Here are five ways to DIY and quickly throw together some school-spirited fits for the long-awaited weekend:
Cut and crop
Cutting and cropping old T-shirts is the easiest way to recycle a no longer wanted shirt and make it into something wearable and trendy. Dig through that closet of yours, find an OU themed shirt you haven’t worn since you got it at freshman orientation, and get to cutting. Cutting and cropping can be as easy as altering the length of the shirt, or as complex and original as making a halter or tube top out of it.
If you’re feeling real nifty, take two shirts, cut them and sew the two halves of each individual shirt together to create an authentic, popular two-toned color block shirt of your own. With the simple search of a YouTube how-to, you’ll be set for the big weekend in no time.
Paint and patch
With Homecoming comes the opportunity to get creative with your outfit. This means taking it a step further than just simply wearing an OU T-shirt, leggings and AirForce 1s (*cough, cough* — me freshman year). Head to the nearest Walmart or Goodwill, and grab a pair of baggy, used jeans or denim shorts. We recommend shorts because it will be hotter this Homecoming weekend than previous ones.
Next, stop by Joann Fabrics and buy some green and white acrylic paint. Trace your design, such as the OU logo, Rufus the Bobcat or the Court Street sign, on the denim with pencil, and then simply paint within the lines for a chic, unique take on Homecoming apparel. Feel free to iron on Ohio University themed patches or scraps of green fabric as well, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort. Attempt painting a design on a jean jacket, too. You won’t be disappointed with the results.
Get crafty
Putting together a Homecoming fit does not need to be strenuous. Look around your dorm, house or apartment for some safety pins laying around, and pull out your toilet cleaner bleach. Simply bleach the shirt as if it were tie-dye, wash it, then lastly, cut down the middle of the shirt and safety pin the shirt halves back up to the neck to construct a vintage, hand-distressed tee like the ones pictured below.
People pay lots of money for small-business designers to make gameday gear like this, so why pay the money when with a little commitment, you too can make this shirt for much, much cheaper?
Consider taking a plain black, white or green t-shirt and reworking it. Run to Joanns, buy some transfer paper, and find any silly saying, logo or picture related to Ohio University and the Bobcats to iron on the printed piece of paper. Printing the transfer paper and ironing it on can without a doubt be confusing, but with diligence and meticulous attention to the detailed instructions, anyone can become an elementary fashion designer for the day. Make sure you buy the right kind of transfer paper depending on the color of your T-shirt. If you are still conflicted on what to buy, ask a worker for assistance.
Accessorize
Homecoming outfits can be more than just a shirt and pants. If you don’t have an OU shirt -- don’t fret (even though you can go grab one for $7.77 at the College Bookstore, but that’s besides the point). One can easily wear green and white without it being OU themed, but still dress spirited by accessorizing with Bobcat face tattoos, green hair glitter, an OU or off-brand trucker hat, a bucket hat and/or green eyeshadow. The options are endless and inexpensive!
Spice up the look with some fun and funky hairstyles you wouldn’t usually wear, such as bubble braids, low, sloppy space buns or a voluminous party pony.
Play it simple
If your look is more relaxed in style, don’t feel the pressure to go all out for the occasion. Chances are, everyone is going to be so exhausted and run-down by the time the weekend ends anyways, no one is going to care or remember what you wore. Remain comfy and casual by throwing on an oversized OU tee, and making it appear trendy with a pair of biker shorts, chunky sneakers and a fun hairstyle. Besides, once everyone begins to come down from the high energy and excitement of the weekend festivities, they too will wish they were hanging in a big tee. Purchase a stupid pair of Bobcat socks you can wear and show off to add to the silliness of this chill outfit.