Today is a special day because The Closet by Christie is celebrating our 100th post! I would love to take a trip down memory lane and recall our humble beginnings from our launch on January 13th, but this isn’t about me- it’s about you! So here’s a special post, made with love for you, about DIY fashion! 

Whenever I have a special event that I’m really looking forward to, my first thought is always ‘what should I wear?’ This event was no different- I was going to the Taylor Swift RED concert! Taylor Swift is such a beautiful person, inside and out, and I absolutely love her Red album so once I heard about the tour, I knew I had to go. Now to the outfit- I had been wanting to make a jewel-collared top for a while and a special event deserves an extra special look. So what better time than now! Want to learn to make your own? Here’s how!

The first step is to get a collared top. I recommend a sleeveless chambray top because it’s a huge trend and the jewels really dress-up the top. I love that contradiction of a casual top jazzed up with big jewels! The options of sleeveless chambray tops are endless; almost every store carries several styles. I chose to get mine at Target from their new FEED USA line because I figured if I was going to buy it, it might as well serve a larger purpose. The top I bought provides 20 meals to those that need it!  

Next, you’ll need to get assorted rhinestones and jewels along with a special glue. I bought these supplies from Michael’s, my favorite craft store. I got several packages of different sized iridescent rhinestones and gems and red rhinestone and jewel stickers (meant for scrapbooking). I decided to get much more than I needed so I could play with sizes and designs. For the glue, I asked a store attendant to assist me with picking out one that would work well. I have heard of other fashionistas using Quick Grip, however, I chose Jewel-It because it’s specifically designed for bedazzling and it is said to hold even after washing.

The last step is to put it all together! Lay out your shirt on a hard surface and begin placing rhinestones and jewels on the collar. I positioned them in a style similar to mosaics, whereas there’s little (if any) space between them. You’ll need a combination of different shapes and sizes to achieve this and it takes a lot of patience. Most importantly, plan ahead- you’ll need to allow your new top to dry for at least 24-hours before wearing. And… voila!

Enjoy your new jewel-collared top!