It’s a little circle of love up in here.

Fashion, at it’s core, is all about constant recreation and re-invention. It’s a continuously evolving way to recreate wearable arts & crafts. Yes, many trends are timeless and never go out of style (I see you, Little Black Dress), but most trends are just re-thought styles of the past.

And right now everyone is re-thinking and re-styling 80s trends and glam rock. Neon is everywhere; you can’t go anywhere without seeing leather leggings; embellished boots have made a kick-ass comeback; and my ultimate favorite, embellished Michael Jackson inspired t-shirts, can make any girl feel like a smooth criminal (OK, so not actually a criminal, but they will make you feel pretty bad ass).

And you can make those bad ass shirts all by yourself! Here’s an easy and money-savvy way to rock the MJ inspired look without breaking the bank!

What You’ll Need:

Old plain t-shirt: You probably have an extra shirt lying around. If not, pick up a pack of plain undershirts at Target or any craft store for just a few bucks!
Tip: Use any color and style shirt you want, but white and black are the most MJ-esque and look the best with added embellishments.

Fabric glue: Find this at any craft store. For best results use fabric glue designed especially for gluing gemstones and other embellishments to fabric.
FYI: If you’re a natural born sewer, this project can be also be done by sewing, eliminating the need for fabric glue. But if you’re like me and end up pricking yourself with needles and therefore stay as far away from them as possible, fabric glue will work just fine.

Silver, Black, and Gold Embellishments: These will be for the shoulder area of your t-shirt. Packs of medium/and large rhinestones, chain, beads, sequin appliques, and other silver embellishments will make your shirt rockglamchic.

2 Fabric patches: Pick up 2 small pieces of fabric (in the same color as the shirt color you’ve chosen) from the same craft store you’re already at for everything else. These will be placed on the shoulders, so you’ll want to grab sizes (or cut your fabric to size) according to how big you want you want your embellished piece to be. You will glue (or sew) your embellishments to these pieces of fabric, which will later be sewn onto the shirt.

Shoulder pads: If you dare….

Needle and Thread: Same thread color as your shirt choice.

What You’ll Do:

1. Wash your shirt first. Nobody likes crafting with dirty clothes!

2. Cut your fabric piece to the right size and shape (I recommend having a friend help trace the size of your shoulder), then glue (or sew) your embellishments onto your two fabric patches in any design or pattern that you want, using your fashion glue. Let dry!

3. Sew (or glue if sewing really isn’t your thang) on your now-embellished fabric pieces onto the shoulders of your t-shirt. If you’re daring and want a true 80s silhouette, this is where you also sew those shoulder pads into the inside of the t-shirt.

4. That was easy as 1-2-3… literally. You’re done! Work it, baby! You can dress up your shirt by tucking it into a skirt or pairing it with leggings and heels, or go casual and wear it with jeans.

P4CM, a.k.a Passion for Christ Movement, an organization that (duh) is all about religion and serving Jesus, just launched a new line of tees to inspire people to free themselves through God.The tees announce to the world that the wearer has rid him or herself of poor habits and choices that are frowned upon by God. Things like being a diva, being a hypocrite, and being a slave.

Or, being a masturbator?

Yeah….their latest design, the “Ex-Masturbator” t-shirt,  addresses the question: Is masturbation seen as a good thing through God’s eyes? (Editor’s Note: I don’t care – it’s a great thing through my eyes!) And I think that’s great; really, I do. Everyone has a right to express themselves (and the things they do under the covers when they are alone at night) on a t-shirt, but I am just not sure people will rock this shirt with any sincerity.

I mean, how many guys do you know that are Ex-masturbators? Hell, how many guys do you know that can last longer than a day without doing it?

Ze-ro.

I’m not saying that no one is going to buy the shirt; in fact, I am pretty sure those things will sell out. I’m just confident that it won’t be actual “Ex-Masturbators” rocking the tees, but rather dopey fratboys on college campuses nationwide trying to get a few laughs…and into a girls pants for some truly sinful activities.

And I’m pretty sure that’s not what P4CM had in mind…

In other words, I know American Apparel.

Their stores are chock full of ridiculous things I would never wear, but they also happen to carry some seriously awesome essentials. You may have to pick through the sparkly unitards to find em, but they are most definitely worth the work. Don’t know what to look for? That’s why I am here.

I give you: The Best Things (EVER) at American Apparel.

1. The Vest

I bought the vest last summer and it’s still around. I remember the sales guy and I agreeing that the vest was “smart.” The vest is reversible and goes well with just about everything and is an easy way to spice up a rather boring ensemble. I pair it with a fitted tank, skinny jeans, flats and some bangles. Simple and stylin’ cuz that’s how I roll.

2. The Intimate

When a co-worker rocked a strapless top I asked her how she kept the ladies up so nicely. Everyone knows it’s hard to find a great strapless bra. She told me it was American Apparel! Yup. So I went shopping and bought three. The bandeau top layrs nicely under any kind of shirt and comes in more colors than your bag of Skittles. Just don’t jump/dance too hard or your support will ends up around your waist.

3. The Dress

The Sheer Jersey Bandeau Dress is pretty much amazing. There really is no other way to describe it. This thing can be worn a billion different ways! (They even have a video to teach you all the snazzy things you can do with it.) Really, this dress is like 15 dresses in one, which means anyone can wear it for any occassion. Genius, I tell you. GENIUS!

4. The T-Shirt

In morning you can fight with your boyfriend over who wears this one. The Unisex Tri-Blend Short Sleeve tee is soo comfortable and yet still sexy. The deep v-neck gives intrigue to the eye and the loose fit shows off curves while leaving something to the imagination. You can take this thing from class straight to the club! To say I am obsessed is a major understatement.

5. The Legging

I didn’t want to put the American Apparel leggings on this list, but due to the fact that I am currently wearing them, I realize that they had to make the cut. Leggings can be stylish or functional, so they are a definite closet necessity. And with the awesome three pack, you can stock up for super cheap.

Watch the dollars when you shop at American Apparel, they go quickly! And if you’re shopping online, the sizes tend to run a little small, but I think that’s the point.