Scarf style for $1.50



Many months ago, when I was still finding my feet as a blogger (as opposed to now, where I get stopped in the street and offered vast sums of money to advertise brands on these here pages… yes, of course I’m joking) I posted about a scarf that I’d bought for $1.50 at an op shop. I wonder if you can recognise it now?



I made it into a simple top with bust darts using the centre part of the scarf to get the most of the paisley pattern, then adding the leftover bits from the side of the scarf to make a frill along the waist. The lining is made from calico that I got from the Salvos along with some other material (it was a whole bag of different fabrics for $3) and the red bias binding** around the neck and cuffs is from another Salvos, I think it cost $1 for a few cards of binding.

The back does up with buttons that I originally bought (new! yes, shocking) to decorate a jumper, but which I have since decided is better unadorned. I do a lot of recycling like that, many of my clothes suffer several incarnations before reaching their final destination!

It is a bit of a challenge to style without showing off my tummy as the scarf was not that big, ergo the top is a bit short. Surprisingly, this leather mini works quite well, and who knew that a leather mini would work with clogs? Not me. The whole thing somehow brings to mind a modern version of a Tyrolean costume…although if you’re looking up “lederhosen” images on Google, be prepared for a bit of a shock… yodelay-hi-hoo!

**It’s now the 19th of Jan and I’ve just got home after having worn this top … and realised the bias binding was NOT colourfast. I look like I have a hideous underarm rash and the red has all bled onto the white Bonds singlet I was wearing underneath the top too (it was cold when I left the house so I had to layer)!! I suppose anyone who was going to read this post would have already done so, but any new readers be warned – you probably need to WASH bias binding before you use it!!

Category : cheap frills, cheap thrills, recycling, Salvos, Tyrolean taste