~by J La Faye
I had a habit of going through my closet after a season or two to get rid of anything I had not been wearing. Sometimes that meant I gave the clothing away, in hopes that the new owner would wear it. Other times it meant donating it to an organization or thrift store, often leading to a resale of the clothing. There were also times that I simply tossed clothing because they were damaged in some form or fashion.
As I began to look deeper into my lifestyle and some of the changes I wanted to make, I made a conscious and deliberate decision to modify the way I look at clothing that I no longer wore. I decided to use the fabric from the clothing to create pieces that aligned better with my existing lifestyle.
This new mindset empowered me to give my old clothing a new and longer shelf life. It also allowed me to continue to expand my level of creativity. It offered me a chance to revamp my wardrobe with items that were unique and specifically created for me, without incurring an additional expense. Additionally, it provided an opportunity for me to make a more positive impact on the environment.
Does this put an end to purchases for new clothing? Absolutely not. I will still make new purchases from time to time…but with the new process it won’t be as often as it had been.
The pictures above are from a dress I reworked, because it was too snug the bust area. I cut it in half. I then flipped the lower portion of the dress and used the bottom band as the waist band. I added a piece of a blouse to the front of the top to add fabric and give it a different style.
I am quite pleased with my upcycle and reworked collection thus far. Some projects were simple and easy. Others were a bit more challenging. In either case, it was totally worth it and very rewarding.
I am looking forward to my next opportunity to rework a garment into something new and exciting. You should try it and let me know how it worked out for you.