"The Re:fashion Wardrobe" by Portia Lawrie

Alright…so I think I have been living under a rock for the past few years! Because I kept searching for upcycling books and not finding what I was looking for. Once I changed my search to “sew clothes”, it opened up a doorway to a bunch of incredible books!

This gem of a book, “The Re:fashion Wardrobe”, is a great book for women who want to take pieces in or who have lost weight. You know when you lose a bunch of weight and suddenly all your clothes are too big? or do you have a bunch of men’s oversized items to alter? If you have either of those quandries…this book is perfect for you!

There are lots of projects for working with oversized men’s button down shirts. And for altering jeans and pants. The projects in the book are polished and preppy! Think uber stylish woman who lives in a swanky loft downtown kind of swanky! Or for the woman who loves a streamlined capsule wardrobe with basic colors and finely crafted fitted pieces.

My favorite part of the entire book is the intro about the clothing waste cycle. The author puts a huge emphasis on the carbon footprint of clothes. Which are lessons we can all stand to really learn more about and take to heart.

So, yeah, I recommend this book! The projects look very achievable and you will come away with a whole new skillset on custom tailoring your clothes!