Introduction
What do you do with those clothes that aren’t damaged and don’t need fixing, but you hardly ever or never wear? This chapter shares heaps of ideas and the necessary know-how to rework garments into your new fave outfits.
Each and every garment in your wardrobe can be as unique as you are. And this section of the book offers plenty of inspiration and technical wizardry so that you can make this happen.
What’s the problem?
How many garments in your wardrobe right now fit this description: there’s nothing glaringly “wrong” with it but you just don’t want to wear it any more? The hem is intact, the zipper doesn’t stick, and there aren’t any holes or split seams to fix. You used to like it—after all, at some point you decided to make it yours. And maybe the two of you had a delightful first few wears together. But for some reason, nowadays, it always gets passed over when you’re getting dressed. It is no longer functioning as a piece of clothing, it has become “wardrobe filler,” and its only apparent role now is to make it harder for you to find what you want.
Find time to get creative, flex your developing sewing skills, and breathe new life into unloved garments.
Think sustainably
You could, of course, just take or send that garment to a secondhand store. Yet only a small fraction of donated clothing gets resold as clothing. Most is exported to foreign markets or sold on to be turned into rags.
Being sustainable and following slow fashion is about considering all the energy, resources, and labor that go into making a garment, and it’s oh-so much better to address what’s wrong in the first place.
The evolution of a garment needn’t stop where the designers and garment workers left off.
Give garments a second chance
Sometimes it’s clear what you don’t like about a garment: the fit is a bit frumpy, the hem scrapes along the floor, or there’s just no pocket for your phone. Yet with others it can be harder to diagnose the problem (or problems). Perhaps the reason is more esthetic than practical, and therefore the issues feel more abstract. Discovering fresh ideas and approaches that other people have used can often spark an idea of how you could revitalize a garment or two in your wardrobe.
It seems a shame to call it quits with a garment simply because it feels somewhat “meh.” Find time to get creative, flex your developing sewing skills, and breathe new life into those unloved garments.
A small tweak or a bigger transformation?
Perhaps you will choose to shorten those trousers by ¾in (2 cm) so they hit the ankle in just the right place. Or you might try lengthening that knee-length skirt to a midi by adding a striking contrast ruffle. Either way, this range of altering and reworking ideas may just help you feel excited about wearing an item of clothing again.
Do note that you don’t have to stick to one reworking per garment. Got a slightly plain shirt dress? Why not add some waist-shaping darts and swap all the buttons for something more fun? Got an overly loose tunic top that seems to drown you? What about adding elastic at the cuffs and refitting it at the side seams? Got a practical jacket in your favorite color but the sleeves are a tad tight? You could turn it into a vest by removing the sleeves. Oh, and while you’re there, you could add a pocket that will actually fit your hand.
A wardrobe that feels more “you”
Deploying a few clever fixes and techniques can make any garment feel more “you.” The evolution of a garment needn’t stop where the designers and garment workers left off. With these ideas and techniques under your belt, you are free to customize and personalize your clothing to fit your shape, style, and requirements.