Refashioning ethnic dress – Yao jacket

As you might have realised by now, I’m a big fan of ethnic textiles, embroidery and handicrafts – especially crafts that you can actually wear. The problem is, even if a garment is wearable, it doesn’t mean you necessarily want to wear it as is. 

I bought this Yao tribal jacket at the Talat Sao market in Vientiane last year and until now it has sat in my (ever-expanding) “to-do” pile as I wasn’t sure how to refashion it. 

I’ve realised that sometimes you have to wait for inspiration to strike – and then get chopping/sewing… and cutting up old socks…. 

Yes, old socks. Here’s what I did. Chopped off the excess length of the jacket, created rather large darts in the front and back to make it a bit more fitted, and then – the piece de resistance – used old Explorer socks (probably purchased for a school camp in 1989!!) to create jumper-like sleeves. They look pretty yuk right-side out… 

 … but the texture on the inside was perfect to complement the fuzziness of the pom poms down the lapels of the jacket.

今日のリメイクはエスニックxリサイクルでできたジャケットです。ジャケットは去年ラオスで買った八百族の物ですが、元々あまりフィット感のない長い物でしたが、エスニックのままでは普段着としてきづらいので、もう少しモダーンにリメイクしました。ヒップの長さぐらいまで切って、前と後ろにダーツを入れました。そして、袖にも形を加えたかったので、古い靴下を切ってひじのところに付け加えました。セーターの袖のように見えて、ちょっと冬っぽい印象になっていると思いますが、どうですか？