Festival Style Hack: How to Dye, Bead and Fringe Your T-Shirts

Festival season is in full swing, with SXSW in the rearview and Coachella right around the corner. So, naturally, we’re channeling our inner boho dancing queens and getting our festival style on. We’ve shown you the headbands and the accessories, and now we’re teaming up with Forever 21 to turn your basic t-shirt right up to 11 ;) And yes, you probably had a swimsuit coverup that looked something like this in the ’90s. Follow the tutorial below to see how it’s done.

Oh, and guess what? We’ll even show you how to do this in person, if you’re in New York or San Francisco in the next week or two!

Forever 21 Road to Festival Deets:

Now, let’s get making.

Materials:
– Tumble Dye Spray Dye

– beads

– stencils (we got ours from istencils)

– cardboard

– t-shirt (we used Forever 21’s Must-Have V-Neck Tee)

Tools:
– painter’s tape

– fabric scissors

Instructions:

1. Pull your t-shirt over a piece of cardboard.

2. Attach the stencil using painter’s tape. Spray with Tumble Dye from about a foot away from your shirt.

3. Peel off stencil and repeat if you’d like more pattern on your t-shirt.

4. Cut off the bottom hem of your t-shirt.

5. Cut from the bottom about a quarter of the way up in 1/2 inch strips. Hello fringe!

6. Place beads on the fringe strands and then knot the fabric to secure.

7. Dance like nobody’s watching! :)

Just the materials make us feel like busting a move!

First, pull your t-shirt over a piece of cardboard. This will ensure the design doesn’t bleed through to the back of the shirt. Place your stencil using painter’s tape. Then spray! We recommend holding the spray bottle about a foot away from your shirt — otherwise the dye tends to bleed. Let dry and peel off the stencil.

Now, time to make that fringe. Cut off the bottom hem of your t-shirt, then cut strips from the bottom about a quarter of the way up in 1/2 inch strips.

Place beads on the fringe strands and knot the fabric to secure.

Voila!

We did the same thing with a gray t-shirt, but created a high-low look by making the fringe in the front higher than the back.

Love that ombre chevron too.

For a more abstract all-over design, this tank is another way to go. And yes, we cut the sleeves off.

And finally, we did a pattern with a triangle stencil.

How fun are these?

These chicks agree.

What’s your go-to festival uniform? Talk to us in the comments below.