I have realized that this newspaper gig has encouraged me to reveal all of my dirty little secrets — apologies if I seem mildly bizarre. You've learned that I hate Valentines Day, that I approve of bondage, I love Barbies, I appreciate solid efficiency and that you are forbidden from wearing pajamas to school.

One thing you have yet to learn about me is something about my alter ego. The body that houses the little fashion bitch within me is strictly dressed in unexciting colours. I suppose then that I'm an oxymoron, a fashion student who wears black, white, grey and all the washed-out hues of boring. My excuse: they're classics?

An excuse — there are no excuses in fashion. If we all had an excuse, we would be irresponsible has-beens.

It's a silly thing, because if you look in my closet, or better yet look at my clothing rack in my residence room, it's filled with a daring array of patterns, prints and shades. Peculiar? Yes. Sad? Even more. I suppose I feel an obligation to the clothes, a need to showcase them to the best of my abilities, but I don't wear them.

Lately, I've had an urge to let my inner spring/summer hippie emerge. I wore purple, and today I even wore a bright headband covered in strong colours and a bold print. It got noticed. Similar to my other articles, once you truck on through the excessive intro, you get to the core of the article.

The ultimate point of this article has to do with the ever-growing theme of DIY. Today a friend of mine wore a headband. She wore it lower on her forehead, not as high as those '50s damsels. It was almost hippie-like, but made me think more turban chic. She inspired me. So when I went home I immediately had a feeling that I needed to wear a headband. Let me just say that usually headbands look unfortunate on me — my hair is too flat. I went home discouraged, wanting to wear a cute headband like my friend's, but not having one.

Where would I find one, at 10 p.m.?

Well, being the fashion student I am, I went straight to the fabric located in my room and found something daring, something that would pop. Without finishing an edge or fastening on a real closure, I tied it on my head and away I went. I'm surprisingly pleased with the outcome of the look — so pleased that tomorrow I intend on wearing colour. Not only has this little experience taught me how great it is to try new things, it's also taught me what great things DIY and home remedies are.

Here are a few to try this week when you're feeling a little creative.

Homemade Facemask: Mixing egg whites, a squirt of lemon juice and a dollop of melted honey together makes a great face mask. The egg whites will tighten your pores, the honey will purify and the lemon juice will detoxify. This is a great cleanser for acne-prone skin. Personally, I think that the key ingredient in this mixture is the honey. Honey contains purifying agents, which are humectant, meaning they trap in moisture. This is great for people with oily skin, because it is natural moisture without the oil.

Button Earring Organizers: Do you ever feel as though you have hundreds of earrings and no holders? Using a button is a great way to keep earrings tidy and avoid losing pairs. Droopy earrings won't work on buttons due to their bulky nature, but for all those little studs hiding in your jewelry case, consider using buttons as a simple organizational solution.

Bruise Remedy: I recently donated blood and I was left with a brutal battle wound — the world's biggest bruise resided on my arm. For a week and a half I walked around with an ugly splotch on my arm, not realizing that the remedy could be found under my kitchen sink. Using vinegar on skin takes away the blue from a bruise, because it is a bleach. So next time a nurse massacres your arm or you fall drunkenly down the stairs the day before a wedding, just think vinegar.

Burn Relief: I have heard of yogurt doing great things for our insides, regulating digestive tracks and ridding our bodies of excess anything. But did you know that yogurt could be used on burns? The yogurt penetrates skin, reducing redness and accelerating healing. Next time you're straightening hair and accidentally straighten your skin instead, go straight for the fridge!

Flaky Skin Solution: Whether you have dry, itchy winter skin or discomfort from summer mosquito bites, mixing cooking oats into your bath will provide instant relief. One of the oldest home remedies that our parents' parents used to use, fit for anyone from the age of eight months to 80 years, oats will soothe your skin, and if you gently direct them in a circular motion on your skin surface, they will even exfoliate. Hooray!

So go ahead, DO IT YOURSELF.