Miss Jackson if you're nasty...DIY Halloween costume

23 Years later and this look is still kickin' ass! Crop tops never went out of style and somehow chokers are back en trend! In case you missed it, this look is from Janet Jackson's "If" music video. The song was from her 1993 album "janet." and this video solidified her sex symbol status FOREVER!! 

Because I love all things Jackson, I decided to take a stab at this iconic look (minus the smokin' abs). In true NaY form if I was going to do this, it had to be affordable and from #mycloset. Here's a list of things I bought or already owned to get the look!

The look is fairly simple, black pants, black vest, and a choker, the details are what make it stand out. The choker is Buffalo bone style jewelry usually seen on Native American garb, the vest has the same Buffalo bone accessories. Finding a vest with that same detail is nearly impossible, so I bought the 3" beads (pack of 25) and sewed them on with the same needle and thread you would use to sew in a weave (trade secrets, lol). I originally used regular thread but it wasn't strong enough and the beads kept falling off. 

In the video Janet's rocking bell bottom pants which I traded in for a pair or stretchy black jeans I already owned and instead of a chunky heeled shoe I opted for flat, knee high boots for all day comfort. I completed the look with a curly wig from the discount bin of my local beauty supply store. 

The final piece is make-up. I'm by no stretch of the imagination a make-up artist or good at following make-up tutorials, but this one by Jamie Sykes was most helpful. There's also this one by Destiny Godley which was also exceptional and recreated Miss Jackson's look for "That's the Way Love Goes".  Both Janet video's were from the same album so the make-up and styling are very similar.

Here's a list of what you'll need to pull off this look:

Choker: $7.99 ebay

Vest: $9.99 Amazon

Buffalo Bone Hair Pipe Beads: $10 Amazon

Wig: $15 local beauty supply store discount bin

Black pants: $9.99 H&M (already owned)

Black Boots

In total I spent $42.98...Not bad for a very specific costume!

NaY

Guru Gear

ICYMI (in case you missed it) Ankara fabric is trending. What was once the garment our mothers and grandmothers donned, is now an international fashion sensation. From Beyoncé to Gwen Stefani and of course yours truly, all the biggest celebrities have been spotted sporting this bright, pattern heavy African fabric.

Beyoncé

Gwen Stefani

Those of us of African descent have watched the evolution of Ankara fabric or  "Liputa" as we call it in the Democratic Republic of the Congo go from big shouldered tops with matching two layer wrap skirts (liputa), to the western standard. 

Mom

Me & My Grandma

Just about every designer is tapping into this market. Not only are African's wearing African wax prints but non African's are too. And now a relatively untapped market has been tapped...Athletic apparel!!!

Guru Gear is one of the first, if not the absolute first to make African print athletic gear. The multi color African print leggings are vibrant and capture the stylish ankara fabric look. They fit true to size with a little extra length, they hug you in all the right places (tummy & thighs) and offer four-way stretch for your comfort.

Currently they've got stretch pants for sale from $40- $55 and plan on expanding. If you want to work out in style check out the website. 

NaY

Dress Form

I'm not a seamstress, but I own a dress form and it all started as a DIY pinterest project. Like many others I troll pinterest for ideas from decorating my home to hairstyles. Two years ago pictures of Christmas tree dress forms went viral and I was fascinated! I vowed this would be my next DIY!!

When I posted this picture to my social media December 10th 2014 the caption read "Next year's Christmas tree" and I made good on that!

This was my version of the Christmas tree dress form! I loved it so much I named it "Belle", she's now part of the family people come from near and far just to lay eyes on her. She's the Rockefeller Center Tree of Queens, NY.

When I started this project the hardest part was figuring out how to make the hoop skirt. I took my curiosity to youtube to find my answer and this tutorial was the best, easiest  and free!! This one is good too!

There are plenty of others out there but they charge for the good info. If you want to save  your coins you'll have to get creative and thats what I did, I made a couple of amendments to accommodate what I had, and purchased very few new items. Unfortunately I didn't do my own tutorial...maybe this year.

After the Christmas season was over I thought "What the heck am I going to do with this thing?!" the dress form that is. I thought about selling it, but didn't want to in the event that I'd do another tree dress the following year. I'm not a seamstress so I didn't need it for that and all my seamstress friends already had dress forms. So I got creative! 

I've always secretly wished I could make my own clothes, but because I can't, I used my dress form to put together outfits I already owned and played grown up dress up!! every season I change her outfit like a store front mannequin and I rename her. Check out some of her past looks.

"Diva"

"Mbilia La Belle"

"Summer"

Like past seasons my dress form has changed clothes like Jay-Z, she's shed her warm weather duds for a cold weather frock. Meet the newest look "Misfit"

NaY