Spring is coming and if you’re anything like me, you’re counting down the days until you can bust out your spring and summer wardrobe. All winter long, images of sundresses, short skirts, and flirty sandals have been dancing around in my head and it’s almost warm enough to be able to wear them. There’s just something about the sunshine and longer days that make my inner fashionista explode with excitement, and with that emotion comes the desire to go shopping for new clothes. However, therein lies the problem. I am a poor, poor college student who simply can’t afford to dress the way I would like to. So, what’s a girl like me to do? Refashion. Refashion everything I own and learn to get real creative with my old pieces of clothing. Altering old articles of clothing and transforming them into fashionable, new articles of clothing is a smart way to save money and a great way to pass a rainy afternoon. If you’re not ready to part with your old clothes, there are also several simple yet stylish outfits you can create from scratch with a little time and dedication (and all at reasonable prices too). Below are a few of my favorite websites to visit when I need some inspiration or want to spice up my wardrobe with some new pieces.
1. Tasha Delrae
Tasha Delrae is a Canadian mom and dedicated blogger who posts step by step instructions on how to create chic outfits. She offers advice on how to revamp old items (even shoes!) and also has tutorials on how to create simple skirts and dresses from scratch. To add to her versatility, she also has diy posts on accessories. A few of her best posts are:
–DIY Kaleidoscope Printed Skirt
2. In Lala Land
Run by two sisters, this blog is a self-described lifestyle blog that posts about crafts, beauty, fashion, and recipes. They have a DIY section and a Fashion section, both full of neat projects and posts that you’ll be dying to replicate. Some of their most intriguing diys are below:
Easily the most professional DIY blog I’ve ever stumbled across on the internet, this site shows you how to create some seriously fashionable outfits. A majority of her posts are very easy to replicate, and simply involve sewing a unique accessory to a piece of clothing. Here posts include tutorials which are extremely clear and follow along. Though it was hard to choose, below are some of my favorite refashions:
Run by a previous writer for the New York Times and About.Com, Kirsten Nunez has something that could interest any girl on her site. From fashion advice to several pages of diy projects (she specializes in accessories and jewelry), Studs and Pearls is a great place to go for all your style needs. (Bonus: scattered throughout her website are coupons for various craft stores!) Her most innovative posts are below:
This site hosts a wide range of crafts and fun activities, but it’s her fun and innovative diy fashion projects that stand out. Miss Anna Banana, as she refers to herself, has a colorful website that has a wide range of projects to choose from. My favorite posts of hers are:
Katy is a college student from the South who loves to sew, and luckily for us she’s been documenting all of her projects for the world to see. Her posts are mainly tutorials that are either diy clothing projects or diy home decor crafts. The way Katy refashions old clothing is simple and her tutorials are easy to follow, allowing anyone to diy. Below are some of her best tutorials:
This cute website has pages and pages of diy tutorials and posts relating to music, artwork, crafts, photography, design, and most notably, fashion. Cate walks you through posts that demonstrate how to transform old pieces of clothing, and she also shows you how to create unique accessories with only a few, cheap items. Below are some of her most creative posts:
–DIY Long Skirt to Dress Refashion
8. I Spy DIY
This super creative and colorful website covers everything from clothing to shoes to accessories. This is the ultimate website to visit if you’re looking for inspiration on how to transform your old wardrobe into an exciting new one. Though there were several tutorials to go through, these were my favorites:
–DIY Leather Detailed Sweatshirt
Labelled as “a fashion & diy blog for the sparkle obsessed,” this blog epitomizes girly accessories. There are dozens of tutorials on this site that are all unique and the end results are always fashionable. It was hard to choose, but my favorite diy accessories are: