Clothing can be endlessly upcycled until it wears out. This skirt is on its third life. It began as a dress (1) from op shop, I removed top to make a skirt (2), which I’ve now re-upcycled (3).

For relaxation when I worked 9-5+ as a communications manager, I’d visit op shops on Saturdays gathering odds and sods to create ‘new’ office outfits – such as this one.

There’s an art to successful op shopping. In her book DIY Fashionista, Geneva Vanderzeil, includes a five-point plan to get the most out of secondhand shops to which I entirely concur:

• Go often – things are coming and going all the time, so if you don’t scoop the great stuff someone else is going to    
• Dig deep – the best finds are often at the bottom of the pile
• Be imaginative – think outside the box – tops for bottoms, outerwear made into daywear, evening to day – the options are limitless, you just need to create them in your mind
• Location, location, location – the best jumbles are often found in places where a proportion of the population have a reasonable income leading to better quality cast-offs
• Get to know the staff – often people in charity shops are volunteers – become friends with them and they may put things away for you 

Geneva’s other fantastic suggestions are: find inspiration, collect materials, gather essential tools, and most importantly, make time. There’s a lot more inspiration on her website a pair and a spare.

Today’s upcycle: I’d originally upcycled this skirt from a dress by removing the top. Down the track, it needed another upgrade. I threaded elastic at the waist because the fabric (a viscose/linen knit I think) had stretched over time. I unpicked the hem and sewed it inside out so the frayed edge makes an interesting trim at the hemline. The top is very large (size 22) but cotton, making it lovely and cool for our summer. I turned up the hem by hand so it appears less voluminous, and moved the button so the belt-tie works better.