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Upcycle your beloved clothing

Everyone’s got a couple of favourite pieces in their wardrobe, but what happens when you lose that loving feeling towards them? Take a second to think before looking over at your recycling bin – with a bit of creativity and some DIY skills, you can refashion and boldly change your clothes so that you’ll love them even more.

It’s time to upcycle your beloved clothes.

Upcycled clothing ideas

The beauty of upcycling clothing is that you can let your creative side run wild. There’s no strict definition of what the word means, so define it yourself.

Upcycling can be as simple as altering clothes to remove ripped or stained areas. Or it could be as radical as ripping up an old denim skirt and wearing it as a top (Rihanna made it work!).

Here are some ideas that’ll make your wardrobe feel more awesome:

  • Got an oversized t-shirt that’s sat in your wardrobe? Cut some holes in the back of it, grab some ribbon and lace the back up to make it more fitted and unique.
  • Turn a maxi dress into a t-shirt with some easy alterations. Just trim to whatever length you want. Longline t-shirt, standard t-shirt, or cool crop top. Then fit with darts if you want a slimmer silhouette.
  • Jeans work for everyone, and when they’re past their best, it’s easy to turn them into shorts. Trim them to Capri trousers or shorts and distress them a bit if they’re not distressed already!
  • Got some distressed heels? Use decoupage to restore them and turn some heads. Glue some coloured paper cut-outs onto your heels and finish them off with some varnish for a one-of-a-kind statement piece.
  • Through lots of washing or a growth-spurt, clothes can sometimes end up being too short. Find some lace and sew it into the inside of your top to add some elegance and length to it.
  • Turn your favourite old t-shirt into your new favourite t-shirt with tie-dye. It doesn’t matter if you make a mistake during this process – the t-shirt you finish with will be unmistakably you.
  • Elbow patches are an upcycling classic, but you can make them exciting! Go for some different shapes like hearts or stars – or use an old band t-shirt to show off your music tastes.

And that’s it. It’s easy to cheer ‘Long Live Clothes!’ when you know that upcycling gives your clothes a new life.

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