Fall has fallen!!!!!! And if you're like me you get bored easily and are trying to jazz up your look without breaking the bank. While, yes, it would be much easier just to go out and buy another wardrobe, must of us do not have the funds to do so. Below I have listed some thrifty ideas of how to revamp your closet without breaking the bank. Adding little things to your clothes can make them feel like brand new items. Shoutout to my friends at
(6) To make loose skirts or trousers tighter, remove the pocket bags with scissors and then just stitch the sides together.
(7) To reinvent a pair of your old trousers, shorten them by adding a turn up. To shorten a hem that is too long, fold and pin the hem then apply a double-sided iron-on fabric adhesive (such as Bondaweb) and iron flat. This is a quick way to breathe new life into an old garment.
(8) To make trousers look glam why not add a satin or velvet ribbon down the outside leg seam? Or for a boho look, cut the hem shorter and leave it rough, even fraying it. Don’t be afraid of raw edges.
(9) To lengthen a hem, try stitching a piece of Black Swan-esque lace to the inside of the bottom of the skirt.
Don’t throw out skirts that are too full or long, they can be cut and made into pencil or swing skirts, which are absolutely on-trend this season.
(10) If a waistband is too tight on a pair of trousers you can have pieces of elastic easily and cheaply sewn into the side seam. If you lose or put on weight, trousers are very easily reinvented by cutting on the back waistband and adding in a gusset.
DRESSES
(11) Old dresses often need refreshing. Is yours falling off the shoulders? First find an old bra, cut off the straps and sew them on to the dress or add bra loops, which can hold a dress in place. Then attach them to your dress with a safety pin into the bra loop.
(12) If your dress doesn’t give you enough cleavage support, literally sew a pretty bra onto the inside of the dress.
(13) If the problem is a see-through dress, find a piece of colour matched chiffon, such as an old sarong, and stitch inside.
(14) Or invest in a microfibre, coloured petticoat which will cling to your shape and transform the dress. Don’t be afraid of cutting it shorter to just the right length.
(15) If a dress is just looking a bit old and needs some TLC, add some pretty braiding or ribbon to hide the fraying or holes. Check out famous haberdashery www.vvrouleaux.com for inspiration and ideas.
(16) However, if you’re just plain bored of a dress, simply get a pair of scissors and cut off the bodice. You can also make a nifty waistband out of the discarded bodice material by just wrapping it around and stitching it.
(17) And if you have a wedding dress that’s been hanging around for years, remove the bodice and dye it (machine dyes can be done at home in the washing machine) to make a beautiful corset.
You can also rework the skirt into keepsake family heirlooms such as cushions, pillows, a runner or a small throw.
COATS
(18) Winter coats are often the most expensive items we own, so give them a new lease of life. Coat pockets are usually the first bits to go, but mending them is easy.Simply take a piece of teacup-shaped material and sew this around the bottom of the pocket, covering any hole or tear.
(19) To jazz up a dull coat, replace buttons with big bright statement ones.
(20) If it is faux fur you can easily remodel it into a funky boxy cropped jacket or shrug simply by cutting and hemming.
The leftover bits can be used to make a gorgeous trim around a collar or a furry scarf.
This can be done with cheap fabric adhesive again.
You can even try making furry pom-pom balls sewn into cord then attached to the ends of hats or the collar on another coat. Any other leftovers could line the top of an ankle boot.
(21) Ribbon braids also look great sewn onto cuffs and collars and completely reinvent an old coat in this season’s colours. Try flea markets and jumble sales for cheap cuttings.
