January is a time when many of us take stock of our wardrobes. But before you rush out to buy something new, perhaps there’s something in your closet that you could update instead – allowing you to freshen up your outfits, without the environmental footprint.
Enter: London-based stylist Oluwaseun Ogunsola, otherwise known as The Oluwaseun, who regularly shares her upcycling videos online – from turning her old jeans into a denim maxi skirt to lengthening a pair of Tabi boots by cutting up a pair of leather trousers. “Sometimes I want something that doesn’t exist, or other times I see something that I really like and I’m like, ‘I can make that myself,’” she tells Vogue of her love of fashion DIY.
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Working in luxury e-commerce, Ogunsola is keenly aware of the amount of waste that exists in the fashion industry, which is why she tends to use pre-existing pieces for her upcycling projects. “Most of the time it’s [using] what I already have or something that I found in a charity shop or stole from my sisters,” the stylist explains.
For those who might be nervous about taking a pair of scissors to pieces in their wardrobe, Ogunsola, who learnt basic sewing in school, says that very little skill is actually needed. “Use something you no longer wear,” she advises. “Just go for it – it’s fun! And if you make a mess, you can usually patch it up another way.”
Below, Ogunsola shares four easy ways you can update your wardrobe below.
Denim appliqué
“Tapping into the roses trend seen on the spring.summer 2024 catwalks, I thought it’d be cool to upcycle a pair of my vintage Levi’s by sewing on some DIY denim roses made using scraps from past DIY projects, cut into different sized circles. I used a glue gun to stick all the petals together, before stitching them onto a pair of jeans.”
Ballet flat upgrade
“Last year’s ballet flat trend is still going strong for spring/summer. I’d seen some cool styles from Simone Rocha and Shushu/Tong and was inspired to upgrade my pair with some ribbon. Singeing the end of the ribbon prevents it from fraying over time – then simply put it under your foot and tie it up like so.”
Button refresh
“I upcycled this shirt last year and have been meaning to replace the buttons ever since. I picked up some metal buttons from my local haberdashery and sewed them on. You can find similar styles on Etsy or the pre-loved market. I love how they’ve given the shirt such a fresh look.”
Iron-on patch repair
“Iron-on patches are really useful for smaller repairs. Of course you can sew them up, but for things like a tear in your puffer jacket or a hole in your trousers, patches are a quick and easy fix. The patch worked perfectly on these leggings.”
