DIY

DIY Chanel Striped Top

sienna miller claudia schiffer chanel striped tee

Since I’ve been on a painting kick lately, I decided to keep the momentum going and finally DIY the Chanel Striped Top I’ve been lusting after. When I first saw this street style inspired take on a classic Parisian striped tee worn by Sienna Miller I had two thoughts: 1. I want that, and 2. I can make that. If any of you felt the same way, you already know we pretty much had to since this beauty sold out faster than we could pull out a platinum card and drop 3 G’s on it. No biggie, since we weren’t exactly dying to pay that anyway and the true essence of the design is the handmade looking painterly quality of the print. If you are not a an artist who likes to “stay in the lines,” this is the DIY project for you!

sienna miller claudia schiffer chanel striped tee

Wenn.com

Wanna make one? You’ll need:DIY Chanel Striped Top

  • 1 Striped top in white or ivory with black or navy stripes
  • 2 pieces of cardboard or plastic or a magazine or catalogue you’re ready to toss out
  • 1 pencil
  • 1 Small jar of black fabric paint (I like Jaquard Textile Paints)
  • 1 Stencil brush
  • 1 Iron or blow dryer
  • a few paper towels (optional)

1. Inspect your top to make sure it’s nice and clean or toss it in the wash and dry it. This style looks best slightly oversized, so if you’re buying one for this project, go a size or two up (depending on how baggy you want it). To get the look of the original, pick one with about 1″ of white or ivory space between 1/4″ of dark stripes with stripes that extend cleanly into a jewel neck seam. This Land’s End Sailor Tee, this Wood Wood Adrien Striped Top, and this Saint James Galathee Top are all dead ringers. I used this $15 Forever 21 Mariniere Striped Top.

DIY Chanel Striped Top

Count six stripes down from the neckline and make an X under that stripe using the pencil.

2. The x marks the spot where the two C’s will interlock. You will draw the design using the pencil, and it’s cool if it’s sloppy – you’ll paint over it anyway. To get the proportions right, the curves should extend over that dark stripe and into the light area stopping near the top, extending about 4.5″ across, and should extend to just below the stripe above, dipping down through two of the dark stripes, counting that stripe you marked the x beneath. The end of the c’s should stop about halfway through the second stripe. The interlocking area of the C’s should extend below 6 dark stripes down ending in another x, perpendicular to the top x and the remainder of the design should mirror the top. Like so:

DIY Chanel Striped Top

3. Start painting over the penciled sketch using either your pointer finger or a stencil brush. The stencil brush works here because it has a flat tip which will help create a more blunt, painterly design.

DIY Chanel Striped Top

For some, including myself, it might be hard to let go and keep yourself from smoothing out the lines. If this happens, blot over the design, particularly the edges, to smudge them.

DIY Chanel Striped Top

4. Let it dry for at least three hours or overnight. Tip: If you accidentally drip or spill some of the paint where it doesn’t belong, simply place paper towels under the area and scrub the accident gently with cold water and strong dish soap like Dawn with the rough side of the sponge).

5. Iron your design on low face down and inside out onto some paper towels, or simply blow dry it. You can toss it in the wash before you wear it if you’d like (the heat already set it, so it won’t stain your other clothes, but to be extra safe, dry it inside out). Voila! Your new nautical french Chanel-ish top is ready to be worn!

DIY Chanel Stripe Top

Have you DIY’ed anything lately? Do tell!

xo BB

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