UP-CYCLE YOUR WARDROBE
Don’t ditch your unwanted clothes – up-cycle and transform them into fashionable, cool pieces, saving you money and gaining a lot of enviromentally friendly eco-points along the way.
T-shirt
Create colourful tie-dye designs for a t-shirt. Try out different tie-dye techniques, using 2 or more colours. Grab an old white t-shirt, and a tie-dye kit, which you can buy from craft shops, and get creative with pattern designs. Wear the t-shirt loosely, or try tying a knot at the front, side or back, for a new style. (see https://www.instagram.com/colortone_usa/ for inspiration)
Get even more imaginative, by transforming your old t-shirt into a bag – handy for your study books, laptop, or a day out in the park. Go for a simple look by using a basic coloured tee, or try a striped or patterned design. No sewing is required, so it’s a quick, easy step by step to making the ultimate, unique bag.
Try customising a plain tee, by adding print, making it more fun and personalised. Maybe a family photo, perfect for gifting, or mocking up your own template design, it’s a great way of turning a boring tee, into something cool. This is inexpensive, saving you money, and means you can enjoy your own small project. Either do screen-printing, or using iron-on transfer paper.
Jeans
An old, worn pair of jeans or jacket shouldn’t be thrown away. Go for an edgy, cool look by fraying the hems, or purchase some funky, iron-on patches, in floral, grunge, stars or initial designs, and place them on the pockets or along the sides. To complete the look, try to ensemble metal chains for a punk, gothic feel, in a silver or gold finish. Or keep it simple, by adding on a taped trim in glitter, or eyelet design, or a bold, vibrant strip of colour such as red, orange or yellow.
Take inspiration from Balenciaga’s DIrty Blue Graffiti Big Fit Jacket at £1.590 and save yourself the cost.
Transform your old pair of jeans, into a pair of shorts or three-quarter lengths for the spring/summer season. Keep the hem raw, with a straight edge, or fray the hems, whatever your preference.
Trainers
Got a pair of old, dingy trainers tucked away in a cupboard? Take them out, give them a wash, and grab a paint brush or pen. If you have a black pair of trainers, get purple, blue and white paint, and try a galaxy theme. Use a hard-bristled paint brush to flick the white paint, to mimic stars, and try starburst designs.
For a more simple design, use a marker pen and create abstract drawings. Keep it black and white, or try a burst of colour depending on your design. Maybe some drawings of your favourite comic, bold zig zags in vibrant colours, or a mix and match of crazy doodles – it’s completely up to you!
Cardigan
No need to ditch your old cardigan! Use a felt cardigan, and create hanging shape designs. Use a contrasting thread colour for the stitching along the outside, or the same colour as the felt. This is perfect for your room, or study area.
Create a cushion, by using an old knit sweater, by cutting off the body of the knit sweater, turn inside out, and sew along the top and bottom openings, leaving an opening for the stuffing. Use neutral tones, or mix and match colours, depending on your preference or overall colour scheme.
Shanice Williams
