Changing clothes to suit yourself is simple when you know how and have a little confidence. My friend Carol purchased this Pringle cashmere cardigan from a vintage shop without trying it on, only to discover the cuff bands were uncomfortably tight. Our creative solution was to chop them off, leaving about 1cm of the rib to hold the sleeves together and then blanket stitch the raw edge.

For the no-sew skirt, a large men’s blue cotton polo shirt was turned upside down and waist elastic inserted into what was the hem of the shirt. The collar and ribbed sleeve bands were cut-off and the shirt sliced along the shoulders to create a flared, contemporary hemline that was great for rock-hopping and bush-walking at Noosa during a brief break at the beach.