thrifting my way through the tariffs

All of the thrift projects I’ve dreamed up to keep me from shopping in these trying times.

Unless you live under a rock (or don’t live in the US), you know about the tariffs. It’s all everyone can talk about and it’s not surprising when they’re going to affect everything in ways we can’t fully imagine yet. With the costs of everything going up, I’ve struggled to make decisions or develop my business. However there’s one thing that won’t be affected by tariffs and that’s thrifted goods.

Capitalism may be actively ruining our lives but it’s nothing a little thrifting can’t fix. Because nothing says eff you to an oppressive system like only shopping for secondhand goods. So I’ve pivoted my attention to thrifting and making things for myself by building thrift wishlists and finding all of the items in my closet that I want to improve upon. All of these plans are scratching the itch I have for new things in this new season and I figured it would be helpful to share some of these plans in case it brings you some inspiration. I have a number of complicated projects in the works, but there are some super simple thrift flip options at the end that anyone can do if you’re less creatively inclined. If you have a closet, you’ll be able to do these flips!

Patchwork T-Shirt

I’ve seen these graphic upcycled patch shirts all over social media and I want to try my hand at making one. It’s the perfect way to use up fabric scraps as well as give a boring, old graphic tee new life. I have plans to make a Baltimore Oriole themed one so I can have my own unique merch to cheer on my home team this season. Plus I have plenty of black tees I can update and the perfect orange fabric from an ill-fitting pair of pants that could use new life. The best part of those project is that you don’t even need a sewing machine to complete it. Just a needle and some thread to hand-stitch on the patches. The only limit is your imagination!

The patchwork possibilities are ENDLESS. Imagine all the cute designs you could make!

Embroidered Shorts

For this project, I was inspired by a specific product. When I saw these linen shorts in a fun sun print, I immediately fell in love. They’re even super affordable and I ALMOST pulled the trigger on buying them. However, they’re made from synthetic materials which is against my current buying rules and are ultimately fast fashion at the end of the day. So instead of making an impulse decision, I paused a moment and realized that I can make my own version! I even have the most perfect pair of thrifted Madewell shorts that I can add my own embroidered suns onto. Now, I’m no expert at embroidery. But I have no doubt that a little time spent watching some videos and I can figure out how to make my own version of these shorts. I can almost guarantee they’ll mean more to me in the long run too! Just imagine how much whimsy a little patch of embroidery could bring to your clothing. A well placed hand-stitched moment could be exactly what a lackluster piece in your wardrobe is needing.

This is a totally accessible embroidery pattern for a novice like me..Just a circle and a few rays shooting off..right?

Screen-printed T-Shirt & Pants

For this project, I have a pair of thrifted light pink pants that have a few spots on them so I haven’t worn them yet. But Instead of getting rid of the pants, I’ve decided there has to be something I can do to cover up the spots with something cute. I considered clothing dye, but I thought it might just make the spot darker as well. So I landed on using screen-printing or lino printing to add a fun handcrafted pattern to my pants to cover up any blemishes. I even found the perfect inspiration image of some cute orange pants on my wardrobe Pinterest board and I’m looking forward to making my own version. I also plan on making a graphic t-shirt to match because I’ve been loving the farmers market theme recently in graphic tees and I need my own version of it!

I’m a sucker for fruit themed clothing so of course I have to make my own 🍊

Now I have a lot of access to creative supplies that make all of the above thrift flips more possible for me. Not to mention my graphic design degree comes in handy for making custom designs. But there are far more easy ways to update your wardrobe that anyone can do and they’re probably where I’ll be starting to get my momentum going!

Changing Colors with Dye

If given a few minutes to think about it, I bet you can think of a few items in your closet that you would wear more if they were a different color. This is one of the easiest changes you can make and I have a large pile of clothing that are waiting for exactly this. I’m not someone who often wears light clothing but they make the perfect palette for a color change and I’ve purchased a few bottles of fabric dye in my favorite colors to get me one step closer. Or you can even go a step further and try some botanical dyes for a more eco-friendly option. I’m always amazed by the beautiful colors that can come from plants and flowers.

For example, I have a black and white stripe shirt that is basically an optical illusion with the large contrast in the stripes (it legitimately hurts to look at it) and I’m hoping some dye will help soften the effect. I also have a pair of light pink pants that are a little too light pink and I want to shift them a touch darker so I’ll reach for them more often. The best part of using dye for your updates is the change can be as impactful as you want, as long as the clothing becomes a more versatile piece in your closet by the end.

Changing Silhouette with Scissors

This is definitely the easiest thrift flip you can perform in your closet. All you need is a pair of scissors and some imagination to give new life to your clothing. I have no doubt there’s something in your closet that would be way more versatile for you with a shorter length or trimmed sleeves. Not to mention the fact that your clothing should fit your body instead of you having to change yourself. So adding some slits on the side and cutting off the hem of a sleeve to have it fitting you way more comfortably is a very worthwhile change to make. If you’re unsure where to start, try finding a shirt in your closet you love the fit of and try to replicate elements of the fit in another shirt you never reach for.

I personally have a pair of distressed jeans I’m going to turn into shorts and I guarantee you it will take me 5 minutes total to have a brand new item in my closet that will get way more wear than the jeans did originally. I also have the desire to crop a number of my graphic t-shirts. It’s taken me a long time to realize that the super long unisex fit of graphic tees is not very flattering for me and I’d like some more cropped options to wear with high-waisted bottoms. So I’m going to sort through my shirts and try to create some more options so I have a better variety of fits in my graphic tee selection.

I’m excited to keep looking for ways to bring some new life to my outfits without spending a ton of money and hopefully some of my thrift flip plans can inspire you to get a little creative with your own wardrobe! These tariffs feel unavoidable but there are small ways that we can rebel against them while getting creative and making something new. These days, I wear my creativity like an armor against this controversial regime and I invite you to join me in the resistance with your own small acts of creativity!

Which project are you most interested in trying with your closet? Let me know! Hope you all have the very best weekend 💖