Fall is here: Tis’ the season for pumpkin spiced lattes, cozy sweaters, pumpkin picking, and tailgates. While I’m not a huge fan of football, I am a big fan of anything that calls for a DIY project. Previously, I’ve made lace-up shirts and halter shirts for tailgate season at UMass. This year, I decided to step my game up with two styles of bleached tailgate tops: splatter & dip dye. Turns out, making a DIY bleach top is easy, quick, and adds a little edge to your tailgate outfit.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Bleach
- Spray Bottle
- Dropper (optional)
- Gloves
- Shirt
- Towel
Method #1: The Splatter Effect
Step 1: Fill a spray bottle with bleach.
Step 2: Spray the front and back of the shirt (and don’t forget to wear gloves and lay a towel on your floor to prevent accidentally bleaching your floor).
Step 3 (optional): For more precise bleaching, use a dropper to apply bleach to the shirt. I used an empty foundation bottle that came with a dropper applicator, but any dropper will do the trick.
Step 4: Let the shirt dry for about 15 minutes while the bleach activates.
Step 5: Wash the shirt to deactivate the bleach. Air dry.
Step 6: Enjoy your splatter-style bleached tailgate top!
Method #2: Dip Dye
Step 1: Get a towel, gloves, a plastic container, and a shirt.
Step 2: Fill the plastic container with warm water & bleach.
Step 3: Place the shirt in the container so that only the bottom half is submerged.
Step 4: Cover the container to avoid inhaling bleach fumes.
Step 5: Let the shirt sit in the container for 15-20 minutes.
Step 6: Carefully remove the shirt, squeeze out excess bleach, and lay it out to dry on the towel as the bleach activates.
Step 7: Wash the shirt to deactivate the bleach. Air dry and enjoy your dip-dyed and bleached tailgate top!
Happy crafting and happy tailgating!