The imitation/modifying strategy is one thing I've been doing.
An other fun thing to do is get random cloth and pin together skirts or something. I did that one morning cuz I didn't want to wear pants, and it worked out very, very well. And then you don't have a fixed thing; you can easily change it whenever you want.
I desperately want a sewing machine. Making my own clothes would be so much easier that way. They can be expensive though...
I need a simple, second-hand one. Or I'll convince my mom to get a new one and give me her old... *sighs and dreams of sewing machines...*