Courtesy of Miaira Jennings (YouTube)
Everything old is new again!
When the seasons change, the compulsion to refresh your wardrobe is tempting—to say the least. Sure, you have all those spring/summer clothes in storage from last year, but they’re just sooooooo… last year. I certainly catch the shopping bug when the weather gets warmer, but this year, I’m really trying to show more restraint when it comes to spending money. I’ve even had to take the extra step of deleting all my shopping apps to ensure that the temptation didn’t carry me away, which is quite responsible of me, wouldn’t you say???
Sigh.
Well, one thing is for sure: I get bored with my clothes way too easily. Many of us do. That’s why the fast fashion industry continues to thrive despite its many known (and unknown) patterns of abusive behavior and unsafe conditions. But whether your goal is to save money, stop consuming fast fashion, or give your clothes a new lease on life, we’ve found some ways to upcycle and refresh your wardrobe for summer using the clothes you already have. If you’re thinking “But wait, I can’t sew!” Don’t worry— these style hacks are sew-free and can be perfected in just minutes. If you were struggling to find your outfit solution for this weekend, look no further than the guides below.
Every so often I lose a bit of weight and realize that the long sleeve shirts I once nicely filled out have since become baggier and less flattering. Do I throw these tops away? Absolutely not! With the right material (preferably something stretchy and thick enough to cut without it shredding and flaking into a million pieces) you can turn any long sleeve top into a cuter, more flattering crop top with a fresh new neckline that’ll have your friends asking where you got it. I’ve done this countless times and am proud to say that at this point, I’ve turned tops into just about every silhouette imaginable. With a long enough shirt, you can even turn the excess material into a matching skirt, but I’ll slow down…
Speaking of turning shirts into pants, this is a very old YouTube tutorial that I saved way back in the day because, at the time, it absolutely blew my mind. This one doesn’t even require scissors— just a button-down top. The buttons are important for the fit of the skirt, but Ally (the genius behind this hack) explains why in the tutorial. The best part? This transformation does ZERO damage to the garment, meaning you can turn that flannel from a shirt, to a skirt, and back to a shirt again when the weather changes once more. Truly a miracle.
It’s like summer camp in middle school all over again! You might recognize these styles and think they’re a bit of a blast from the past, which they are to an extent, but consider taking these edits to another level by cutting into a very large tee, or a smaller one with recognizable modern branding. You’ll be left with a Y2K-inspired ensemble that you’ll want to replicate dozens of ways by experimenting with various silhouettes, textures, and personal twists.
Who says you can’t make treasure from trash?? Your wallet and the planet love this for you.