Everyone has their own style – it’s part of what makes you, you! Knowing what colours suit you, understanding your body, what shape clothes you need and the combinations of textures and textiles is absolutely essential if you are going to make a positive and lasting statement. DIY fashion allows you to take artistic control of your look, making clothing and accessories that are created with you in mind. However, it can sometimes be the more expensive alternative to browsing the high street stores, particularly if you’re not on the lookout for designer labels, as some of the supermarket clothing and shoe prices can be hard to beat. But this low cost does mean that everyone else will be wearing the same clothing this season too, so getting a unique look can be hard when you’re on a budget. So how can you ‘do it yourself’ for cheap?
Recycling old clothes is a great way to achieve your perfect look for less. Take that tatty old dress that you haven’t worn in years or that pair of jeans that no longer quite fits and make them into something new and beautiful, something that truly suits you. I had an old pair of brogues in my wardrobe that I’d worn for years. Therefore they were super-comfortable shoes but they looked really shabby, yet I couldn’t bring myself to throw them out. Instead I grabbed a low-cost can of fabric spray paint and gave them a quick and easy makeover – see my blog post about it here. Using old, unwanted and tatty clothes to create something that you will use time and time again is by far the most economical way of doing it yourself. 
However, when clothing gets torn or soles fall off shoes, most of us will get rid of our old t-shirts, shoes or skirts, and therefore don’t have a lot lying around that we don’t wear at one time or another. If you are one of these people and you still want to DIY your own clothing and shoes for an individual look, then you are going to have to buy materials and fabrics before you can even start on a project. Even with charity shop or second-hand options fabrics are still often expensive so how is it possible to make a fashion statement on a budget?
I’ve found that using discount codes is the best way to get the materials you need at a lower cost. Visiting specialist sites such as VouchaCodes.co.uk is a great way to find the money off vouchers you need for your DIY fashion projects. From fabric to thread, and spray paint to t-shirt transfers, no matter what you need, there is bound to be a great deal on offer at this website when you need to most. I usually start by searching for the best discount code for any fabric supplier , hobby website or haberdashery and then shopping on the website that offered the best deal, such as free delivery or new customer discounts – I have discovered some great websites that I never even knew existed this way as the lowest-price suppliers don’t always come up top on Google.
Even taking care of your existing clothing can be a good way to save money on your wardrobe in the future. I love to keep my shoes polished to prevent cracking, and I’ve invested in my most-comfortable shoes (below) by having them reheeled at a cobblers. Where once I would have thrown away something that was slightly torn at the seams or had a broken zip, I now take pleasure in repairing my clothes rather than replacing them as I know I’m saving money at the same time. I bought the dress above from a charity shop solely because I loved the fabric. I was far too big for me and very unflattering but after a bit of tweaking at the sewing machine (read my tutorial here) it’s now one of my most-loved summer dresses.
By the way, when I was looking through this voucher code website recently I found some really good deals for Joules. This store boasts some great deals at all points throughout the year and the existing Joules deals can be combined with codes to get you discounted goods and services (including my current favourite; 50% off in the great Summer Sale). I love buying clothing here because it really lasts; my husband’s Joules shirt has been through the wash about 30 times and still looks as good as new, and my tweed jacket is essential for spring and autumn days. There’s really nothing better than investing in clothing that you wear again and again because a low cost-per-wear is more important to me than keeping up with trends!
Anyway, let me know if you have a go at recycling or reusing your old clothing and shoes, and I hope you’ll be able to find some good deals on fabrics and materials online too!
This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂
