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DIY Restyling Clothes for Summer

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

With summer weather finally rolling in, anyone can appreciate the upcoming lack of bulky jackets and itchy sweaters. However, not many people have the money to buy a completely new summer wardrobe. Instead, we have a few ways that you can create a new look with just a few items, right in time for the changing weather. Try these non-expensice options and bring back your creative side!

 

1. Fabric paint

You can do quite a lot with fabric paint. It is cheap and available at any craft store such as Michaels or Joann Fabrics. With a wide variety of colors available, you can add a personal touch to almost anything. Write all over some old t-shirts or draw on a worn out pair of shorts. You can even try buying multiple colors and splattering them all over a plain shirt to create something new! 

2. Scissors

Take a pair of scissors to any piece of clothing and you have the chance to transform it completely. Slice off the legs of your old jeans and have some new, always in-style, cut-offs. Or, completely remove the sleeves from any t-shirt to make it into a tank. Poke holes and make slashes. Change a piece of clothing you hate into something new to love. There are countless readily-available tutorials on YouTube about ways to cut your old clothes into anything you can dream up.

3. Sew

A needle and thread can be a girl’s best friend if you have some patience (and, possibly, pain tolerance). You can take a piece of pattered piece of fabric, cut it into the shape of a pocket, and sew it right onto a plain t-shirt. Find old fabrics and stitch them into what’s already in your closet to make unique pieces. In the mean time, sew up the holes in any of your old favorite clothes to make them wearable again. 

4. Dye

Tie-dye is always in. Whether you want to create colorful swirls on some old shirts, or change a white shirt blue, fabric dye is readily available at craft stores. You can even buy some plain white shoes and have fun making them one-of-a-kind.

 

As you can see, with just a few key craft items in your arsenal, you can fully revamp your wardrobe. Enhance old pieces, or create completely new ones. Feel free to let your creativity run wild! Maybe even use a few of the above ideas and combine them to make something totally your own. Everyone will wonder where you got them. Little do they know, it’s your very own creation. Happy Summer HC Readers! 

Campus: University of Illinois at Chicago Major: English with a concentration in Media, Rhetorical and Cultural Studies Minor: Psychology, Sociology Melissa is born and raised in Chicago. She started out at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before coming to UIC.
Campus: University of Illinois at Chicago Major: English with a concentration in Media, Rhetorical and Cultural Studies Minor: Germanic Studies Status: Senior Jennifer is a born and raised Chicago girl passionate about her studies. She loves to help people all that she can and contribute to the betterment of others. Used to being on the go, Jennifer is enthusiastic about obtaining her degree and learning many different things along the way. She is interested in music, movies, reading, volunteering, and is a major Blackhawks fan. Her dream is obtain her degree and work with writing in a fashion that will reach out to people.
Claudia was born in Mexico and moved to Chicago at the age of 8. She is currently attending the University of Illinois at Chicago as a Marketing major. She is really excited to be a part of the HerCampus team and is ready to make HC grow at UIC. She can’t go a day without exercising and especially enjoys Zumba! She loves fashion and reads blogs every day, that’s where she gets her inspiration when she dresses, and hopes to one day have her own! Claudia is currently a representative for AKIRA Chicago, for discount codes contact her at (cmarti74@uic.edu). She strives to be a better person every day, and is really thankful for everything she has. One of Claudia’s favorite quotes is “Enjoy all that you have while you pursue everything that you want”.