I have been mixing “high” (luxe) and “low” (budget) fashion as long as I can remember. As a teenager, it was the natural product of spending too much money on one item and having nothing left to complete the look!

When I buy an item that is expensive, it has to be perfect. But if something isn’t expensive, I won’t be quite so picky. Sometimes after I get the piece home, the wannabe designer in me comes out. I love experimenting with clothes! Case in point: I bought a white V-neck T-shirt at Old Navy. After wearing it, I realized the v-neck was too high, and it wasn’t flattering. I cut out the existing neckline, and I now have a raw-edge, deep V-neck tee that’s pretty cool looking.

I managed another successful experiment a few weeks ago. Last fall, I was drawn to a pair of red denim pants in an inexpensive juniors store. I’m sure the salespeople were wondering what I, obviously not a junior, was doing in there, but I have a very democratic fashion sense. I tried the red jeans on, they fit great, and they were only $24.95. I wore them happily for several months.

As soon as the spring merchandise hit the stores, I saw red denim coming, going, standing and sitting, and I didn’t like it. So, I decided to channel Jackson Pollock with a bottle of bleach and a paintbrush. It took about 15 minutes of dripping and brushing in the bathtub to change the look of my jeans. They are now one of a kind!

The moral of this post is be creative with your clothes. Recycling and reusing is part of our culture now. Since it’s Earth Day, why not get into the spirit with what you wear?