monday morning quarterback: t-shirts revamped

due to the nightmare flu i had last week, i could barely stop groaning long enough to open my eyes, much less look at a computer, so i went a little m.i.a. right after the launch of monday morning quarterback. it was not good timing, but here we are today to get you back on track for this upcoming weekend...

our last mmq post showed you where to find classy and feminine gameday dresses, but today we'll show you a few more economical ideas. learn to transform the free extra-large shirt given out at last year's basketball game, that old t-shirt you just can't imagine getting rid of, or even a tee from the zoology department's 1995 social event you picked up at goodwill on a whim. all of the above make good starting-off points for designing your own revamped and one-of-a-kind gameday jerseys.

i created a few of my own with old fsu and uf shirts belonging to my boyfriend, sister and me, and as long as you have a t-shirt, a pair of scissors and an imagination you can do it too.

this first strapless style is the easiest, and one i made a lot in college. just take a t-shirt, large or small, and cut it straight across (or a bit rounded in the front like i did) from the bottom of one sleeve to the other. then cut a small diamond shape in the center of back of the shirt (the sides of the diamond should be about 2-3 inches long). this will leave two points at the top that you can knot together in the back based on how tight you need the shirt to fit. sew or pin a flower or other embellishment to the shirt if you want and you're finished! my sister didn't want to go braless with the shirt, but since it's so low in the back she decided to wear it over an orange tube bathing suit top, which actually looked really cute (even though it was gator colors).

my next two didn't come out as good as i'd hoped, but i thought i'd share anyway in case they inspire other ideas for you. for the fsu shirt, i cut the sleeves completely off at an angle toward the neck line and then cut from one sleeve seam to the other only in the back to make a halter-style top. i left part of the folded neck seam attached so i could string a piece of leather through as a fun seminole-inspired accessory to tie around my neck, and also attached feathers to the end (a string of pearls would work too for you girls in the southern states). unfortunately the original shirt i used was a little big for this style to fit me and i felt myself holding it up with my arms, so make sure you start with a tighter shirt if you make your own.

the next uf style is cute, but mine came out a bit childish-looking. i got the idea from the book generation t: 108 ways to transform a t-shirt, which a co-worker who obviously knows me well bought for me as a secret santa present a couple years back (fyi...it's a great gift for anyone who wishes she could be a designer, but doesn't quite have the artistic background to back the dream). i simply cut the sleeves off in a straight line, and then cut from the top of one shoulder to the other. i poked holes about 1 inch apart along the shoulders and then laced a ribbon (shoe laces and extra t-shirt material also work) through the holes much like you would a shoelace and tied it at the end.

my last idea is my favorite and the only one that required sewing, but fabric glue could also work. to start, i used a tight black tee that had a graphic previously destroyed in the wash. since i liked the fit and didn't want to cut it up or throw it away, i cut and sewed a seminole head from another t-shirt to the bottom of this tee. when making your own, note that it's ok if you see the thread, i think it actually adds to the charm. i then used strips of material from another re-worked shirt that didn't come out so hot, and sewed the pieces together in a way that mimics the folded paper fans you made as a kid. once sewn onto the shirt, the extra fabric gave it a ruffle effect, which is definitely "in" right now.

now your turn. use this as a guide to re-create your own styles, and feel free to comment if you take photos of your own designs that i can post to the blog!

clothes for bros: nike id

clothes for bros - a spin off of brooke's clothing line name from "one tree hill," but a completely different meaning. men have style too, you know.

so if you were this guy, what would you wear?


ew, gators, i know. but my good friend and my sister's best friend, jon, is looking to us prêt-à-porter girls (and guys!) for fashion advice, so even though he kicks for uf i gotta lend a hand.



he bought the sweet twisted sister shirt shown above from 80stees.com, and through nike's fun "create your own" web site - nikeid.com - is trying to pick out just the right shoe design to match. what do you think?

or...

i personally like the second option because even with the touch of pink and silver, they're mainly black and still masculine. i want to give him a broad opinion though, so list your comments below!

the rise of converse...again

pete wentz and kristen stewart may have caused the recent spread of chuck taylors, but converse sneakers have been alive and 'kicking' since 1908. from basketball, badminton and world war II, to 80s concert stages, twilight sets and even the red carpet, these rubber sneaks have been everywhere.

i bought my purple chucks for $20 on a whim in hot topic about five years ago. it may have merely been an exchange for a gift, but that is still one of the best shoe purchases i've made to this day (considering the heels, sandals and running shoes practically falling out of my closet right now, this is a huge statement).

they added style to my uniform at my college restaurant job. while other students wore rainbows and crocs they helped me pass as a brit during my six weeks in london. and last week they protected my feet from the dirt and rain at the no doubt/paramore concert at the cruzan amphitheatre...which is when i realized...my old shoes helped me fit right in with all the high schoolers! (if my gossip girl and twilight obsession didn't already do that for me...)

my bright plum shoes, which i wore with a long, baggy grey tank and black leggings, stood out among the sea of black converse. check out this other stand-out pair i found on an unsuspecting concert-goer...

if, like me, you are not a fan of those, check out three other options converse offers: the chuck taylor all star slip in conch shell, chuck taylor all star double tongue in blue & yellow bee print or the jack purcell ltt in white & navy seersucker print, all of which are perfect to match a colorful j.crew outfit on a summer day in palm beach. there's a fun make-your-own section on the converse web site you'll want to check out too.

converse also works with target now on some cheaper options of the choice sneaks. my vote is for the converse one star oxford, but definitely steer clear of the mary janes and wedges, which i can guarantee will not be emerging on the feet of our favorite vamps or other celebs.

which converse pattern/style fits your personality? are you a pink & purple checkered low-top girl, or a are you craving the ozzy-inspired, buckled jack purcells?

fab find: 30% off ralph lauren rugby line

for girls (and guys) who are feeling sporty but stylish, consumers can receive 30 percent off ralph lauren rugby apparel online or in stores until apr. 14 with this coupon i found on sun-sentinel's shop-o-matic blog: http://tinyurl.com/cwfabp.


i hadn't known too much about this specific line until yesterday, but i am liking it! a lot of the colorful polos and vests remind me of what naomi was wearing on "90210" this week and last, and some of the dresses and blazers remind me of blair's prep school-chic style on "gossip girl" (yes, i'm addicted to the teen dramas on the cw, but in my defense, they have great wardrobes!).

possibly even cooler than the seersucker pinafores, fleece hoodie dresses and ruffled silk jackets is the "make your own" section. though you're not really making your own and there aren't as many options as other brands that offer this feature, it is pretty fun to choose your own victory crest, south african flag or even a hot pink skull to add to your colored tunic.

Try it out: http://www.rugby.com/makeyourown/.