Fashion
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Deconstruct old sweaters from thrift stores to harvest yarn for knitting projects.
This method provides high-value wool at a low cost.
- Browse in the men's XL section
- Make sure the edges haven't been serged
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Invest in a sewing machine to repair small tears and alter thrift store finds to fit your body.
It saves money by avoiding the need to buy new items or full-priced clothing.
- Making your own clothes from scratch is challenging and new fabric is not cheap.
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When selecting a suit from a rack or second-hand shop, focus on finding one where the shoulders fit well, since this area is very hard to adjust properly.
The shoulder seam is extremely difficult to tailor, while most other sections of the jacket can be altered with ease.
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When buying a thrifted suit, ensure it fits perfectly in the shoulders and has sleeves longer than needed.
Shoulders are difficult to alter, and tailors cannot lengthen sleeves if they were previously shortened.
- Check if shorter sleeves were previously tailored, as this prevents lengthening.
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Teach yourself to hem pants by watching online videos, starting with low-stakes items like pajama pants to build confidence before trying jeans.
It's really not that hard!
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Consider whether your time is better spent fixing cheap second-hand items or buying new ones.
Time has value, and buying second-hand can sometimes make more sense than repairing cheap items.
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Use thrifted clothes or sheets as practice fabric while learning to sew.
It keeps supply costs down and reduces the impact of mistakes.
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- Buy curtains from thrift stores to use as fabric for costumes or clothing projects.1
Move buttons to a smaller hole to temporarily tighten the waist of pants during weight loss.
This prevents pants from falling down until you need to buy new ones.
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Leave excess fabric attached after sewing a new seam instead of cutting it away.
You can remove the stitches and let out the fabric if you gain weight later.
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If you are a beginner, avoid starting complex projects like dance costumes or fitted fitness clothes.
These require years of fitting practice; attempting them now wastes money on beautifully sewn but ill-fitting 'wadders'.
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Visit repair cafes to get free repairs from volunteers or learn how to repair items yourself.
Volunteers can repair almost anything, including sewing tasks like exchanging zippers or shortening pants.
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Practice mending techniques on worn-out clothes before attempting repairs on valuable garments.
This allows you to perfect the method.
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- Practice alterations on a piece of clothing you never wear before modifying items you care about, and wash the practice item to test durability.1
Cut the legs off well-made dress pants from Goodwill to make shorts that do not fray easily.
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- Buy men's jeans from thrift stores to convert into high-waisted shorts with functional pockets.1
Learn basic sewing skills or ask someone knowledgeable to teach you to handle minor repairs like darning holes or fixing pockets.
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Ask local dry cleaners for recommendations on tailors, as they often know reliable local professionals who do alteration work.
Tailors rarely have equipment for dry cleaning, so dry cleaners know who does the work locally; occasionally dry-cleaners may offer basic alterations themselves.
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Build a relationship with a local neighborhood alteration shop.
Repairs are almost always cheaper than replacing damaged items.
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