Peacock Costume DIY

{Madame Peacock}

 Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! Let me start off by saying that this post is so late already but it is one of my favorite holidays, so better late than never, right?  I chose a Peacock this year because I love the colors and the design of the feathers. To me, Peacocks are such glamorous birds! And I-love-glamor!
Originally, it was my full intention to go all out  because last year I threw on some cat ears and a tail and called it a night. It ended up that I was in the process of finalizing some moving plans, so I ran out of time to do something super elaborate. It did turn out so cute though! Read below on some tips on how to make your own Peacock costume!

Peacock Costume Inspirations

www.halloweencostumes.com $199.99 (yikes!)

Fredrick's of Hollywood Mask $59

Super cool peacock eye make-up!

Had I purchased the exact costume and mask I wanted, I would have ended up spending over $250. Last I checked, I still haven't won the lottery. My hand-made costume ended up costing me approximately $30. I already had a black corset & fishnet thigh-highs previously purchased from Fredrick's of Hollywood years ago and I also had  ruffle bloomers from Hot Topic.

Peacock Mask How To:

I purchased the following supplies from Michael's: 

• 1 peacock feather pick (not shown in picture)
• 1 set of black masks (3 pack)
• 1 spool black ribbon trim
• 1 box of multi-colored and sized gems
• 2 glitter glues (silver and black with green)
• A bag of small black feathers
• Glue Sticks for my glue gun

1. I started off by drawing the outline for the shape of the mask I wanted and then cutting. You can't tell in the picture, but the eye holes were too far apart for my eyes so I also had to cut the holes wider and in the shape that I wanted. 
2. I then glued the ribbon trim (you can use fancier trim if you want to pay extra) around the outer edge of the mask with my glue gun.
3. I strategically placed and glued 6 white medium sized gems to the mask.
4. I removed the elastic head wrap and used the ribbon trim instead because it was prettier and I could adjust the tightness. 
5. With the silver glitter glue, I outlined the gems and drew wavy lines across the top and bottom of the mask. It was a little too silver so I then followed up with the black/green glitter glue over the silver but in a thinner coat. I also placed small consecutive glitter does on the actual ribbon trim to make it more glamorous. I set aside the mask to let it dry.
6. The peacock feather pick I purchased was beautiful and already in perfect shape to be placed on the side of the mask. I embellished it with some additional (about 4) black feathers that I glued to the front and of the pick. I cut the extra wiring off and glued the pick to a barrette that I had. I wanted the peacock feather pick to also be a hair piece that could be removed from the mask and placed in my hair when I got sick of wearing the mask. I finally glued on large aqua blue gem to the bottom of the pick so you couldn't see the wire and to add a little more sparkle.
7. When everything was dry I clipped the peacock barrette to my mask and voila!

Tutu How To:

Tutus are so EASY and fun to make! I just followed this simple tutu tutorial from the Idea Room. Spools of tulle and elastic can be purchased at Michael's or Joann's. I purchased 3 spools: black, black sparkly, and olive green organza (not tulle). 

Tail Feathers How To:

1. Peacock feathers are easy to find at craft stores such as Joann's and Michael's. I purchased a set of 5 single feathers from one Michael's and then when I realized they were too sparse,  I went out to get more. I found an awesome bunch of  peacock feathers on a large pick at another Michael's, so I bought 2 of those bunches and 2 small green feather picks that matched but were not peacock style. 
2. I used left over tulle on the spool and measured out enough that I could tie around my waist. I used a glue gun to glue the feathers in a fan-like shape onto the tulle so they would stay up and then I could wrap around my body. I glued the feather to the middle of the tulle so I could tie the loose ends together around my waist. Tip: If I could do it again, i would not fan them out as much because at the party, people were accidentally bending or breaking my feathers if they got to close. You can also add feathers to your corset or around the top of your corset for a more detailed look.

End Result:

Shake a tail feather!

Happy Halloween!

Chic {Easy} Hair Styles

I decided that I have long BOR-ING hair. I just dyed it to an ombresque hair color (dark roots and honey blond at the bottom), as noted that I would in a previous post. It's dark; a little darker than I'm used to but for the fall/winter months, I love! 
The hair details: The roots are the color of my natural hair. There are 3 semi-permanent colors in my hair from top to bottom, so it will fade into a lighter Ombre look and so there are less obvious transition lines.  Did I mention that I don't have to color my hair for months and months and months?! Talk about low maintenance, recession-proof, and restoring your hair!

Sorry for the bad quality picture where I cut off the part of the photo with my roots. But I'm challenged when taking iPhone self-portraits.

The blonder me, in a pic with my husband.

My new Ombre color!

On the topic of 'Chic Hair', I was searching for some new & easy hair dos because frankly, I'm over the plain pony tail, pinned back  bangs and side braids. How about these fabulous & EASY hair styles...? yay! Perfect for upcoming holidays too!

Romantic Chignon & How To Video

{Source: www.everythingfab.com}

Side Chignon

{Jordan Ferney via Pinterest}

Whimsically Tied Back

{The Living Room Salon Blog}

Create a deep side part and tease the crown area for a little volume. Grab sections from the lowest part of your front hairline (near your ears). Braid, rope, or twist them back. Tie it off with a clear elastic.

Messy Side Pony

{The Living Room Salon Blog}

1. Start with day-old hair…meaning it’s been a day since you’ve washed it. (If you must wash your hair, then use a volumizing spray to add oomf; and if your hair is oily, use a dry shampoo to build body and texture.) Now make a deep side part on one side of your hair. You can use a rat-tail comb to get an extra straight part.
2. Backcomb the top quarter of your hair. Basically, brush the hair downwards toward your scalp so it’s sort of frizzy and can stand on its own.
3. Gently brush the very top layer of your hair to make it smooth on the top. That way, all the backcombing will be hidden under the layer that you brushed. Still, don’t brush too much, you want it a little messy.
4. Take the entire backcombed section and pin it behind your head. To make it secure, place the bobby pins in an “X.”
5. Now take all your hair and put it in a low ponytail at the nape of your neck. Tighten the rubber band as tight as you can. This will help “push” your hair up, creating more volume at the top.
5. You can either leave the rubber band exposed, or hide it by taking a small half-inch section of hair from the ponytail and wrapping it around the rubber band. Take a small bobby pin and pin the hair to the rubber band.
6. Rough up the ponytail with your fingers to match the texture at the top of your hair. Use the same motion as you did to back comb, but use your fingers instead, since this will create a messy texture but will be softer and gentler than using a comb. Remember, this look isn’t about perfection; it looks best slightly messy.

For more inspiration, check-out Allure's "10 Hottest New Fall Hair Trends for 2011".