15 quick and easy lace fixes for old garments

I'm sure my love for lace doesn't come as a surprise to anyone. I've sung my love song to lace ever since I started this blog, and really, I've been in love with it forever. Lace and I are super tight! 

So, for me, it comes naturally that whenever I need to refashion or mend a garment, I think of lace first. Like "Hey, how about adding some lace?" or "I wonder if I have any lace in my stash that matches this fabric?" This also means that I do a ton of refashions using lace. I've actually had to consciously stop myself numerous times because I bet you'd get super bored of seeing only lace added here and lace squeezed in there every week.

That being said, I still find lace amazing, and so I wanted to highlight 15 projects and 5 easy ways you can utilize lace in your refashioning projects. 

1) Use lace to add length. There's been many times that lace has literally saved my ass, as in covered it when the garment couldn't. Like the red minidress in the top photo - I wouldn't be able to wear it if i hadn't added a wide panel of lace to make it longer. And, just out of curiosity, who wear a dress that short? I mean, I'm 162cm and it's way too short on me. Maybe it's meant to be a shirt??
I've also used lace to add length to a blouse, and to make up for my mistake of cutting this skirt too short.

2) Use lace collars to add a fresh layer of texture. Ready-made lace collars are a great way to add some functionality or texture to an old garment. Adding a lace collar can really elevate a simple blouse, and give a whole new look to an out-dated vest. The last one is by far my favorite 10-minute project.

3) Use lace to cover up and/or cut out stains. Adding some lace on top of a stain is a great way to visually lose the stain. I love cutting out the original layer of fabric away from underneath the lace and bringing some see-through action to garments. It add so much more interest and sophistication to a garment.
Here are a few ways to get started: the heart cut-out tee, the lace neckline tee, the bubble tee, and of course the sheer back tee.

4) Use lace to add visual interest. Sometimes a garment just lacks oomph, and lace is a quick way to add some "vavavoom". I love adding a lace panel to the hem of a skirt (like HERE and HERE). It's also a great way to update a granny jacket, or spice up a pair of simple cut-off jeans.

5) Use lace to fix a fit issue. Lace is pretty and compliments a lot of different garments, which makes it the perfect material to use when you need to fix a fit issue, but don't have extra fabric to work with. I've used it to add straps to a strapless dress, and to add width to a garment (like in the bottom photo).

I hope this sparked some ideas in you how you could use lace to refashion or even mend old garments. If you're not that into lace, it's cool too (but really, I don't think we can be friends anymore). But, I challenge you to try it out before you discard it. Lace doesn't have to be "pink" and overly girly. It can also be sophisticated and classy. It all comes down to the way you use it.

xo. Hanna