My closet needed help. The last few years I had relegated myself to baggy pants and t-shirts (all the better to deal with three boys). Last year was the first year I had bought a new pair of heels and I LOVE them.
I was determined to make a change, and Amy Bayliss offered the perfect opportunity in her weekly HOMEmaker challenge. She told me to make three new outfits out of the things I already had.
IMPOSSIBLE! Was my first thought. I had worked hard to thin out my closet so I knew there was nothing hidden in the darkness. It was some hand-me-downs that inspired the new outfits. These were clothes I had discarded because of a misfit here or there, but the challenge gave me the inspiration and motivation to remake the clothes into something that would work with my wardrobe.
Outfit #1 – The brown shirt and brown printed skirt. The skirt started out as a halter dress that was handed down to me. I LOVED the print, but there was no way my . . . um, curves were fitting into the halter portion. I cut off the halter, added a little hem and now I have a cute skirt to go with my brown shirt. All I need to make this the perfect outfit is some hot, high heeled boots.
Outfit #2 – The blue pants and printed shirt. The shirt was the major change in this outfit. It also started out as a dress. This time it was the lower half that I did not like. I just cut it off, hemmed the bottom and added a pair of dress pants. I’ll finish this outfit off with some black and silver pumps.
Outfit #3 – The pink skirt and brown shirt. The material of this skirt is amazing, but it started out as a tank dress. I liked the fit and the feel, but the skirt was too long on the dress and I prefer separates. The scissors again came in handy. I cut the tank portion of the dress off and hemmed the skirt to be right a knee level. I paired the skirt with a brown, thrift store find that I have had in my closet. I think the brown boots I will be getting for outfit #1 may also rock outfit #3.
Three new outfits for my new place in life and they were all completely free. Even the hemming only took about an hour per outfit, probably less. Why not take the challenge for yourself? Three new outfits – and not a dollar spent!