Ripped clothes are making a comeback and we are here to tell you how to give this old look a new modern twist.
To Rip or Not to Rip…
Ripped clothing was all the rage during the 1980's. Madonna, Janet Jackson, Motley Crue and Jon Bon Jovi all sported the look. Nowadays the look is starting to make a fashion comeback and why not? It's a great way to look edgy and in most cases, you don't even have to spend a lot of money to get the look!
Steps to Ripped Clothing
You've decided that the ripped look is for you, but aren't exactly sure how to go about it. Here are some steps you can take to make the whole process a bit easier:
- Step 1: Grab a comfortable pair of jeans or head to the shops and purchase a pair.
- Step 2: Decide if you want to cut them while you're wearing them or if you prefer to cut them while they're off. Remember to exercise caution here!
- Step 3: You can use sandpaper to start the process or grab a hand held cheese grater (both work equally well). You'll want to begin rubbing either the sandpaper or cheese grater hard against the desired spot.
- Step 4: Once you have a slit, use the tip of a knife (again, exercise caution!) to extend the hole. Rub the hole with the knife until you see the strings of the jeans exposed.
- Step 5: Now it's time to throw them in the wash. Add a little bit of bleach to the water to get that nice frayed look. Remember that it's the washing and drying that will create the frayed, worn-in look you're after.
Some special tips that may also help:
- If you can't find a cheese grater or sandpaper, try a pumice stone.
- Try not to make too many holes. Shoot for an average of three to seven holes.
- Don't forget to tumble dry your jeans! You don't want to go through all this hard work, hang them dry, and then in the morning, have holes without any fray!
Other Ripped Pieces
Other ripped articles of clothing don't seem to fair as well as ripped jeans. When is the last time you saw a holey pair of socks and thought, "That looks cool"? Or how about a ripped jacket? Exactly.The only place you can get away with the ripped look is with sweaters and tee-shirts, and even then, you need to tread carefully. If your tops are your focus, think more slashed than ripped.
If you're working with your tops, you really only have three choices. You can:
- Cut off the neck of the top.
Depending on the fabric of your top, this can actually look pretty good. The overall look will look great with a belt and jeans.
- Cut off the hem (bottom).
This would basically be a cropped look. You could cut the bottom and top and add a tank underneath to give the vibe of a cool layered look.
- Cut off the sleeves.
If you opt to cut off the sleeves, wear a long sleeved tee-shirt underneath and go for that layered look again.
Additional Tips
Take note that both guys and girls alike can wear the ripped clothing look since it looks equally great on both sexes. When wearing ripped clothing, try not to go overboard. This means that you probably don't want to pair your slashed top with your ripped jeans or vice versa.
Ripped clothes make a huge fashion statement, so be subtler about the look. Either wearing ripped jeans or a ripped top will say enough without pairing the two together. That said, however, it doesn't mean that you can't glam your ripped look up with wide, eye-catching belts, or fitted blazers and jackets. Yes, the look's been done before, but that doesn't mean you can't make it uniquely yours!
