Wardrobe RE-Fresh
In previous Maroon Couture blog posts, I’ve spoken about the problem of textile waste and the ill effects that “fast fashion” has on the environment (see “Spring Cleaning…Sustainably”.) The way we, as a generation, can limit the amount of waste we produce individually, is by either buying quality clothing that will last longer than one season, or by upcycling our old/outdated clothes to increase their lifespan. Over the past few years, I’ve been experimenting with simple ways to redesign old clothing to make them trendier and more usable for a longer period of time. Please see some techniques and ideas below that you can use to do the same. If you don’t know how to sew, even bringing them to a tailor to enhance them can be a great investment in the environmental future of our planet. We can all do our part!
Old Denim jacket with the addition of a white pom-pom trim.
Old black t-shirt with the addition of a white eyelet trim to the sleeves and bottom.
Old silk cami with the addition of a black lace trim and hemmed.
Old champion t-shirt cropped and hemmed with the addition of an elastic at the bottom.
College t-shirt, hemmed and cut down the middle with the addition of a decorative zipper.
Large white t-shirt, cropped with elastic at bottoms and on sleeves. Added pink metallic elastic trim to the bottom.
Combination of a camo hoodie and a baseball shirt. Cropped and added a decorative zipper on the sleeve.
This skirt is a combination of two outdated long shorts with the addition of a black pom-pom fringe to hide the seam.
By cutting up one pair of jeans, seeing pieces together, and adding a black elastic ruched back and straps from an old top, I created a cute two-piece outfit.
The combination of two shirts resulted in a two-tone elastic skirt.
A mini-skirt created by cutting the legs of Nike sweats and sewing them together.
A fun, colorful skirt created by sewing together a bunch of old ties and using fabric from an old suit.
- ADD A TRIM:
The addition of trim such as a pom-pom, lace,
or eyelet to your older clothing can dress them up and give them a new look. You can purchase inexpensive trims at Joanne’s Fabric in Scarsdale. Only minimal amounts are needed!
- DRESS UP YOUR OLD FAVORITE T-SHIRT
By cropping, adding zippers or trims, and combining t-shirts together, you can breathe new life into that old, worn t-shirt.
- RESTRUCTURE YOUR DENIM
By cutting up and restructuring your old denim, you can create entirely new pieces.
- TRANSFORM SWEATS, TIES, AND SHIRTS INTO SKIRTS
Using creativity to find a completely new purpose for certain pieces of old clothing can result in a whole new look.
These simple ideas can help you reinvent your old or outdated clothing and prevent climate change in the future!
