Repair, redesign, repurpose your wardrobe

We bring you 20 innovative ways to repair, reuse and redesign your wardrobe, suggested by the students and faculty at Vogue Institute of Art & Design.

Scarves into printed belts

Bring out the quirkiness quotient by transforming your scarves into printed belts. This can be worn along with any monochrome shirts and a pair of jeans.

All you need to do is cut the scarf into half its size, fold the belt as per your preferred width of a belt size and stitch a big buckle in the front of the scarf. You can also place the scarf in the belt loops of your pant and make a messy bow on the side.

Jeans into flare leg jeans

Tie waist flare leg jeans are in vogue and your old pair of jeans can be put to great use by transforming them into flare leg jeans. Cut the side seam of your jeans by 10-12 inches up from the hem.

Stitch a godet (a triangle shaped fabric used to give flare to garments) using a lace or brocade fabric on each leg to bring flare.

Create eyewear chains using old earrings

Add more glam to your spectacle look by creating eyewear chains using beads and stones from your old pair of earrings. While this will make your look more appealing while you wear your specs, it can become a glamorous chain when your specs hang down.

Eyewear chains can be easily created. Take a basic link chain and thread the beads and stones from the earrings into the link. You can either keep the colour and pattern similar on both sides of the chain or make it asymmetrical if you want to go bold. Place hooks on both ends of the chain and fix it onto your spectacles.

Spare earrings can be used to enhance your choker neck T-shirts and hair clips

When you lose an earring, keep the other one and enhance the look of your choker neck T-shirts by inserting the earring in the middle of the fabric choker. Insert the metal stick of your earring in the top and then bend the metal stick.

Stitch the earring from the inner side of the shirt and your T-shirt would look brand new. The stones and beads from your earrings can also be stuck to your tik-tak clips, hair bands, hair clips and more.

Brocade blouses can revamp your watches

Watches can be the highlight of your look by making a minor change to its straps. Make your watch an ethnic accessory by changing its leather straps with brocade straps.

Use the fabric from one of your old blouses, Stitch press buttons in the middle of your strap or a Velcro after replacing the leather straps.

Printed blouse fabrics into bows for shoes

You can redesign your shoes using the fabrics from old printed blouses, be it silk or cotton. The fabric can be used in multiple ways for your shoes. You can create a bow with the fabric for a closed pair of monochrome shoes.

You can also give the look of roman sandals to your standard sandals by using strings of fabric. The strings need to be stitched criss-cross from the sandals till the ankle. Later, the strings need to be pulled till the calf muscles while worn.

Scarves into a crimped skirt

Take four of your old scarves and place it next to each other in the form of a large square. Cut the centre of the scarves in a circular shape and stitch them together.

Once your skirt is ready, dip it in water for 5 minutes and twist the skirt from both ends in the opposite direction until the bends meet.

Keep it overnight to dry and the crimped skirt is ready to be worn. The crimping process is temporary and needs to be done after every wash.

Old shirt into cushion covers

Take an old shirt, preferably vibrant ones and cut the top part of the shirt, leaving behind a square shaped fabric as per the length of your cushion size which would be either 12" or 14".

Stitch one end of the shirt which was previously cut and keep the other side of the shirt open. Stitch a Velcro strap on the open end of the shirt and voila, your cushion cover is ready to be used.

Shirt sleeves can be transformed into mobile covers

The same old shirt can be used in many more ways, mobile covers are one such form. Cut the sleeves of the shirt according to the size of your mobile and stitch the cut end of the sleeve together.

Similar to the cushion cover, add a Velcro strap or a flap on the open end of the sleeve. You can also make it a sling by attaching a long chain to it.

Traditional sarees can become file covers and laptop covers

Make every stationary item at your workplace an appealing accessory with the fabric from your old blouses and dupattas. To make a file cover, place 3 to 4 layers of fabric in a large square form, include 2 cardboard sheets that equally sized and ensure it is within the size of the fabric.

The cardboard needs to be covered by 1 layer of fabric at the bottom side & 2 layers of fabric on the top. Stitch the corners of the fabric and slit the top layer of the fabric to make pockets for your documents to be inserted.

Dupattas can be used as wine bottle covers and handcrafted giveaway bags

Cut a large square piece of cloth from an old dupatta and place your wine bottle on the centre of the piece.

Pull the ends of the cloth till the top and tie a fashionable ribbon near the bottle neck. Leave 2 inches of the cloth and cut the rest of the fabric left. Your wine bottle gift is ready to be given to your loved ones.

Handcrafted bags can also be created in smaller sizes while throwing a house party. One can wrap chocolates and share it with the guests as a giveaway gift.

Kurtas can become a part of your interior decor

Take any of your old kurtas, preferably a contrasting colour to your walls and cut multiple flowers from the fabric. Glue the flowers on long sticks and place it in your vase. This can be changed regularly as per your mood.

Flared skirts can become a poncho

Ponchos will always be in trend and you can make a unique poncho by using one of your flared skirts that have been used several times in the past. All you need to do is adjust the waste of the skirt into the neckline and slip it onto your shoulder.

Straight skirts can be made as a smart shrug

You can make a smart shrug using a straight skirt by cutting the skirt in the front for a front opening. Cut the top of the skirt in an upper semi-circle form and adjust the shoulders and the neckline with a stitch.

Shirts can be made into an off shoulder top

Your skirts can be converted into an off shoulder top. Cut the top section of the shirt by 4 inches; stitch an elastic string for the main body section of the shirt and two more elastic strings for each sleeve. Your off shoulder top is ready for use.

Dupattas or blouses can make great tea set accessories

If you love tea, this transformation from a dupatta or blouse is an ideal pick. Take one of your old dupattas or blouses and cut it into 16 small squares and make four coasters by stitching 4 layers of fabric for each coaster.

Stitch the edges for each coaster. You can also make a tea cosy that would keep your tea warm for a longer time. For this you need fabric which is denser. The fabric needs to be cut in a semi-circle form.

4 layers of the fabric need to be stitched together from the circular section. In this case, the bottom needs to be left open as it the tea pot gets covered with the tea cosy from the top.