Make do and mend, a tale of recycled fashion
We’re looking to the 1940s for inspiration on recycled fashion, make do and mend and what can be made new to you
In bygone eras materials weren’t as readily available so everybody practised repairing and recycling in some form, whether unpicking knitted jumpers to knit into new, to shoppers bringing their own paper to wrap purchases. Housewives learnt to make do and mend and people did imaginative things with potatoes.
Recycling and upcycling is close to our hearts and we’re looking to the 1940s for inspiration on what can be restored, repaired and made ‘new to you’ again...
Re-invent your wardrobe
What’s already in your wardrobe? Do you know? Spring is the perfect time to take inventory and get the most from your clothes. Take time to work out which styles suit you and what works for your lifestyle right now. Style things differently – have a play and change up looks with accessories. Layer up, try a polo neck under a dress or a tee under a slip to get more wears and make your wardrobe work harder.
Make Do and Mend
Garments can be tailored to fit and you can make your own repairs alterations – tune in to The Great British Sewing Bee and be inspired to learn a few basic stitches, take up hems and make simple amendments. We’re loving Tilly and the Buttons and Love Your Clothes for mending and making tutorials.
Or find a local tailor to take up and take in, they’ll also be able to rework necklines and replace zips inexpensively. Shoes can be taken to cobblers to be re-heeled and resoled, while bags and belts can be mended there too.
When it comes to your favourite glasses they too can be restored and revived with our restoration service. We offer both a polishing and reglazing service that saves frames from landfill and gives glasses a new lease of life. From oiling to polishing we remove scratches, general wear and restore lustre.
If you've scratched your lenses, had a prescription change or just want to change your lens colour we can reglaze your glasses.
Customising your clothes
Use embellishments and adornments to customise your clothes and make your mark. Additions of fringing, beads and vintage patches work a treat.
Try your hand at simple embroidery and add to denim, tees and shirts to update your current wardrobe. Check out Mollie Makes for inspiration.
Bear Shark Embroidery
Let it go
If you’ve worked out it’s got to go, host a clothing swap party with friends and go home with new threads.
If garments are beyond saving, recycle at your nearest Clothing Bank.
The Big Closet Clear Out is happening in March - see the Love Your Clothes website for more tips to get involved.
Shanna Camilleri on Unsplash
Remember loved things last.
If you want to chat about restoring your glasses or tell us about your latest recycling projects please get in touch, we’d love to hear about it.
Jo
World Oceans Day
Come celebrate World Oceans Day with us. Find out how we can reduce plastic pollution and save our seas…
Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash
Make a splash and come celebrate WORLD OCEANS DAY with us.
Our country is full of idyllic coastal resorts, made special by one thing.. our ocean. Being surrounded by water brings a sense of calm and wellbeing. I become more obsessed each year in my quest for the perfect alfresco sea view. It got me thinking about the need to to preserve this beauty and what we can do to #saveourseas
Photo by Alex Perez on Unsplash
save our seas from plastic pollution
Plastic pollution is becoming a serious problem for all our seas...
80% of all pollution in the ocean comes from people on land.
8 million tonnes of plastic per year ends up in the ocean, wreaking havoc on wildlife, fisheries and tourism.
Plastic pollution costs the lives of seabirds and marine mammals every year.
Fish eat plastic, and we eat the fish.
Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash.jpg
Healthy Oceans, Healthy Us
A healthy world ocean is critical to our survival. Every year, World Oceans Day provides a unique opportunity to honor, protect, and conserve our world’s shared ocean.
Our ocean is so important it...
Generates most of the oxygen we breathe
Helps feed us
Regulates our climate
Cleans the water we drink
Offers a pharmacopoeia of medicines
Provides limitless inspiration
Photo by Joel Vodell on Unsplash
change gonna come
It has to. So what can we do?
Ditch the plastic.
Use less and recycle the plastic you must use.
Go for alternatives like glass and metal.
Go vintage - a little make-do-a-mend - they had to, but now we need to;
reduce, reuse and recycle
Use these hashtags on social to spread the word and help clean up our ocean: #WorldOceansDay #TogetherWeCan
Photo by Teddy Kelley on Unsplash