DIY T-Shirt Design #3

With this do-it-yourself t-shirt design, you can refashion something that’s a little drab and baggy into a new fun creation perfect for a casual day at work or at school.
Materials: 1 short sleeve recycled t-shirt, beads of any kind or decorative bangles, scissors, needle and thread, jumbo safety pin (optional)
DIY: If you have a white or light colored t-shirt, try dying it a nude or tan color with strong tea. As a more colorful option, you can take a brightly colored juice, like cranberry or grape, and soak your shirt in the liquid for 20-30 minutes to stain it a pink or purple shade. Once your shirt is dry, lay it flat and cut off the sleeves at the shoulder seams. Cut about 1” off the bottom hem of the shirt, and save this extra material. On the front of the shirt, cut the neckline down in a V. Don’t get too carried away though! You may want to try the shirt on first to mark how much décolletage you’re comfortable with. Once you have your V cut, take your thread and (starting near the base of the V) knot it through on one side. String beads along the thread and pull across to the other side of the V. Stitch the thread through on the opposite side to secure the beads. Repeat slightly higher up the V. As an alternative, you may want to string beads on a jumbo safety pin and pin this across the V. You can also sew a button, bead or decoration and the base of the V for added ornamentation. Using your leftover hem fabric, cut two 4” long strips. Wrap each around the shoulder seams of the shirt to gather the fabric. Tuck the edges of the strip underneath the shoulder and sew them in place to finalize this DIY t-shirt design.
For more, see DIY T-Shirt Design #2 and DIY T-Shirt Design #1.

Alien Finds and Indie Designs

Today’s roundup of fashion is out of this world. We’ve picked out a collection of great guys t-shirts good enough for humans or humanoids. Each of these shirts is screenprinted by hand on American Apparel shirts. We picked out t-shirts with the best designs from indie fashion friendlies. Each is a stylish, snug-fitting, rocker-esque tee. Soft and durable, these sweatshop-free shirts are stellar: We’ve chosen the best intergalactic designs to liven up your time on terra firma.

Men to the Future Rocket Ship T-Shirt ($18) by Soft Mechanics


Invasion Space Invaders T-Shirt ($20) by Nerdy Shirts


Telescope Diagram T-Shirt ($24) by Slow Shirts


Sightings T-Shirt ($20) by Spread Shirts

Nerdy Shirts Coupon Code

Right now, you can save 10% on any purchase at Nerdy Shirts. Through the end of August, enter the coupon code NERDYTEN to get 10% off anything in their entire store. This is Nerdy Shirts' first ever coupon code. They have a great selection of funny, retro, and just plain strange t-shirts. With great designs printed on American Apparel shirts, we've featured them before.

DIY T-Shirt Design #2

This do-it-yourself shirt redesign is great rehab for an old tee that's too big or loose to wear on a regular basis. The resulting design is simple and feminine.
Materials: 1 short sleeve recycled t-shirt, scissors, needle & thread

DIY: I used a too-big white t-shirt and then dyed it a neutral tan color using tea. (You can do the same by brewing a half gallon of strong tea - black works well - and then soaking your shirt for 20 minutes or more in the mixture. You can change the color of the shirt by changing what kind of tea you use, but in all cases, the longer you steep your shirt, the stronger the color). With your (dry) t-shirt laying flat on a table cut off the edge of the sleeves working at a downward angle from the armpit down and out to the edge of the top of the sleeve. With a cut like this, the sleeves should be longer on top than underneath. Next, cut out the neck along the shoulder seam to make the opening slightly larger. Then from the center of the neck use a running stitch to loosely stitch 6 inches down the center of the shirt. Pull your thread tight from the bottom to gather the fabric at the bust. Tie the thread off tightly to hold the gather, and you're set!
For more great designs, check out DIY T-Shirt Design #3 and DIY T-Shirt Design #1.

DIY T-Shirt Design #1

This is a great summer halter top and the perfect addition to your make-it-yourself wardrobe. This halter looks best in color, so grab an old colored t-shirt that needs a little reworking love or dye a white tee to any color of your choosing.
Materials: 1 recycled t-shirt, short sleeved or sleeveless (I used an old black 80s muscle tee that needed a little facelift), scissors, cord or embroidery floss, cowry shells or medium sized vintage beads (I used shell beads from a broken Hawaiian bracelet)
DIY: Lay the shirt flat on a table. Starting on the right side, where the neckband touches the right shoulder seam, cut diagonally down around the sleeve and then straight across the back. Repeat on the left side cutting from the neckband down under the left arm and around to the back. Using the tip of your scissors, poke eight holes along the underside of the neckband. Thread your cord through the holes, leaving about 18” on either side. Alternate the cord with a shell on each of the front stitches. Pull the cord to gather the shells. You should leave yourself with a length of cord on either side of the neckband for tying the halter around your neck. Try it on, make any necessary adjustments, and you’re good to go. Happy summer styling!
Ready for more? Check out DIY T-Shirt Design #2 and DIY T-Shirt Design #3.

Remixed: Cassette Tape Tees for Guys

Move over iPod, the analog is back. Music never goes out of style, and in reverence to the classic 80s icon, guys everywhere have their tape on their chest. The original compact has become fodder for good design, as seen in these four shirts.

Designers at The Tee Party love their cassettes, but whoa is the day when "...your bleepin' ghettoblaster eats the bloody thing!! Be positive, find the potential, and RECYCLE!" Their guy t-shirts come in light blue, black, white, olive, and slate color variations.

The handful of "20-somethings" at Indie Shirts have their own insight into the mangled mess that was once a hit hi-fi. Lots of color options available for this American Apparel shirt.

Taking us back to the better forgotten days of the mix tape, Nerdy Shirts offers a not-so-subtle reminder that we all once had an ultimate mix tape on repeat. This American Apparel t-shirt features green comfy quality.



And finally, grab your Walkman and throw on the Rewind T-shirt by Otsutree on ELSEWARES. This stylish shirt looks great on any guy. Light blue silkscreen design done on a navy American Apparel tee.