How Woman Turns Unloved Top Into Designer-Inspired Item Stuns Viewers

A woman has impressed the internet by transforming her unloved zip-up into a top inspired by expensive brands.

In a TikTok video, user @kaitlynforyou shows viewers that luxury fashion doesn’t have to break the bank, as she transforms a gray garment into a top inspired by a Shushu/Tong minidress that retails at £760 and the silhouette of a £253 drawstring top by Siaa.

The fashionista gets to work by seam-ripping to remove the sleeves and collar from the top before sewing darts, folds added to garments to provide shape.

After multiple adjustments and additions, including a lace trim and white collar, Kaitlyn showcases her creation in the video, which has received 1.2 million views and more than 200,000 likes since she posted it on March 21.

In the video’s comments section, viewers praised Kaitlyn’s sewing prowess, with one writing, “This is so crazy people are so talented.”

In text that appears in the video, the TikToker wrote, “Day 3: turning clothes I never wear into clothes I love.”

“This top is our next victim,” she said in a voice-over. “There’s nothing really wrong with it. But in the years I’ve had it, I’ve never reached for it. So we’re gonna change that.”

After explaining her inspiration for the piece, she said, “So the plan is to recreate this top in a similar silhouette, but add a white collar and lace trim.”

When adding the darts, after removing the sleeves and collar, she said: “I have never sewn darts before, but the beautiful thing about the internet is that it has all the answers. And after a bit of research, I figured it out.”

After adding the darts, Kaitlyn adjusted the waist and shoulders of the top and made long ties for the sides.

To make the ties, she said she used a sewing machine foot, a small attachment that rolled the fabric to the same width, and removed the excess material to get a “nice, clean finish.”

Kaitlyn then created fabric tunnels for the ties to go through so the top could be adjusted.

After attaching the drawstrings to the top, she used a cuff from a different shirt to create the top’s collar.

She then added the finishing touches—cutting slits in the front, finishing the edges and sewing the white lace trim to the bottom.

“This is the final top, and this might actually be one of my favorite things that I’ve ever worked on,” she said. “I just love how the ties on the side make it so you could wear it in a lot of different ways.”

In the comments, viewers complimented Kaitlyn’s sewing and upcycling abilities. Some also made styling suggestions for her new top.

“This [is] such a great concept to get more use of your closet,” a user commented.

“Omg that’s beautiful! I want to learn how to do things like that,” another added.

“Low rise burgundy skirt and black knee high boots would look so good with that top,” a commenter said.

Another wrote, “I’d pair it with some knee high chunky boots and a black mini for some edge.”