Customizing - from old to new!

I spent last weekend looking through my wardrobe and focusing on the idea of re-invention. I thought god, over the last year I must have thrown out about fifteen bin bags full of clothes. I mean they went to charity but still. So taking this forward, I looked again at some of my clothes that I knew I wouldn't wear again whether they're too small, too big (I wish) or I just don't like them anymore. Instead of throwing them out carelessly, I've been thinking of ways in which to promote a more sustainable future for fashion, as a designer and as part of my project for Uni.

Sooo.. I bought some fabric pens from 'Pen and Paper' in Cardiff and started to experiment with a shirt that has gone too small for me. It was cool just vandalising something in a way, and using visual inspiration from the photo's I took from the previous weekend, I totally re-invented it! From drab to fab as they say. It's currently on a mannequin in my living room and everyone who has come over think's I bought it that way, which is a cool compliment.

These are some photo's of the process:

I started by decorating the button stand and used black ink throughout to give a classic but edgy finish to a basic white shirt.

Not only is it fun to draw on your clothes, but it also makes you cherish them more. At first, this shirt was going in the bin, now I'm keeping it for sure. When you've done something by hand, used your time and energy you definitely learn the value. Give it a go. Don't thow it, re-define it!

The only thing I would say is the fact that 'Dylon' fabric pens don't last long. Fair enough I used a decent amount of ink on the shirt but not a crazy amount and I went through 3 of the fabric pens at £2 each... hmm.. Maybe you think that's decent, I don't know I'm on a student budget! haha.

Also, another pointer, you have to go over and over the lines you're drawing if you want them jet black and opaque, otherwise they're kind of grainy and grey. Don't want to sound like I'm moaning about it! I'm just documenting my process and hopefully helping anyone who's reading this and thinking of having a go! Pros and cons to everything I suppose!

 These are the photo's that inspired the graphic design:

And this is the final outcome. I didn't time myself but it took about 9 hours maybe? I know, I take ages. You don't have to! Just splatter it with paint!

I decorated the cuff with numbers that play a significant role in my life, inspired by the concept of time. I scrambled key dates that are important to me and drew them in an abstract form onto both cuffs.