DIY fashion trends to try

Are you guilty of excessive online shopping during the pandemic? You're not the only one.

While stores have largely reopened amid the pandemic, many consumers are still opting to shop from home. If you're looking to treat yourself to a few new looks but trying to save money, put down your credit card and work with your existing wardrobe. Chances are, you have a lot of neglected clothes in your closet.

Here are few easy and affordable fashion hacks to transform clothes you already own.

Tie-dye sweats

Tying your clothes up with rubber bands will help you achieve the perfect tie-dye look. All you have to do is find some white cotton sweatshirts, sweatpants, zip-up jackets or shorts (pre-wash if they're new). Rinse your garments, rubber band them, then tie dye away – with as many or few colors as you'd like. Once you're done, place the wet clothes in a plastic bag (to prevent a mess) for 6 to 8 hours before washing.

Acid-washed clothing

If the tie-dye is too colorful for you, no worries. You can create a vintage splattered look on your dark-colored T-shirts with some bleach or even stencil your own design with a Chlorox bleach pen. Draw a design, let it sit for an hour, and when you come back, it might get a little dry. Just brush off that top layer of the crustiness, let it sit again, then wash the item and you now have your own white design.

Embroidered T-shirt pocket

An embroidery hoop will make it easier for you to sew a clean, cute pattern. If you have a T-shirt that's looking too plain, there's an easy way to personalise your look. With a needle and thread, you can embroider a cute little design, such as a strawberry, smiley face, flower or heart, onto the pocket of your T-shirt. For beginners, it may help to watch YouTube tutorials or print out and trace your desired image for cleaner results.

Painted-pocket denim

Using smaller brushes will help you paint a cleaner design. Your denim jeans might all be looking the same, so try spicing them up with acrylic paint. Whether you want to paint the bottom of your flares or just the back pockets, it's a fun activity to create a personalised work of art that will get you compliments. Just make sure to add a fabric medium or acrylic polymer to prevent the paint from cracking.