If there were an official print or pattern that evokes summertime, then it would 100% be tie-dye. Bright, psychedelic, and a bit hypnotic, tie-dye is most fun when worn when the days are long and hot. Although the resist-dying technique was already known, the official name tie-dye came about in the 1960s, right in the middle of the hippie era. So what better way to channel our inner free spirit?
Kids love tie-dying, too! The process is extremely hands-on and customizable, consisting of twisting, knotting, folding and more, making it so much fun to see how it turns out. For some inspiration, we rounded up 16 absolutely stunning tie-dye projects. Grab a kit and let's go!
Matching Basics Set
Why stop at tie-dying a plain white tee? Go the extra mile and tie-dye a matching shorts and T-shirt set for the little ones! They can wear the set as an outfit or break it up into different looks.
Tie-Dye Denim Jacket
The denim jacket is a wardrobe staple but a tie-dye job can upgrade it to the next level of cool. We love how this jacket mixes different hues of blues and whites to make it easy to wear with other pieces. (Although we're into the matching jeans as well!)
Tie-Dye Denim Shirt
We love the bright hue of this tie-dye denim shirt! What a fun way to give an old shirt new life.
Tie-Dye Dip Jeans
Ready to play with tie-dye but not exactly ready to sport super bright swirls? No problem. Try emulating these dip tie-dye jeans.
Tie-Dye Dog Bandana
Who said tie-dye was reserved for humans? We ought to be making our furry friends an adorable tie-dye bandanna too!
Tie-Dye Socks
Tie-dye is often an outfit's center of attention, thanks to its bright and eye-grabbing patterns. How about doing something more unusual and subtle with tie-dye? We're talking tie-dye socks! Adults and kids alike will love how they peek out our shoes to add just the right pop of color.
Tie-Dye Tote Bag
We all have that pile of tote bags we've collected over the years. Spice up a forgotten plain tote by giving it a tie-dye makeover!
Tie-Dye Beach Towel
Is there anything more summery than a tie-dye beach towel? We're sure the kids will love making this as much as they'll love carrying it to the beach or the pool!
Tie-Dye Bedsheets
Got a kid heading off to college? We bet they'll love these tie-dye bedsheets. The best part is that this can be a project to do together before sending them off!
Two-Tone Tie-Dye Pants
Tie-dye pants are nothing new, but how about two-tone tie-dye pants? We love how we don't have to decide between two different tie-dye colors — we can just have them both.
Tie-Dye Sunflower
Want to incorporate a love of flowers into a tie-dye design? Try this tie-dye pattern of a sunflower! Now we can truly be flower children. We like this easy YouTube tutorial to show us how to create a sunflower shape into our tie-dye.
Tie-Dye Shoes
Want to freshen up a pair of white kicks? Grab the tie-dye kit. Tie-dye shoes are a fun style to rock for the summer — and well, any season to be honest! Kids will love making their shoes stand out from the crowd.
Tie-Dye Scrunchies
Tired of neutral-colored hair ties? Try tie-dying some hair accessories, like scrunchies! Now we can keep our hair up in the summer heat in style.
Tie-Dye Onesie
What's more fun than a rainbow baby onesie? We absolutely adore the idea of a baby rocking this colorful outfit in the summertime. Perfect for a future free spirit!
Tie-Dye Maxi Skirt
We love how flowy and comfortable maxi skirts are — they're a summer staple, in our opinion. Upgrade a simple maxi skirt with a pretty tie-dye pattern and pair it with a fun graphic tee or tank.
Tie-Dye Heart
Forget simple circular swirls! Add a little love and try out a tie-dye heart pattern instead. Here's a handy YouTube tutorial that shows us how to create a heart shape.
