Hellllllllo!!
I hope everyone is enjoying these longer days and sunshine rays! I have had so much inspiration for my spring/summer wardrobe this year and I cannot wait to start building it. As my first year of college is coming to a close I am lacking something super important… MONEY! If you’re a college student, I’m sure you can relate. Nothing is more frustrating than being so enthusiastic about fashion with an empty wallet. I’ve been delving into the world of thrift shopping recently and I have been LOVING it. Some pros to thrifting are that it’s cheap, you can find tons of unique pieces, and up-cycling clothes is not only rewarding but ALSO eco-friendly!
There are tons of ways to repurpose old clothing and create trendy pieces to add to your closet for a fraction of the price. I grew up going to thrift shops all the time as a kid because my grandmother worked at one in the basement of our church. I have always had a passion for hunting for great finds! Not to mention- it’s a great way to spend a rainy afternoon. Here are some ideas for some “thrift-flips”:
- Turn old, vintage jeans into amazing high-waisted shorts!
I have tried this flip a few times and I love how mine have turned out! I usually look in the men’s jeans because they tend to make better shorts. I begin by finding light-wash straight leg jeans- Levi’s are a great brand to use and they always have a crazy amount of them. I start by trying them on and using a sharpie to mark about two inches longer than I want my shorts to be (for seam allowance). After cutting the jeans into shorts, I roll the bottoms to hide the raw hem. I then either use fabric glue or a few stitches to keep the rolled effect. Some other techniques are creating a “frayed hem” or to distress the shorts even further with holes or rips. The photo on the right is the pair I made myself! I love how they turned out and these only cost me $6.
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2. Paint designs on any denim pieces
This is pretty self-explanatory, but I have seen some amazing repurposed denim jackets, pants, shorts, etc. with original artwork. You could even repurpose an old pair of jeans that are already in your closet! Pick up a paintbrush and get creative. In the end, you’ll have a unique piece of clothing that you made yourself. 
3. Repurposing old tee’s
One item of clothing that no thrift store lacks is t-shirts. I have found some awesome t-shirts at my local thrift store. I typically look in the men’s section for shirts that would normally be too large for me. I have cropped a few tee’s to make boxy looking tops, I also like turning them into tank tops! A simple way to do this is to cut diagonally along the hem of both sleeves. If the shirt is too long, try it on and crop it to you preferred length and boom! A one of a kind shirt you made all by yourself.
I hope this post inspires you to go and check out your local thrift store! You never know what you might find
Erica 🙂