Wardrobe | 3 simple DIY fashion ideas

INDIANAPOLIS - DIY fashion has always been part of my wardrobe. I like taking something in my closet that I may not like anymore or doesn’t fit and recreating it into something fun and fresh.

We aren’t all professional seamstresses, however. Even though I sew, I enjoy the simple accomplishment of creating something quickly that’s functional and fashionable without getting out the machine.

Old T-shirts are perfect for those kinds of projects. And most of us usually have some on hand. If you don’t have any, or you want to mix up the color scheme in your project, check out a Goodwill or thrift store for a low-cost alternative.

The coolest way to flip your T-shirts is to create hip accessories. Three projects I love to do are hairbands, bracelets and necklaces. These add a little bit of urban chic to an ensemble as well as touch of youthful flair.

What you’ll need:
A pile of old-T-shirts
Glue gun
Scissors
Small round magnets (2 for each bracelet you create)
Ribbon, beads, feathers or whatever else you might want to add as extras

Hair Flair:

Click to see ALL of the Step-By-Step directions: DIY upcycled T-shirt headband

In under an hour, this Celtic Knot headband comes together. It’s a combo of two different colored materials, a spot or two of glue and that’s it. You can do this without glue.

I personally like the knots on the underside from tying the strips of jersey together, which on mine you’ll see I’ve added a few beads that hang down in the back.

If you want a cleaner look, then the glue gun option is for you.

Select two T-shirts of different colors. Lay flat on a surface that will be easy to cut on.

Cut off the top of the shirt, just under the arms and remove the bottom band. Place these to the side for another project.

Cut a 2” strip from each shirt.

Stretch the strips so they curl at the edges and cut on one side so it is not a loop anymore.

Select one of the strips and lay flat creating a loop like the one shown with the right side of the strip lying over the left side.

Lay the other strip over the first one, with the ends opposite of the first strip.

Take the ends of the second loops and weave them through the first loop. Follow the pics for accuracy.

Now that you’ve got the knot done, pull gently to tighten the knot.

Cut the ends evenly and place the band around your head to measure how long you should keep the ends. Tie the ends together or you can glue them.

Cut the ends where you’ve measured and lay them on a flat surface. Squirt a little hot glue and press them down onto a 1x6” piece of matching jersey. Wrap a 1x3” piece of cloth around the juncture to cover up the glue.

Once this dries you can easily tie the headband on. Ready to go!

Nifty Necklace:

Click to see all of the Step-By-Step directions: DIY recycled T-shirt necklace

Flatten out your tee and cut off the top and the bottom bands – like in the above headband project – and set to the side.

With your middle section left, cut 10-12 strips about 1-2” wide.

Line up the strips with the seams matched together so all the strips together create a large loop.

Take a strip of a different color tee – I used the bottom band from the previous project – and weave it around a 5-6”section of the large loop. You can attach the ends hidden with a glue gun or weave them into a knot to keep it from becoming loose.

Double the loops – like shown –

Cut a 1x5” strip of tee and tie the opposite end of the now smaller loop from the woven added piece, tying all the individual loops together and this project is finished!

You can add beads, string or other baubles if you wish.

Spangled bangles:

Click to see ALL of the Step-By-Step directions: DIY upcycled T-shirt bracelets

For a bit of sassiness, try these easy, braided wristlets, which may garner a little extra time and money, but are still a super simple project.

You’ll need some extra ribbon and the small magnets.

Cut three strips from a tee – they do not have to all be the same color – about 1” wide and 12-14” long.

Cut three strips of the ribbon approximately the same length.

Fasten the strips and the ribbon at the top with a rubber band or clamp, separate into three strips and braid together.

When you finish up braiding, even out the ends by measuring around your wrist. Make a clean cut at each end of the braid and glue on one magnet per end so the magnets stick together.

To cover up the magnets, cut two little pieces of fabric about three times the width of the magnet and about twice the circumference of the bracelet.

Wrap around the each end, covering the magnets.

Let the glue dry, and then snap them on!

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Do you have a favorite fashion blog or style site? Do you have a fashion site you’d like me to see? Leave a comment below or let me know at twinklevanwinkle.com.

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Twinkle VanWinkle ponders, creates and discovers cool stuff about music, movies, food, fashion and so forth. Her thoughtful writings and interactives give great advice about healthy food, cooking tips, DIY projects, fashion and more. She’ll teach you a thing or two about music as well. Along with producing dynamic entertainment content for LIN Media, she is a mother, musician and social media fanatic.

 

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