How to Make Old Clothes Look New

When you open your closet and stare at your clothes, does boredom sweep over you? Are you tired of looking at the same old pants, skirts, and tops? Before you go out and blow a paycheck on a new wardrobe, why not consider recycling what you already have? With a few clever changes you can give your old tired clothes a new life. Here are some ideas:

Make old clothes look new: Put new buttons on old blouses

There's no quicker way to revamp the look of a blouse than to change its buttons. Pick a blouse from your closet and take it with you to your local fabric store. Go to the button section, and hold different buttons over the current ones. See what a difference a button can make? Pick out some interesting ones and have your tailor sew them on or sew them on yourself. Don't forget about vintage buttons which you can find at estate sales and antique shops. They really add character to an ordinary blouse.

Make old clothes look new: Transform long pants into shorts

If you have pants in your closet that you no longer wear, consider cutting them off into shorts. Jeans are the simplest since you don't have to do a lot of finishing after cutting the material. Dress pants might best be taken to a tailor if you don't have basic sewing skills since they'll need to be hemmed and finished. This also works well for pants that are too short. Dress pants make wonderful shorts that can be worn all summer long with strappy, low heeled sandals and a silky tank top.

Make old clothes new: Add a chunky necklace

If you have plain tops in your closet that you've become bored with, transform them with a bold, chunky necklace. If you can't find exactly what you want, head down to your local bead store and find out how to make your own. You can design custom necklaces for all the tops in your closet. Caution! This can be addictive.

Make old clothes new: Dye it a different color

If you have light colored tops or pants that no longer inspire you, head to your local craft store and pick out some fabric dyes. Use them to dye your old, tired tops and give them new life. If solid colors are too boring, try tie dying some of your clothing for a bold and interesting effect.

Make old clothes new: Wear it in a new way

Do you have dresses you no longer wear? Before donating them, consider how to wear them in a whole new way. A dress takes on a whole new look when you wear it with pants or slim leggings. Knit dresses can be worn belted over slim pants and sandals for comfortable summertime style. Ever tried wearing a skirt as a dress? If you have a long knit skirt, try pulling the waist band under your arms and belting it at the waist. You have an instant strapless dress for a warm summer evening. Think about how you can wear the clothes you have in an entirely different manner to help offset wardrobe boredom.

There's no need to buy a new wardrobe when there are so many ways to recycle the clothing you have. Why not reinvent your closet?