Pocketful of Joules - DIY: Linen Skirt Makeover

DIY: Linen Skirt Makeover

I had a whole pile of items sitting around my sewing machine waiting to be hemmed, dyed or fixed in some way. Before our trip, I gave myself the goal of trying to get through the pile… and one of the items was this Target linen skirt:

I bought it in 2022 because I liked the cinched waistband, the pockets and the lightweight linen fabric. However, I’m not really a *light colored* skirt kind of girl, so it wasn’t getting worn very often.

See, it’s cute but just kind of ‘meh’ and frankly I have better skirts to wear. The light fabric also meant I had to be careful about my underroos situation — as darker bottoms would show through. Also, I didn’t love the maxi length.

I added it to my ‘fix it or donate it’ pile and just kind of ignored it for a while. However, my first thought was that I should shorten it to knee-length so I would wear it more often. So chop-chop-chop, I went ahead and cut off the bottom and hemmed it back up.

Back into the ‘hmmm’ pile it went. And then, I decided to dye it! I ordered the Dark Green Rit Dye off Amazon and added it to a dye bath for about 40 minutes.

Then, I washed in on cold with a load of towels and stuck it in the dryer for about 20 minutes before letting it hang dry the rest of the way.

I really love the shade of green that I was able to get, as well as the fact that the grid pattern still shows through!

And OHMYGOSH, it goes so much better with my wardrobe now. Just the little change of chopping off some inches and dying it green turned this skirt into one I was ready to donate into one that I absolutely can’t wait to wear!

Disclaimer: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. This means that clicking on a link may help me earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Like what you see? Share me with your friends!

My Style: March 2024

This month I gave myself the task of getting through the rest of my ‘winter-ish’ clothing while the weather was still chilly. In my experience, once we hit spring break, I’m mentally ready to pack away my heavy winter shirts and dresses and move on to brighter and lighter choices (even if the weather hasn’t quite caught up yet). So, this month I pulled out the items that I ignored for the last few months to make some ‘stay or go’ decisions.

Left: First up, this pattered Modcloth skirt I bought a few years ago. I love the pattern, the swish, the length and the pockets. However, the fabric is kind of slippery/cheap feeling. I paired it with a secondhand Kate Spade cardigan that was also on the chopping block. Verdict: They both stay.

Right: I’ve had this secondhand Anthropologie tank top for years and it’s starting to look a little dingy. However, I still like the pattern when paired with my linen skirt and secondhand cardigan. Verdict: Stay, for now.

Left: I bought this dress last year, but never ripped the tags off because it just felt like A LOT of pattern. I finally decided it was ‘wear it or sell it’ time, topped it with a belt and wore it to work for the day. Verdict: Stay.

Right: Another fully secondhand outfit and this H&M x Morris & Co collaboration skirt was on the chopping block. I love the length, pattern and striped waistband. However, it is a *little* tight in the waist. Verdict: Stay, but if it’s still tight next year I need to pass it on.

Left: This was actually my third outfit I tried on that morning, because two dresses I was considering ended up in the ‘donate’ pile before I even left the house. Verdict: Donated 2 dresses, but kept this one.

Right: I’ve had this dress for 5+ years — I thrifted it, wore it a few times, cut the sleeves off, and then wore it again. It’s okay. It’s just not a winner for me and by the end of the day I was eager to tear it off and throw in in the donate pile. Verdict: Donate.

New vs. Secondhand Talley

This month, I count 7 items that I purchased retail and 11 items I purchased secondhand!

Like what you see? Share me with your friends!

March Thrift Haul

I really thought I’d have some fabulous items to show you this month. I even went thrifting twice and hit stores that typically give me some winners. However, both days I walked away with my hands empty. It could be because I’m also doing a bit of a closet clean out and it will take me really loving an item to add it in. Or, it could be that I just kept finding a ton of crap.

So, this month, rather than a “thrift” haul we have a secondhand haul:

South Parade Hoodie, $15

I love South Parade, especially the brand’s t-shirts, but it can be super frustrating when they only have limited releases once a season. Every so often I’ll do a Poshmark search to see if anything cool pops up, which is how I found this super cute hoodie. They typically sell for around $90, so $15 was a steal. The seller sent it to me quickly and it’s just as soft and comfortable as I hoped it would be. And honestly, at $15 it’s pretty darn close to thrift pricing…

Birkenstock Arizona Sandals, $40

For the past few years, I’ve been getting Jack a pair of Birkenstock leather sandals for the summer. The first year, he wore the same shoes for 2 summers, last year he got just one summer out of the next size. Well, this year… he’s in adult sizes. {sob}

The difference in price is huge – kid’s sandals are $60, while the adult version of just ONE SIZE UP is $120. And yes, I know I can get him a knock-off version for much less. However, I decided to give Poshmark a try and found a pair of never worn Birkenstock Arizona sandals in Jack’s new size for $40! They just came a few days ago and they are absolutely perfect… so I’m calling this one another secondhand steal!

Like what you see? Share me with your friends!