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Summer’s Newest Trend: Sun Printed Clothing

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at West Chester chapter.

I’m always on the lookout for unique pieces so that I can claim that I am the most interesting indie girl to ever grace a college campus. When I stumbled upon this up and coming trend I knew what I would wear heading into the warmer months. 

sun printing

Sun printed clothing uses photochromic dyes that work to change the color of fabric when in contact with sunlight. The resulting product is a print distorted to acid-wash tones reminiscent of horror movie security footage. Anything can be printed and anything can be printed on, so your wardrobe can really embrace your quest to be original.

hottest brand to buy

“Bye Hollywood” is a small, female owned brand that specializes in sun prints. I discovered their accounts not too long ago, but they have been on my mind ever since. The brand’s name suits their celebrities-themed prints, ranging from deep cuts like River Phoenix to the forever iconic Princess Di.

Customers can choose from pre-printed items or they can DM the brand on Instagram for a custom print, ensuring only they will be walking around with this design.

make it yourself

If you want to be completely in control of your style evolution, there is a way to sun print on your own.

Jacquard’s SolarFast Starter Kit has all the goods to completely change your closet. The kit includes three bottles of orange, violet, and blue dye so that you can make your aesthetic come to life. The company also has complete instructions on printing, dying, and caring for your creation. 

Picking your print is the most important part of the process so there are criteria you should follow. Whatever image you pick must be made into a negative so that the opaqueness is represented on a gray-scale.

Print-spiration

We’ve put together a Pinterest board of designs that would look absolutely stunning for your first attempts at sun printing. Remember that while most sun prints fall inline with alternative and punk styles, you are in full control of the vibe you want to give off. Our board stays true to the grungy aesthetic, but welcomes in our Harry girlies and plant moms.

Ellie Perrin

West Chester '26

Ellie is a Junior Media and Culture major with minors in Journalism at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She is the Vice President and Co-Senior Editor of WCU's HC Chapter. She is constantly scribbling in her "idea" journal her unique observations of the world and her role in it. With interests ranging from reading Fitzgerald to Vogue or from watching Shameless to Trisha Paytas Tiktoks, Ellie's writing comes from a holistic perspective. She is excited to use her world view for her writing and add to her portfolio.