Have you been sitting at home looking at your closet and thinking about reconnecting with family and friends that you have not seen in a whole year? Have you had a lot of time to consider how you express yourself through clothing and what kind of clothing you enjoy wearing?
In March 2020, people all over the world went inside their homes and looked for something to do. Thrift stores were then inundated with donations from people who had the time to clear out their closets. But it also got people thinking about how to upgrade their closet and express themselves uniquely through dress.
Maybe it was cabin fever, or maybe people were just taking advantage of the rare opportunities where they could be seen in public, but wearing creative, custom clothing is a trend that started in quarantine that is sure to continue. Here are some tips on how you can join in.
Go Through What You Have
The first step in upgrading is to actually see what you have. Going through your closet allows you to see things that might be too big that can be taken in or things that are too small that can still be altered, taken apart, and revamped to become a piece that you love showing off. It will take some creativity, but there are some things you can do.
- Refashion pants into a skirt: this is one of the most popular ideas among DIY artists and parents of children who have clothes that still fit them around the waist or hips but are too short for their legs. You can re-purposed those pants or shorts into a skirt and add a cute piece of fabric in the center.
- Add embellishments: Local craft stores may have embellishments that you can add to your clothing to give it new life.
- Refashion a dress into a skirt: If you have a thrift store piece that you love but don’t like the top portion, then cut it off!
Try Finding Free Clothing
A big trend in the do-it-yourself community is gifting, which is almost the same as bartering but there are some rules. Many online communities only accept people who live in the immediate area, so you will need to find out if your neighborhood or community has such a group. Then you can see posts in these online groups from people in your area who are looking to make an exchange. They may have a bag of clothes that they are happy to part with in exchange for using your lawnmower, for example. The type of stuff that people post varies widely but a lot of times they post about kitchen appliances, clothing or furniture.
This is a fantastic option if you want to alter your own clothing or try customizing them yourself, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money buying clothes that you’re going to cut up or alter anyway. Being part of an exchange is not only a sound financial decision but could also be beneficial for you in some other way. (Don’t forget, you can even borrow a sewing machine for free from a neighbor in exchange for something that you are happy to part with! Gifting communities are a boon to creatives.)
Get Your Clothes Fitted
If you went crazy with online shopping when malls are closed, then you probably have some outfits that could use a few alterations to fit better. A local seamstress or tailor can alter your clothes so that bagginess, sleeveless shirts with wide openings at the armpits, long pant legs, tight waistbands, and other common issues can be fixed.
Design Your Own Custom Shirts
Making your own t-shirts is all the rage. There are numerous reasons why. First of all, it is very inexpensive to print your own T-shirts compared to when T-shirt printing first became available years and years ago. Back then, the average person couldn’t determine for themselves what they wanted to be printed on their own clothing. But now the choice is yours and in your own hands. Now that printing costs are well within the range that most consumers can afford it, T-shirt printing is becoming popular.
Within Communities
T-shirt printing is a great way to connect people who share a common interest, goal, or hobby. After a long period of disconnection from other people, you can show your support for a community that you are part of by printing custom T-shirts that members of your group will enjoy. So if you are an outdoors group, a group of volunteers, or any other organization, then you can benefit from getting custom t-shirts printed.
For Your Loved Ones
Wearing custom T-shirts is a fun way for families to set themselves apart and to show what they love. Kids are so tickled when they get to wear clothing that has its original design on it, and it’s a fun way for the family to show off their love and appreciation for each other.
Affordable And Distinctive
Decades ago it was a lot more expensive to print T-shirts and so a lot of people did not buy their own. Instead, they went to the mall or other stores where they purchased someone else’s design, who had their T-shirts made by a manufacturer. If a group or an organization wanted T-shirts, they then had to buy a certain amount in bulk in order to break even. This was very difficult for groups that were trying to raise money with T-shirt sales.
With new technology, however, it has never been more affordable and easy to print your own custom T-shirts. In fact, you can easily print several and sell them back to people in your community for a low cost and still make a profit!
You do not have to spend lots of money in order to create distinctive clothing. If you want to stand out, then T-shirt printing might be the best option for you.
You’re Likely More Creative Than You Think
T-shirts are wardrobe staples. T-shirt designs don’t have to be anything elaborate, intricate or crazy. You may have a funny idea, however, for a T-shirt for a holiday. Your shirt can become the annual hit among your friends, family, and in your community.
