Resewing Favorite Clothes

Clothes we have loved and worn for years sometimes have wear left in them but no longer suit our needs as well as they once did. Such was the case with a long-sleeved Ann Taylor blouse, shown at left. This blouse was one I had purchased to wear with a black suit or tucked into skirts, but my wardrobe has gradually shifted away from tucked-in shirts, and I now prefer no-collar tops with suits. The blouse was made from a superior quality of cotton, so I combined it with portions of the sleeves of another fine cotton blouse that had also grown unused because of its overall style. The result was not as streamlined as something I would have designed from scratch but still much more wearable for me than either of the two blouses were originally. Cleaning out closets of unworn clothing is always a good practice. The next time you do, look for pieces that might be combined and resewn into new, wearable items.