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Customising clothes is a great way to freshen up dresses, skirts and even trousers that have been languishing unloved at the back of your wardrobe. Or if you are confident, you can adapt, personalise that newly acquired garment, to make 100% sure it is exclusive to you and no-one else. That’s not all, in these austere times, you may be able to save yourself a bit of money by putting off buying a new outfit and just adapting some of your existing gear!
I suggest you start off with something simple, and perhaps not too well-liked, so that if you don’t like the end results, you haven’t ruined your favourite dress! You don’t have to be a seamstress, and you can start off with fabric paints, a bit of lace, buttons, ribbons and even bows.
Try fabric flowers as an addition to refresh a dress or cardigan. You can buy them ready-made or make them yourself. I won’t give you detailed instructions on how to create fabric flowers; there are plenty of tutorials on the internet, but they can look really arresting. You only need a pen, card, scissors, a candle (to singe the edges and make them, a silky synthetic fabric, and needle and thread with or glue to assemble the petals, plus a button to sew the finished flower to your clothing.
Hems of dresses and skirts are prime targets for a revamp. Go for lace or matching chiffon/mesh just like Jill Stuart. If used tastefully, it will bring an older dull item of clothing alive. Why not try a bright red satin slash on the hem? Lace and similar fabrics on the hem can also add an inch or two to the length of the dress. You’ll need a sewing machine to do the lace properly, but it can really transform an older skirt or dress.
If you have a strapless dress that you want to make more comfortable to wear, why not go for removable straps? You can do that by having some Velcro attached. Attach the hook side of peel-and-stick Velcro to the outside ends of each strap and the loop side of the Velcro to inside of the dress.
Finally we must not forget the easiest thing of all…dye. The instructions are all on the dye, but I’d say always use double the amount if you want to make sure the colour is strong. If you really are into the flower-power revival then go for tie-dye, or some other form of restriction to the fabric. In this way you can get some great effects- but just remember to give your washing machine a thorough rinse after using it to dye- at least two hot wash cycles to remove all the traces of dye. Check this amazing article on how to dye your clothes for more tips!
Photos from: Beneficial-herbs / The Ragged Priest
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