, I know it’s almost been a month since Independence Day, but I am still kind of stuck on American flag motifs (and I don’t think I’m the only one). You can easily make a pair of stars & stripes-inspired denim cutoffs using little more than fabric paint and tape – Ascot Friday will show you how. Show some American pride and wear them while cheering on your favorite athletes in the Olympics.

Leopard Print Shorts
Leopard print shorts have definitely hit mainstream this season, and I understand why, because they do strangely kind of go with everything. There’s no need to shell out big bucks for a pair, though, Cameo Blog shows you how to easily make a pair of these using just paper, an x-acto knife, a fabric pen (and a little bit of skill).

Cheetah Print Short
If leopard just isn’t your kind of print, try another wildcat, maybe a cheetah? It’s a little more unexpected. These ones are even faster and easier to make, as demonstrated by Mr. Kate.

Victorian Shorts
For a more romantic, sweeter take on the printed shorts trend, try making a pair from victorian fabric, following this tutorial from Trash to Couture. There’s a bit of sewing involved, but you’ll base them on your favorite pair of shorts so you can be sure that they will fit perfectly. And you can totally make these from any kind of fabric – the possibilities are endless.

Ombre Dip Dye Denim Shorts
I’ve seen dip dyed shorts on virtually every fashion blog out there this summer. Needless to say, they are very easy to make at home. What we like about these by Fashionotes is that they don’t use bleach (which we all should know by now is horribly bad for both humans and the environment). Pick your colors and start dipping and dyeing.

Fabric Applique Shorts
After seeing this style of shorts with a Mexican blanket pattern, I’ve been kind of obsessed. It’s very easy: pick a pair of shorts that you love (or find them at a thrift shop) but have grown tired of and a great fabric and put them together. This tutorial by Free People shows you exactly how to do it. Again, you can do this with any fabric so get creative.

Tribal Print Shorts
Tribal patterns are very on trend right now, and the great thing is that they are meant to be sort of imperfect, which makes it a great candidate for DIY. These ones by Made in Pretoria can be made in an hour or two, and instead of bleach you can start with a lighter color and use regular fabric dye.

Dip-Dye Star-Studded Shorts
This cool pair combines three hot trends into one pair of (equally) hot shorts – dip-dyed, American-flag inspired and star-studded. What we really love is the flattering placement of the studs, and you can do very easily do just that to any pair of shorts. This video tutorial by Daniela Tabois shows you exactly how.

Tie-Dye Shorts
Oh, how we still love tie-dye, that sweet old wardrobe staple of the free-wheelin’ 60s. This dyeing technique gives you a cool pattern which may be too much for a pair of pants, but are just perfect for a pair of short shorts. This tutorial by The Signature Bow demonstrates an easy way to do this, without resorting to toxic bleach. Peace out.

See Also:

10 DIY Bracelets You Can Make This Weekend

DIY: 10 Things to do With an Old T-Shirt

DIY: 10 Statement Earrings You Can Totally Make

The post DIY: 10 Summer Shorts You Can Make At Home appeared first on EcoSalon.

In a world gone mad, shorts emerge as a hot trend and thankfully, skirts are there to save us.

You open up your summer dresser drawer and there are two pairs of worn out shorts. One pair, circa 1990, were for you used to hike a lot and wanted comfort and the other pair is what you considered “dressy” five years ago – and they’re now too tight around your belly.

You realize that while the outside sun beckons your legs for a go-around, these same two pairs of shorts are the only ones you’ve ever liked, that didn’t balloon out on the hips, squeeze your gut unmercifully or resemble a pair of cropped yoga pants. You need to replace them…but where are the replacements?

Did we happen to mention that shorts are the fun new summer trend?

Gasp, gulp, cough…

Let’s get real. It’s summer and shorts are what we are supposed to be wearing (on the beach, post surfing, hiking), but when it comes to prancing around town, this writer is going to bow out and place the shorts category alongside a strong disdain for sneakers. If I don’t have to wear them, sister, I am not.

I say bring on the skirts and a respite from calling attention to everything I don’t want to.

Here’s a list of skirts that are hip and stomach friendly:

Nau’s Out Skirt

We love Nau’s sexy spin on a utility skirt. This bold, asymmetrical linen skirt is accented by cargo pockets, a kick pleat, tab buttons and a hip-loving adjustable waistband. Organic cotton/organic linen blend.

$70

Prairie Underground’s Prairie Skirt

Prairie Underground’s fully layered and lined, 100% organic cotton voile skirt features an elastic waist, and a fun, front adjustable tie that cinches and bustles the skirt or lets it go loose.

$165

Shabd’s Citrine Strata Miniskirt

Shabd’s hand dyed, silk miniskirt distracts with individually hand-dyed geode patterns sewn with alternating bands of color

$224

Spun’s Pencil Skirt

You’ve got to have a go-to skirt and Spun’s Pencil Skirt might be that one. The elastic waist allows it to be worn comfortably on the hips or pulled up as a high-waisted style. Side seam pockets and front and back pleating add flattering details.

$74

Kaight’s Harvey Faircloth Circle Skirt

Harvey Faircloth’s circle skirt is complete “boho chic” with slanted side pockets and hitting on the natural waist. Made from vintage “Sante Fe” fabric. This skirt was made exclusively for New York City’s Kaight.

$210

Filly’s Safi Skirt

Filly’s Safi Skirt is to sweet to be true. Made from four layers of fine cotton voile gathered at the top in a band of organic jersey.

$115

Clary Sage’s Bubble Skirt

Made of organic slub jersey, this full mini skirt from Clary Sage Organics can be worn longer with the top rolled down or shorter with the top rolled up. Perfect for a tank top or fitted t-shirt.

$69.95

Stewart+Brown’s Cinch Skirt

Stewart+Brown always makes great easy skirts and their hemp Cinch Skirt is a great example of what we’re talking about. The skirt not only features a beautiful drape, it has a cinched drawstring on the hip to give a gathered effect.

$112

Popomomo’s Pocket Skirt

Popomomo always makes us feel young and ready to have fun. This high waisted Pocket Skirt has three buttons down the back for closure and of course, big pockets at sides.

$98

Image: TPWP

The post Anything But Shorts, Please appeared first on EcoSalon.

I’m going to keep this short and sweet – start taking the stairs ladies, because shorts are the new dress this summer and they are, well, short!

From the red carpets to the night clubs, shorts are heating up the scene as quickly as the rising temperatures outside.

Jessica Simpson rocked a pair of cut-offs with statement shoes and a refined blazer on a night out. Follow suit and get a pair of daisy dukes from Re Collection and a pair of jaw-dropping shoes from Calleen Cordero – where the Italian leather is vegetable dyed and the wooden bases are sourced from a sustainable forest.

Or, take your look up a notch and allow Stella McCartney to create a look that is both office and evening appropriate. Next time you are headed for a fun night out, give your little black dress a break and slip on a pair of shorts instead.

The post Spring Trend 2010: Short Stock appeared first on EcoSalon.