We all have a number of clothes that we don’t use anymore. Skirts, shorts, jackets, long-sleeved shirts, the list goes on. A common decision is to give them away or to give them to your sibling(s). However, take it one step further and upcycle them! You’d be surprised what you can do with one piece of clothing.

Have you ever wanted a specific design on a buttoned-up shirt but just couldn’t quite find it? Well you’re in luck because that shirt is already in your possession! Take a shirt that you love, scissors, a sewing kit, and some buttons. Lay the shirt out flat, grab your scissors, and cut vertically up the shirt (don’t cut the back). Now you have a shirt with an opening in the front. Now cut little holes a good distance apart and place your buttons inside the holes; which you will then sew into the shirt. Congratulations! Now you have a button-up shirt of your choice!

Are you in need of a new crop-top or a new top? All you’ll need are scissors and a shirt; long-sleeved works too. There are many different routes you can take with this. One way is to simply cut the shirt (long-sleeve or normal T-shirt) horizontally at any length you want. As for the sleeves, you can either make it a tank top or keep the sleeves as they are. Another similar route you can take is to get a long-sleeved shirt and cut an opening in the front. Second, decide if you want to turn it into a tank top or keep it as it is. The purpose of this style of shirt? Well, have you ever wanted to wear a specific shirt but couldn’t because it was too cold or windy and you had to hide it under a jacket? Well, now you have a shirt that’s dedicated to keeping you warm and showing off your shirt underneath. A third route you can take is to take a shirt and turn it into a tube top. However, you’ll need a sewing kit for this one. Simply cut off the sleeves and sew the openings shut. Now, horizontally cut a selected amount off the shirt from the top and bottom. For whatever route you choose, there will be scraps left over; don’t throw them away. Accessorize! Use the leftover scraps as headbands, wrap them around your wrists, be creative with it!

Turning unused clothing into something totally different or even just upgrading it is always a good idea. You never know what you’ll come up with and you might even surprise yourself! Don’t be afraid to experiment, even the simplest of clothes can be transformed!

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