Upcycle a Men’s Linen Shirt

Men’s shirts are my favourite item to upcycle. The larger size gives me so much room to play with length and silhouette.

Linen, moreover, is one of my favourite fabrics. It is strong, very breathable and perfect for summer. It doesn’t stick to the skin and is non-allergenic.

The best part about linen is that it is environmentally positive. Despite its durability, even when it does wear out, it is biodegradable as it is made from natural fibers of the flax plant. That makes it a good textile in the circular fashion economy.

Hence, even if you spend more to buy linen clothes, it is worth the price as it is long lasting. It also retains dyed colours and repels stains. It definitely scores very high on my sustainability chart!

Here are some Amazing Facts and Benefits of Linen.

Why did I upcycle this shirt?

This was my brother’s shirt. As fond as he is of linen, it creases easy therefore not making it as good a formal wear.

Moreover, the joint on the left arm of the shirt had opened out and it had been lying in his closet. Instead of mending just the joint for him, I decided to repurpose it for myself as I would use it more often.

How did I upcycle this Men’s Linen Shirt to Women’s?

Linen is a fabric that doesn’t stick to the skin and that makes this shirt fall straight. So I decided to flip the front to have the collar and buttons fall behind.

I cut out the portion below the collar to create a choker neck, giving it a more feminine look.

The fall of the fabric made the neckline deep and I gathered it up on the shoulder joint to give it a broad and puffed sleeve look. This also gave me the desired, shorter length.

Lastly, I cut the sleeve length to fall till my elbow.