DIYers: How to make XL-XXL men's t-shirts feminine and fashionable?
August 15, 2013 4:19 AM Subscribe
I recently lost a significant amount of weight and now the men's t-shirts I found most suitable and comfortable for my body type when I was severely overweight are now too big for me. I don't want to give them away because they're immensely soft, stretchy, and comfortable, have sentimental value, and they have edgy printings that are, from what I can tell, currently in style in the Women's department with the exception of the shape and fitting of the shirts.
I intend to start with shirts I don't want as practice. As I don't know how to sew (yet), can someone offer suggestions, supplies, and skills needed based on their own DIY experience?
I'm in dire need of fashion advice as well.
Isn't square neck, boat neck, scoop necks flattering on bigger breasts? Belts around the waist? Leggings? Bootcut jeans? Cardigans? Vests? How do you layer clothing? What goes good with what? I'm at a total loss for fashion after 20-something years of hiding my body in black baggy clothing. For the first time in my life I actually want to look like a woman. Please help.
Your old t-shirts are a lifetime supply of sleepwear. Enjoy their comfort!
posted by Carol Anne at 4:47 AM on August 15, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by Carol Anne at 4:47 AM on August 15, 2013 [10 favorites]
I'm not great at sewing, but I've had some success replicating looks I like without a pattern. First, find a shirt that fits you currently and is a style you enjoy. Make sure it is a simple cut, with no stitching except the hems and the seams at the sides. You can flip your old shirt inside-out and use chalk trace the new shirt on it (taking care to line up any patterns where you want them to be). Then, make a second out line 1/2 inch out. Pin the old shirt together at the inner set of lines, and cut at the outer set of lines. Sew together on the inner set of lines. This should get you a decent shirt, though sleeves are a bit more complicated and you might want to either use a real pattern or disassemble the sleeves from your new shirt to use as a pattern.
posted by fermezporte at 4:49 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by fermezporte at 4:49 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oversized t-shirts look great with leggings, skinny pants and for the brave, shorts. The first thing I usually do with men's shirts is to cut out the collar into a wide boat neck that slips off the shoulder in a very sexy way. Then I trim down the sleeves into a cap sleeve shape.
You can then decide to leave the edges raw, but if you have a lot of shirts you want to keep, they will last longer if you finish the edges. You can buy an overlocker, aka serger to do this. This is a sewing machine that can do the kind of lockstitch needed to sew fine jersey fabric, and will make a nice, stable professional looking stitch around the edges. It has a short learning curve, but a competent store should be able to get you started.
posted by Elizabeth the Thirteenth at 4:49 AM on August 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
You can then decide to leave the edges raw, but if you have a lot of shirts you want to keep, they will last longer if you finish the edges. You can buy an overlocker, aka serger to do this. This is a sewing machine that can do the kind of lockstitch needed to sew fine jersey fabric, and will make a nice, stable professional looking stitch around the edges. It has a short learning curve, but a competent store should be able to get you started.
posted by Elizabeth the Thirteenth at 4:49 AM on August 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
this is an oversized t shirts owner dream, if you want more casual looks:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/30-diy-ways-to-get-your-t-shirts-ready-for-summer
posted by newpotato at 4:57 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/30-diy-ways-to-get-your-t-shirts-ready-for-summer
posted by newpotato at 4:57 AM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
fermezporte has the right idea - it's very easy to take in a tee-shirt on any sewing machine - but sew the new seams first, try on the shirt (still inside-out), then cut off the extra cloth!
And, taking in the sleeves isn't complicated - just run your new side seam right across the sleeve seam in the armpit and finish it at the sleeve hem.
This works pretty well on casual dress shirts, too: button up, turn inside-out, and run a seam up each side and out along the underside of the sleeve to about the elbow. Try it on, adjust the seams if necessary, and cut off the extra cloth.
posted by nicwolff at 5:15 AM on August 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
And, taking in the sleeves isn't complicated - just run your new side seam right across the sleeve seam in the armpit and finish it at the sleeve hem.
This works pretty well on casual dress shirts, too: button up, turn inside-out, and run a seam up each side and out along the underside of the sleeve to about the elbow. Try it on, adjust the seams if necessary, and cut off the extra cloth.
posted by nicwolff at 5:15 AM on August 15, 2013 [5 favorites]
Depending on how crafty you are, you'll probably find some styles to your liking in Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt. It has instructions on turning t-shirts into other styles of top, as well as other types of clothing (skirts, et cetera) and various things around the house. It's the sort of book that a lot of libraries have, I think.
posted by naturalog at 7:25 AM on August 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by naturalog at 7:25 AM on August 15, 2013 [3 favorites]
Yes, you can cut up a t-shirt without sewing it. Start here.
A lower rather than a higher neckline is going to be the best thing if you are busty. This is because a continuous expanse of space (like a boat neck) is going to seem a lot bigger than an interrupted expanse of space (v-neck, scoop neck). Stay above the plimsoll line, and a lower neckline will actually be de facto more modest than a higher one.
I would suggest layering a cut-up t-shirt over a layer underneath, which (if you contrast colours) will still break up the space but not leave you with your skin exposed.
As for the rest of your questions, I think you need to get the old Trinny and Susannah books, "The Rules" for various features (that tackle each feature one at a time, not whole body shapes at once). People complain "but waah the rules contradict each other" but no, they don't, you just cross out all the clothing shapes that are marked as "bad" for each feature and you choose from everything that's left. Your particular combination of features may leave you with a wider or narrower range, depending, but there will be a combination that suits you.
