If you are a Cambridge Alumni, do head by the Cambridge Alumni store for some cool Cambridge iPhone 4 cases too!

UPDATE 07/06/11: Summer Sale now on at CamUni.co.uk – 35% discount on hoodies, t-shirts and bags!

1.    Embroidered patches. Choose one that makes a bold statement like an electric guitar or a skull and crossbones.  You can either iron or sew these items onto your shirt in a visible location (Indigo offers embroidery on a minimum of 20 items).

2.    Glitter. Glitter fabric paint and pens can make an ordinary t-shirt look extraordinary by highlighting certain areas of a design.

3.    Printed ribbon. You can cut slits into your t-shirt and lace the ribbon through the holes.  This can create a wide range of looks depending on the size, colour, and location of the ribbon.

4.    Fabric pens paint and pens. There are a large variety of these items to choose from.  In fact, when it comes to painting on fabric, you can brush it on or spray it on depending on which method you prefer.

5.    Buttons. By now, you probably know how to sew on a button to your clothing.  Rather than stop at one, why not fill a whole t-shirt with these colourful accessories?  You can create a pattern ahead of time by drawing on some paper or make up your design as you go along.  Either way, you’ll have a whole lot of fun with needle and thread!

A book like 99 Ways to Cut, Sew, Trim & Tie Your T-Shirt Into Something Special or Generation T: Beyond Fashion: 120 New Ways to Transform a T-Shirt can give you all sorts of inspiration when it comes to decorating and embellishing your tees.  You can pick up a copy at your local library or purchase one at a brick and mortar book store or an on-line retailer like Amazon.  That way, you’ll always have it on hand in case you need new ideas on how to wear your t-shirts.

A few simple snips of a pair of scissors or stitches of embroidery floss can significantly alter the way that your t-shirts look.  Experimenting with different arts and craft supplies can be a fun endeavour that has measurable results at the end.  If you’re looking for a way to jazz up a plain t-shirt, consider using some of the items listed above.  Not only will you have something cool to wear, you may discover just how creative you really are in the process.

Do-It-Yourself is a lot cooler than it used to be.  In fact, the crafting revolution is in full force these days.  TV shows like Project Runway make you want to design and sew clothes. Hip crafters turned entrepreneurs like Jenny Hart make you want to embroider everything you can get your hands on.  And Molly, she paved the way.  She reconstructed clothes like a professional.  Well, at least her character, Andie, did.

Aside from the boy meet girl from the wrong side of the tracks storyline that John Hughes is famous for, there is a lot to learn about fashion in this flick from 1986.  Here are a few lessons from the movie that are worth thinking about:

• Talent and a high sense of fashion will get you everywhere in life. Knowing how to work a sewing machine like a pro can get you out of every sticky situation you find yourself getting into.  Molly maintained her cool despite being picked on for her eclectic wardrobe.
• If you don’t have something to wear, why not make it yourself? There is no sense in missing out on all the important events in your life because you have nothing new to wear.  Pull out your vintage button collection, some needle and thread, and get busy embellishing that old sweater.  In a matter of minutes, you’ll have something incredible to put on.
• No matter how far out you might think you may be, there is always someone else a little stranger and more eccentric. Molly’s fictional record store boss wore a beehive in one scene and a rockin’ Mohawk in the next.  People that tend to march to the beat of a different drummer are drawn to one another.
• Secondhand stores serve as inspiration for DIY Divas. There are plenty of salvageable goods at your local secondhand or thrift store.  Spend a few hours in one and see what kind of outfit you can put together for under $5.  Andie was a pro at being a savvy shopper.

Although nearly 25 years have passed since Pretty in Pink was released, it remains a favorite amongst creative gals worldwide.  Although more love story than fashion tutorial, there is a lot it can teach you about making the most out of what you got.  If Andie could do it, you can, too!  Just grab a pair of scissors and start redesigning your old jean skirt.  You’ll be surprised at how many new things you can make once you let your imagination run wild.

Pull Out Your Trusty Scissors

Simply cut along one side seam until you reach the neck area.  Once there, you can cut along the shoulder seam.  You can even trim down the bottom of your shirt if it ends up being too long for your gift.  This will ensure that you have a tight fit.

Position the Shirt with Graphics Showing

Slide your box into the opening and position the shirt so that the graphics can be seen.  Then take out a needle and some thread and start stitching close all of the open areas.  This includes the area around the neck and the sleeves.

The purpose of this project is to make the best use of your old t-shirt.  That means that your gift should look as great on the outside as it does inside the box and it can by recycling your old elementary school apparel!

