In this post, I am going to give you 15 DIY clothes hacks that will have you looking expensive on a budget. No matter if you looking for revamping clothes ideas or just plain old DIY clothing ideas where your clothes do not come out looking like some bad arts and craft project that a 9-year-old did.
I have you covered. I mean what is the point of doing a DIY clothing project if you can tell that they are DIY. Instead, these 15 DIY ideas are focused on being stylish, chic, and fashionable. Post contains affiliate links.
DIY Clothes Hacks #1 A Pancho From A Wool Blanket
Source & Full Tutorial
DIY Clothing Hacks ~ Click titles to buy
DIY Clothes Hacks #2 Heart Shape Pointed Flats
Source & Full Tutorial
Diy Clothing Hacks ~ Click titles to buy
- pointed flats
- metallic spray paint (click here to buy)
- 2 sheets of sticker paper
- tracing paper
- pen
- scissors
- tape
Diy Clothing hacks ~ Steps:
1. Take a sheet of tracing paper and wrap it around the from tip of the shoe. Tape in place. Then, draw a heart shape. Repeat and mirror for the other shoe.
2. Untape the tracing paper. Cut out the heart shape. Use the cut out as a guide, and trace this shape onto the sticker paper. Then, cut out. Repeat for the other shoe.
3. After cutting out the heart shape, stick onto the tip of shoe (as photoed). Make sure it is thoroughly stuck on. Repeat for other shoe.
4. Spray paint the heart in a well ventilated area.
5. Let fully dry, then remove the sticker paper.
DIY Clothes Hacks #3 Revamping Clothes Ideas an Old Dress.
You can view my suggestions on cheap dresses that you can revamp or you can even go to the local thrift store to find a similar dress. This ideas was courtesy of
(source & Full Tutorial).
1. First cut off the collar and turned the dress around so that the back was at the front.
2. Then take the dress in at the back of the waist by around 3 inches by sewing two new darts
3. Measure and then cut about 15cm off the bottom of the skirt
4. Cut about 6cm off the sleeves and rehemmed.
5. Fold the nape of the back of the dress into a V and sewed down.
6. Swap the mismatching white buttons for light pink ones that were more understated.
#4 DIY Clothing Hacks ~ Cape
Source & Full Tutorial
DIY Clothing Hacks ~ Materials: Click titles to buy
1 yard fabric (Update: double folded!) (Tweed is great because you don’t need to sew a lining)
4 yards Velvet Ribbon “ 1 inch width (click to buy)
#5 DIY Clothing Hacks ~ Fringe Skirt
This DIY Clothes hack is actually listed as a Halloween costume BUT I would so rock this if I was going out to a nice dinner, lounge, or even club
Source & Full Tutorial
All you need is some fringe (Click to buy), scissors, fabric glue, and a plain black skirt. If your skirt (click to buy) is elastic, make sure it has a zipper in the back. You may also want to stretch it out a bit with a piece of cardboard before you attach your fringe.
Measure out and cut a length of the fringe that will go all the way around the skirt, and perfectly lines up with the bottom of the skirt. Cut another length of fringe that will go all the way around at the top of the skirt.
Use your Unique Stitch glue to glue down the bottom piece of fringe. You may want to use a ruler and pencil to draw your desired line before you glue it down.
Add the second piece of fringe at the top of the skirt, gluing it down in little sections with your fabric glue.
Let the glue dry, that is it.
DIY Clothes Hacks #6 High Low Skirt
Source & Full Tutorial
You need:
This DIY Clothes hack is a thrifted skirt (one with some subtle pleating but don’t go with a fully pleated skirt as they are difficult to hem). If you don’t have a skirt like this, then you can get an inexpensive one here.
A pair of scissors
Needle and thread
An iron.
How to:
1. Put your skirt on and mark where you want the front, and shortest, part of the skirt to finish.
2. Take the skirt off and fold in half down the front middle of the skirt so rather than the back and front lying against each other, it’s the two sides that face each other “ the way you might fold trousers before you put them on a coat hanger. Make sure the fold is directly in the middle of the front of the skirt.
3. Lay the skirt on the floor and cut out the front of the skirt you want a semi straight line for the first 30cm of so to create the mini part of the skirt, then tapering down to the back and bottom of the skirt.
