Restyle Your Old Men’s Shirt into a Trendy Blouse in 9 Steps

First, try on the shirt. Don’t panic—it will look better once you tuck in the excess fabric! Roll up the sleeves to determine the desired length.

The fun part—customizing—comes later. Now, let’s get started. Good luck!

Mark the desired length, adding 2 cm for the hem, and cut it off (Photos 1+2). I use a chalk wheel marker and fabric scissors for this step.

Fold the shirt in half and cut the back panel up to 1 cm below the yoke (Photos 3-6).

Press the slit by folding it twice at 0.5 cm and the hem twice at 1 cm. Then, sew the edges with your sewing machine (Photos 7-10).

Cut three strips, each 60 cm long and 3 cm wide, from the fabric you removed earlier. Use the handy seam allowance magnet for precision.

Next, use the bias tape maker and a hot iron to fold in the edges easily. Fold the strip in half and stitch it closed using your sewing machine. Tie a small knot at each end.

Determine where you want the ties to go and hand-stitch them to the inside of the shirt. (I used the needle dispenser and thread snips for this step.)

Now, let’s give the sleeves a fun and stylish update!

Cut off the cuffs 1 cm above the seam. The seam allowance magnet helps to keep the measurement precise.

I cut the sleeves 27 cm above the cuff, but you can choose your preferred length.

Sew two gathering stitches along the bottom edge using a long stitch length, about 0.5 cm apart. Gently pull the threads to gather the fabric until it fits the cuff. Pin and sew the cuffs back onto the sleeves. You can choose how to attach them—I placed the overlap at the front for a decorative touch with rhinestones later.

Finish the seams with a serger or a zigzag stitch.

You can embellish the blouse however you like! I added crystals along the collar, cuffs, pocket, and yoke.

Use the marking pen to place a dot every cm. Then, carefully place each crystal and attach it using the Hotfix applicator.

I had to get creative with the fabric, but I made a ribbon of 180 cm long. The narrow section is 2.5 cm wide, while the ends flare to 7 cm with a pointed tip.

One side has a fabric fold, and the other side has a seam.

Sew the pieces together, press the seams open, then place the right sides together and pin. Leave a 10 cm opening in the middle. Sew around the edges, trim the corners, and turn it right side out using the ReStyle loop turner. Press it flat and topstitch around the edges.

I also decorated the ribbon  with rhinestones, placing them at the ends. Feel free to customize it as you wish!

Your upcycled men’s shirt is now a trendy blouse—how cool is that?! Using ReStyle tools and accessories made the process so much easier.