The Shred-Factor

So, antifashion has become fashion. Cut off denim shorts, laddered tights, and Doctor Martens: Grunge is back. And I must say it’s very very welcome. My purse contains very few pennies at the moment, and it seems to be that it is at times like this that I open my wardrobe only to feel completely uninspired. Clothes make me happy, being skint makes me unhappy. And screw Smarties, only ‘trashion’ has the answer to this stale wardrobe predicament. As well as being easy to wear, I welcome this revival in grunge fashion for one main reason: it is so easy to replicate. Not only is it easy to create this style using not much other than your own bare hands, it is also extremely cheap.

This trend doesn’t call for trips to designer clothes shops, or any shops for that matter. Simply open your wardrobe and pick out anything that you haven’t worn in a while. Whilst trashion has been adopted by designers and high street stores alike, the essence of the trend can be retained by following some simple DIY projects. Shredding is the best way of reviving and updating old tops, leggings and pretty much anything of a fabric nature. The wonderful thing about shredding is that the very nature of the style means that a designer look can be created by even the most unskilled seamstress. You don’t need delicate fingers or a careful eye; even the most heavy handed can create a perfect shredded garment.

Take this top below for example (Bassike shredded effect tank top). It is hard to believe that something that looks like it was worn by Little Red Riding Hood in her fight with the Big Bad Wolf could warrant the wopping price of £385. And it really is simple to create this look at home.

There’s a multitude of tutorials online to create this look which will offer variations on how to create different effects, but once you get started you’ll probably find your own comfortable way of trashing that never worn top. One warning though: it requires patience! Lots and lots of patience! But if your patience does start to slip and you find yourself becoming frustrated don’t fear! Ripping holes in the fabric only adds to the charm! So follow these extremely simple steps to shred your way to a truly trashtabulous top...

Step 1-
Cut the hem off your top

Step 2-
Using a pin, or a stitch picker, or even a pair of scissors (anything small and sharp will do) pick the first few rows of fibre from the cut bottom of the garment. These first few fibres will break.

Step 3-
Stretching the fabric, use your fingers to pull the fibre away from the fabric.
Continue doing this until you have the desired length of ladder. If the fabric gets to a point where it won’t ladder any more, but you want the ladder to continue, just stretch it a bit further and break more fibres at the end of the ladder.
Continue starting ladders from around the bottom of the fabric (or you can even shred a whole garment)

If you want to start a new ladder part way up the garment, just attack it with a pin until the fibres break, stretch the fabric sideways, and shred with your fingers as before.

I tend to trim the top of the top as well, but don’t shred all the way to the edge to retain as much shape as possible.
If your top has sleeves, you could choose to leave them intact, or even shred them completely.

The more holes and irregularities the better! It’s the randomness of this process that gives it the true essence of Kurt Cobain meets the cast of ‘My So-Called Life’ meets just being plain 90s awesomeness!