Fashion Remix...

It's once again time for the Marion Cultural Alliance to hold their exhibit featuring repurposed pieces. Titled "Upcycled 3: Turning Waste into Wonder", the display will be held throughout the month of April at The Brick City Center for the Arts in Ocala, FL. Very happily, my entry was accepted into the show. It's titled "Boot Scootin': a Denim and Lace Remix." The thought for this boho-style entry came to me last December and took shape over the weeks we were moving into our new home. I knew I wanted to put it together, and a lot of it unfolded in my mind only as we were pretty busy. But once I had the time, I "shopped" through my lace scraps, fabric scraps, and embellishments to come up with the basic trims. The jacket is a thrifted one, and so is the gray lacey scarf that forms the peplum. A little paint, some garment labels and fiber rope trim for the cuffs, and it took shape. Unfortunately for me, the jacket is a petite, small, and is too snug on me. But the items in the show are for sale, so hopefully someone will fall in love and wear it home! It was such fun to make and decorate.

The repurposed trims include this back inset. I made it by layering small pieces of curtain lace, doilies, and sheers on Sulky Solvy, a soluble sheet. After stitching by machine over the layers, I put the pieces in a bucket of warmish water to soak and remove the Solvy product. What was left was an interesting web of combo lace which I trimmed and appliqued to the jacket. The cowboy boots and flowers are fussy cut elements from fabric scraps. I applied fusible web to the backs of the elements, trimmed and cut them out, and ironed them in place, securing the edges with a narrow zig zag stitch. And a $1 thrifted chiffon scarf plus some scalloped lace edging are gathered and stitched to the jacket to form the peplum. There are pieces of the combo lace web added to the cuffs, along with lace edging, and hand-twisted fabric rope trim. Fabric paints and stencils added some fun peeks of color as does the polka dot fabric stitched behind the rips in the denim.

Creating this piece took some time and I added bits and pieces to it each evening. More lace edging accents the collar, and an arrangement of fabric yo yos, beads and charms decorate the shoulder. I added a hangtag so viewers might consider if the jacket would fit them and their free-spirited style. Even the little fiber flower accent is handmade with found materials. I hope this jacket finds a new home and owner to wear it. I'd love to see it out and about town someday! I learned a lot while looking into fashion and textile waste in our landfills as I made this jacket. Here's a recap below if you can take time to read and reflect on it. It's quite sobering I think. I'll certainly think twice about my fashion purchases, and what gets tossed or donated. Meanwhile, happy upcycling- it's an environmentally friendly step to take and you'll have a one-of-a-kind garment to express your personal style! 

TO CONSIDER (info courtesy ChatGPT ): 

• The textile and fashion industry is a major contributor to global landfill waste, with millions of tons of discarded clothing and fabric waste piling up each year.
• Fast fashion, which promotes rapid production and consumption of low-cost garments, has significantly increased textile waste, as many items are worn only a few times before being thrown away.
• Synthetic fabrics like polyester, commonly used in fashion, take hundreds of years to decompose, releasing harmful microplastics into the environment. 
• A shift toward circular fashion emphasizes durability, reuse, and responsible disposal of clothing and textiles.
• According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), textiles account for about 5-10% of landfill waste in the US.
• Global estimates suggest that up to 10% of total landfill waste comes from textiles, including discarded clothing, fabric scraps, and household textiles.