Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 5: Prepare the garment and work area
• Method 3 of 5: Sanding and aging
• Method 5 of 5: Other methods
• Tips
• Necessities
• Cut and tear
• Sanding and aging
• Bleach and fade
• Other methods

Making clothes look vintage and worn is an ongoing trend that is constantly in and out of mainstream and indie fashion. Clothing made to look vintage and worn can be very expensive. Luckily, it's easy to make your clothes look vintage this way using items you do have at home. All it takes is a little time and creativity. Best of all, you get the exact look you want while saving money and looking great!

To step

Method 1 of 5: Prepare the garment and work area

1. Wash the item of clothing you plan to change. Whether the garment is brand new or has been worn a few times, it is important that you wash it. New garments often contain dyes and coatings that can prevent bleach from working - you'll want to remove any shrinkage, too before you start.
2. Choose a workspace that can get messy or dirty. A garage or an outside location would be best, but you can also do this indoors. If you work indoors, choose a surface that can be scratched or stained. If you don't have one, cover the surface with a cutting mat, newspaper or plastic bags.
   • If you plan on working with bleach, make sure you have good ventilation. Have some rubber gloves handy.
3. Wash the garment after cutting or ripping it. This will help fluff the edges and make them look more frayed and natural. You can use the recommended setting on the care label on the inside of the garment, but hot water will damage the garment even more. However, keep in mind that hot water can shrink the garment, so it's best to only do this with clothes that are already too large.

Method 3 of 5: Sanding and aging

1. Fade prints by sanding them with fine-grit sandpaper. Spread your shirt on a flat surface. Take a piece of fine-grit sandpaper and move it around the print in circular motions. Move the sandpaper in the weaving direction of the shirt to stretch it.
   • How much you sand the print is up to you.
2. Alternatively, add a cup (240 ml) of bleach to your wash cycle. Allow the machine to fill with warm water, then add one cup (240 ml) of bleach. Stir the water and then wash your garment with a gentle wash cycle for five minutes. Let the item soak for an hour and then resume a normal cycle. Wash the garment a second time without bleach as usual.
   • Dry the garment as usual in the dryer or hang it in the sun to further bleach.
   • If you plan to cut or rip your clothes, do that first. The washing machine will do the rest for you.
3. If you don't want to use bleach, use warm water and sunlight. Make sure your clothes can withstand hot water by reading the dress code first. Wash your clothes in the washing machine on a regular washing program and hot water. Let the clothes air dry outside in the sun to further fade. You may need to repeat this process a few times to get the desired effect.
   • If you plan to cut or rip your clothes, do that first.
4. Rub jeans with coffee beans to fade them. This may sound strange, but it is effective. Due to their acidic nature, coffee beans can help bleach denim's dye. Simply take a handful of coffee beans and rub them over the areas you want to fade, such as the thighs or the hem of the waistband. Then wash the jeans with hot water.
5. Bleach your jeans with lemon juice. Soak your jeans in water first, then wring out the excess water. Pour lemon juice on the areas you want to bleach, then wait a few hours to get the effect you want. Wash the jeans with plain water to stop the reaction, then hang the pants out in the sun to dry.
   • Keep the jeans wet after adding the lemon juice. It also works well to put the pants in a plastic bag.
   • If you have a lot of lemons and you want to fade the entire garment, fill a bucket with lemon juice and water and put the jeans in. Let the pants soak for a few hours.

Method 5 of 5: Other methods

1. Wash and wear your clothes often to speed up the process. The more you wear something, the faster it will wear out. If you need this look for a specific date, ripping the garment with razor blades and sandpaper may not be enough. You can wear the garment faster by wearing it all the time or even sleeping in it. Make sure to wash the clothes often!
2. Dye your clothes with black tea or coffee. This is a great way to give white clothes a dingy look, but you can use it on colored clothes too. The stronger you make the tea or coffee, the darker the color will eventually be. The weaker you make the tea or coffee, the more subtle the effect will be.

Tips

• If you overdid it on a prominent spot, fix it with a patch of the same fabric.
• When in doubt, always test the method first. Buy a thrift store version of your garment to experiment first, rather than hitting a favorite item of clothing.
• The heavier the fabric, the more difficult it is to age it.
• Jeans with a lighter color bath will look more natural if you age them than jeans with a darker color bath.

Necessities

Cut and tear

• Razor blade
• Cardboard

Sanding and aging

• Razor, sandpaper or turning tool
• Cardboard

Bleach and fade

• Water
• Bleach
• Rubber gloves
• Coffee beans or lemon juice
• Plastic buckets or container

Other methods

• Needle and thread
• Patches
• Coffee or tea
• Sodium carbonate (soda) and salt