How To Cut an Oversized T-shirt


If there’s one thing you’ll come across in a lot of thrift stores, it’s t-shirts. Some are awesome and fun and others are just odd. And I tend to find a lot of tees with fun designs or phrases but they’re just too big. What’s a girl to do? Grab a pair of sharp scissors and you’re on your way to creating a funky piece.

The 80s baby in me loved the tee above for the Nintendo reference. It was less than a dollar at the Goodwill Outlet, but it was a size large. And this was way too cute for me to leave at Goodwill or just wear around the house or to the gym.

It only required a few snips for me to remix this baggy tee.

Step 1:
{Cut the sleeves off. I started about an inch below the armpit and all the way up to the neck. You can make the cut wherever you feel comfortable. The lower you cut, the more exposed skin you’ll have in the back and on the sides.}

{After both sleeves have been cut}

Step 2:
{Cut the collar for a more relaxed feel at the neckline. I cut right at the seam but you can cut lower if you want an off the shoulder look.}

{The back of the shirt after the collar and sleeves have been cut off. Don’t discard the scraps just yet.}

Step 3:
{Pinch the two sides of the t-shirt together, right at the armpit}

Step 4:
{Use the fabric you cut off from the collar to wrap around the gathered material.}

{After you’ve banded the material, just tie it off in a knot.}

Voilà! You’re left with a triangular top and draping at the bottom. If that’s too much skin exposed in the back and sides, just make a shallower cut at the sleeves or rock a tank or bandeau underneath.

I’d wear this to an outdoor concert or even a laid back party!

This is just one of the many ways you can remix a large shirt. Just let your imagination run wild and you can create a funky look.

For more fun DIY t-shirt creations, check out Salinabear on YouTube. She has dozens of videos to show you how to remix your blah tee.

32 Comments
  • Melody
    Posted at 13:32h, 19 April Reply

    this is so cute! love it!

    [email protected]

    • Looking Fly on a Dime
      Posted at 14:04h, 19 April Reply

      Thanks Melody! It really was super easy. I can’t wait to wear this tee once the NYC weather (finally) warms up. Be sure to check out the YouTube channel above, she has tons of vids that are sure to inspire your creativity!

  • Vi
    Posted at 17:27h, 19 April Reply

    This is so cute..and brilliant. I have like a billion t-shirts that I’m tired of falling back on on my blah days. Will be remixing several of them 🙂

    • Anonymous
      Posted at 12:50h, 21 April Reply

      Nice! Let me know if you remix any of them, I’d love to see pics!

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    Posted at 09:02h, 26 April Reply

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  • Danielle
    Posted at 00:15h, 27 April Reply

    And if by outdoor concert you mean our summer concert from last year Part 2 then YESSSS!!! 🙂

    • Danielle
      Posted at 00:15h, 27 April Reply

      P.S. This is sooooo cute!

    • Looking Fly on a Dime
      Posted at 14:31h, 27 April Reply

      Thanks! And yes, I’m so talking about Rock the Bells part dos! This top is definitely L-Boogie approved 🙂

  • HCS
    Posted at 12:41h, 14 July Reply

    SEXY!!!

  • Darah Soria
    Posted at 03:11h, 11 August Reply

    I am so so so so thankful to have found this!  I am having an 80’s bachelorette party and had an awesome School House Rock shirt (I’ve had it for almost 4 years and haven’t known what to do with it besides sleep in it lol) that I just chopped up with this design and it looks fantastic!  Now I can finally put the shirt to good use, thanks so much for the great tutorial!  🙂

    • Looking Fly on a Dime
      Posted at 14:18h, 11 August Reply

      Hey Darah, 
      So glad this came in handy for you. Good luck with the bachelorette party, I love anything 80s themed 🙂

  • Alainathegreekgirly0401
    Posted at 20:26h, 29 October Reply

    you can see the bra straps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Saggezza13
      Posted at 23:48h, 12 November Reply

      You could always layer another clashing tank underneath if it bothers you. 🙂

    • Tarabithia98
      Posted at 23:15h, 02 March Reply

      its called being sexy

  • Amy-van
    Posted at 17:11h, 02 December Reply

    great idea!

  • Ruth Borgstrom Baldwin
    Posted at 20:23h, 02 December Reply

    Love this! Got a couple big t’s I’m gonna have to try this on! 🙂
    @ Alainathegreekgirly0401…idea for you; just move the collar wrap up or down to adjust so it doesn’t show your straps if your not comfortable doing so.

  • Sophia Chang
    Posted at 02:39h, 31 December Reply

    Thanks so much for this!  I just cut the sleeves off my T and wore it today after having it sit in my closet for 2 years!

  • Linzeelu
    Posted at 20:24h, 17 March Reply

    This shirt worked amazing and the directions were so easy to follow. Thank you so much, you made my oversized t-shirt look awesome.

  • Lisa Lucia
    Posted at 17:20h, 18 April Reply

    Awesome. Bawlin’ as hell

  • ckp
    Posted at 16:57h, 11 May Reply

    i did it and i got it right

  • Jessica Hansen
    Posted at 23:35h, 23 July Reply

    Nice I might give this a try!

  • Lauren
    Posted at 10:47h, 25 September Reply

    Would this work for a smaller shirt?

  • Nancy M
    Posted at 09:25h, 01 May Reply

    Thank you! Great Tutorial, just what I needed!

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  • Ma A
    Posted at 19:26h, 29 May Reply

    I want to cut some shirts for track. It gets hot in t-shirts while running ya know.

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  • Sarah
    Posted at 21:02h, 28 July Reply

    Didn’t work. I recommend NOT trying this 100%. Sorry.

  • Olivia Morrissette
    Posted at 08:58h, 26 August Reply

    Oh my goodness—I can’t believe no one mentioned how gorgeous your post-chop fashion photos are. Both of them are incredibly beautiful. In the first one, I love how your fingers mirror the fall of your hair; the second shot shows off your hourglass and the lovely drape of the fabric below your waist. So swank.

    Oh. Now I see you’re a professional in the field. Well, that explains a lot, but still, plenty of people in all manner of professions don’t really have it. You have it, and more.

    And of course I signed on.

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