Since shopping secondhand is my preferred way to shop, many times I’ll find something that’s close… but not exactly what I was looking for. Or maybe I’ll see something out at the store that I love… but the distressing is *too* distressed for me. Or maybe the fit and fabric is fabulous… but the color looks terrible on me.
Through thrifting I’ve learned to look at an item for what it CAN be, rather than what is currently is. Which brings us to my favorite 4 ways to personalize your clothes.
Change the Color
If you love a piece of clothing but don’t love the color, it is super easy to dye it! I’ve done this many, many times, including: T-Shirt DIY, Tie Dying with Toilet Cleaner, and Using a Tie Dye Kit.
I recently was searching Poshmark for a linen tank top and found a beautiful one with crochet detail that I loved. However, the oatmeal color was not flattering on me at all. I also didn’t like that the light color allowed my bra to show though a bit. So, Rit Dye to the rescue! I soaked the shirt in a mix of water and charcoal grey dye for about 90 minutes, threw it in the washer and dryer and BOOM…
The linen turned a rich dark brown hue that I love and I still have half a bottle of dye left for another project. Here it is on me:
Hem Skirts to a Better Length
When you buy a dress or skirt, it is not necessarily going to be the exact right length for every single body in the world. Weird, right? It is so, so, so easy to hem the length of a skirt a little shorter. In fact, I wrote a post a while ago: Sewing is Not Scary.
Once you know what length skirt you like, you can easily copy that in other items. If you see a tiered maxi skirt that would be perfect as a midi or knee-length, go for it! If the brand’s idea of “knee length” is way too long because you’re petite, hem it! By literally sewing just a straight line, you can customize your clothing to your body.
Distress or Fill in Holes
If you have a pair of jeans that need a little something-something, you can always distress them by making a little hole in the knee or using sandpaper to create wear spots. However, you can also fix items that have become too distressed by patching holes! I’ve previously patched holes in jeans Quick & Easy DIY: Patching Some Over-Distressed Jeans and patched holes in jean shorts DIY: Patching Jean Shorts. It’s super easy to do and will allow you to get more wear out of your favorites!
Add Embroidery
I recently came across a super cool denim jacket while thrifting and immediately thought that I needed to add some embroidery. Have I ever embroidered before? Nope. But I’ve done cross-stitch, so how hard can it be?!
I’ll share the full project soon, but here is a sneak peek at how I’m using embroidery to personalize a denim jacket:
Do you personalize your clothing?