With more of us wanting to save on waste and spend less money, making the most of what we have got could not feel more timely. We’ve all got clothes in our wardrobe that we no longer wear, that no longer fit and that we’re no longer completely in love with. 

So why not get a bit creative and give your garms a new lease of life? 

You don’t need sewing skills to spin your wardrobe, take a look at our tips below:-

Tie dye was almost as intrinsic to lockdown life as sourdough bread and anxiety, and is an amazing, fun way of rejuvenating tired cotton T-shirts, face coverings, socks, shorts, jackets…you get the idea. 

Tie dying isn’t hard either; it takes a few things, a bit of patience and BAMPH, you’ve got a totally refreshed item of clothing! 

It’s time to get scissor happy. Edward, eat your heart out. With a snip here and a chop there, you can transform a benched piece into a whole new outfit.  Why not turn an old skirt you don’t like the length of anymore into a midi or mini skirt? Or create some stylish shorts from an old pair of jeans? Got a top you never wear? Cut the collar to create an off-the-shoulder number or cut off the bottom to create a tank top. Sleeves can be added or removed and hemlines can even been lengthened; the options are limitless. You could even consider cutting up two items of clothing and sewing the opposing parts together to make a third totally unique item.  However, before you make your first cut, learn how to make a proper hemline, unless you’re going for the frayed, rough-around-the-edges look.

Check out this Urban Outfitters blog all about customising your denim jackets 

If you want to add a little flair and flourish to your clothes without too much work, then a little embellishing will be the needle to your thread. High time, then, that you took a trip to your local haberdashery where you’re likely to find a treasure trove of ribbons, buttons, sequins, lace and all sorts of items which you can dress your wardrobe up with. The key here is to think about ways in which you can enhance or contrast a feature of the garment you want to embellish.

One of our favourite ways to add a unique, trendy touch is with embroidery. From plain cami tops, cardigans and denim jackets to white canvas espadrilles, this simple technique can completely transform your clothes. If you’re new to sewing, you could always sew embroidered patches onto your clothes instead.

If you want to set yourself apart from the crowd then go a step further and design your own shirt. With the help of cutting edge technology, creating your own customised clothes has never been easier. Online companies like Printful allow you to add any pattern or vibrant design to blank garments, like custom printed hoodies, via their website that are then printed, cut and sewn by expert designers. You can even create a slogan t-shirt with your own personal mantra or a motivational phrase that moves you. A great way to express yourself, indeed. Moreover, if you have always dreamt of becoming a fashion designer here is your chance. With print on demand options available, you can easily sell your own original designs online at the click of a button.

Although the big jobs should be normally reserved for the professionals, you can do your own version of screen printing at home. You can buy t-shirt transfer paper which means you can design something on your laptop, print it off and then iron it onto your desired garment.

You could also try stencilling; grab some card, get creative with a design and, using fabric paints, stencil that design on a jacket or unused bag!

Bust out the fabric paints and get customising! You can check out the video below or check out this awesome Beginners Guide to Fabric Painting 

Easy to apply and perfect for making a statement, embroidered patches can be used on so many items of clothing; from jackets to jeans, bags to shirts. You can literally whack a patch on anything to give it an edgy refresh and score a look that’s all your own. 

Make sure you tag us if you have a go at any of these ideas, we’d love to see what you come up with, we’ll make sure to feature them in our next blog post! >>> #TeamKCSecondHandSeptember