How to Make Clothing Look Old for a Halloween Costume

You might need to make clothes look old for a theatre performance.

With all the emphasis and preference that our society places on new clothes, it might seem counterintuitive to try to make new clothes look old. However, there are certain times in life when that becomes preferable. For example, if you're making your own hobo or grunge rocker costume for a costume party, you'll need old clothes in a jiffy. However, you don't have to go to a thrift store and purchase old clothes worn by a stranger. Instead, you can quickly alter the clothes you already have.

Things You'll Need

• Needle
• Washing machine
• Heavy duty laundry detergent
• Clothesline
• Clothespins
• 60-grit sandpaper
• Electric sander

Instructions

1. Loosen some stitches on all the pieces of clothing you plan to wear for your costume. Take a needle and gently force it underneath some of the stitches of the seams and hems to loosen the stitches and get them to unravel.

2. Wash each item over a high speed cycle repeatedly with heavy duty washing detergent. This will help wear the clothes out slightly and help the colors to fade. Hang each item to dry outside on a clothesline with clothespins. The sun will also assist in getting the clothes to fade.

3. Stretch each piece of clothing by pulling it aggressively between your hands. Your goal is to hear the seams snap apart slightly. Stretching the items will help them lose their shape.

4. Place a sheet of 60-grit sandpaper onto an electric sander. Run the sander evenly over each piece of clothing to erode fibers erode give each piece a worn look. Focus the sander over a particular area for several minutes to create small and large holes.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish