If you’ve never gone to a thrift shop, you’re missing out. I could spend hours in there looking at stuff. You can find anything there. Literally anything. You never know what you might find hidden amongst the hawaiian shirts and old Hollister tees. The great thing about thrift shops is you can buy something and then totally cut it up and destroy it and not feel bad about it, because you probably paid 4-5 dollars for it. I love being crafty and I always see things and think, I can easily just make that myself. And when you make something yourself, you end up saving a ton of money. Check out some fashion DIYs you can make from thrift shop purchases!
Chunky Infinity Scarf
The top scarf is over $30, and the bottom one was made from a sweater I bought for only $4! I purchased a white knit sweater from Goodwill and simply cut off the bottom half of it. I sewed a seam on the end where I cut it so the ends wouldn’t start to fray, and boom! A cozy white infinity scarf that you can wear with practically anything!
Cozy Leg Warmers
The top leg warmers are $34 dollars and, once again, the bottom ones were made from a sweater bought for $4! By cutting the sleeves off of a sweater, you’re left with easy leg warmers!
Remember the sweater used for the infinity scarf? Don’t throw it out, you can use those sleeves for leg warmers too! You can even sew the ends together to cover your toes too.
Denim Cut-Offs
Even though it’s winter, everyone’s mind is dreaming of warmer weather. High waisted shorts are super cute in the summer, and some people like to wear them with tights in the winter. The top pair of shorts is almost $40, and jeans at Goodwill range from about 3-5 dollars! High waisted jean shorts can clearly be pricey, so why not make them yourself? Goodwill stores have a constant surplus of jeans, mom jeans to be precise, and that is exactly what you want to make a good pair of high waisted shorts. You’ll probably have to try on a bunch of pairs to find a fit you like, but thats all part of the fun. The jeans will most likely look absolutely heinous, but thats why you cut them up. Once you’ve found the perfect jeans, cut them up to the length you like. Start by cutting small pieces off and trying them on after each cut to avoid cutting them too short. After cutting, you can roll them up or throw them in the dryer to fray the edges, and distress them however you’d like!
Flannel Infinity Scarf
Another scarf! This one is a super cozy flannel scarf made from an old flannel shirt. The first scarf is around $20, and the second one cost only $3 to make. I did the same thing as the first scarf, but I ended up cutting another piece off of the shirt and sewing it to the first piece in order to make it longer. I left the buttons on the front part of it because I thought it added a nice detail, but you can take them off as well and just sew the 2 ends together. I also sewed a seam on the ends so this one wouldn’t fray either.
So you could purchase all of these items for around $120, or buy the materials at a thrift shop and make them yourself for about $15! Next time you see something in the store that you just have to have, consider making it yourself first before making a pricey purchase!
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Photos: 1, 3, 6, 8 and 2, 4, 5, 9 provided by author
Therese Burke is a Saint Mary’s College Contributor to Her Campus Notre Dame.