If your current wardrobe needs a boost but you’re short in the budget department, there are several ways to update and customize the outfits you already own. With a little bit of effort and a ton of creativity, you can have some stylish and one-of-a-kind pieces.
Buttons, buttons everywhere
If yours is like most households, you will have a stash of buttons somewhere in the house. A favorite but tired cardigan will spruce right up with a change of buttons. Try a contrasting color or for even more fun, use all different buttons! Just make sure the size is right for the buttonholes.
Buttons do not always have to be functional. Use them as embellishments on a T-shirt or a tank top. Sew them around the neckline, down the side of a shirt, or in a pattern on the front or back.
For a dressier look, try embellishing the embellishment. What I mean by that is to dress up the buttons themselves. When sewing one on, include tiny seed beads or crystals to sit on the top of the buttons. *Note: this will not work with shank buttons.
Lacing some style on
Adding lace can throw a feminine curve into menswear style outfits. A gray pinstripe vest can become a new favorite top with a bit of ingenuity and well placed lace pieces. If it was being ignored as part of a three-piece suit, then why not get some mileage out of it?
Using lace together with tailored pieces can add an unexpected twist to your look.
Sew be it!
If you can sew, there are lots of things you can do to vamp up your wardrobe. Love a T-shirt but it’s just too big? Turn it into a tunic with a few well placed nips and tucks. Turn the T-shirt inside out, cut out the new shape using another shirt that fits well as a pattern. Don’t forget the seam allowance and be sure to use a stretch stitch.
Hem the frayed edges of a pair of trousers to just below the knee and you’ve got yourself a pair of cropped pants. Add soft chiffon ruffles in layers across a tank top. The possibilities are endless.
This is to dye for!
Do you have a sweater that has seen better days? Try dyeing it to give it back some life. There are several cold water dyes available at craft stores that you can use right in the washer. Follow up the process with dye fix and some salt.
Dyes are so inexpensive that you can experiment with the colors, though generally you would choose like colors or go darker.
