DIY Suggestions for a new-kid.

Gawd · 07-26-2008, 08:41 PM

So, I used to be a hot-topic shopper for about a year, until I realized that more than half of everything I bought there was shit. I was only 14, so I didn't know where else to get "different" types of clothing.
Obviously, I know now that it's not different at all, and the only way to look different is to DIY. Well, I'm done wasting my money there, and I'm left with some band T's, A couple pairs of bondage pants that I'm going to outgrow soon, black jeans, and one mesh/fishnet shirt. Oh, and a pretty sweet plaid jacket.

I'm only 16, so my budget isn't exactly high. I live off of about $40 a month. lol. I just would appreciate some idea's about how I can 'personalize' the clothing I have, or where I could shop to find some plain clothing I could add onto. Goodwill is already on the list.

and my hair is wayyyyy to long for a guy. I'm cutting it soon, and my girlfriend has given me ideas, but I don't think any of them would match my face...
Apparently I can't post a link, so... forget the hair.

Thanks in advance

Johnny Gnar Gnar · 07-26-2008, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gawd

]
I'm only 16, so my budget isn't exactly high.

Neither is your reading comprehension. You must have missed the "For the Newbies, this means YOU" thread.

Gawd · 07-26-2008, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Gnar Gnar

Neither is your reading comprehension. You must have missed the "For the Newbies, this means YOU" thread.

Nah, I read that. I just didn't exactly follow it's guidelines.

MitsyMayhem · 07-26-2008, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Gnar Gnar

Neither is your reading comprehension. You must have missed the "For the Newbies, this means YOU" thread.

Oh chill. It's not like he's posting a topic asking for 'gothic hairstyles or anything'

But yeah, you're supposed to post in the introductions first.
I'd go back and do that.

KontanKarite · 07-26-2008, 09:08 PM

Well... I like making sheets of material out of cheap stockings from those eggs. I'll usually stitch those pieces of fabric on a part of a shirt, pants, or jacket and then just kinda slash it up with a fork until it looks like cobwebs.

Godslayer Jillian · 07-26-2008, 09:11 PM

Alright, the first thing everyone's going to tell you is to buy at thrift stores.
I'm telling you that too. I've been buying all my clothes in thrift stores for about a year and a half now; except for some cheap shirts online that are made by an independent publisher I love.

Start looking online or in the phone book for thrift shops close to you if you don't know them and set yourself a day to do just that. Bring friends with you that won't be squeamish about buying stuff that has been worn.
It will be just like any other superficial girl group going OMG SHOPPING!!! except you won't be stupid enough to buy one sole article of clothing for >$60. As an example, I got a very cool leather vest for three bucks. It looks just like the top of the vest-wearing trend right now and I see the tag on it and it turns out it's from Banana Republic. That label and the style of it means that it must have cost originally over eighty bucks. That's almost thirty times more than what I paid just because I choose to not mind it's not 'new'! To me it was so cheap I can afford the luxury of not wearing it until I can think of how to modify it.

Anyway, in the thrift shop, start looking everywhere, men and women sections. Disregard the size of the clothing most times; you can sew them and make them your size very quickly and easily, unless it's something like a thick jacket.
Go to a shop that sells fabrics an buy yourself some of it. A couple of yards of white and red fabric cost you like eight to ten bucks and they'll last you easily a year's worth of DIYed patches. While you're there, buy some fabric paint and brushes; the best paint to make patches to me is Tulip fabric paint.
You can go to a place like a dollar store or a hobby lobby (though I don't recommend that one) and buy packets of studs. Or if you ahve the time you can buy a cheap studded belt and take out the studs carefully and do something later with the belt. If it really is a cheap belt you spend less money, although I'll tell you by experience that with the amount of time you spend taking off the studs without braking them, you're better off spending a little extra on buying the studs alone.

Gawd · 07-26-2008, 09:12 PM

Lol. That's interesting. Kinda sounds like I'd leave fabric trails everywhere I go though. How, then, Would I ever get lost in a forest?

Splintered · 07-26-2008, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Gnar Gnar

Neither is your reading comprehension. You must have missed the "For the Newbies, this means YOU" thread.

Quiet. The search function doesn't give anything for "Do It Yourself", "DIY", "D.I.Y.", or any variant there of, and there's nothing on the first page that would fully answer the question. IMHO, it's a legit thread

To OP, there have been a lot of threads on DIY, so go to the search function at the top of your screen and type in "DIY".

I'd suggest reading:

https://www.gothic.net/boards/showthread.php?t=11422
https://www.gothic.net/boards/showthread.php?t=3872
https://www.gothic.net/boards/showthread.php?t=621

These will get you started on giving you ideas.

However, I think the three things you should concern you self with now are:

- Safety pins
- Felt markers
- Scissors

These will give you the ability to modify most of your clothing. The safety pins can be used for designs, make-shift chains, or even attaching additional pieces of clothing (Like safetypinning on a pocket or something). Felt markers are useful for drawings and making home-made band t-shirts. Scissors finally give you the ability to change the shape, and add in different patterns or make room for different materials.

Gawd · 07-26-2008, 09:20 PM

Thanks Godslayer, that does help a ton, and Splintered helped some too. I've always used safetey pins for cool designs and such =D

Underwater Ophelia · 07-26-2008, 09:24 PM

Are you male or female?