Also, to drive the point home and really learn what you're about, you might want to take the recommendations one by one and pick out all the items you own that match the recommendation, and wear them in turn to see the effect. Contrasting bad items with good ones will really increase your understanding.
posted by tel3path at 7:28 AM on August 15, 2013
A lower rather than a higher neckline is going to be the best thing if you are busty. This is because a continuous expanse of space (like a boat neck) is going to seem a lot bigger than an interrupted expanse of space (v-neck, scoop neck). Stay above the plimsoll line, and a lower neckline will actually be de facto more modest than a higher one.
I would suggest layering a cut-up t-shirt over a layer underneath, which (if you contrast colours) will still break up the space but not leave you with your skin exposed.
As for the rest of your questions, I think you need to get the old Trinny and Susannah books, "The Rules" for various features (that tackle each feature one at a time, not whole body shapes at once). People complain "but waah the rules contradict each other" but no, they don't, you just cross out all the clothing shapes that are marked as "bad" for each feature and you choose from everything that's left. Your particular combination of features may leave you with a wider or narrower range, depending, but there will be a combination that suits you.
Also, to drive the point home and really learn what you're about, you might want to take the recommendations one by one and pick out all the items you own that match the recommendation, and wear them in turn to see the effect. Contrasting bad items with good ones will really increase your understanding.
posted by tel3path at 7:28 AM on August 15, 2013
"Generation T" is an entire book of t-shirt reuse and modification plans, some of them no-sew.
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:54 AM on August 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by blnkfrnk at 8:54 AM on August 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
One thing that's been forgotten in the answers so far: Congratulations!!!!! Good for you!!!! Enjoy your new shape.
posted by kate4914 at 9:43 AM on August 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by kate4914 at 9:43 AM on August 15, 2013 [2 favorites]
I've seen some women wearing T-shirts where they have cut both sides out under the sleeves and re-connected the front and back with laces like this. This looks like the easiest way to make a huge shirt more fitted if you don't have a sewing machine.
posted by steinwald at 9:56 AM on August 15, 2013
posted by steinwald at 9:56 AM on August 15, 2013
Check out instructables.com and search for something like "t-shirts mods" or "t-shirt dress." There are lots of step-by-step guides to make cool things with old t-shirts.
posted by catatethebird at 11:28 AM on August 15, 2013
posted by catatethebird at 11:28 AM on August 15, 2013
Altering a tee is a fun way to dip your toes into sewing. You don't even need a machine, if you take your time with your hand-stitching. It'll take longer, but the results can be pretty decent. Here are some ideas for you:
Men's shirt to dolman tee.
Make a no-sew bag.
No-sew "add a waist" with a ribbon.
Use another shirt over your big shirt as a pattern for a completely different shape.
Use a smaller t-shirt as a pattern to simply shrink your t-shirt.
Good luck! Have fun!
posted by houseofdanie at 12:01 PM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Men's shirt to dolman tee.
Make a no-sew bag.
No-sew "add a waist" with a ribbon.
Use another shirt over your big shirt as a pattern for a completely different shape.
Use a smaller t-shirt as a pattern to simply shrink your t-shirt.
Good luck! Have fun!
posted by houseofdanie at 12:01 PM on August 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
I recommend buying a bunch of medium-size safety pins. This way you can pin the shirt and try it on without poking yourself with straight pins. The changes you will probably want to do, in order of effectiveness, are:
1. Tighten the shirt in your waist area and maybe the hips, making it more hourglass-shaped (by stitching along the sides)
2. Change the neckline, leaving enough extra fabric to fold it over & iron, then fold it again & iron, then stitch.
3. Shorten the sleeve a little
4. Possibly shorten the hem, depending on what you like/is flattering
5. Tighten the sleeve a little
Finding a fabric/sewing store and taking a class is probably the best way to learn how to do the sewing, or talk to the instructor about what you need to learn and arrange tutoring just to teach you the basics required. You may be able to rent time on their machines for all of your project? A really simple Janome machine (they are good quality) sewing machine, or a used ancient Singer or similar (Forwards! Backwards! That's it!) is not expensive.
posted by Anwan at 12:45 PM on August 15, 2013
1. Tighten the shirt in your waist area and maybe the hips, making it more hourglass-shaped (by stitching along the sides)
2. Change the neckline, leaving enough extra fabric to fold it over & iron, then fold it again & iron, then stitch.
3. Shorten the sleeve a little
4. Possibly shorten the hem, depending on what you like/is flattering
5. Tighten the sleeve a little
Finding a fabric/sewing store and taking a class is probably the best way to learn how to do the sewing, or talk to the instructor about what you need to learn and arrange tutoring just to teach you the basics required. You may be able to rent time on their machines for all of your project? A really simple Janome machine (they are good quality) sewing machine, or a used ancient Singer or similar (Forwards! Backwards! That's it!) is not expensive.
posted by Anwan at 12:45 PM on August 15, 2013
This is yet another job for Pinterest's search option. Here is the page for "modify tshirt". Here is "tshirt redo." Tons of ideas and links to how to do it. Have fun!
posted by raisingsand at 12:56 PM on August 15, 2013
posted by raisingsand at 12:56 PM on August 15, 2013
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OK, so for the second part of your question, I recommend the Inside Out Style Blog. As a plus size woman, these blog posts have been really helpful for me in figuring out how to work with my shape:
http://www.insideoutstyleblog.com/category/body-proportions-explained
These blog posts cover a lot of what you're asking about (how to work with a large bust, sweaters, coats, jackets).
Also for this part of your question, it might help if you could tell us what your current measurements are so that we have a better idea of your shape.
posted by Ziggy500 at 4:38 AM on August 15, 2013