Style Notes 3 – Upcycling a Classic Blazer for the Holidays

When an occasion is on the horizon do you rush out to buy something new to wear? This was my customary process in the past. Now, with online articles and images featuring upcycled garments, you, like me, might be interested in the process of creative reuse of fabric, decorative trim and lace, or the garments themselves.

(www.thesprucepets.com)

My memories of disastrous last minute special occasion purchases begin with a dove gray and pink angora sweater dress purchased with earnings from a job clearing tables at the local cafeteria. The floating lint threads from the angora wool nearly blinded me and thus, I missed most of the homecoming game my senior year in high school.

Here is an upcycled leather bomber jacket from Miu Miu’s holiday collection. There is a film of it being redesigned on the Miu Miu site and it is fascinating. The jeweled embroidery and fur collar completely transform the jacket. You could pair it with a silk slip dress for a night out and still wear it with your favorite pair of trousers.

This photo, also on the Miu Miu site shows the upcycling of a classic wool tartan skirt with a sequinned net embellishment!

This photo comes from my clippings file of years ago! The “couture report” included this picture of Dior models backstage. The white jacket seems to be embroidered with beading. The black jacket has numerous small brooches, maybe insects pinned to it. Inspired by this, I once covered the sleeve of a black fitted blazer with tiny vintage gold and silver flower pins collected over the years. The jacket was of some interest to my fellow faculty members.

(whatpeoplearewearing)

This striking coat accented with crystals and beaded embroidery looks stunning on the streets of Paris during Fashion Week.

This year Erdum included jackets embellished with large rhinestone insects!

The rhinestone pins and this jacket with rhinestone or silver beaded embroidery, also from Erdum, gave me an idea for upcycling one of my tailored blazers.

This was a simple process of pinning a selection of vintage rhinestone brooches collected over the years to a classic tailored blazer. Here I am wearing it with a chiffon skirt purchased many years ago. You might also wear it with a black net skirt as in one of the Erdum photos, or even with wool trousers. Now, what about shoes?

My beautiful kitten heel mules would look nice, but they are unsafe for standing at parties. The hem of the skirt slips between the bottom of my foot and the inside of the shoe which can create a less than graceful moment! I saw this photo of Hailey Bieber with the strap of her stirrup leggings underneath the sole of her mules and it gave me an idea.

A piece of wide elastic sewed into a circle can slip right over the toe of the shoe to your arch. This holds the shoe in place as you walk. These modified mules have earned many compliments from those who thought they came this way!

Happy special occasion dressing in 2025 – consider what is already in your closet!