How to Make Your Own Distressed Shirt
Grab a suitable shirt., Use a pencil to trace your holes., Cut along your lines., Consider adding beads or other embellishments., Wear your shirt with pride (and an undershirt).
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Grab a suitable shirt.
This method uses long, thin cuts and slices to give your shirt a drastic "destroyed" look.
For this method, you'll want a t-shirt that you don't mind ruining.
Preferably, the shirt should be solid-colored and bear no screen-printed design (screen prints can be tough and somewhat tricky to make clean cuts through). -
Step 2: Use a pencil to trace your holes.
Draw clusters of repeating horizontal or vertical lines of different lengths in an arrangement that looks appealing to you.
You can make your shreds anywhere on the shirt that you'd like, so long as they don't make the shirt completely fall apart.
One easy example is to make a cluster of horizontal cuts on the front of the shirt to produce a makeshift see-through belly shirt.
To do this, you would take your pencil and draw level horizontal lines across the front of the shirt in a stylish configuration.
For instance, you might start with short lines, then have them gradually grow longer and finally taper off again to make a circular pattern. , Use a fabric knife or a sharp pair of scissors to make your cuts.
Try to follow your lines as closely as possible.
Don't allow the material of the shirt to bunch up in front of your cutting tool
- this can lead to jagged, uneven cuts.
Be careful not to cut too deeply or you may end up making cuts in the bottom layer of your shirt's material.
To prevent this, you may want to put a thin piece of cardboard or plastic inside your shirt as a protective barrier. , Basic shredded tees look great on their own, but if you'd like to personalize your shirt with additional decorations, feel free! Use any of the following ideas (or your own) to make your shirt uniquely yours:
Use glue-on decorations (beads, rhinestones, etc.) to give your shirt decorative glitz.
Draw shapes, designs, cartoons, and more with permanent markers (be careful of ink bleeding
- place an insert inside the shirt before drawing).
If you know how to sew, add a decorative fringe along the bottom of the shirt or sew contrasting patches across the front and back. , Congratulations
- your shirt is ready to wear! Don't forget that this shirt exposes your midriff
- if you're worried about breaking the dress code at your work or school, be sure to wear an undershirt! -
Step 3: Cut along your lines.
-
Step 4: Consider adding beads or other embellishments.
-
Step 5: Wear your shirt with pride (and an undershirt).
Detailed Guide
This method uses long, thin cuts and slices to give your shirt a drastic "destroyed" look.
For this method, you'll want a t-shirt that you don't mind ruining.
Preferably, the shirt should be solid-colored and bear no screen-printed design (screen prints can be tough and somewhat tricky to make clean cuts through).
Draw clusters of repeating horizontal or vertical lines of different lengths in an arrangement that looks appealing to you.
You can make your shreds anywhere on the shirt that you'd like, so long as they don't make the shirt completely fall apart.
One easy example is to make a cluster of horizontal cuts on the front of the shirt to produce a makeshift see-through belly shirt.
To do this, you would take your pencil and draw level horizontal lines across the front of the shirt in a stylish configuration.
For instance, you might start with short lines, then have them gradually grow longer and finally taper off again to make a circular pattern. , Use a fabric knife or a sharp pair of scissors to make your cuts.
Try to follow your lines as closely as possible.
Don't allow the material of the shirt to bunch up in front of your cutting tool
- this can lead to jagged, uneven cuts.
Be careful not to cut too deeply or you may end up making cuts in the bottom layer of your shirt's material.
To prevent this, you may want to put a thin piece of cardboard or plastic inside your shirt as a protective barrier. , Basic shredded tees look great on their own, but if you'd like to personalize your shirt with additional decorations, feel free! Use any of the following ideas (or your own) to make your shirt uniquely yours:
Use glue-on decorations (beads, rhinestones, etc.) to give your shirt decorative glitz.
Draw shapes, designs, cartoons, and more with permanent markers (be careful of ink bleeding
- place an insert inside the shirt before drawing).
If you know how to sew, add a decorative fringe along the bottom of the shirt or sew contrasting patches across the front and back. , Congratulations
- your shirt is ready to wear! Don't forget that this shirt exposes your midriff
- if you're worried about breaking the dress code at your work or school, be sure to wear an undershirt!
About the Author
John Harris
John Harris has dedicated 11 years to mastering lifestyle and practical guides. As a content creator, John focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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