How many times have I stared into my closet wishing for something new and then thought about my bank account and promptly shut the door? Too many. Not only is buying new clothes all of the time unsustainable, it’s unnecessarily expensive… especially when you’re in college. This is why I’m a fan of DIY.

I’m not talking about those awful Instagram DIY videos that end up ruining more things than they create. Nor am I going to list those impossible Pinterest diagrams that would take an actual fashion designer to get right. (If you have the sewing skills for that, awesome! But I don’t.)

Everyone can re-energize their wardrobes themselves with a few easy techniques. When the old jeans and t-shirts you’ve had for years aren’t cutting it anymore, test out these super easy go-to DIYs:

Related reading: 5 Cheap Items to Keep On Hand for Easy Outfit Hacks

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Salvage Your Jeans | DIY Ripped Distressed Denim

Buying distressed denim typically costs more than buying plain jeans because more time and labor is involved in the process. The perfect pair of ripped jeans involves stone washing or acid washing, cutting holes and fraying the denim fibers. But if you have plain jeans at home or found a cheap pair in stores, you can DIY something close.

Related reading: These Are the Best DIY Jeans Ideas, Ever.

I had no idea how easy it was. Start by cutting lines into your jeans to create separate strips of fabric. Then tweeze out the individual vertical fibers from the strips so you’re left with white, horizontal strings. 

This method takes time but ends up looking store-bought. I tried this and loved the results, but I’ll warn you to start small. If you cut too much, you can’t go back and may have to settle for unintentionally large holes.

2. Make it a crop top

D.I.Y: Crop Tops! ?

This technique is as easy at it sounds. Take an old shirt, measure how short you’d like it to be, lay it across a flat surface, and cut. It looks neater if you have a fabric cutter, but any scissors will work if you’re patient.