One jacket, two ways

Not long ago I wrote about finding potential at op shops (oops… has it really been more than a year since I wrote this?!). That post was mainly as a response to people commenting that I was lucky to be able to get so much of my wardrobe from op shops when they “can never find anything”. I agree, it is getting trickier to find unique, well-made items, but sometimes you have to think beyond what a garment looks like on the rack to see what it could become.

Case in point, this jacket.

It’s a pretty nice jacket but it’s definitely not “me”.

However, it stood out on the rack because it was such good quality (100% wool, Sportscraft, $14, and in near-new condition, which is almost unheard of for a white garment. Actually, the white thing nearly put me off – I’m not sure how long a white jacket can remain this clean looking!).

I decided I couldn’t pass it up just because it didn’t suit me as it was, and resolved to find a way to wear it. A flick of the collar and a bit of sleeve-rolling later, it’s barely recognisable.

 

Isn’t it amazing what a bit of styling can do?Admittedly, spotting the potential here was not that difficult! But it serves to show how some simple changes can make all the difference. Turning up the collar and rolling up the sleeves alter the proportions of the jacket and add a bit of volume to my flat-chested frame, as well as giving it a less “corporate” appearance.

There are a zillion other ways I could have altered it if I wanted to make more of an effort – dyeing it a different colour (I wasn’t daring enough to attempt this!), attaching braid or some kind of trim around the collar, changing the buttons, adding epaulettes – the list is endless. No doubt once I wear it a bit and spill something on it, I’ll have to draw on my DIY skills to cover it up!!

How about you, are your Spidey-senses finely tuned when it comes to sniffing out potential op shop treasures?