Zero Waste Home one shirt worn 50 ways
zero waste home

A reader recently alerted us to Bea Johnson, creator of the website Zero Waste Home, who challenged herself to wear a single man’s shirt in 50 different iterations, as part of her committment to a zero waste lifestyle:

 Great inspiration, and many iterations look so wearable and comfortable. Reminds me of Audrey Hepburn and her oversize shirts with tails wrapped around her waist and tied in front. A great look and a fresh perspective at the same time.

Bea posted images of her many stylish shirt improvisations on Zero Waste Home. Unfortunately, the black-and-white photos don’t show all the detail we’re dying to see, nor does Bea describe the fabric and style of the shirt she chose: But we got a sense of it in this photo:

Zero Waste Home one shirt worn 50 ways
zero waste home

It’s big man’s shirt and looks to be made of somewhat stretchy knit fabric, which would make for tying and tucking…

Zero Waste Home one shirt worn 50 ways
zero waste home

According to a Q & A on her site, Bea’s styles involved no cutting or sewing, other than removing labels (to be able to wear the shirt inside out) and two button holes added to the bottom front to make it more versatile….

Zero Waste Home one shirt worn 50 ways
zero waste home

…she even turned her shirt into a hat!

Zero Waste Home one shirt worn 50 ways
zero waste home

Read more of Bea’s process here. It’s kind of like an extreme version of Natalie Purschwitz’s vow to make everything she wore for a year (shoes included). 

We highly recommend Bea’s Zero Waste Living Tips page. It’s full of ideas for cutting down even on recyclables (which are often NOT recycled). Our favorite: use baking soda as a facial scrub. It has the superfine texture of the expensive scrubs we’ve tried, leaves your face really smooth, and costs hardly anything.

Related posts: reader’s improv: cardigan sweater skirt
vivienne westwood: liberating words of an alt-fashionista
‘the tutu project’ explores identity, change and love
the brilliant past: poster dress with a ginsberg poem
inspired makeshift: a year of personal fashion
inspired makeshift: a year of personal fashion

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2 replies on “improv personal style: one shirt worn 50 ways

  1. I can only imagine what this woman would do with a Furoshiki!! 😉

  2. For SURE. When you think about it, it is a kind of Furoshiki, with herself as the package.

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