Our politicians, bless them, have done a tad bit of damage to our economy, which consequently lead the pound to a good plummet, coins aren’t exactly valuable commodities at the moment.

Let’s face it, the rob’ geneh makhroum (25 piasters coin) is a coin that even your sayes (valet) will frown at you — if he’s polite — for giving it to him. Of course, there’s always the sensible option of saving your coins in a jar for when you need change and all, but when that jar’s filled up, get cracking on altering that dull wardrobe of yours.

You can easily transform a wardrobe with just a few pounds, literally.

Jazz Up a Blazer: Embellished shoulders are in, and they’re just about the easiest trend to make yourself. Forget the studs and spikes that you can find at just about any fashion retailer,  and give your old blazer a patriotic twist and recycle it for the new season. Simply use a wax gun to stick on as many coins as you can. Scatter a few coins on the shoulder for a more subtle look, or go for the Michael Jackson ‘Bad’ look and pile up as many coins as you can using any color and size you get your hands on for that messy, rock-chic look.

Make Jewelry:

– The easiest thing to do with the 25 piasters coin is to gather a few colorful threads, bend them from the middle, slip the coin in and make a small knot as shown in the picture. 

– Alternatively pass a leather or suede thread through it and transform it into a chunky wrap-around bracelet.

– If you’re like me and feel like sticking anything in your hair to keep it off your face while you’re working, then it might just be time to give up those pencils in favor for a hair clip that doesn’t look like your grandma’s. By using a strong glue, we recommend a wax gun (mosadas shame’), glue three or four 10 piasters coins on old hair clip and give those messy twists a new kick.

– If you don’t mind a trip to a jeweler, then make use of the craftsmanship we have in the country. Craftsmen, who are happy to make custom-made anything, be it jewelry, tables, lamps or whatever whim we might have. So either head out to Zan’it El Sitat or Nabi Daniel street in Downtown Alexandria, Midan El Game’ in Heliopolis for jewelers or Khan El Khalili and have your coins made into clip-on earrings.

– If you, again, like me, have been given gold coins for gifts and have no clue what to do with them, turn them into earrings. If you’re extra popular and have been given quite a few of them, turn them into a bracelet. If you find yourself short on cash, you can always sell them with no losses — after all, they still are gold coins.

– You can also glue coins on an old brown belt to hide any worn-out bits, and adding a little special something to your worn-out accessory.

Embellish your Old Swatch: Chunky watches are in fashion, but go beyond the Baby G’s already and get a little bit creative. If you have an old Swatch laying around, and let’s face it we have all kept one from our childhood, bring it back to life with a little folk fashion. Glue ten five piaster coins all over the straps and voila, you’ve got  yourself a new watch.

Stick them on Worn Out Heels: I don’t know about you, but the right backs of my heels are all worn out from driving and yet I still keep them anyway; I just can’t get myself give them away. So if you, like me, have attachment issues and cannot get yourself to give up your old heels, go on and glue a few five-piaster coins on the backs of their heels to cover up those signs. You can do it horizontally or vertically, whichever covers them better, for me, vertical worked better. Check out our DIY (Do it Yourself) video to see how we pumped out an old pair of heels with a few coins.

Make Buttons: Since knitted, oversized jumpers and jackets are all the rave now, makes it the ideal time to raid your dad’s closet. Look for a jacket that his belly has overgrown and has wide buttonholes to fit the coins. Find buttons that are almost as big as the coins or a little smaller and then glue the coins onto the buttons with a wax gun and replace the old buttons with the new ones.

Watch this space next week for what to do with your mom’s old galabeya, the one she insisted have because it was all the rave 40 years back, thanks to legendary Soad Hosni’s role in 1970’s Lost Love (Al Hob Al Da’e’), in which she was seen parading several Moroccon galabeyas, thus pushing your mum and the rest of her generation to invest in embellished Moroccan galabeyas.

Editor’s note: Most supplies you need, ranging from wax gun to buttons, leather strings and hair clips can be found in Kol She’ and El Nomrosy.

El Nomrosy • 35 Hassanein El Dessouky Street, Maadi • 16 Ismail Ramzy Street, Heliopolis • 2 Taha Hussein Street, El Zamalek • 36 Shehab Street, Mohandessin • Tel. +2 (02) 3305-5784

Kol She’ • 7 Ismail Ramzy Street, Heliopolis • Tel. +2 (02) 2241-7243 or (011) 1170-5557