The Rise of DIY And How To Do It In Fashion

DIY, do it yourself, is trending. Painting and wine nights and pottery classes are popular creative outlets, while mail-order make it yourself meal kits have become a sensation with companies like Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, Sun Basket, Plated, and Chef’d, just to name a few…

In fashion, DIY is making progress with the rising popularity of Wool And The Gang and We Are Knitters, companies that sell knit kits with full instructions. But this is only the beginning of what the DIY movement could do for the fashion industry.

While technology advances and we move closer and closer to an automated world, the human desire to return to creating things with our own hands is growing. Humans were made to make things. Cooking a delicious homemade meal, successfully putting together a piece of IKEA furniture or sharing before and after pics of a DIY room remodel is rewarding.

This rewarding feeling can and should be a part of our fashion lifestyle too.

Through simple hacks like mending tears and replacing missing buttons, we are able to reconnect with our wardrobes, and hold onto our clothes for longer, challenging the notion cooked up by fast fashion that clothing is a disposable good. So at Remake, we’re challenging you to incorporate some DIY style into your closet this month. Below are our top three tips for beginners:

Try A Kit

Brands like Wool And the Gang sell kits with everything you need to complete a sweater, scarf, hat or other project with yarn, needles and instructions as well as helpful video tutorials on their YouTube channel. They even label kits by beginner, easy, intermediate and advanced making it simple to pick the right project for your skill set. Many local sewing supplies stores also sell sewing patterns to follow along with — vintage patterns too!

Take a class

This is a great group activity for you and your besties. Many local arts supplies stores offer classes for beginners, even chain stores like Joann’s has affordable options. Alternatively, movers and shakers in sustainable fashion curate free mending workshop events such as one Remake Ambassador Yimin recently attended sponsored by esa New York.

Practice at home

YouTube has a wealth of instructional videos on everything from how to sew on a button to creating a complete tailored jacket. It was a go-to resource for myself and many of my fellow fashion design students to survive Parsons’ construction classes. One of my all-time favorite YouTube channels for DIY fashion is coolirpa, she posts easy-to-follow tutorials and has a creative eye for turning cheap thrift store finds into beautiful on trend garments. She is the queen of upcycling.

remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect right away. Keep practicing and have fun with it!

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Images: Ayo Ogunseinde, Victor de Oliveira, Omar Lopez, Benjamin Voros/Unsplash