DIY Upcycled Tops

Let’s start a new year of sewing with some simple upcycled tops that I completed towards the end of last year.

I had 3 jersey dresses that I had bought probably a year earlier and not worn even once! I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought them. They’re not really my colours. They’re not particularly flattering. Honestly…this is why I don’t go clothes shopping! I’m so very bad at it!

Please note: I’m only wearing the jeans with them for these photos. That’s not my normal styling option!

So, they hung forlornly in the wardrobe and I felt guilty about the waste of money and the environmental and social impact of them.

A fourth dress was much more me. I love the colour and the print and the style. It just really needed to be a few inches longer for me to be comfortable wearing it.

I could have sent them to the charity shop but really wanted to get some wear out of them. And the charity shop option doesn’t guarantee they’ll stay out of landfill.

So, in a fit of madness, I took the scissors to them. I cut each one to hip length, turned over a small hem and stitched.

Not exactly rocket science. Not exactly time consuming. Very quickly they went from taking up space in my wardrobe and my head to being worn in regular rotation.

With fast fashion being a major contributor to environmental change, it felt good not to waste these garments. These upcycled tops are a simple contribution to the war on waste.

Obviously, making better purchasing choices would be optimum. But this is a very practical solution to poor shopping skills.

And as an aside, the last picture makes me super happy. It’s taken this morning, about 6 weeks after the others. Despite having a very jolly Christmas, I can clearly see how my weight loss journey is progressing. Still a way to go, but definitely heading in the right direction.