We’ve written about interior designer Suzanne Shaker’s inspired home in Shelter Island and its many simple, clever ideas. At a dinner party recently, Suzanne showed us the old, worn shearling coat she had given new life to by turning it inside out, transforming it completely. She said people are constantly stopping her to ask where she bought it. We asked her to send pictures and how she did it. Here’s what she wrote:

This is what saved me thousands of dollars this winter: Improvising on my two old shearling coats, about 10 years old…
One white, that still has a lifetime of use, but looked dingy.
One brown, that had a prominent oil stain that could not be removed..I thought time for a new winter coat.

The inspiration came from a reversed sherling beauty I coveted at Dosa for a few thousand dollars ..
Eureka, turn a shearling inside out for a new life.

So simple, reverse a zipper, or move a button. Remove the labels and turn pockets inside out. (The tailor reversed the pull of the zipper and moved the button and hooks.)

 Love everytime I wear my new coats, which this winter is everyday.

Suzanne Shaker
Suzanne Shaker

Shearling, especially the lighter ones, are among the warmest and most comfortable winter coats we know of, a great investment since they tend to last far longer than cloth coats. But there does come a point where the leather side shows wear. Turning the coat inside out is a great way to give it years of additional wear.

Check out Suzanne’s work at Remodelista.

Thanks Suzanne!

If you’ve found illumination, joy, or inspiration in this post, please consider supporting Improvised Life. It only takes a minute to make a secure donation that helps pay our many costs. A little goes a long way towards helping Improvised Life continue to live ad-free in the world.

Support Improvised Life ♥

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *