How to refash a white shirt

Every wardrobe, be it of a hoarders' or a minimalist, surely has this classic piece which stays consistent despite the ever changing trends in the fashion industry - A White Shirt. This versatile garment can cater to every body type, mood & occasion depending on what you pair it with. However, a lot of times, we end up discarding a shirt simply because of a minor defect like a lipstick stain or an unfinished seam. In this era of overconsumption where easy accessibility to cheap fashion has led consumers to discard garments as quickly as they buy them, the need to take small steps to change this pattern is even more imperative. Here are a few ways to refash your white shirt rather than throwing it away.

WHEN THE SHIRT IS A LARGER SIZE

A lot of times we impulsively buy a shirt because of its' design or silhouette even though it might be a different size. Because of this, it ends up piling up in our closets for months or years before we decide to one day, discard it. There are ways in which we can refash an oversized shirt, here's how -

- Get it altered to your size from a local tailor.

- Style it as an oversized shirt with a pair of denim and statement accessories like a colour blocked bag or shoes.

- Create a statement piece out of your classic shirt by making an Open Back Shirt. See the tutorial to this DIY here

 

  

WHEN THE SHIRT IS STAINED / FADED

Over a quarter of items that are thrown away in the landfills are discarded due to a simple stain (29%) - a quarter (23%) never even attempted to remove the stain because the item of clothing was cheap.

It’s possible to get more wear out of your stained clothes so don’t be too hasty to discard them. Even clothes that seem unwearable may still have life left in them if given some treatment & thought. Here are a few ideas on how you can cover the stain depending on which area of the shirt got stained:

- Collar : Embellish it with some beads or pearls from a broken jewellery piece. 

- Pocket/Placket/Cuff : Replace that fabric with a printed fabric.

- Sleeves : Make it into a half sleeves shirt if the lower half of the shirt is stained otherwise adorn the full sleeves with cute hand embroidery. 

- Back : The original stained back piece can be replaced with a sheer white fabric.

  

WHEN YOU ARE JUST BORED OF WEARING IT IN THE SAME WAY

Sometimes its' simply the lack of options of wearing this fashion staple that makes us want to discard it. Styling it in a different ways for diverse occasions makes you realise its' true potential. A white shirt looks equivalently chic for a formal look when teamed with a neutral suit as it does for the perfect vacation vibe when layered over a slip dress and shell accessories. Sharing a few outfit inspirations to make you rethink the possibilities of your classic white shirt.

 

(Photo Credits- Left to Right : Renata Jazdzyk, Sydnestyle, Pinterest, fromluxewithlove) 

 

Share your ideas of refashing your white shirt using #donttrashitrefashit.

Happy Upcycling!

 

 

 


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