Book excerpt: Dare to be Different Gone are the days of browsing through rack after rack of new fashions at the local store looking for the perfect shirt, pair of paints or accessory. Instead, take a "shopping trip" to your own closet, a friend's closet, consignment stores, thrift shops or the sale racks. In Altered Style, author Stephanie Kimura shows you how to transform everyday garments and accessories into personalized fashions that reflect your own style and show the world who you are. Your personality will show through with: • More than 30 projects for creating purses, blouses, tees, jackets and more • Ideas for embellishing with buttons, sparkly crystals, colorful fabric snippets, beads and anything you come across • Simple techniques, such as basic sewing, folding, bonding and drawing With a little creativity and simple embellishing, you'll be on your way to updating your wardrobe with your own style and flair. Never again will you have "nothing to wear"!