Scarlett O’Hara did it. Maria Von trap did it. Now you can do it too. While you don’t need to pilfer the dining room drapes, there are plenty of ways to upcycle your old wardrobe and household items into chic and stylish work wear. It saves money, saves the earth, and will set you apart from other potential job candidates should a hiring manage comment on your clothes and you are able to respond that you made it yourself.
It has been a trend of necessity in every depression and as the economic future of our country teeters on a red line, upcycling’s back and being boosted by even top fashion magazines. Everyone wishes they had a fairy godmother to bibbidy bobbity boo them a gorgeous gown from their torn and tattered rags, but with some innovation and simple seamstress tricks, you can work your own magic on old clothes.
Dye shirts with stains or blacks that don’t match. Fabric pain a design over the oil mark from where you dropped some Caesar salad on your pants. Add patches or pockets to pants and blazers to cover the wear and tear.
Men’s shirts can be turned into women’s office wear with a couple of seams and darts but the core of upcycling revolves around dramatic changes to old items to make them new and fresh. An old oversized t-shirt is an ideal place to start. Most people have an abundance of them and the knit cotton fabric is more forgiving for beginning sewers. Here are a couple of neat t-transformations to inspire you.
The ideas are endless. You can make new ties out of old silk pajamas, leggings out of sweater sleeves or a rain coat out of an old beach umbrella. When you look at your old clothes as free fabric the inspirations are unstoppable. If you’re not the type to hold on to old clothes odds are you have a friend that is and you will be doing them a favor by helping clean their closet. You can always get “cheap material” from a thrift shop and some even offer discounts on the already low prices if you shop on certain days.
Check out collegejobbank.com for an extensive resource on job opportunities, career seeking solutions, and career advancement tips.
By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer, business owner, and work-from-home mom.
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