Fashion
I love bagging charity shop bargains & making my own chic outfits – I even MAKE money by selling some, here’s how
HIGH street probably comes to mind when you think of updating your wardrobe with on-trend pieces.
But not for Emily who hasn’t bought new clothes in two years and instead makes her own stylish outfits out of old charity shop buys.
TikTok/GreenVintagEm Emily, from Manchester, turns charity shop finds into on-trend outfits, like this one[/caption]
TikTok/GreenVintagEm A men’s oversized shirt is one of her favourite finds as so much can be done with them[/caption]
The fashion lover from Manchester has racked up a following of more than 100k fans on her TikTok page GreenVintagEm thanks to her incredible knack for redesigning clothes.
The designer shows how easily she transforms her charity shop finds into stunning and wearable outfits, and people are obsessed.
Emily hunts her local charity shops and fabric stores in Manchester and has a knack for picking up pieces for as little as £1.
From that, she’s able to create a wardrobe full of cute dresses and sizzling co-ords you could have sworn were bought from popular high street brands – and you’d never know she made them herself.
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Emily’s TikTok page is flooded with tutorials showing exactly how she turns a men’s oversize shirt into a stunning dress made to fit.
She’s also pretty good at turning a pair of old shorts – which are two sizes too big – into two super cute tops which can be worn with jeans or a skirt for a trendy look.
Figure-hugging dresses and sweet midriff-bearing tops are among some of her most popular “thrift flips.”
The fashion guru hates fast fashion, she says in one of her clips, so instead, she’s learned to make her own clothes using whatever she’s able to find.
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Emily has been able to turn a profit on some items after she’s made them too.
If she decides they’re not quite right for her, she sells them for up to £25 on Vinted or Depop – two sites dedicated to buying and selling second hand and vintage clothes.
Emily’s designs have become so popular that her followers have begged her for tutorials in which she explains step-by-step exactly what she does.
She explains that plus-size clothes are often best when it comes to redesigning them, as there’s usually more fabric you can play with.
If you’re looking at giving it a go yourself, there are a few things you need in your tool kit.
A fabric pen, some dressmaker pins and a good imagination are a must. You must also have a sewing machine too, which can be pretty cheap second-hand.
When it comes to making clothes, Emily explains that you always start by measuring your body, so you know exactly how much fabric to cut.
One of her most popular tutorials is a blue shirt dress she made from a men’s extra-large shirt.
The super cute design is cinched in at the waist and features a loose-fitting sleeve and a flared-out skirt.
“First put a pin on your waist where you want the top of the cinching to start,” she explained in a video where she detailed exactly how she got the job done.
“Then you’re going to measure your waist at this point. Make sure you’re relaxed and breathing out so the dress feels comfortable when it’s finished.”
She included a few measurements which she’d worked out on a piece of paper and this determines how you get your exact waist size.
She then detailed how to create the “darts” featured on the dress, admitting this “thrift flip” was one of the easiest she’s done.
She ended up selling this beauty on Depop for £25, admitting she didn’t like the colour blue on her.
“I have so many of my husband’s shirts I want to get rid of and now I can try this! Can’t wait,” one person gushed after watching the clip.
“Such a wonderful tutorial! Amazing teacher! this needs more views!!! It’s sooo well done,” said another.
Recently, Emily has started a new video series where she redesigns thrifted finds her fans send her.
They’ll send her a photo and she’ll suggest what it can be made into.
Her work has gone down a treat with TikTok users who can’t get over just how talented she is.
“You are so god damn talented,” one said after watching her videos.
“Absolutely love your work,” said another.
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Others admitted they never thought of making their own clothes until seeing her videos.
“I never wanted a sowing machine more in my life I love this,” one person said.
TikTok/GreenVintagEm This thrift flip was one of her most popular as she turned an oversized shirt into a super stylish top worn with jeans[/caption]
TikTok/GreenVintagEm Emily made this chic dress and styled it beautifully[/caption]
TikTok/GreenVintagEm This red shirt was turned into a super cute two-piece ensemble with a stylish sweetheart neckline[/caption]
TikTok/GreenVintagEm Emily made an entire outfit using two old tops and ended up with a cute midi and skirt[/caption]
TikTok/GreenVintagEm It’s not just clothes she spruces up – she made this bag out of an old shirt too[/caption]
TikTok/GreenVintagEm This pair of shorts was turned into not one, but two tops[/caption]
TikTok/GreenVintagEm Another shirt flip but this time Emily created a supersweet midriff-bearing top[/caption]
TikTok/GreenVintagEm Who knew a pair of leggings would make such a chic bikini[/caption]
TikTok/GreenVintagEm This bandeau style top and the matching skirt was made from another baggy shirt[/caption]