Making clothes look tattered and worn is a new trend that is raving about in the world of mainstream fashion and indie style. Clothes that are made to look tattered and worn can be very expensive. Luckily, it's very easy to make your clothes look similar to things you have at home. You just need a little time and creativity. In the end, you'll get the look you want and look great without breaking the bank!
Step
Method 1 of 5: Preparing Your Clothes and Workspace
Step 1. Wash the clothes you want to modify
Regardless of whether you're wearing new clothes or clothes you haven't worn in a long time, it's a good idea to wash them first. New clothes often contain dyes and coatings that prevent the bleach from working; You also need to eliminate potential shrinkage of clothes before starting work.
Step 2. Choose a work area that can be soiled or damaged
A garage or outdoor location is ideal, but you can also use an indoor space. If you work indoors, choose a location where it can be scratched or stained. If you don't have one, cover your work area with a sheet cutting mat, newspaper, or plastic bag.
If you plan to use bleach, make sure the room you are using is well ventilated. Also prepare rubber gloves
Step 3. Plan the look you want to get and the level of obsolescence you want
It's easy to make clothes look more worn than you'd like them to be. If you don't want to make your outfit look like the remnants of an alien war or zombie attack, just do 1-2 things with it, like fray the edges or make the color fade a little with bleach.
Look at pictures online or through magazines for ideas. If you know how to draw, you can put those ideas into a sketch
Step 4. Mark the part of the garment you want to cut, if desired
You don't have to, but it can reduce the chances of something going wrong. If you want to cut the sleeves or turn your jeans into shorts, draw a guide line to cut them. If you want to add holes to your jeans, put them on first, draw a line for the holes, then remove the pants again.
- You can also use a piece of tape to mark the area to be sanded.
- A piece of tailor's chalk or a cloth pen will work well for this purpose, but you can also use ordinary chalk or a pen if you don't have any other tools.
Method 2 of 5: Cutting and Tearing
Step 1. Give the shirt a beel feel by trimming the hem and collar
You can also cut the hem on the sleeves or cut the entire sleeve to make a tank top. Make your shirt shorter by cutting the bottom, not just the hem. You can even cut the collar of the shirt to transform it into a scoop-neck or V-neck.
Step 2. Tear off the hem if you want to make a rough look
Make small cuts in the hem that you want to rip – make sure the cuts are parallel to the hem, not perpendicular. Hold the fabric to the other side of the piece, then pull until it rips. Keep pulling until the entire hem is off the garment.
- You can apply this technique to t-shirts and jeans.
- Use this technique to make holes in the knee area of your jeans or to create rough cut shorts.
Step 3. Use a razor to cut the hem if you want a neater result
Make small incisions in the hem or collar of the shirt, or into the waistband or cuffs of the pants. You can even try this on a pocket hem, but insert a piece of cardboard first to prevent the fabric behind it from slashing.
- Be careful when making the incision. The fabric will fray when you wash it later.
- For best results, make cuts in the direction of the fibers of the fabric, not against them. For a rougher look, use a serrated knife.
Step 4. Make a hole in the knee area of your jeans with a razor
Insert a piece of cardboard into the leg of the pants to be cut. Look for areas that look worn out and shave horizontally. Use your fingers or tweezers to pull the thread across the cut.
Step 5. Wash clothes after they are cut or torn
This can help soften the edges of the fabric and make it look more frayed and natural-looking. You can use the washing recommendations listed on clothing labels, but using hot water can also help clothes look more worn. However, be careful because hot water can shrink clothes. We recommend applying this to clothes that are too big.
Method 3 of 5: Sanding and Aging Clothes
Step 1. Use sandpaper to roughen the hem, cut, and knee areas
Put a piece of cardboard inside the clothes first. That way, you won't tear the fabric on the other side. Smooth the area with sandpaper until you get the look you want. Focus on the areas you want to wear, such as the hem, the cut, and the knees.
- You can sand just a little bit to make the fabric look blurry, or you can sand until it has holes.
- Use coarse sandpaper to smooth tough fabrics, such as denim and canvas. Use fine sandpaper for light fabrics, such as tracksuits or T-shirts.
Step 2. Use a rotary tool or a dremel to work harder fabrics
Sometimes, sandpaper isn't enough to smooth rough fabrics, such as denim or canvas. If so, use a rotary tool or dremel. Use a coarse emery drum attachment – it looks like a cylinder with a gritty gritty texture. The intensity of sanding depends on your preference.
Again, tuck a piece of cardboard into the garment to protect the fabric on the other side. Focus on the area you want to obsolete
Step 3. Fade the screen printing by rubbing fine sandpaper
The stretch of clothes on a flat plane. Take a piece of fine sandpaper and rub it onto the surface of the screen in a circular motion. Move the sandpaper in the direction of the fibers of the fabric to stretch it.
