“To me fashion has always been about self expression and creativity. Everyday I use clothes to express a certain style that I’m currently feeling. I admire how creative we can be with fashion and the countless possibilities it offers. Fashion wouldn’t be what it is today if individuals didn’t take the chance to be bold and try something new. I also believe that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to be stylish.”
-Chanté (@taethecreative)
About Chanté Gibbs!
Now let’s get into Stitched Up!
Explain your process for selecting the item from our store. What drew you to it?
Before visiting Goodwill, I narrowed down what I wanted to make. I ultimately decided to create a fashionable denim belt that could also be worn as a top. When I searched through the racks I focused on finding black jeans that could fit me in the waist. I also chose black pants because it would look great with a floral button up I purchased from a thrift store a while back. After some searching, I came across a pair with interesting detailing near the back pockets and waist area. Since it was the right size, I started to envision using it for this project.
Explain your process in altering/editing the item.
One of the first thing I did was wash the pair of jeans. Then I laid the jeans on my cutting board with the front side facing upwards. Once I gathered my tools, I started outlining the shape of the belt/top I wanted to make. My inspiration board I created really helped with how I wanted the final piece to look like. After marking, I cut along the lines I made and used a seam ripper to undo the bottom part of the crotch seam. I turned over the fabric to create the new seams before sewing along them. Next I inserted the end part of the fabric through the D-rings on both sides of the jeans. This helped me measure where I needed to sew. Once I sewed down the D-rings, I marked on the two back pieces where I wanted to the matching hooks to be. Then I used part of the old pant leg I cut out earlier to help me sew down the hooks. Finally I try on the final piece both ways to make sure it fits properly.
What was your inspiration for the finished piece?
I’ve been seeing different variations of the denim trend on Pinterest and TikTok. I saw the garter belt being a trend on a few high fashion runways. One of favorite influencers styled a two in one denim belt which also inspired my final piece.
Parting quote to leave the reader with?
“Sustainable fashion is not a trend but the future!” -Antonia Böhlke
Credits:
Photos of final pieces were modeled, styled, and photographed by me!