4. Try the skirt on to see if the cut out is big enough. I did this a few times, cutting more away to suit what I wanted it to look like. Take this slowly as it’s always better to cut less than to cut too much.
5. Once you have a cut out that you like, fold over the edge of the skirt and iron. Fold it twice so the rough edge is covered if you need to.
6. Sew a small stitch all the way around the hem. Voila! All done.
#7 DIY Clothes Hacks ~ Duct Tape Purse
Source & Full Tutorial
To make your own chevron clutch you will need:
- sheet of paper (any kind) cut to 12 x 18
- 2 rolls of Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape (Note that you can use any color duct tape you want)
- x-acto knife or utility blade
- pencil
- ruler
- scissors
- adhesive velcro squares
 Fold the sheet of paper into thirds, making the front flat slightly shorter. Find the center point, then use the scissors to trim the front flat into a triangle shape.
Open the folded sheet of paper and place it with the outside facing up. Cover it with vertical strips of the Scotch Colors and Patterns Duct Tape. Be sure to use the lightest color for this step.
Trim the edges of tape so there is about a 1/4 1/2 board on all sides. Then carefully fold over the tape to create a boarder.
Flip over the paper and now use the same color tape to add horizontal strips of tape to this side.
Trim any edges where the tape goes beyond the edge of the paper.
Fold the taped paper so it creates an envelope shade. Use a strip of the same color tape to seal the edges.
Use your ruler to measure out a 2 grid. Make a small mark every 2.
Use the other color of tape to connect the dots you just made.
Trim the edges.
Skip one row of zig zags and use the tape to create another room, towards the top. This should mimic the first row you created.
Use the knife to carefully cut the edges where the two pieces of tape overlap. This created the peaks and valleys of the chevrons. Be carefully to not press too hard or you may cut through the bag!
Add the velcro closure.
Close the bag and create the same grid that you made before. You want the dots to line up with the previous grid. They will serve as guides when you add the tape.
Add another row of zig zags with the darker colored tape. Use the scissors or knife to trim the overlapping edges and then you’re done!
DIY Clothes Hacks #8 Crystal Shoes
Source & Full Tutorial
You’ll need: Click Titles to buy
- assorted hot fix Swarovski crystals (click here to buy)
- hot fix tool (click to buy)
- suede heels (click to buy)
For this DIY clothes hack you much first pick an assortment of square and round crystals as well as flat back pearls. Be sure to pick ones that say hot fix which will have an adhesive backing activated by heat, making it very easy to apply. You can also get one of those nifty wax tipped pens to help pick up the crystals as they be very small and cumbersome to pick up with your fingers.
Hot fix tools are great for this type of application. It’s literally just a mini hot iron that emits heat when plugged in. There will be a range of tips you can use for your tool. Turn your iron on and let it heat up. Place your first crystal on the backside of the shoe (start at the top or bottom but never in the middle). Place the tool directly over the crystal for about 8-10 seconds. The glue on the backside will begin to melt and adhere to the shoe.
Lift the tool off the crystal and try budging it with the tip of your finger. If it moves, it needs more time under the heating tool. If not, you’re good to move on! Start working your way down and to the right and left. The key is to not be too exact a mix the sizes and crystals.
Work on one large patch and then mirror it on the other shoe. This way, you can plan out the design easily and distribute the crystals properly. As you get to the sides of the shoes, start spreading the crystals out so it has a fading effect.
#9 DIY Clothing Hacks ~ ASYMMETRICAL PEARLS INSPIRED BY DIOR BEADED NECKLACES
Talking about wanting to look expensive on a budget. This DIY clothes hack is a necklace is actually Dior inspired and it comes pretty close to looking like an actual brand name necklace. It is a lot of work but it is worth the payoff.
Source & Full Tutorial
Here’s What You’ll Need¦
* Your choice of strung beads. {you’re going to need A LOT, so opt for plastic because they’re lighter in weight than glass}.
* Fabric covered headband, preferably to match the color of your beads. (Click to buy)
* Cut your pearl strands to have them ready begin at the end, where your strands will be the longest, then gradually shorten them to achieve the easy gradated/layered effect.