You can sand the stencil as you wish
Step 4. Try another coarse-textured tool, such as a rock or cheese grater
Anything that is rough and abrasive in texture can be used to dull and roughen the appearance of the fabric. Some examples are: cheese graters, pumice stones, nail files, rocks, and wire brushes.
Use abrasive textured objects, such as cheese graters and rocks, for tougher fabrics, such as denim and canvas
Method 4 of 5: Whitening and Fading Fabrics
Step 1. Lighten the color of the fabric with a mixture of water and bleach
Fill a large container with 4.5 liters of water, then add 250 ml of bleach. Put on rubber gloves and soak the clothes in the solution for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse the clothes in hot water, then wash as usual.
- This will not be enough to turn the fabric white, but it will be enough to lighten the color of the fabric.
- Work in a well-ventilated area and remember to wear rubber gloves.
Step 2. Add 250 ml of bleach to the washing machine cycle as an alternative
Fill the washing machine with hot water, then add 250 ml of bleach. Stir in the water, then wash the clothes on a fine setting for 5 minutes. Let the clothes soak for 1 hour, then continue with the normal cycle wash. Wash clothes a second time normally without bleach.
- Dry the clothes as usual in the dryer or hang them out in the sun to make the color look more faded.
- If you want to cut or tear clothing, do so first. The washing machine will do the rest of the process for you.
Step 3. Rub a sponge moistened with a mixture of water and bleach onto the t-shirt to gently fade the color
Put on rubber gloves and mix the water with the bleach. Dip a sponge in the water, then squeeze out the excess water. Rub the sponge into the t-shirt, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse. Wash the shirt in hot water, then hang it to dry in the sun.
- Use water and bleach in equal ratios for drastic effects. Use more water if you want a smoother effect.
- Work in a well-ventilated area and wear rubber gloves.
Step 4. Use hot water and sunlight if you don't want to bleach your clothes
Make sure your clothes can withstand hot water first by reading the label. Wash clothes in the washing machine on a normal cycle and in hot water. Allow the clothes to dry on their own in the sun to fade the color. You may need to repeat this process several times until you get the desired effect.
If you plan to cut or rip clothing, do this first
Step 5. Rub coffee beans into the jeans to lighten the color
This sounds weird, but it's quite effective. Because of their natural acid content, coffee beans can help fade denim. Just take a handful of coffee beans and rub it on the area you want to exfoliate, such as under the thighs or at the waistline. Wash the jeans afterwards with hot water.
Step 6. Blot the jeans with lemon water
Soak the denim in water first, then squeeze out the excess water. Pour some lemon juice over the area you want to lighten, then wait a few hours for it to get the look you want. Wash the jeans in plain water to stop the reaction, then let them dry in the sun to dry.
- Keep the jeans wet after adding the lemon juice. Putting it in a plastic bag will be very helpful.
- If you have a lot of lemons and want to lighten the overall color of your jeans, put some lemon juice in a bucket and then put the pants in. Let the pants soak for a few hours.
Method 5 of 5: Using Other Methods
Step 1. Put on and wash your clothes often to speed up the process
The more often you wear a piece of clothing, the faster it will wear out. If you want to achieve this look in no time, simply tearing the garment with a razor and sanding it may not be enough. You can wear things out faster by wearing them as often as you like at home or even wearing them to bed. Make sure to wash it often!
Step 2. Smooth the shirt by washing it with salt and washing soda
Place the t-shirt along with a towel in the washing machine. Add hot water until the clothes are submerged, then add 600 grams of salt and 175 grams of washing soda (sodium carbonate). Add your regular laundry detergent and use a normal washing cycle (still with hot water). Dry the laundry in the machine on a high temperature.
- Your shirt may shrink during this process. Wear clothes that are 1 or 2 figures larger than you normally wear.
- You will need to repeat this process 3 to 5 times for the shirt to turn out worn and soft.
- Use sandpaper to roughen the logo or text once the process is complete.
Step 3. Repair the damage by hand, not a sewing machine
Instead of sewing torn or damaged clothing with a sewing machine, sew the section by hand. If your clothes have holes, don't just stick the patch and leave it alone. Reinforce the patch by sewing it manually on the edges. This way, you get the original strength of the patch adhesive as well as the DIY look of hand sewing.
Step 4. Dye the clothes with black tea or coffee
This is a great way to give a white outfit a runny look, but you can also apply it to colored clothes. The stronger the tea or coffee you make, the darker the color will be. The weaker the tea or coffee you make, the smoother it will look.
Tips
- If you change the fabric on a vital area excessively, repair the damage with a cloth patch.
- If in doubt, do a test first. Buy used clothes to experiment so as not to damage your favorite clothes.
- The thicker the fabric, the more difficult it is to warp it.
- Light-colored jeans will look more natural when worn than dark-colored jeans.
