Citizen Brooklyn

Clown to classy

Owens recently completed a personal challenge to remake a piece of clothing every day for a year.

Mad-someone-got-paid-to-design-that to Mad Men

Columbia, S.C.-area clothing stores donate unsellable clothing to Owens — and she throws in the occasional $1 find from other secondhand stores.

Bad Habit to Little Black Dress

Owens avoids falling into simple patterns — shift dresses, cut-off shirts, etc. — by drawing inspiration from the original piece and what’s happening in her everyday life. Here, to prepare for an evening of karaoke, she took inspiration from a song stuck in her head about little black dresses.

Big Old Shirt to Cute Little Dress

Each piece of clothing requires something different — a snip here, a tub full of wine dye there. She whipped this men’s extra-long shirt into shape with a bath of green dye and a whirl under the sewing machine.

Bridal Shower to Girl Power

Each piece of clothing serves as a physical memento in a year of triumphs and struggles — from a canceled wedding to an appearance on The Rachael Ray Show. Says Owens of her refashioned wedding dress, pictured above: “In this year, I haven’t just been refashioning clothing. I’ve been refashioning my life, and how I think about the world around me.”

Jump[suit] the Shark to a Well-Suited Look

Refashionista’s DIY approach shifts fashion perspective: Above, a snicker-worthy jumpsuit becomes the perfect dress for lunch with friends.

’90s mom to Safari Scene

Owens finds a piece of clothing’s story doesn’t end at the secondhand store. Instead of heading to the dump, this blast from the past, complete with attached vest and shirt, turns into a breezy sundress.

Shapeless to Svelte

Never doubt the promise of the $1 bin. Behold: Dad’s gigantic lawnmowing shirt becomes a chic top.

Drab skirt to dress to impress

Before Owens started the Refashionista project, she rarely wore dresses. The typical size 2 didn’t flatter her small frame. It’s been empowering to control how her dresses fit, she says, and many skirts and shirts have been refashioned into dresses as a result.

Human cupcake to sailor’s delight

Not all projects require an expert hand: This muumuu just needed to be narrowed four inches and lopped off at the bottom.

Table Cloth to Turning Tables

Owens calls her Refashionista project “more than a little nutty.” The concept is ambitious, yes, but it’s crazier that she managed to turn this emerald number around at 5 a.m. so she could wear it to her job at the S.C. Arts Commission.