They do not need to have this destiny. With a little skill and inspiration, you can turn the simplest clothes into fashion-forward statements and breathe new life into them. Don’t worry if you’re not the DIY type or don’t have a lot of supplies lying around the house. These ideas are simpler than you think!
If you can use a sewing machine.
The better you know how to sew, the more options you have when it comes to renovating old clothes. Plus, the end result will look a bit more polished than if you just used scissors, a needle, and thread. Here are some simple ideas that you can apply even with minimal sewing skills:
· Do you find the neck of a blouse unflattering? It’s easy to fix! You can easily turn a V-shaped boat neck or turtle neck into a scoop neck!
If you have a dress that you love, but it doesn’t fit well at the bottom, then you can cut that part off and turn it into a blouse. The same trick can be applied if the dress has a stain that you can’t remove or if you burned it with the iron.
· Although they have less fabric, the shorts are the same price as regular pants. Find a pair you don’t wear anymore and cut it up to get a free pair of shorts! The benefit of using this method is that you can achieve exactly the length you want.
Use the embroidery technique to apply unique shapes to basic t-shirts
Sew a bit of lace to the bottom of the sleeves for a feminine bohemian effect.
· Instead of buying a new bathing suit, you can cut up an old t-shirt.
Cut the backs of t-shirts to create interesting patterns using beads.
No sewing required
If you don’t have a sewing machine or just don’t want to put a lot of effort into updating old clothes, these no-sew techniques are for you.
Distressed jeans are very popular, but no one wants to spend more than $50 on a pair of jeans that lack most of the fabric. You can make your own distressed jeans by rubbing the fabric with some sandpaper or pumice stone. This way, even your most worn favorite pair of jeans can live for at least one more season.
· Use ribbons. Find cute ribbon patterns online and instead of using them to wrap gifts, use them to freshen up your clothes. You can pin them to the shoulders of blouses, or you can use a longer ribbon strand as a belt to add shape to an oversized shift dress.
The distressed clothing trend is bigger than ever. Just like you did with ripped jeans, you can make your own ripped t-shirt by cutting holes in it. If you don’t like the look of see-through skin, then another idea would be to take an oversized men’s band cut t-shirt and cut off the neckline and sleeves to create a muscular t-shirt.
· Draw patterns using lace. Take a piece of lace (even from a curtain, if you don’t mind the damage) and apply it on top of an item of clothing you want to refresh. Then, using a waterproof marker or some special clothing paint, color the lace. This will create a unique pattern that will stand up to the washing machine cycle.
Love that off-the-shoulder trend, but aren’t convinced you should break the rules of your capsule wardrobe for a new top? Then make your own by taking a basic t-shirt or flowy blouse and cutting off the shoulders!
Everyone has a top that looks good, but needs something extra to shine. Enter the statement necklace. For this project, you will only need a statement necklace and some glue. The next time you go clubbing, you’ll save a few minutes looking for accessories.
· Buttons may be small, but they can make a big difference to your outfit. To add a fresh touch to an old jacket, take off the old buttons and replace them with new ones. For example, you could add heavy gold buttons to create a powerful military look.