How to: Make a Detachable Collar

I've had a bit of an argument with this shirt:

 

 

When I bought it, it promised me easy Francophile style, and I loved that the striped pattern looked a little like airmail envelopes. 



 

However, I've worn it once, and on this occasion I discovered that it was made from a material that resembled a waterproof jacket (although a waterproof shirt might be useful with all the rain at the moment). As a result, I have fallen out of love with this shirt, and have only been holding onto it for so long because I love the pattern on it. So I decided today to take action and find a way to reuse it somehow.

Jasper Conran at LFW - Source: Vogue

I took my inspiration from Jasper Conran at LFW, and decided to make a detachable collar. I love layering tops and dresses over a shirt, but sometimes it just isn't practical - a shirt can sometimes be too bulky under certain things (not to mention it can get quite warm with all those layers!). So a detachable collar seems to be the obvious solution.


You Will Need:

• An old shirt
• A pair of scissors
• Needle and thread
• Hook and eye fastening

First, lay down your shirt so that your collar is completely flat.

Find the row of stitching that connects the shirt to the collar, and using sharp scissors, cut just below this, so that the collar will not fray.

Position your collar in the way that it will lie when it is worn. It is useful to do this so that you can tell where to position your fasteners.

Sew the hook and eye fasteners on to the top two corners of the collar.

Then you're done! Iron your collar if necessary, and wear it with preppy pride.

You could decorate your collar further by using ribbon, sequins, applique - use your imagination and go wild!
Keep your eyes peeled for future projects featuring the remnants of my Francophile shirt. Has anybody else got any other ways of recycling an old shirt?