* You will be essentially folding them in half, or with one side longer than the other, and hand-stitching each strand onto your headband. It’s better to start too long then cut away if you want to shorten them, just make sure you have enough bead strands to cover the entire band.
* Begin by threading your needle through the back of the headband to hide the knot, then come up through the top and stitch your pearl strand onto the headband. Stitch it down twice to keep it secure.
* Continue adding strands in varying lengths {on the top and bottom of the band} to create the bulk of the piece at the end.
* To really secure them, in addition to sewing THROUGH the fabric on the front of your headband, wrap your thread around the band and secure it through the ribbon detail in the back.
And continue around the entire headband. I made the front edges longer than the rest, and one longer than the other, as in the inspiration piece, and consistently shorter in the back.
DIY Clothes Hacks #10 Men’s Shirt Into an off the Shoulder Dress
Source & Full Tutorial
You Need: Click titles to buy
For this DIY Clothing Hacks. Draw a line across the front of the shirt from the shoulder.
Cut along the line so that you cut off the top of the shirt. Measure and cut how much elastic you will need to wrap around your shoulders.
Fold the top of your garment inwards to create the gathered neckline and pin it in place.
Sew along the bottom of the folded section to create a fabric tunnel. Leave a gap about 5cm at the start/finish that we will use to insert the elastic in later.
Take something like a wooden screwer or chopsticks to help insert the elastic into the fabric tunnel you made earlier. Thread it all the way through until the elastic appears on the other side.
Sew the elastic together.
Finally, cut or fold up your sleeves.
DIY Clothes Hacks #11 DIY Tassel Sandals
Source & Full Tutorial
Diy Clothing Hacks ~ You’ll need: Click titles to buy
a pair of sandals with removable ankle straps (click to buy)
6 yards of twisted silk cord or braided suede
4 large black tassels
4 barrel cord ends
4 jump rings
4 thin gold coins
E6000
Pliers
Start by wrapping the ends of the silk cord with scotch tape. This will prevent the ends from fraying. Fold the 6 yard length in half, wrap a piece of tape around the middle, and cut. Remove the straps from the shoes.
Thread the silk cord through the open loops. Slip your foot into the shoe and wrap the cord around the ankles.
Trim the ends if necessary but don’t forget to wrap tape around the section that is being cut to prevent fraying.
Drop a dollop of E6000 into the cord ends use a toothpick if it helps. Shimmy the end of the silk cord, with the tape still on it, into the ends. Allow it to dry for at least an hour.
Use jump rings to attach the tassel to the end of the cord ends. Trim the ends of the tassel. Then attach coins to the tassel.
Wrap, tie, and shake a leg!
**Note that the silk cord is slippery so will need to be double knotted. Using braided suede will hold better with a single knot.
#12 DIY Clothing Hacks ~ Oversized Button Up Refashion
Source & Full Tutorial
This is one of the easier DIY clothes hacks. Step 1. Put on the shirt backward and, with a pin, mark the length you want the sleeve, minus the wrist cuff. Take off the shirt and fold the sleeve up (as shown below), matching the top of the cuff with your pinned mark.
Step 2. Trim off the extra sleeve fabric and zigzag stitch or serge the raw edge. Repeat with the other sleeve.
Step 3. Try the shirt on again, backward, and measure how wide and low you want the neckline. My cut was about 8 across and 2 down. Take off the shirt and cut out the collar, down to your marks.
Step 4. Turn the shirt inside out, double fold down the neckline (about 1 cm per fold), and pin. Sew around the neckline, on the folded edge, with a straight stitch.
Step 5. (optional) Turn the shirt inside out, and starting at the sleeve cuffs, sew down to the hemline, slimming the shirt and sleeves. Cut off the extra fabric and zigzag or serge the raw edge.
#13 DIY clothes hacks Front cut out Dress
DIY Clothing Hacks ~ Source & Full Tutorial
DIY Clothing Hacks ~ You Need: Click titles to buy
How to:
- Measure how wide your piece of fabric should be to cover your bust. Cut away this amount of fabric along the bottom of your skirt
2. Open up the stitching at one of the side seams using scissors or a quick unpick
3. Fold your piece of fabric in half and line up the halfway point with the back of the skirt. Hand stitch the two pieces together along the back. Finish the bottom of the skirt part by sewing a new hem.
