MAKING USE OF OLD CLOTHES/ DIY
Hey everyone! First of all, I want to apologize for the disappearance. I know it’s been forever but I’ve been so caught up with work, university exams and essays that I’ve barely had any time to myself let alone my blog. I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and NYE.
A new year usually calls for some change and transformation, which is good. We should always look to improve into better, happier, and more authentic versions of ourselves… In 2018, you may have chosen to start your self-renovation from your wardrobe, by throwing out all the items you don’t wear anymore. Inversely, you might be like me: someone who wants to clear their wardrobe but has a sentimental attachment to all their articles of clothing because you just “might need it one day”. Well, I’m here to share good news; if you’re person A, we’re making this year all about saving money, if you’re person B, you can save yourself from all the hard work of picking which items to throw away because there are so many different ways you can recycle old clothing.
Invest in fabric pens! If sewing/ cutting isn’t your forte, try doodling. It’s fun and you can never go wrong with your own expression of art. Below, I’ve attached a picture of a bodysuit I customised myself. Whilst going through my wardrobe I noticed that I have a lot of plain and simple clothing, so I decided to recreate those. For this bodysuit, I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down words and phrases which I thought were cool or that related to my mood and personality (basically a mood board). I then made drawings that replicated those phrases; for example, the colorful waves to represent the word ‘wavey’ on my mood board. If you don’t believe in your drawing skills or aren’t feeling too creative you can always search up pictures on Google or Pinterest for some guidance and inspiration.
Cutting and sewing: I’m not a pro when it comes to tailoring. Though it’s definitely on my bucket list of skills I want to acquire in 2018. I would LOVE to create my own pieces. However, I do know the simple basics and was able to create this backless top (pictures attached below) just by cutting fabric from different clothes and stitching them together. I found a plain white top which I was bored of and a bikini that didn’t fit me anymore. I had a picture in my head of how I wanted the top to be and free-styled my way through; although I’d advise to carefully plan your idea.
Another cool idea is to grab an old pair of jeans, turn it inside out, and cut a patch of lace (or any other fabric of your choice) large enough to fit over the hole you want to patch. Using thread that’s as close to the jean color as you can get, hand-stitch the lace on to the jeans. There you have it, a brand-new pair of jeans. The same thing can be done on a jacket, a t-shirt, shorts… Whatever piece you’re bored of.
Cropping: If you have any jumpers or hoodies that are old and out of season, you could give them a new look by cropping them as shown below. It’s a cool and unique way of layering an outfit. It’s simple, and all you need is some scissors and a ruler if you’re not too familiar with cutting fabric. You could do it however you like: with the grey jumper, I decided to cut it in a straight line, whereas with the yellow hoodie I opted for more of an edgy look by giving it a ‘zig zaggy’ kinda cut.