1880 (via George Eastman House)

This photo entitled simply “Curious Photo” (from the George Eastman House collection), reminded us of the many possibilities for wearing clothes backwards. We remembered a chic woman we knew that used to wear ordinary cardigans backwards, turning them into a something ELSE…

…then we thought: Ohhh, THAT’S what we can try with an Issy Miyake shirt out made out of unbelievable fabric that doesn’t seem to work as a button-down anymore. We put in on backwards, and voila: a strangely beautiful drape to the collar now worn in front.

Wearing clothes backwards can be something to try before getting rid of a piece of clothing that no longer seems to fit. It’s a reason we love Rick Owen’s clothes; sweaters are meant to be worn backwards, frontwards, upside down…a strange liberation.

We went on the hunt for some images. Our favorite:

backwards suit
photo tim walker, vogue nippon

cardigan worn backwards
via the sartorialist

…we found this Guess dress worn backwards with an Old Navy bathing suit top on Lookbook Nu 

dress worn backwards with bathing suit top
photo: tondy di lorenzo

top photo via Black and WTF

Related posts: inspired makeshift: a year of personal fashion
mod fashions, carnaby street, london 1966
painted fabric redux: clothes!
vision break: a dress that makes music…

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