diy decor.

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DIY is not my strong point.
And I’m certainly no artist.
But I do like to think I can make a pretty decent collage.

I’m a sucker for just about anything that leaves me feeling a) inspired and b) girlie…

(except for scrapbooking. cringe.)

…so cut-outs from old copies of my favorite magazine fit the bill for this particular collage.
Think you want to try doing the same? All you need is old magazines, scissors, scotch tape, poster board, and about an hour of free time. Enjoy :)

What’s your favorite DIY/arts & crafts-y hobby?

hair ya go.

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Many of you have been asking about this little wave I’ve been rockin’ lately.

While it may not be the way most of our locks naturally flow, it’s actually a quite easy look to achieve.

What you’ll need:

What to do:

1. Start by blow drying your hair, making sure it’s completely dry.

2. Heat curling iron to the highest temperature.

3. Take about 1-inch chunks of your hair, and wrap hair around the outside of the curling iron (NOT opening the clasp). Hold for 10-20 seconds, depending on how well your hair usually holds curls. Continue until all of your hair is curled.

4. Spray your whole head with flexible-hold hairspray, but make sure not to use too much! You want your hair to remain soft and flowy – not crunchy looking.

5. If you’re like me and your hair doesn’t do a great job with holding curls, you can seal the deal by putting it up in a ballerina bun with Goody spin pins. Then when you’re ready to rock it, take the pins out and your hair will have an extra “oomph” of wave.

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I’ll leave you with the winner of the quotable giveaway:

Congrats, Julia! Please email me at gracie@girlmeetslife.com with you’re full mailing address :)

Enjoy your Friday, sweets! xoxo G

How do you usually wear your hair?
Which celebrity’s hair do you wish you had? (I’ll take Blake Lively’s, please&thankyou)

halloweird.

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With Halloween weekend kicking off tomorrow, I figured I should perform my due diligence of sharing my favorite costume tip with you all. You know…since I’m still in the process of compiling all 3-4 of mine…

Here’s the thing - I get really fed up seeing the same costumes year. After year. After year. And in NYC - where I already know that just about everyone is going to be dressed up as either Lady Gaga or Black Swan - I’m doing everything in my power to go against the grain. So here’s my little secret. You can take it or leave it, but I think it makes Halloween even more fun and…well, weird.

Be your alter ego.

…In other words, if you can’t decide what you want to be, just choose a costume that is the complete opposite of yourself! Sure, you could always go the route of a sexy sailor or Little Miss Muffet, but doesn’t it sound like so much more fun to dress up in whatever crazy outfit(s) you always wished you could wear??

For example, I’m quite positive that my hair is always going to be long and blonde. BORING. So on Halloween, I jump on the opportunity to wear wigs. I may or may not have gotten two this year…one of which is particularly fun…

😉

Here are some tips on being your own alter ego:

  • if you’re conservative/a girlie girl, wear head-to-toe black (i.e. the Angelina Jolie look).
  • if you’re not a girlie girl, dress up overly-feminine (i.e. a tutu’ed ballerina).
  • if you’re usually a fashionista, dress up as a geek.
  • instead of going to the Halloween costume store, search craft stores for things like ribbon, feathers, beads, etc; get creative with it!
  • get a masquerade mask and wear with an “unlike-you” dress.
  • BEST TIP: simply get a wig that is the opposite color of your hair and pair it with fun makeup and an all-black outfit.

Don’t get me wrong – if you’ve come up with a specific costume that is still fun and unique - then by all means, go for it! But I guess my point is, don’t be afraid to get just a tiny bit…weird :)

What are you being for Halloween this year?

how to host a clothing swap.

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Last Friday, a group of about 10 of us girls got together for a clothing swap.

The premise of a clothing swap is pretty simple: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. So instead of letting those clothes you never wear rot away in the back of your closet, why not see if any of your girl friends want to do a trade-off?

For the get-together, each girl brings whatever pieces of clothing she doesn’t want/could live without. You can either specifically swap one clothing item for another, but what my girlfriends and I did was set out all of the clothes and simply “shop” on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The great thing about a clothing swap is that is doesn’t have to be just about the clothes. You can make such a fun ladies night out of it! Ours was complete with laughs, good conversation, snacks, and girlie cocktails.

And the best part? All of the clothes left over after the swap were donated to Restore – an organization whose cause is to rehabilitate survivors of sex trafficking.

Here are some more tips to do a clothing swap of your own:

  • Set up each room as a different little “boutique” with similar clothing (i.e. the dress room, the jewelry area, etc.).
  • Have mirrors set up for the girls to try things on.
  • Provide a reusable bag for each girl to take her new clothes home in.
  • Put out some old fashion magazines for inspiration and to add to the “shopping” experience.
  • Take pictures! You could even do a little photo shoot of the ladies trying on their new clothes.

While we’re at it, check out my post with 10 (more) ways to be a bargainista.

Have you ever done a clothing swap? What do you usually do with clothes you no longer want?


girl meets {closet}.

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See this?

…there’s more where that came from. You see, I’m not that girl who shells out hundreds or thousands of dollars on a handful of designer clothing items. I’d much rather have tons and tons of inexpensive clothes from places like H&M, Forever 21, and the like. So, long story short…I just have a lot of clothes.

While I may be living in a city where fashion is a top priority, it’s also a city where a monthly apartment rent could sustain a small country. So in an attempt to a) save money and b) make use of the wardrobe I already have, I’m going to give myself a little challenge.

For the next 6 months, I’m not going to buy any new clothes.

(*Gulp*…did I really just type that?)

With the exception of my Halloween costume, I’m going to do my absolute best to step away from stores and boutiques and into the loving arms of my already-established closet. (Hold me to this…will you?)

One of the things I’m really excited about is experimenting with new outfits that I might not have put together otherwise. Although I don’t really take a huge interest in fashion or what’s “in” right now, I do have fun putting together looks that express my personality on any given day…

…so let’s start with today, shall we?

blouse: Urban Outfitters
sweater: B&G (which I got from a clothing swap I had with my friends last week…a post about that coming soon!)
leggings: Target
boots: Forever 21
jacket: Forever 21

How often do you go shopping? Want to join this challenge with me?!