Something old, something new.........................

Something old, something new.................. 

What if we challenge ourselves to revamp our wardrobe, without buying anything new, say for the next 6 months????   I am sure all of us have gone through phases when our cupboards are overflowing but we don’t have anything to wear for that party or coffee outing and of course we cannot repeat a dress, after all, the pics have to go onto the social media, right???  So do we rush to the nearset Designer outlet or exhibition or mall and dish out our credit/debit cards or do we pause.........................

Unused dress recycled with a belt and white summer blazer

Consider the scenario of pausing and organising our wardrobe and maybe overhauling our style . Why not, after all it’s not costing us anything other than a little time, so maybe, just maybe, It’s worth an effort.............

Firstly, organise everything into separate sections, trousers, jeans, jeggings, treggings,  skirts, dresses, formal tops, shirts, sarees, suits, stoles, shawls, dupattas , jackets, corsets, waistcoats.......... easier said than done, but definitely do-able!!!

Then how about checking out those new or almost new clothes, which were a wrong buy or size or just not complimentary or the dress looked maybe a little tacky in color or texture or cut. Worry not, these are not to be discarded but look at them as a challenge on how to overhaul, recycle and reuse..........

A very important step is to try out everything for size and fit and you may be pleasantly surprised that the top or trousers which were looking terrible a few months back are actually a better fit now. Or it may be the opposite.................... ( heaven forbid...... but it happens) No worries, there are lots of solutions and a little ingenuity will go a long way in helping us recycle and reuse!!! Of course, we are going to need that artful neighbourhood masterji (tailor) to execute our ideas / plans.............

If you are as forgetful as I am, then its not a bad idea to put together ensembles, click photographs and go through them when you wanna try out a new look. I do that all the time and keep revising, revisiting and reinventing my looks........

Few tips which one can work with

pink crinkled dupatta used as stole

-         We all have basic black and/ or blue jeans, jeggings, trousers, skirts............ Make lists of every possible top, shirt, sphagetti or T shirt that you can wear with these.  Then another list of every possible accessory that you can team it with, be it jewellery, stoles, scarves, jackets, blazers, waistcoat...... these can be combos that you have tried and also some that you have never tried. They can be a bit outlandish or daring too, big deal!!!! Wear these at those particular occasions that demand it and where the rest of the crowd will relate to them. Experiment, experiment, experiment.......... You will surprise yourself  at how much stuff you have and how innovative  you can become if you just let your imagination run wild!!!

-         The rule is ....... That there are no rules. You make your own rules and you create your own style statement. And anything that you feel comfortable  in, that defines you, or maybe even breaks out of your previously defined boundaries, go for it , girl!!!

-         If you want to wear a corset with jeans or a crinkled dupatta over a T shirt like a stole or an old shirt ( Punjabi suit types) over a pair of trousers or Jeggings or Treggings and accessorize to have a completely new look, whats stopping you??? If you wear Jeans and a T to work and top it off with a scarf or blazer, set it off with that amazing hair cut and that million dollar smile, you will be a knockout........ And no one will even realize that your clothes are probably 5 years old........... All that matters is the attitude with which you carry yourself.

Recycled Dupatta

-         Another thing that you can do is, that whenever you discard your old suits, keep the good cotton, crinkled , printed , bandini or silk dupattas. These are usually very pretty and almost unused. Wear them like a stole over a denim shirt or white Kurti and get ready for the compliments....

-         A crafty way is to spice up your denims..... jeans, shirts, jackets by adding glitter, sparkles, swarwoski or even block print on them . It can be asymmetrical , on just one side, on the back, a single arm or leg or shoulder and viola, you end up with an amazing new addition to your wardrobe that cost nothing and has your fabulous,  individualistic style......................

-         Chop it off………………. cut off the sleeves of that jacket or give it a frayed look  or cut short that old baggy T shirt to make a crop top and wear it over a black sphagetti and Jeans or convert your fav old jeans into capris or shorts. Revive any cottons by starching or maybe redyeing in a darker shade or double shade…………

Crop that top .........

-         Beg or Borrow……………. After all, what is family for???? Feel free to borrow your brother’s biker jacket, your spouse’s baggy sweater, your sister’s top and accessories, your kid’s sweat shirt, your dad’s cravat or scarf, your mum’s pashmina shawl or that priceless brocade saree………… you get the drift and if you return it with a hug and a chocolate, chances are that the favour will be extended a second time around!!!

-         Belt it up……………. Lots of things can get a makeover with a simple belt……….. wide, thin, jazzy, ornamental, metallic!!!! Belts can be worn over tops, dresses, coats, skirts and even sarees. All one needs is the confidence. I once picked up a designer dress , only to realize later that there was something wrong with cut and fit. I have finally started wearing it after years, with a belt............., a stole and belt and  also a jacket and belt and can’t stop smiling since………………

-         Layer, layer, layer……………. Girl, layer to impress, layer to style, layer to disguise………. Layer with any and everything you can think of ( So long as you are not cutting off the curtains, a la “The Sound Of Music”) layering can be done with every stuff, every length, colour ,style ………….

-         Recycle……………….. Old is indeed gold and anything which has been well preserved and taken out and worn after a few years , can actually work magic. Recycling can be done with almost any garment………. An old saree with a new trendy blouse, old dress or skirt with a jacket or stole,…………. a brocade, silk or phulkari dupatta can be converted into a jacket, top, wrap, skirt, straight pants, waist coat……....... omg, I have got to go, my old “New” wardrobe is beckoning…………. And I have taken the 6 month challenge .... Cheers!!!!!

                       A decade old cropped sweater with cut off culottes