Gawd · 07-26-2008, 09:25 PM

Male.
Everything is just that much more difficult when your male.

Godslayer Jillian · 07-26-2008, 09:28 PM

There's a DIY secret that I guard jealously, but what the hell, I'll tell it.
A cheap and cool way to have buttons is this: save all the bottle caps you can and all the... thingies in soda cans with which you open them and buy several small safety pins.
Like most other things in our industrial mass-production society, pretty much all bottle caps and all thingies are standard size.
Paint the bottle cap, either with a ridiculously fine stencil, or with ridiculously good precision, or just follow this advice for simple symbols. Then, you'll find that the can thingies fit perfectly inside the bottle caps and they won't fall off unless you pull them on purpose. So hook the safety pin to the can thingy (fuck! what are they called?!) and put pressure to fit it inside the bottle cap and now you have an improvised button.

Gawd · 07-26-2008, 09:37 PM

Pop-Tabs.
I have a huge bucket of those downstairs, and some bottle caps.
=D. I think I'll start on that soon.
That's the best secret I've ever heard.

Underwater Ophelia · 07-26-2008, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gawd

Male.
Everything is just that much more difficult when your male.

Oooh ok.

I was going to tell you how to make some simple skirts, but I'm assuming you don't wear them.
If you do, please correct me.

For males/unisex--bleach is always fun. I just discovered the joys of bleach. You can use it in a lot of different ways--paintbrush, pouring, splattering, and sticking it in a spray bottle.

You can also make your own patches by buying fabric paper and printing images on it with your computer.

ForgetThisLostLenore · 07-26-2008, 09:42 PM

In response to the can thingy, I think it's a pull-tab or something. That's the most technical term I can think of.

As for DIY, the best thing that I've ever done is learn how to sew. Even if you don't start sewing all of your clothes from scratch, it's nice to know how to operate a sewing machine (if you have access to one) or needle and thread. Even clothes bought from completely 'normal' stores can be modded or even just pulled in so they fit better.

It earns a unique look with all your clothing, though I don't know how many male patterns they have. Though an artistic hand and paint will also help. Otherwise, safety pins and such.

gothicusmaximus · 07-26-2008, 09:43 PM

I love painting bats onto things with bleach. Sometimes they end up looking like seagulls though, and seagulls aren't very goth at all.

Godslayer Jillian · 07-26-2008, 09:45 PM

Also writing with a fabric marker almost always is a good idea.
So long as it's a concise phrase so that people can actually read it.

KontanKarite · 07-26-2008, 09:47 PM

Jillian... that's very creative. I applaud you.

PortraitOfSanity · 07-26-2008, 09:50 PM

I bought an original Bolt Thrower T-Shirt from the Warmaster tour at the thrift store for 5 bucks. It ruled. I masturbated on it.

Godslayer Jillian · 07-26-2008, 09:51 PM

It's not my idea though. The creator of it has been lost while the technique still goes on.

Gawd · 07-26-2008, 09:51 PM

My mom, dad, and sister can sew, so sewing is no problem at all. I have the basic idea's of it and all of the neccasarry items. My thing is more Roses and Spiders. Spiderwebs fit with sewing, if you were to use a different colored thread from the material; so it all works out.

Fabric marker... bleach...
I'll experiment with that stuff when I'm a bit more experienced with the more simple DIY'ing xD

KontanKarite · 07-26-2008, 09:54 PM

Seriously, cheap stocking fabric makes great spiderwebs in a far more dramatic way than stitches. But good luck.

Gawd · 07-26-2008, 09:57 PM

I'll keep that in mind.
Oh, and I even have about 50 studs I tore off someones studded belt. I'm sure I could incorporate those into something nice.

ForgetThisLostLenore · 07-26-2008, 09:59 PM

I have to agree with Kontan, stitching spiderwebs is obnoxious. I personally use the old tights that are too holey for me to wear anymore. Fishnet also does well placed in various places.

Cicero · 07-27-2008, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godslayer Jillian

There's a DIY secret that I guard jealously, but what the hell, I'll tell it.
A cheap and cool way to have buttons is this: save all the bottle caps you can and all the... thingies in soda cans with which you open them and buy several small safety pins.
Like most other things in our industrial mass-production society, pretty much all bottle caps and all thingies are standard size.
Paint the bottle cap, either with a ridiculously fine stencil, or with ridiculously good precision, or just follow this advice for simple symbols. Then, you'll find that the can thingies fit perfectly inside the bottle caps and they won't fall off unless you pull them on purpose. So hook the safety pin to the can thingy (fuck! what are they called?!) and put pressure to fit it inside the bottle cap and now you have an improvised button.

Hey, that secret was featured in Drop Dead Magazine a year or two ago. You can even print out pictures and fold them around the bottle cap for stuff you can't draw yourself. Adding a layer or two of clear nail polish over the top and they can last for years, apparently. I prefer my button machine though, hehe.

I'll second every bit of advice involving bleach, ripped tights and fabric paint. Regarding the ripped tights: $5 (or cheaper) fishnet tights + a hole in the crotch for a head + holes for fingers/hands = awesome fishnet shirt (some people take waaaay too long to work that little trick out).

A sewing machine is great too.