Hacked T-shirts

All you need to repurpose your tossed-aside tees are scissors, chalk and this column.

by Felicia D'Ambrosio

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Published: Mar 4, 2009

Nothing is more satisfying than turning a giveaway T-shirt into a piece of conversation-starting clothing, especially when you can play fashion designer with just a pair of scissors and a piece of chalk. Neckline and sleeve hacks can create one-of-a-kind pieces that give the tees cramming your drawers a chance to see some real wardrobe action. But heed our advice: Practice on a shirt you don't care about before cutting into (and accidentally slashing) your favorites.

FOR EXCESSIVELY XL TEES 

The muscle tank:
Chop the sleeves off your large tee inside the seam, and cut around the collar band to create a tank shape. Try the shirt on and mark how much more armhole to cut out. Rock this with a colorful bandeau bra underneath and you'll be a legitimate '80s tough girl.

The instant sass:
Megan Nicolay's inspiring book Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt features the simplest and most brilliant XL T-shirt hack of all time. Stick both your arms and head through the neck of a tee that is way too big for your body. Adjust the collar band so it sits comfortably above your bust; tie both sleeves of the shirt in a firm knot behind you. Before, it was a company golf outing freebie. Now it's an easy-but-artistic strapless frock or top.

FOR SLIGHTLY OVERSIZED OR JUST-RIGHT TEES 

Front cutouts:
Fold the front of your tee in half by grabbing it at the center of the collar band and pulling, then line up the seams and sleeves to ensure symmetry. Press down this fold and lay the shirt on a flat surface. This is just like cutting paper dolls — whatever shape you snip from this fold will be symmetrically reflected when the tee is worn. The simplest cut is made by carving straight under the collar band (to preserve the band as the structure of the neckline) and cutting a rounded wedge into the tee. Voila: Your half-circle cutout now shows off that sexy sternum.

Back cutouts:
This uses the same principle as front cutouts, but can make your back flashes oh-so-daring. Snip out half a heart from the folded back of the shirt, or a half-circle that plays big brother to your front cutout. Cut from under the collar band outward, a little at a time.

Halter hack:
Fold the tee in half lengthwise with the front of the shirt facing out. Cut a diagonal line from the bottom of the sleeve seam to the collar band for a shoulder-flashing top.

FOR A TOO-TIGHT TEE

Kick that baby tee down to a little cousin or a cute kid on your block. Bra bulges are a felony fashion crime, and even DIY can't solve everything.

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