Have we rediscovered tie-dye as the healthy, open-air social activity to ward off the pandemic blues?
The answer is yes, absolutely and wholeheartedly, yes! Tie-dye is the one true thing that we can all agree is a bright and colorful spot in an abyss of dark headlines, health concerns and uncertainty.
This creative outlet is a way to put our stamp on something (literally). It’s a way we can take control and take back our joy. Tie-dye allows us to choose our colors and try our hand at knotting and twisting our style desires into existence! Yet, the end result is always a mystery (sort of like life).
Tie-dye is liberating, free spirited and it’s everything we want to hold dear in times that are filled with rules, regulations and executive orders. It might be fashion’s way to let down its guard and fill a playful space! When you wear tie-dye, you feel a bit like a rule breaker, the nonconformist and the style wild card. It instantly brightens our moods and any space it fills and always does what it wants.
Another layer to peel back on the feel-good scale is that tie-dye items are sustainable and a way to repurpose what you already own. Who hasn’t taken an old tee that’s lost its luster and given it the tie-dye treatment for an easy upgrade? Have a small stain on your shirt? Instead of tossing it in the trash, go the tie-dye route and let the swirls and color configurations be the natural fix.
It’s thrilling how something as simple as a boring cream canvas bag can be elevated to a higher status with color, design and wonder. It’s akin to throwing on a pair of sunglasses. Tie-dye has a cool factor that sometimes can’t be explained but is felt immediately. The same goes for the laid-back and chill vibe it sends out. Wearing tie-dye is basically throwing out the peace sign.
Instead of parting ways and dropping your tired garments off at a donation center (only to find their way to a landfill), the tie-dye process allows you to bring new life to clothing, making them wearable much longer. Even thrifting extends a garment’s life cycle. Purchasing items that already exist in the world and turning up the tie-dye volume on them is a small step toward stopping the vicious cycle of buying new. You can also go an even more eco-friendly route and use food waste to make dye. From avocados to red cabbage and spinach and turmeric, you can use these everyday items from your kitchen to produce hues. Want an even more rad look? Bleach tie-dye is a way to follow the trend but on your own terms. Take a solid colored shirt and dip it in bleach for a reverse tie-dye effect that can take a graphic tee to new heights of effectiveness.
Tie-dye is a peek into the fountain of youth for clothing. We put a new spin on something old. We fall in love with something again. The essence of tie-dye is that lived-in, artsy and road trip-ready vibe that has a longer shelf life, a greater stretch in the closet of time. When we tie-dye, we are bringing forth an aesthetic and garment that giggles at expiration dates. Tie-dye is a timeless trend that plays a song we always like to sing! It’s the reset button we need when the world looks a little dark. It is glitter without the mess.
It bears repeating that lately we’re all wearing more casual clothes. The suit has taken a back seat and cozy comforts reign supreme. It’s no wonder that whimsical and good-natured tie-dye patterns are here to provide a little boost in our day. Tie-dye gives you permission to be an artist, designer and influencer all at once and that is the power we need these days. It’s the affordable DIY that’s beginner level, easy to accomplish. It’s this collective badge of honor that we are all wearing. It says, look on the brighter side.
If you’ve always had a piece of tie-dye in your closet, we salute you! If you’re wanting to try the look out, now is the time with our open-air, socially-distanced tie-dye bar. We welcome you to create colorful clothing with a long life ahead of it.