Five DIY Summer Trends
You don’t need to shop to be trendy!
by ALI DIMOVA ★ JULY 24, 2020
Fashion never fails to bring something new into our lives and remind us of the trends we may have forgotten. From season to season, designers continue to draw inspiration from the past, so we think it’s safe to say that 70s and 80s style are key to this summer’s trends. The bright attributes of that era are reflected in the modern collections of fashion brands and casual style. Most of the DIY trends of this season reflect elements of 70s style and a playful, “childish” vibe and are very affordable and easy to create. We have prepared five trendy DIY ideas to diversify your wardrobe!
Tie-Dye
Of course, we start with the tie-dye trend that has dominated this season, not only in everyday style but also on the catwalk of many designer fashion shows. The tie-dye pattern came to us in the 1970s, when hippies began customizing their clothes in the colorful designs. As a result, the pattern is often associated with the spirit of freedom. The technique of creating this trend is literally hidden in its name: "tie and dye."
To make a tie-dye pattern on your clothes, you don’t need too many ingredients: only water or vinegar, rubber bands, and food coloring or bleach. Take a cotton T-shirt or any other cotton article of clothing, sink it either in water or vinegar (for brighter colors). After this, wring it, and leave it damp, then add rubber bands to your item. On white or very light fabrics, use food coloring diluted with water. On dark fabrics, apply bleach also diluted with water on dry clothing. Bleach will help the dark color of the fabrics fade, creating pastel stains. When you achieve the desired pattern, be sure to wash the item. Voila! Your old T-shirt has been turned into something new and super trendy!
Credit: The Spruce Crafts
Tips:
It is best to use a spray bottle to apply the pattern. For less chaotic patterns, you can use a brush or a sponge.
Do not forget to wear thick gloves in order to protect your skin.
You can use any type of fabric, however, you’ll probably see better results on cotton.
Credit: Pinterest
“Childish” Jewelry
This jewelry, as if collected from a children’s set, returned to fashion at the beginning of this summer. Like the tie-dye trend, this is a revamp of an old look from the 80s and 90s. Necklaces made of multi-colored beads and shells, bracelets with plastic or letter beads, earrings and rings with cutesy symbols like butterflies, and so on—all of this is easy to make by yourself and doesn’t require a lot of time. Don't be afraid to play with shades, materials, and textures; add multi-colored elements and beads of different textures and sizes. A useful thing to do would be to learn a couple of basic beading techniques, as this will make the decoration even more interesting. You can find such techniques on YouTube, Pinterest, and even TikTok. As a "base" for your creation, you can use floss threads, fishing lines, or special elastic bands. Beads, shells, and other jewelry elements are usually sold in arts and crafts stores. If you are expecting to make a piece of more advanced-looking jewelry, you can also purchase special tools like pliers and cutters at arts and crafts stores. Experiment and use random materials that you have at home to create something fun and unique!
Credit: Pinterest
Credit: Pinterest
Decorated Shoelaces
Just like the previous trend, decorated shoelaces are also associated with the more playful “childish” style that we are seeing everywhere. Children’s motifs can be observed not only in accessories but also in shoes, and decorating shoelaces are just one way to do so. Who would have thought that ordinary shoelaces on sneakers can look so unusual and cool? And the best part is that you can easily recreate this at home. You can place the beads on the laces in a chaotic manner or use them to write out words—it's up to you. Again, don’t be afraid to play with the design! If you choose white sneakers, decorated laces will attract even more attention. You can even decorate multiple laces with different colors to match certain outfits and flawlessly tie together your whole look.
Credit: Pinterest
Embroidery on Clothes
If you are an avid TikTok user, you’ve probably seen the videos of people decorating their shirts with simple line art embroidery or applying embroidery letters to articles of clothing. This is a huge trend now! First of all, embroidery will instantly turn any ordinary piece of clothing into something unique and original. And second, it does not require special skills, because almost all ideas are simple to implement (like line art).
You will need a floss thread and a thick needle. You can start by duplicating the seams of jean pockets by manually stitching with bright threads. You can also embroider flowers, stars, line art, or small inscriptions on cotton shirts or even thick fabrics like denim. Further, you can complicate the task and master the embroidery stitch. Do not worry if something does not work: you can always start over! Have fun with this trend and get creative!
Credit: Pinterest
Painted Denim
Last but not least, our favorite DIY trend: painted denim. If you have a couple of spare tubes of acrylic paint and an old pair of jeans or an old jean jacket, don’t hesitate to tap into your creativity and paint that denim! Just pretend it’s a canvas, then your mind will literally have no limits. You can paint anything you want, from simple line art to a detailed masterpiece that will have Monet jealous. We guarantee your old denim clothes will start to live a new life! We recommend using acrylic paint on denim instead of fabric paint. After you are done painting, remember to iron the back—never the front—of your work to ensure the paint stays on the fabric. The heat will transform the paint into a durable plastic able to withstand anything!
Credit: Pinterest
Credit: Pinterest
Perhaps the most appealing factor of DIY fashion trends this summer is the calm and creative process it takes to make these items. Creating something like this yourself will not only make you look trendy and cool, but also will take your mind off any real problems… LOL. All you need is just a little bit of patience and time and lots of creativity!