Other Ideas for Embellishing T-Shirt Wrapping Paper

There are a number of ways that you can further embellish your presents.  Here are a few that might interest you:

• Old pins and brooches are great for keeping the loose ends of the shirt together so the package doesn’t fall out.  You can pick them up at yard sales and thrift stores relatively cheap and use them to decorate your Christmas packages.

NOTE: You do not have to sew the open areas of the shirt together if you decide to use pins.  Just gather the excess material, pull it taught so the two pieces overlap with one another, and secure it with the pin or brooch.  This adds some additional flair to your package and gives the recipient two gifts instead of one.

• You can create two slits at the neckline and thread a pretty ribbon through it.  Tie it into a bow and voila, you have a gift that is as unique as you are!

A little bit of creativity goes a long way when it comes to recycling your old t-shirts.  With a few simple stitches, you can create wrapping paper for all of your Christmas gifts.  It can even be used over and over again by its recipients which makes it the perfect project for you to do in the next week or two.

• Find a few t-shirts without a side-seam that need reviving. These can be the ones in your dresser drawer that are too small, too large or just plain unattractive.  Whatever the case may be, gather them up and get ready to start cutting away at them.

• Grab a pair of sharp scissors. They must be able to cut through layers of fabric so in this case a pair of safety scissors will not do.  You also want your yarn to look good so the sharper your tool, the better.

• Lay your shirt down on a flat surface. A table is ideal because you won’t have to break your back bending down to cut apart your t-shirt.

• Follow the steps outlined on the Craft Passion website. Their t-shirt yarn tutorial is one of the best ones I could find.  It’s simple and straightforward.

• Decide what you want to do with your t-shirt yarn. Knitters and crocheters can find an abundance of tutorials on the web.  Maybe you’ll want to turn your yarn into a scarf or maybe you will find it can be better used to make a bag or purse.  Let your imagination go wild!  YouTube is a great resource for inspiration.  So are websites like Craftster and CraftBits.

The next time that you need yarn for a project, forget about taking a trip to the arts and crafts store.  Try visiting your closet or dresser instead!  Chances are you’ll find a few old t-shirts lying around.  With a few snips of your scissors, you can have an abundance of different coloured yarn to work with.  Just remember to stay away from t-shirts with prints and embroidery because they do not work well for this type of project.  The plainer the shirt, the more yarn it will yield.

1.    Determine what items in your wardrobe need a facelift. Anything with an ounce of life still in it can be reused and repurposed.  Don’t discount the value of a stained t-shirt or holey sweater.  With the bad parts trimmed away, there are a lot of things you can do with a recycled piece of clothing.

2.    Drag out your sewing basket, fabric paint, and stencils. Beads, buttons, fringe, iron-on patches, fabric pens, and scraps of fabric can be used to embellish your clothing which gives them flair and makes them look new again.

3.    Draw out a design on paper. It is always easier to plan out a design if you have it sketched out on a piece of paper.  You can even create your own custom patterns and cut them to size this way.

4.    Start cutting, sewing, embroidering, and stenciling your duds. Got an old pair of jeans with holes in the knees?  Why not add a colorful patch and bring them back to life.  Want to do something special with your old t-shirts?  Cut them into squares and sew them together to form a funky new scarf.

Additional Sources of Inspiration

With a little bit of imagination, you can create a whole new wardrobe without breaking the bank.  In fact, entire books have been written on this subject.  Why not check out Megan Nicolay’s Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt or AlterNation by Shannon Okey and Alexandra Underhill?  Both provide plenty of inspiration for Do-It-Yourselfers.

You can also check out your local arts and crafts stores for patterns and embellishments.  They typically have everything you can think of that can be used to adorn jackets, shirts, pants, and skirts.  They also have a large selection of fabrics in every style, color, and pattern.  Let your imagination run wild.

When it comes to dressing to the nines while still paying heed to a budget, the internet is a great resource for gathering ideas.  Do a simple web search and prepare to be blown away by the unlimited options provided to you.  Recreate the ideas that you like the most or come up with something completely your own.  When it comes to refashioning your pre-existing wardrobe, the sky is literally the limit!

T shirts become laptop skins

[via Engadet]

Sumi Ink Club’s beautiful designs have been transferred onto the tee, and they are striking to say the least. The design detail is almost on a parallel with an optical illusion – it looks kinetic, but it isn’t, and mexican waves of changing colour on these shirts will definitely get you noticed. When you’re wearing your shades and stalking down the street people will stop you to say ‘wow’. All you will have to say in return is: ‘Sumi’, and maybe do the peace sign with your fingers.

for him

for her

Your look will be made complete with this hot bag they’ve added to the line. The perfect reusable shopping bag. Eco, and chic-o. I like it, lots.

