Embellishments

• 1
  Button embellishments bring new life to boring clothes.Ablestock.com/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
  
  Sew contrasting color buttons onto T-shirts or boring dress shirts. Use buttons to create patterns, shapes or flowers. Line the collar of a T-shirt with buttons or make a faux necklace shape. Switch the boring buttons on a plain dress shirt with brightly colored or contrasting color buttons.
  
  
• 2). Embellish shirts with chains or other jewelry items. To create a faux necklace on a T-shirt, sew or pin one end of the chain to the right shoulder seam near the collar of the shirt, and then sew the other end to the left side of the collar. Let the chain hang. Sew or pin pendants to shirts for a sparkling embellishments.
  
  
• 3). Create rosettes to embellish tank tops, T-shirts, dress shirts, skirts or even purses. Cut four messy circles of different sizes out of scrap fabric or a scarf. Cut a slit halfway through each circle. Slide the circles together with the slit, starting with the largest and moving to the smallest, to create petals. Sew circles together in a spiral pattern, bunching as you go to create a rose shape. Sew the rosette to any article of clothing you want to spruce up.
  
  
• 4). Embellish with ribbon or contrasting color thread. To spice up old T-shirts, glue or sew ribbons in patterns onto the shirt. Using contrasting color thread, make decorative stitches along the collar and cuffs of T-shirts or dress shirts.
  
  

Transforming Clothes

• 1
  You may need a sewing machine to transform some clothing.Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
  
  Turn an old pair of pants into a cute skirt. Measure along your thigh from your waist to where you want the hem of the skirt to be. Mark this measurement on the outside seam of the pants, and cut off both pant legs at this mark. Cut the bottom part of the pants lengthwise along the inseam to create two fabric panels. Cut the inseam from the pants and lay out flat. Lay the fabric panels in the inseam and pin. Sew the panels in along the old inseam. Cut off any excess and hem the skirt.
  
  
• 2). Turn a men's dress shirt into a skirt. Iron and then cut off the sleeves and collar of the shirt. Lay the shirt flat and measure out half of your waist measurement along the top edge of the shirt. If the top edge is too small, move the measuring tape down until you have enough room. This will be the top hem of the skirt. Using a long ruler or your measuring tape, mark the top hem of the skirt and cut. Fold down this top hem and sew, then sew up the side seams. You can cut the bottom tails off the shirt and hem or let them hang for a rounded hem.
  
  
• 3). Make a tank top out of an old T-shirt. Lay the shirt out flat and mark the center of the collar. Measure 1 inch on either side of this line along the collar and mark. Cut the T-shirt from the bottom edge of the sleeve to the mark on either side of the collar, and cut along the bottom edge of the collar. This should leave you with a sleeveless tank top with collar still attached. If the shirt is too large, turn it inside out and sew inside the side seams to tighten it.