DiY: Hero Shirt (aka What To Do with a Holey J.Crew Tee)

I loved J.Crew's Colorblocked Stripe Tee when I bought it, but after about 4 wears and 3 washings, a bunch of holes developed along the seams beneath the arms:



Exhibit A


Exhibit B

This really sucks. I had given this top up for a sleep or work shirt, but then I saw this post over on Lizzie Garrett's blog TOMBOY STYLE. Her stylist friend showed her how to make a Hero Shirt/Rocker Shirt/Shirt That My Brother Wears While Lifting Weights out of an old regular tee, and the end result looked pretty cool. I decided to follow the instructions in the blog post and see how my DiY Colorblock Hero Tee turned out, since I didn't have anything to lose if it ruined the shirt.


Not bad! I think I might even like it better than the original version with sleeves.


Side view. I tried to cut it so that my bra doesn't show. I think I'll ask the bf if he has any old tees that I can make a real Hero Shirt out of, since boys always seem to be able to wear shirts until they are perfectly faded and thin and soft.


I tried to stay as close to the seam as possible, but it's still a tiny bit uneven. The fabric curls under though, so it hides the cut.


Pretty good, actually! I think I'll wear it as much like this as I did when it had sleeves. I just hope that it doesn't disintegrate completely the next time I wash it :(

OPI Nail Polish

I do my own manicures and pedicures. This means that I end up missing a lot of opportunities for girl-bonding, as salon mani/pedis are a time-honored tradition for bridesmaids and bachelorette parties, but I have yet to find a single salon that does a better job on my toes and fingers than I can do myself. Also, I refuse to spend the extra money since I like to change polish colors a lot.

I've found that home mani/pedis last longer if you use a higher quality polish, and OPI is a long-time favorite of mine. They have such a wide range of colors, and the names are too cute. I prefer flat colors to anything with shimmer. "Dutch Tulips" (pictured) is my go-to year-round choice. I love that it's a red but there is so much pink and orange mixed in that it goes with everything. My most recent color purchase was "You Don't Know Jacques", a dark taupey gray.