Seems only fitting to pay tribute to the look of John Hughes heroines — given the dear director's departure last week — but, of course, that doesn't mean you'll have to pay a lot to pull it off. My number one is Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson), the nails-tough garconette in love with a working-class hero in Some Kind of Wonderful. Her style's a cinch to DIY — just wrangle up some thrift-store finds or your boyfriends castoffs, a few kitchen utensils, and away you go.1. For the boyish jean shorts, cut off a pair of vintage Levis a few inches below the knee. Cuff twice. To create rips, make the first cut with a knife, then rub over it with a cheese grater until you reach the desired level of fray.2. For her undressy black vest, buy an old oversized men's or women's blazer — as long as it's free of shoulderpads — and take off the sleeves. (A seam ripper works best, but you can also undo stitching with the point of a steak knife.) Re-seam by hand if you're steady; by machine if you're not.3. It's not hard to find leather fingerless gloves at vintage shops, but it's still a bit hot to wear them. Make a lighter version with a pair of black nylons or tights: just cut off the bottom 8-10 inches of each leg, then cut off the toes; for a thumb-hole, cut out the heel. Slip them on, break a face.
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