Revamp and Replace: A new summer wardrobe for next to nothing

Bored of your clothes? Want a fresh new look for the summer jollies you have planned? But lacking funds? Look no further. Revamp your wardrobe by getting stuck into a little clothes DIY, and replace shopping with swapping. Here you’ll find all the tips for a fashionably frugal summer wardrobe!

“I have nothing to wear” (Every girl, all the time)

1. Be Crafty

Dye – One of the best ways to make your wardrobe more summery is by adding colour. Some great ways of doing this is by finding old, washed out T-shirts and dip dying or the tie dying them with vibrant colours. Clothes dye is pretty cheap to order online, but if you want to save even more money you can use natural dyes found in various plants and foods. A list of dyes you can use along with instructions can be found on this website that is great for thrifty ideas.

Bleach– Bleaching clothes is a great way to personalise them and brighten them up for summer. Just normal household bleach works well, and is really cheap! Turn an old pair of denim shorts into bleached white ones, or use bleach to make patterns. Bleach in a spray bottle, diluted with water depending on the thickness of the fabric, makes a good galaxy print effect, or use stencils to create and bleach your own design.

Cut and Accessorise– Own a hideous peplum top because, for some reason, it used to be fashionable? A pair of scissors and some stitching unpicking later, a crop top is born. Own an old, ragged pair of jeans? A few snips later and new shorts emerge. In updating clothes for summer, scissors truly are your best friend.

Studs and beads– They are so cheap to buy online and can really personalise and update your staple items. Different fabrics are also a godsend! Love the print of an old dress but just can’t fit into it any more? Recycle the print and make cute patchwork additions to shorts. Fabrics can also be bought for a low price at fabric shops or at the local market. If you’re not great at sewing, don’t worry, fabric glue works just as well and results in less injuries!

2. Share the love

Wardrobe swaps are a way to get some new clothes while also holding on to the ones you have. Get your friends together and bring along some clothes you’re bored with or have worn a lot recently. They’ll do the same and you can swap pieces, either for good or on a short term basis, you decide!

It’s also well worth having a rummage through your mum (or dad’s!) wardrobe, you’d be surprised by what they have buried at the back. Things that you may have once turned your nose up at have come back to the forefront of fashion, and guess who still has them in their chest of draws? Chances are there are some hidden gems that your parents have kept over the years. Voilà! New vintage pieces without spending a penny.

3. Internet & Apps

There are great ways out there to acquire new clothes without buying them. My favourite App for this is Depop. A cross between Instagram and eBay, Depop offers people the opportunity to either buy or swap clothes. Websites such as Rehash are also platforms where people can trade clothes, which is not only stops you from flashing the plastic, but is also good for the environment!

Found these tips helpful? Have any money saving tips of your own? Comment below!