The Cheap Girl

‘Tis getting warm again! The weather has been beautiful here in Toronto. Warm, mild and sunny. I am very happy that summer is coming. I am keeping my fingers crossed and I hope that we don’t receive a last minute present from winter in the form of a blizzard!

So now that the spring/summer styles are out, I am sure that we are all excited to show off our new frocks for this season. Flirty summer dresses, sexy open-toed shoes, pretty tanks and skirts might be a tad too bare to wear in this transitional weather.

I found this video from WhoWhatWear that talks about how to incorporate your current wardrobe with the upcoming season’s trends.

Here are 2 basic looks that they talk about:

It’s all about the layers

Wear the summer dress in the spring with a blazer, cardigan, or jacket along with tights.

Wear tights with open-toed summer heels.

COLOURS

Instead of choosing basic black accessories, go for the colours of the season.

See the video below:

Give an old pair of jeans a second chance and get the the look of distressed jeans on a budget. This project is quite simple but needs a lot of patience and frequent re-washing until you get the look that is desired.

You will need:

An old pair of jeans
Sandpaper
Cardboard Knife
A cheese grater
Nail File
Blade
A piece of wood to go under
Q-tips or an eye shadow applicator
Bleach

See the video below for instructions:

As much as I love the look of suits it is always nice to have other stylish options for office wear/interviews.

The options presented below are stylish, professional and modern. I love how they added a corporate feel to a  simple dress by just adding a blazer.

Some style tips from the video:

Clothes that are perfectly tailored to your body (regardless of the price) look expensive.
Flats and open-toed shoes are a big faux pas for interviews.
Accessorize and give life to an old dress by adding a belt.
If you don’t own a blazer, a cardigan can be used in its place.
Keep jewelry subtle and tasteful.

Watch the video below:

I am looking to add belts in my wardrobe. I have a couple of skinny belts but that’s about it. My concern with belts from a petite fashion perspective is that they tend to break up the silhouette. That being said I am thinking of getting a basic black belt (I’ll probably take it from T’s closet) and a wider belt with embellishments.

The video below shows a few options on how to wear belts. It basically explains how to take a basic shift dress to a new level by giving it a fresh look with a belt. I really like the leather and chain belt that they used and the cardigan/thin belt look is so cute!

Fashion tip: It is not always necessary to match your belt with your shoes.

Take a peek inside Jessica Stams’s closet.

Get the most out of your closet with these tips.

The super hot Canadian supermodel recommends white t-shirts, flannels, raiding your family’s closet, turning old jeans into jean shorts, and bag swaps.

I like everything that she mentioned except for the flannel suggestion (ick!).

How to Create a Shrug

Here is something that you can do to an old sweater. It looks fairly simple and easy enough to make.

The actual video starts at the 5:00 minute mark.

{If you’re reading this via email, please watch the video on The Cheap Girl website}

All About Leeks

I love leeks. The vegetable has so much flavour and it goes well with almost everything. I went to a party once where the host served shaved leeks that were lightly fried as a side dish to grilled beef.  It was quite lovely.

This video features French author Mireille Guiliano (French Women Don’t Get Fat) on her favourite ways of serving leeks.

Bon apetit!

{If you’re reading this via email, please click on the title to view the video}

I found this video from Elle Girl that shows you how to update an item of clothing with a tie dye technique. The host and her guest work with a plain white shirt dress and apply 2 colours in tie dye fashion. It’s super easy and it looks like a lot of fun.  Tie dye is not really my thing. It’s too flower child/bohemian for my taste. But I loved how they paired it in the end with a classic black blazer and a slouchy belt to give it instant chic. I might actually try it.

Image: timeinc.net

Tie Dye Tips

- To keep the look classy and chic, make sure that the item fits you well (if not, use a belt for a slouchy modern look)

- Pair with subdued and classic accessories. Designer duds work. Anything too loud will compete with the funky pattern of your dress.