My upcycling journey with a black dinner jacket
Office Breakout
Last year was all about upcycling ties, shirts and suits with Linda Dixon and Tracy Affleck. We called this upcycling adventure Office Breakout and our designs featured on the Courage and Couture runway at the Biscuit Factory, Newcastle in September 2025.
During this process, I fell in love with men's office wear. I deconstructed a suit and created a gender neutral jacket and skirt/kilt with three different types of pleats, worn beautifully with pride by CK, pictured here with organiser Niru Ghosh, at the fashion show. I loved the fabric, the tailoring, the fine details. I was hooked!
Falling in love with the jacket
So it was no surprise that when this dinner jacket was donated to the Green Heart shop on Gateshead High Street, I fell head over heels in love - the velvet collar, the satin covered buttons and pocket edge, the shape and tailoring were all perfect. The fit however was not - the sleeves were too long for a start. Nevertheless, this jacket was a keeper. I simply always knew I would reimagine it at some stage.
Inspired by Somebody Else's Guy
That time came when Corey Dixon from Somebody Else's Guy delivered an upcycling workshop at Fenwick in Newcastle in September 2026. You need to check out her work on Instagram - the imagination paired with expert styling brings all these vintage jackets and preloved embellishments to the next level. Following on from the success of her collaboration with High Life North in hosting Newcastle’s first sustainable catwalk at Newcastle Contemporary Art, Corey invited guests to bring along an item to upcycle.
The jacket came with me, of course! I was so excited, naively thinking I'd be upcycling the jacket there and then! As if that was ever going to happen! Instead, Corey took the jacket, listened to my ideas and gave really valuable hints and tips on how to achieve the look I was going for. It was such and inspiration and encouragement, just the motivation I needed to make the first snip.
And then life got in the way as usual...
The deadline
However, a deadline for the completion of the jacket materialised. I'd booked to go to the Elsa Schiaperelli exhibition at the V&A. Along with my friends Louise and Sarah, we've created a bit of a tradition of making something new to wear to visit fashion exhibitions. We dress for the occasion. I couldn't let the side down.
I found the process surprisingly stressful. I'd been thinking about it for weeks so knew exactly what look I was going for. I just had to find the best way to execute it. I developed a lack of confidence as I sat unpicking for the third time. I thought I was supposed to enjoy it! Time was running out and I wasn't convinced I would get it finished in time. During the creation, the jacket never looked right in the studio. I felt like I was crazy for even attempting it and was going to look like an absolute fool.
Finding the confidence
But when I got dressed on the morning of my trip to London, I started to regain confidence. I styled the jacket with black skinny jeans, a white tee, and Doc Martens. In my opinion, the look worked.
I don't trust my men for honest feedback but I asked anyway. My husband always tells me what I want to hear, whereas my son always tells me what I don't want to hear! I tried my daughter and a friend - definitely more encouragement from them!
OK, I can do this!
Perfect for a visit to the V&A
So what had I done to this jacket?
Well first I cut off the bottom half of one side of the front and the other side of the back. I cut a piece of pink mesh - four times the length of the space it was going to be gathered into. I joined the mesh to the jacket down one side and overlocked the seam. I then gathered up the mesh, overlocked the cut edge and machine sewed the gathered mesh to the outside of the jacket.
I gathered up a thin piece of the mesh and attached it under the top part of the collar. I created a floppy cravat and handstitched it into the breast pocket. I created a small flower and attached it around one of the buttons. I took the bottom front button and attached it to the button hole.
Finally for the finishing touch, I added some pearls to the pocket and lapel.
Perfect.
Pockets and Pleats
I can't compare my vision, skills and artistic confidence to those of Elsa Schiaparelli. But it definitely felt right to visit this exhibition in a piece I had imagined and created myself. I got lost in the shapes of the pockets and collars and pleats. It all felt so modern for someone who started designing in the 1920s.
The women who wore her designs were all extraordinary women in their own way. You had to be prepared to stand out, to be noticed. I get that. You have to have a certain confidence to dress in a way that draws attention - mixed responses actually. That's how I felt in my jacket. I'm sure plenty of people thought I looked stupid. But for the few who smiled and commented and appreciated my creation, I was grateful. I'm not so sure about panache, but I do know the power of distinctive clothing. I can't wait to create more!
These women recognised the transformative power of distinctive clothing, worn with panache. - V&A panel on Shining Personalities