Available here.

Combining news and a graphic t-shirt, T-Post is the world’s first wearable magazine. Every six weeks subscribers to T-Post receive a new issue in the mail with a news story on the inside, and an artistic interpretation on the outside.

There’s something wholesome about T-Post, despite its cutting edge innovation. The content of T-Post, in the stories it selects to write about, aims to inspire conversation; stories to make people think and open up new ideas and opinions. With an environmental conscience, the production is strictly limited to the number of T-Post subscribers. In other words, they will print one tee per subscriber, no more, no less. This way there is no overprinting, no selling of shirts in stores, and no waste. So if you’re subscribed you’re going to get something available only in the present tense, the same tee won’t be around at any future time.

Since the idea was born back in 2004, T-Post have begun distributing to over 50 countries, and if you want to get your hands on the latest issue, in which you can read all about Chako Paul City (a town in the Northern Sweden Woods where all the residents are women and all the women are gay), then you’ll just have to subscribe. Looks like quite the read.

T-Post current issue

Sizzling In The Heat….
or Super Igloo: Tremendous Home…
or Screaming Invisible Trampoliner Hurt.

But (fortunately) what it actually signifies is: Star In The Hood.

London’s Tinchy Stryder is not just a pretty face/rapping rapper/musical melody maker who likes to flash around with his S.I.T.H clothes shimmering, he is in fact the very fashion master behind this brand. Created a couple of years ago, Tinchy says: “RESPECT” and “I wear it every single day”. After listening to Tinchy’s touching lyrics, I have been inspired by ‘the hood‘ way of life and have decided to make it my quest to become a Tinchy disciple. So far so good, I’ve been congratulated on the authenticity of my walk, shades and rhymes, now all I need is some cutting edge stizzle [style]. Where better to stizzle myself up that with some bone fide Tinchy wear, modeled by the man himself. Since it’s chilly I’ve decided to go for the sweatshirt, a soft, fleecy lining sounds so appealing for when I’m snuggled at home with a cup of tea….oh I mean, I need to keep warm-izzle when I’m out on the streets all night in a freestyle rap-off. There are many designs to choose from. The neon green on black is attractive, but since I’m aiming to be more of a ‘baller’, I think I’ll bling it up with the diamante, black-filled, grey-marl sweatshirt. No expense spared.

Serious Stizzle

Despite my steely exterior (you need it in the hood), I have to admit that this gangsta’ is really quite the softie. So when selecting some Christmas presents for my homies, I’m planning on splashing my baller cash on an ‘I Got Soul’ Tinchy-esque tee, because 100% of the profits go to War Child, an international charity that protects children who live in the most dangerous war zones of the world. Yeah Tinchy, that’s right – “Respect”.

When you're in the hood, you're allowed to be grammatically incorrect

I understand that there’s a point in life when you really shouldn’t be reading children’s literature, but Dallas Clayton’s ‘An Awesome Book’ is so….erm….awesome, that I’d be happy to see sharp business men and brain surgeons alike carrying a copy proudly under their arm, and reading it whilst they commute to work/stop for a coffee/wait for a meeting. Maybe this is because there’s more to this colourful children’s book than meets the eye. In fact it’s popularity inspired the creation of the ‘Awesome World Foundation‘ established in 2009 by author Dallas Clayton. For every copy of ‘An Awesome Book’ sold, the charity diligently donate a copy to schools, hospitals, libraries, camps and shelters in both the States and the rest of the world. Aiming to promote children’s literacy one book at a time, these guys seem to be doing a pretty good job.

But what does this have to do with t-shirt design? Well, believe it or not, you can snap up some fantastical kids clothing to go along with the book itself…a very awesome Christmas present in the making I’m thinking. There are two prints to choose from: either ‘rocket-powered unicorns’ or a hand drawn alphabet if your little ones are more into typography than fantasy. And with all these tees each sublimation print is slightly different, so there’s a healthy splash of uniqueness in every garment. Now it really would be awesome if they’d make make them a bit bigger or if I was temporarily shrinkable, but at least the book isn’t age specific…remember that while you’re on your morning commute.

Alphabet tee

Watch this video for a bit of light entertainment/more information.

Admittedly this whale doesn't look as friendly as Free Willy

For women, the designs are slightly more peaceful and subdued, including this red and black bird design on a long grey shirt and a gold wolf on navy blue, which would incidentally look great with a green shopping bag…hmmm perhaps this handsewn ‘Broccoli’ bag? I can’t help but love it when veg gets promoted through artwork.

