How many times did an item break and you just threw it away or placed it in the back of your closet so you can pull it out occasionally and admire it as if it were an item in a museum? Look, we’ve all be there. Either a clothing item ripped, a heel broke or wore down, the leather on your bag frayed, the sole of your shoe developed a hole. The good news is that you have options. You don’t have to throw away an item or toss it in the back of your closet. There are a few DIY things that you can do to extend the life of your clothing.
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Learn to sew. I’m not telling you to open up a garment shop, but if you know how to make a couple of stiches, you can sew an item back together if it is torn on the seam. You can even replace your button if it pops off.
Find a good cobbler. A good cobbler can extend the life of your shoes. I’m very hard on shoes so I frequently have to get my heel taps replaced. A cobbler can fix the tap for about $10. A cobbler can also replace the sole of your shoe once it gets worn down. I’ve paid $40 to have this done before. I’ve even had a pair of boots totally restored. Those things looked brand new once the cobbler finished. This saved me from replacing those shoes and extended the life of the shoes that I loved.
Find a leather repair shop. I love leather, but I don’t love frayed leather. A good way to extend the life of leather items is to take it to a shop that specializes in leather repair. These shops can fix anything from purses, to shoes, to leather clothing. Normally, they can repair suede as well. Check with your cobbler. Many cobblers actually can fix leather as well. I’ve taken a leather purse to a local cobbler to have a strap repaired on a leather bag.
Find a good tailor. A good tailor can make all of the difference with getting that perfect fit. That same tailor can also help you to extend the life of your clothes especially if you gain or lose weight. Instead of going out to buy a new wardrobe, if possible, go to your tailor and see what they can do about adjusting the fit of your clothing.
Leverage your dry cleaner. Many dry cleaners either have seamstresses on staff or have one that they can outsource clothing repair. When I need a repair, I frequently take it to my local dry cleaner. I’ve had them replace buttons; fix pants hems; and even repair a shirt that I accidentally synched with an iron that was too hot. Repairs at the dry cleaner have averaged me between $2 and $5.
Let me know which of these tips that you currently use. Share your tips, and let me know how these suggestions work for you!