Cheap & Chic DIY: 2 Ways to Reinvent a Thrift Store Blazer
How many times have you found the perfect blazer at a thrift store, only to find that it just doesn’t fit right? While the oversized boyfriend jacket is in right now, the fits of jackets have changed since the 60′s to 80′s – making it tough to rock thrift store blazers without doing some modifications.
Don’t worry, though – it’s easier than you think to make that too-wide vintage blazer fit like it was made for you! Here are a few simple solutions to give your blazer a tailored look without breaking out the sewing machine (or breaking the bank).
Option 1: Pin the Back
What you’ll need:
- Your blazer
- A pretty pin or brooch you want to show off
This is a super easy way to take in your blazer. And it’s only one step! Just grab your favorite pin (sparkly statement pieces work best), gather the center back of the jacket onto the pin (see the finished product below), then clip. That’s all there is to it!
Option 2: Use Ribbon
What you’ll need:
- Your blazer
- Two 24″ pieces (or longer, if you want a larger bow) of wide ribbon
- A needle and thread
- Optional: Fray Check or clear nail polish
If you want a pretty, feminine look, this is a great option that will create a bow at the back of your jacket. To do this, take two pieces of ribbon (use Fray Check or clear nail polish to stop the edges from fraying) and sew them down a few inches from the center back of the jacket as shown above. Use thread that matches the color of your jacket for best results. Then tie into a pretty bow.
Finished Products:
As you can see, both of these options take the extra fabric and bunch it up for a cute, perfectly fitted look. Leave the jacket open to expose more of your top, and revel in the compliments you’ll receive on your fabulous new piece.
What do you think?
Is this a cheap and chic solution you’ll be trying out? How do you make vintage blazers work for you? Do you have any other tutorials you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!
Posted on on January 30, 2010 / Filed Under: Miscellaneous / Tags: Blazer, DIY, How To, Tutorial
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Lex
Love it!
I never thought to do this, I may hit up my thrift store now
I love blazers
Joelle
This is great! I just bought a vintage tuxedo jacket last night that was perfect but just a bit too big. I was going to bring it to my tailor but I think I’ll try this first :) Thanks for the idea!
Candice
OMG what a great and useful post. Thanks!!
JG
Such a great idea. So simple yet so inventive. I tried on an amazing Armani blazer at my favorite vintage store but it was too big so I didn’t get it. Hopefully it’s still there!
Nate
Great idea, Lindsey!
Diane
Love it! Although the thrift stores here are horrible (small town), I might have to go take a look and try this out!
Sarah
yay! super useful and cute idea! how did we live without you? :) thanks
Emily
wow what an amazing idea!
i’ve always avoided buying thrifted blazers because they could never fit, but this is the best way to remedy that!
time to go pay a visit to goodwill!
anthea
What a fantastic idea! Definitely going to try this one!
Better Off Med
I love this idea!
Fen
Awesome idea! I really appreciated this post (especially since I have a newly thrifted blazer that’s sitting in my closet right now). Hope to see more like this of college fashion in the future!
M.
too cute!
this was a great idea and so easy to do.
thank you for posting :)
kaley
these ideas are adorable! they can really work for any shirt that doesnt fit quite right. i have a few button ups that need sinching at the waist and these ideas will fix them perfectly!
Different
Thank you.
Thrift Store blazers can be really ugly.
Thanks for the tip
Liza - University of Minnesota
Loved this, Lindsey! Both of the new embellishments on the blazer are adorable–they look way high-end, like you bought them that way!
Sara
Thanks so much! This is such a awesome idea, because i can never seem to find a good fitting blazer at a reasonable price. Will definitely try this.
Evan Gonzalez
Lindsey this is such a creative idea! I’ve been changing the buttons on my blazers for a while now but this opens up a number of new possibilities =) Good job!
dressed
Great idea! I can imagine pinning a huge bow on my blazer right this moment…
Michael
This is great for the ladies, but do you have any idea
how to achieve the same result for men?
(So no ribbons and things like that.)
Molly
I think that this is a great idea for jackets that are the right size but aren’t fitted enough; however this won’t help if the shoulders are too wide. I recently bought a great blazer several sizes too large, but I in order to make it fit I had to go through the lining to take shoulder pads out. Even though it fits fine after my alterations, I think I may add a bow on the back anyways because it looks cute!
New Cross gate
Love these ideas! I have an oversize blazer that has just been sitting there. I think I’m going to try the ribbon trick.
Emma
Cute! I have actually done this with a vest! I used the ribbon method and it looks quite put together.
Zaa.miss.bowtie
these are so cute, i saw a blazor once, but am too afraid to buy 2nd hand clothing@
J.
this is so amazing!! at this very moment i was cleanning my wardrobe and i found two old oversized blazers that i liked but there was something about them that… i wanted to reinvet! so i came to college fashion.net (cause i was sure i was going to find something here to help me) and i wasn’t wrong! i’m so glad about these ideas, i will definitly try them out!!! thank you for helping me!
Ama
thx!! this was a very good inspiration to me! instead of using a brooch or a pin, i sewed a button with light pink thread onto a pin then i pinned it on. it looks so much better i am thrilled that i did :)