Photo: Courtesy of Bebaroque, Cocorosa 

When we saw Lady Gaga’s rhinestone studded tights on New Year’s Eve, we had flashbacks to the Miu Miu, Zac Posen, and Doo.ri tights from their fall 2009 collections. The look is back this winter as a great way to add a glam pop to any outfit.  If you’re like us, you don’t have $216 to spend on a pair of embellished tights—luckily, a tight budget’s never stopped an ELLEgirl. Whether you like your tights ripped to the point of destruction, or sweet and girlie, you can make this look work for you with our DIY guide, inspired by some of the best fashion bloggers out there. You’ll need: a pair of tights, a needle and thread, and embellishments of your choice: our favorites are sequins, seed beads, and rhinestones. You can also use lace trim (the kind you find at craft stores), silk flowers, or cut outs from a different garment.

  

Photo: Courtesy of Park & Cube 

Step One: Put on your tights! It’s much easier to sew when you’re wearing them, and you won’t have to worry about your beads or gems tearing off when the tights stretch to fit your legs. (Hint: If you decide to unleash your DIY skills on a pair of plain tights, you can add your embellishments at random. If you want to use a pair that come with a pattern, sew onto the thickest part of the design.) 

Photo: Courtesy of PeachTreeSupplies Opaque sequins, .2 oz for $2. 

Step Two (Sequins/Beads): Begin sewing on your sequins or beads. Hold you embellishment in place and slide your needle through the hole(s), securing it onto your tights. Thread the needle back through the whole(s) and tie a strong double knot. (Hint: If you’re sewing on beads or sequins, you’ll want to attach them in clusters of four or five at a time, tying your knot after you’ve secured each cluster.) 

Photo: Courtesy of ALLURIS ALLURIS 12mm crystals, 28 for $10. 

Step Three (Crystals): Sewing on heavy crystals is a little bit more tricky. Hold your crystal in place and thread your needle through the hole(s) and your tights, securing them in place. Loop the thread around each crystal at least twice, since they are heavier and make smaller clusters of about two or three. (Hint: Don’t sew your embellishments on places where your legs are likely to brush, like the inner thigh, knee, and ankle area.) 

Photo: Courtesy of Cocorosa 

It can take anywhere between two and five hours to finish embellishing a pair of tights, depending on the intricacy of your  pattern and your skill with a needle and thread. Don’t worry if the legs aren’t perfectly symmetrical, half the appeal of this style comes from the whimsical, free-spirit feel. After you’re pleased with the level of bling, slide on your one-of-a-kind tights and be prepared to share the steps with admirers.