How to Upcycle Old Clothes Into Something New and Exciting

Extend the life of your old clothing items with a bit of DIY and creativity. Here are some great ideas to upcycle old clothes into hot, new fashionable items

If you thought that fashion was one of the most common tools that people use to express themselves, you’re completely right! With an industry worth about $406 billion globally, staying stylish is a trend that never goes out of style.

Despite its importance, fashion can be expensive. Between the changing trends and evolution of new wardrobe must-haves, it can cost the average person way more money than they have to keep up. Luckily, it’s possible to upcycle old clothes and look just as amazing as those who buy new ones all the time.

Read on for some ideas on how you can give your old wardrobe a much-needed makeover!

Repair and Refurbish

You can reuse some old clothes by simply getting repairs done on them. If the items aren’t that outdated and just have a little wear and tear, taking them to the tailor to have them resewn is a great option. If you know how to sew and mend, even better- you’ll have a fun afternoon crafting and get repairs done for free!

Some items almost always need professional repair even if they’re not overly damaged. For example, boots and heels will always need to go to a shoe repair shop for mending. Professionals have tools that you don’t and can ensure that your shoes are repaired to last a long time. This is going to cost a lot less than purchasing nice new boots, so look into it.

Change How You Wear Clothes

If you’re simply tired of your old clothes and there isn’t anything wrong with them, try switching up the way that you wear them. Want a cool new pair of denim shorts this summer? Take a pair of scissors to some old jeans that you don’t care about. You can bleach them or create some cool rips to make the shorts even more unique than they would be otherwise.

You can also experiment with new combinations of clothes that you haven’t tried before. Many people wear the same configurations over and over again, which is comfortable but minimizes the fun that you can have experimenting.

Try out new combos! Wear that blue top with canary-yellow shorts! The worst that can happen is that you won’t like it, and the best that can happen is a huge confidence boost.

Turn Clothing Into Accessories

If you suspect that an old t-shirt or pair of pajamas is too worn out to keep, that’s fine. You can repurpose the fabric it’s made from into other accessories.

Take some scissors to your old t-shirt and create an awesome hairband. You can weave or braid two different fabrics together for a more unique piece. Not only is this a free way to get new hairpieces, but it ensures that you’ll have a one-of-a-kind headband or scrunchie that you can use to express yourself.

If you have a longer piece of fabric that you don’t mind cutting up, you can also make a fashion scarf. These are incredibly easy to make- just cut or tear a long strip of fabric and sew the ends down to even it out. You can then tie it around your neck in a loose knot or drape it over your shoulders.

Are you a fan of crafting and an expert sewer? Even better. You can create a tote-bag-purse from old garments. Sew two pieces of cloth securely together and remove a pair of elastic from the waistband of a pair of old pajama pants. This can be glued on to serve as the bag’s handles.

Get Some New Bling

If you have a little extra cash but don’t want to reinvent your entire wardrobe, you can just get some new, modern accessories to pair with your outfits. Look into the biggest trends of 2021 and roll with them. This is a great way to show that you’re in tune with the times without laying a lot of money down on clothes.

Some of the best current fads include:

• Asymmetry (wearing earrings on only one ear, wearing many bracelets on one wrist and none on the other, and side braids)
• Spherical jewelry (dangling round ball charms in many different sizes- can be earrings, charm necklaces, bracelets, etc)
• Charm bracelets/necklaces (pick something meaningful to you- a birthstone charm, something shaped like your favorite animal, or a symbol representing a hobby such as a book for reading)
• Chokers (yes, the 90s are coming back, and they’re doing it in style)
• Statement necklaces (big ones, like the kind that’s the main centerpiece of an outfit that’s meant to catch the viewer’s eyes)
• Scrunchies (another 90s throwback- match the scrunchie color to the rest of your outfit for the best outcome)

Just head off to your favorite jewelry store and browse for a bit. We promise you won’t regret it.

Do a Clothes Swap

Finally, if you have clothes that are in good condition but want to spice things up, nothing is as awesome as a clothes swap is. Grab your best friend or sister and ask if she wants to exchange 3-5 old outfits with you. You can surprise each other with awesome wardrobe items.

Bonus points if they’re apparel that she’s been shown to like before!

Upcycle Old Clothes Today

Now that you know the best ways to upcycle old clothes, it’s time to get more insight into the best styles in 2021.

Check out the ‘fashion‘ tab on our home page for more information about the awesome trends that you need to get in on. You can use old clothes and thrift outfits to follow these fads, so what are you waiting for? Add a little pizzaz to your wardrobe today!