Mmmm, broccers

All Irish people are like this aren't they?

The Irish have brought many wonderful things to the world. Guinness, leprechauns, potato based foods, a very unique way of pronouncing the word ‘tart,’ and lots of general cheery charm. No wonder I’m moving to Dublin, what’s not to love? Hmm, the exchange rate maybe – but that aside the emerald isle is one of the most iconic places in the world, and then there’s the street art scene which turns the city wall into a canvas itself. Turtlehead are a t-shirt design collective stemming from Dublin, but also featuring artistic collaboration with designers from New York and Canada. They have been ‘touching cloth since 2006′, and they have a solid mission statement. Aiming not to bring down corporations or presidents, Turtlehead simply want to show that they care, which they do by donating 5% of their profits to a charity of the customer’s choice and printing on ethically and environmentally friendly tees. If this isn’t enough to whet your appetite and get your teebuds tingling then you should know that all their designs are limited to 500 pieces, so your shirt will be pretty original. And if you’re an aspiring designer your artistic submissions will be welcomed, with all winning designs rewarded in prize money and your very own Turtlehead line of shirts!

But before your incredible winning design is featured on Turtlehead’s website, maybe you’d like to have a peek at their current edgy designs, firstly from Irish designers Chris Haughton and Will St. Leger. St. Leger’s design features a taster of the artist’s famous stencilwork, and handily reminds us that not all pigeons love bread. Haughton’s more colourful purple-headed, yellow-eyed, big-bearded posing man is printed on a bright yellow shirt and accompanied with a bit of Irish vocab: ‘ag damhsa,’ which means ‘dancing’ in the Gaelic language – and as you can see, this guy sure has some moves

Chris Haughton's Dancing Man

If you prefer dentures to Irish dancers then maybe Marc John’s ‘Famous People’s Teeth’ shirt is the one for you. This could be part of the perfect outfit if you’ve scheduled an appointment with the dentist in the near future. But if famous artists rather than famous teeth are more your thing, then you might like to display the progenitor of pop-art on your chest. Why not wear this Andy Warhol shirt by Italian designer Laura Paperina, which shows the famous artist looking worried while he eats a banana. Maybe it had gone mouldy, I hate it when that happens.

I can see Brad Pitt's molar

Just in case none of these capture your eye, you’ll find it impossible to dislike my all time favourite Turtlehead shirt, which has to be Mountain Man, designed by Melbourne artist Adam Cruickshank. Simple and effective, this shirt works because specs and beards are cool, and it’s like carrying a friendly little friend around with you. If you spill some soup down your t-shirt, don’t worry – you were just feeding him, if you need to go somewhere fancy dress – wear your shirt over your head, and if you get lonely – have a little conversation with the guy. People won’t think you’re strange, promise.

Your new best friend

If you’re on the lookout for something a bit unique, this might just be the answer. Sewn into a black organic poplin skirt, the recycled sari dress combines tailoring with traditional hand embroidery at the hem and neckline, and ties with a matching belt at the waist. Excitingly, each dress is unique, so when you order you’re guaranteed that your new gear will definitely be one of a kind – though you can order from a whole spectrum of colours, which you can carefully match to bring out the colour of your eyes (because apparently that matters when you’re deciding what to wear). Made in India, your sari dress will be genuinely Eastern, and you can rest assured that when it was transforming from sari to stylish summer wear, everything was fair.

Yes, it’s almost Comic Relief/Red Nose Day, where we embrace the inner fool, lose all dignity, but in the process raise money for a very worthy cause – fighting abject poverty and injustice across Africa and the UK. This year there are three trademark red noses to chose from: ‘This one, That one and The other one’, but as well as sporting your chosen nose, Stella McCartney has designed an altogether more stylish range of red nose chari-tee-shirts.

Modelled by the likes of Keira Knightley and Gwyneth Paltrow, these t-shirts are an easy and fun way to support Comic Relief without sitting in a tub of bean juice. Working with the 2009 Red Nose slogan ‘Do Something Funny for Money’, Stella’s shirts put red noses on iconic celebrities such as Morcambe and Wise, The Beatles and even Madonna all in the name of fun. Not only do these t-shirts combine charity and style, they have been manufactured in Africa, are 100% fairtrade, and at only £9.99, they’re nice and affordable too. So pop down to TK-Maxx or the online Red Nose Day shop, and do chic fancy dress in a Comic Relief tee.

The specs are optional