DIY Clothes Hacks #14 Diy Leopard Fold Over Clutch
Source & Full Tutorial
Materials:
1/2 yard lining (use a heavy weight woven blend)
1 package of heavy weight iron-on interfacing
Step 1 // Cut your fabric, your lining and your interfacing. You should have 2 rectangles of each, 15×18 for the fabric and lining, and 12×15 for the interfacing.
Step 2 // Using the instructions on the package, adhere your interfacing to the wrong side of your fur fabric pieces. Center them so you have room to sew around the edges on all four sides.
Step 3. Take one piece of fur and one piece of lining, and place them wrong sides together. Unzip your zipper, and on the top edge, sandwich your zipper between the two fabrics. Fold over the top edge of both fabrics and pin them carefully along the zipper.
[I pinned the fur to one side of the zipper first, and then pinned the lining to the other side after that, placing pins on both sides since it was easier than trying to pin them to the zipper at the same time]. Now sew along those folded edges (the top edge of the purse) with a straight seam, attaching the fur, lining, and one side of the zipper together.
Repeat for the other side so both sides of the zipper are attached. Make sure you position all your fabrics and your zipper correctly so your zipper will zip up properly and when zipped up, both outsides will be fur.
Step 4. This is now what your project should look like. Zipper in the middle, fur on the outside, and lining attached to both pieces underneath (with wrong sides of the fabric together).
Step 5. Lay your bag flat with right sides together, lining up the sides, and pin around the three (non-zippered) sides of the bag. Sew around it with a straight stitch. On the zipper pull side, stop your stitching directly under the zipper. On the opposite side of the zipper, sew all the way over the zipper to create a nice finished look.
Step 6. Once your seams are done, trim your corners at an angle so the points are super sharp when you turn the bag right side out.
Step 7. Now your bag should look like this.
Step 8. Cut a small rectangle of leather, Fold it in half and pin it to the long ends of the zipper tape. Sew across the fold several times to secure it in place.
Step 9. And you’re DONE
#15 DIY Clothing Hacks ~ Feather Clutch
DIY Clothing Hacks ~ Source & full Tutorial
DIY Clothing Hacks Materials: Click Titles To Buy
DIY Clothing Hacks Step One: Make the feathered ribbons
Cut a piece of ribbon that is long enough to run horizontally across your clutch, adding enough so that it runs over the edge of the clutch and onto one of the sides. Repeat until you have enough ribbons to cover the front & back of your clutch, leaving approximately 1 of open space between each ribbon. As a reference, I cut eight pieces of ribbon for my 4 tall clutch. Use Goop adhesive to glue feathers side by side onto each ribbon. Tip: Add a small piece of tape to each end of the ribbon to hold it firmly in place during this step.
Step Two: Attach the feathered ribbons
Apply Goop to the back of a feathered ribbon and place it firmly in place onto your clutch. Start from the bottom and work your way up the clutch with each row of feathers. Repeat for the back of your clutch.
Step Three: Feather the sides
Glue feathers onto the sides of your clutch, as needed. Just as with the front and back, start from the bottom and work your way up. Add feathers to any other places on your clutch that look like they could use a little more coverage. Allow your clutch to dry, then dress up in your most fab outfit and bring out your pretty new accessory for a fun night on the town!
And there you have it folks DIY clothes life hacks 15 DIY ideas that make you look expensive on a budget. Each of the 15 suggestions give you something new from revamping clothes ideas to all new DIY clothing ideas. Each one is sure to add something chic and fashionable to your wardrobe.
If you know someone that would love to read this post then feel free to share it with her.
For all of my fashion and beauty oriented fashionistas then I have something free that you are going to FREAKIN LOVE. YES LOVE. It is my 100% free ebook, the Sophie-sticated Mom Stylish, Chic, & Modern Christian Women’s Year-Round Capsule Wardrobe Plan. That’s right your forever wardrobe. No more being the frumpy, bumpy, boring modest wardrobe, just because you are a Christian. Be Godly, frugal, relatively modest, chic, stylish, on a budget and look good doing it. Outfits for all seasons (spring, winter, fall, and summer) and most occasions work, casual, dates, gym, chilling or whatever and you will still be fashionable. Just click here or the picture below.
Be the first to comment