Rain, Rain, You Don’t Have to Go Away…

We were dying for new raincoats this year, but decided that we’d rather spend our money on our Spring Break trip to New Orleans.  So instead, we gave our old raincoats new life by adding a few details here and there.  In just a couple of minutes, our raincoats were like new – for almost no money at all.  Here are a few simple ideas that you could do, too. 

The raincoat pictured was Erin’s standard beige, “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego” trench.  In just a few minutes we spiced it up by:

* Tying the belt in a knot, instead of buckling it.
* Adding a rosette, using a safety pin. You can also stitch it into place with a needle and thread.)  Here's our tutorial on how to make the rosette in just a few minutes.
* Hot gluing copper Grosgrain ribbon to fit the edge of the pocket. Or, try adding any color ribbon you like – hot pink, polka dot, etc.

+ Remember – always cut Grosgrain ribbon on a diagonal so it doesn’t unravel, and if you use hot glue (you could also stitch it into place) don’t put the coat in the dryer.

You could also try: 

* Adding a brightly colored belt, like this pink belt from Target.
* Finding a cute iron-on monogram.  Find your initials online for just a few bucks here.
* Use iron-on hemming tape to add brightly colored or metallic fabrics to your coat.  Try adding a splash of color to the lapel or collar, or making a stripe around the bottom.  You can iron on hemming tape at any craft store, or online.
* Stitch, iron on or hot glue a brightly-colored trim or fringe around the bottom or down the front.

Find more easy fashion and home decor ideas at www.yaydiy.com!