T-shirts are a wardrobe staple for everyone, and while buying a bunch of basic t-shirts on sale sounds like a great investment at the time, they soon become old, worn out, or simply not trendy anymore.
That said, giving away your clothes in today’s economy may not always be a wise idea. While giving away some items that no longer fit or have served their purpose – such as maternity clothes or work clothes for a job you already left – wearing your old t-shirts is totally feasible after implementing a few creative ideas.
If your t-shirt still fits your size, and you’re having second thoughts about giving it up – don’t do it just yet! Read on for eight easy ideas on how to transform a regular old tee into a fresh top that you can still enjoy for seasons to come.
1. Customize your T-Shirt with a print
Printed tees with statement designs or quotes are a fashion concept that never goes out of style, and a great example of its popularity is how it has become a trend in Singapore for example. The people at meowprint.sg create your own customized design and print it on your plain t-shirt and it is actually both easy and cheap, and you can have an endless variety of creative ideas to work from as well.
This is one of the simplest ways to turn a boring old item into something cool that you can wear like it’s a new purchase, while being sure that it represents your own unique personal style in a one-of-a-kind look that only you own.
2. Embrace Summer by Going Sleeveless
Your very same old tee can become a funky little number as you cut out the sleeves and either leave them with the grungy cut-out look or sewing the edges to create a chic sleeveless little blouse to enjoy on hot summer days. This is particularly flattering if you feel like t-shirt sleeves don’t compliment your arms, or feel more free without sleeves altogether.
3. Go Grungy with the Cut Up Shirt
The cut up t-shirt trend has been around for a while, as it started out with rock stars and metal music fans and popularized by gym goers and street style fashion icons.
The market is now full of t-shirts that have been oddly sliced and diced up, sold at full price, but with just a pair of scissors and a little bit of imagination, you can easily add a little extra oomph to your old shirt. Start with small cuts and work your way up, because it’s always possible to remove fabric, but you can’t add after you’ve cut it.
4. Lace it Up
With just a little bit of lace, you can give your t-shirt a whole new and improved identity. Adding lace trimmings to the neckline, sleeve ends or hem can dress up your plain tee and make it prettier in no time.
You can choose to accessorize with lace of the same color or shade, or mix it up a little with a matching color that will pop. Additionally, you don’t have to sew on the lace in a straight line; tying it with a ribbon, or fitting it in a zig-zag or wave pattern can give it a different feel.
5. Use Beads, Sequins and Jewels
Your plain cotton tee can become a lot more fun once you sew in some colorful shiny beads, sequins or jewels to the neckline, hems, or randomly across the front or on the sleeves. These little things are more than affordable, super fun to work with, easy to secure, and can give any item a new flare.
6. Repurpose Old CDs for a Sparkle
If you happen to have any old CDs laying around without proper use, now is the time to give them a new purpose! The unique colorful, reflective properties of ordinary CDs can offer a great accessory to decorate your t-shirts, just like you would use sequins and embroidery stones.
Using a sturdy pair of scissors, you’ll want to cut up the CD into random geometric pieces, and use superglue to secure them onto your t-shirt in whatever pattern you want. This will add a modern, metallic feel to an otherwise plain top, and can make for a great item to wear out for nights out and about in town.
7. Make Safety Pins Work for You
A regular bunch of different sized safety pins can give the plainest item a rocking, edgy vibe. For an instant punk twist, just secure a number of safety pins down the sleeves or on the collar. It’s a very easy, reversible, cheap trick to try, and you can add, remove, or change the entire arrangement as you please with no hassle. This trick especially works on dark colored t-shirts like black, navy blue, maroon red, and olive green.
8. Make a Tee Your Canvas
If you’re good with your hands and know how to draw a little bit, invest in some fabric markers and get artistic! Nothing screams ‘personalized’ like a t-shirt with your own hand-drawn art on it. You can either draw something from your imagination directly on the fabric, or print out a simple drawing you like on paper and place it between the two layers of fabric facing the front so you can trace. This can be anything from flowers, butterflies, a cartoon character, to a funny comic strip or song lyrics.
Think Outside of the Box
In today’s world, there’s really no need to waste. Everything we own has a purpose, and if we decide to hold on to the items in our wardrobe, soon enough they’ll be just bits and pieces waiting to be transformed into something new and exciting – and your t-shirts are no exception.
With some surfing online and some creative thinking, and with minimal cost, there are dozens of ways to transform your old t-shirt, refashioning it into a wholly new top that is genuinely gorgeous. If you decide to go DIY on your next tee facelift, just remember to watch a few tutorials online before embarking on your project so that you have the best results, and an exciting new item to wear!
