Upcycling 101: Fashion people show us how they’ve creatively repaired old clothing

Turning something old into something new.

It’s a new year and that means coming clean. While I like to think that I treat all my clothing with care and buy consciously, I’m guilty of casting far too many unworn pieces to the forgotten corners of my wardrobe. There are jeans that no longer fit, dresses with broken straps and tops that I’ve fallen out of love with.

It’s sad, in a way, to see pieces that sparked so much joy sit there neglected. Thankfully, I’m a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. I love the ‘fresh slate’ feeling of January, the chance to start anew and build new habits. And I’m starting with my wardrobe.

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Selling pre-loved clothing on sites like eBay is often a failsafe way to solve this dilemma – you can earn some extra cash while giving your clothes a new life with someone else. But sometimes there are certain styles you just can’t quite bear to part with. Rather than putting yourself through a painful separation process, you just need to get creative.

Whether it’s completely transforming a pair of pants into a new bag or sewing a photograph of Princess Diana over fraying dress straps, there are plenty of ways to get crafty and bring your old clothes back to life.

Connie McDonald, photographer and Fashion Journal contributor

This is my 1970s Laura Ashley dress. It was too long for me and I would step on the hem constantly. The fabric was always crumpled, pulled from the depths of a bag, dragged through the dregs of a season. One day, a strap began to tear. A small rip, but it felt inevitable. I can’t abandon a full-length dress, especially not one with tiers, so I wore it with one strap slipping down, pinned hastily in place.

I ended up finding a pack of inkjet T-shirt transfer paper in an op shop. I printed a photograph of Princess Diana onto a piece of cotton, cut the image, and stitched her between the frayed straps. Now, she holds the dress together. I wear it layered in winter and bare in summer. It feels soft and loose, like wearing a bedsheet.

@princess.constance

Grace McClelland, slow fashion content creator

Nine years ago I was given a beautiful white cotton tiered maxi skirt with broderie anglaise detail at the hem. Although my style has changed a lot, it seems to have stayed a constant in my wardrobe over the years and I’ve found it to be a very versatile styling piece for all seasons.

A few years ago, the elastic in the waistband started to go. I removed the old elastic and added shirring to the waist instead, making it even more comfortable and adding a bit of a design element. I know how to sew, so I have no excuse to not repair my clothes and give them more life. My favourite way to style my skirt at the moment is with my thrifted cowboy boots.

@grace.m.mcc

Allie Daisy King, Fashion Journal contributor and content creator

I bought this Dyspnea skirt in 2016 and I wore it to my 18th birthday party in 2017. I adore this skirt but it doesn’t fit anymore since I don’t have my 18-year-old figure. So when I was invited to the Wicked premiere, I knew I had to repurpose this skirt as a dress, because it was giving Glinda bubble dress energy. I love upcycling old pieces from special occasions and rewearing them years on because it feels so much more unique and rewarding.

@alliedaisyking

Catherine Jia, sustainable fashion content creator

I recently decided to repair a bra I’ve had for two to three years from a fast fashion brand. While the cups were still in good shape, the straps had started to fall apart. Instead of throwing it out and buying a new one, I picked up some replacement straps from Spotlight and sewed them on myself. The repair took only about 10 minutes and it saved this bra from ending up in landfill for a few more years. It’s a simple way to make the most of something I already own and reduce waste.

@project.catherine

Olivia and Ellen Romert, co-founders of Virk

About a year ago, when we started Virk, we began crafting handbags and backpacks from pre-loved jeans. One of the first pieces came from our dear friend Ann-Sofie, who brought us a pair of Ganni jeans she’d had for years. She was expecting her first daughter and knew it would be some time before she’d be able to wear those jeans again.

The jeans also had a few stains and marks that were detectable in their original form but could easily be hidden when repurposed. So we grabbed some scissors, shredded the jeans by hand and turned them into a one-of-a-kind handbag. Out of all the bags we make, the denim bag is the absolute favourite because it tells stories about the person who has worn the jeans, where they’ve been and if they’ve been treasured.

@virkbags

For more tips on upcycling your clothing, head here.