Clothes Hacks to Fit my Style

One of the reasons I like shopping thrift stores is the affordable opportunity to alter clothes, and sometimes home goods, to fit my style.

If it’s not too expensive an item, I don’t have to feel badly if the hack goes sour and I ruin it. I have been known to try too big an alteration and end up with a most peculiar fit or look! [I remember you, cute cotton flowered button-down 3 sizes too big.]

The Short-Sleeve Sweater

I found this cute sweater a few weeks ago at Goodwill. The color is irresistible- but it was a mock-turtle neck. I can’t stand anything up around my neck!

However, I found a similar sweater a few years ago, and successfully cut the neck off. [You can read about it in this post.] So I figured ‘let’s try again!’

It worked like a charm.

The Scarf

This gifted scarf is a few years old, and while I don’t wear gray, the blue, orange, and white stripes are right up my alley. While hanging the sweater back up, I glanced at the scarf and thought, ‘That would look perfect with this blue.’ And it sure did.

I don’t know about you, but I have a love/hate relationship with scarves. They are so beautiful and a terrific way to add color to your outfits.

I cannot figure out how to wear them! I always end up with the long rectangle drape hanging down my front. Yes, that can look flattering with a long sweater or tunic but so … boring.

I tried doing the casual wrap around my shoulders- I adore the look with blanket scarves for fall and winter. I look like a couch throw with a peanut head poking out the top. Not good.

What I can wear though, are square scarves, about 24-30″ with light-weight weave. It looks good on me when folded into a triangle to create a V-neck illusion, knotted loop, or as a shorter drape.

I experimented with this rectangle scarf, folding it in thirds to get a square and it was just the right size. It’s a very light weave so it worked well doubled. I could just cut off a chunk of one end, but the scarf has doubled-up stripes for fancy at each end.

Hmmm.

So I measured how much I wanted off, folded the scarf in half, marked half of the measurement from the fold, and ran a seam across the scarf at that point. Then I cut it off.

Voila! The fancy detail is intact, the seam is pretty much invisible, and I have a scarf I’ll wear more often.

What came out of the middle.

The Chunky Cardigan Sweater

This is the easiest hack and a huge bang for your buck in upscaling a sweater. [Also on coats, you can see how I glammed up a thrifted dress coat here.]

CHANGE THE BUTTONS.

Why does it seem like every sweater in the universe comes with the same, plastic, brown/gray buttons?

I didn’t want to get fancy for this sweater, and I found these orange/coral buttons at an antique store for 95¢. Less than 15 minutes of my time and I was done.

The End Result

I am so happy with this outfit! Admittedly I was a little nervous about cutting up the scarf; I cut up another scarf and wasn’t happy with the end result and it eventually went in the trash bin.

I figure if I’m not wearing something because of the look or fit, I can donate it or see if I can alter it to suit me. I’m not a skilled seamstress and the things I do can be copied by any one of you, fashion friends!

Have you altered any of your clothes? Let me know in the comments, I want to hear about it!

Have a terrific week, dear internet. I’m excited to be back blogging again ♥ Pam (Winter Bee)

PS. If you want to see what I’ve been up to, head over to Winter Bee Garden for a flower fix.