Tie Dye

My family is going away on a trip within the week, and I got this brainstorm to give everyone a personal present. My first idea was to tie dye a shirt for everyone. After some manipulating and talking into, my mom complied. So, over the past two days, my mom and I tie dyed sixteen shirts in various sizes. That's a lot of work.

I love the process of making tie dye--physically creating a shirt that you're going to wear that is so unique, something that will never match up to anyone else's clothes that you'll pass. You can't manufacture the same one in a department store. They're like fingerprints, each having their own distinct mark.

I asked my brother if he was excited to wear tie dye, and he said no. When I pressed him for why, he says that tie dye says something about you; it gives you an image of a "hippie stoner," one that he does not want to associate with. I guess that the tie dye image does go with that stereotype, but I never wear it because I want people to think of me like that. Am I ignorant?

I wear a lot of tie dye, and I do it because I like it--not because I want to put out this hippie image of myself. I just like to wear unique clothes, clothes that are not too similar with everyone around me. I don't like to be another white sheep in the herd.

When you see someone wearing tie dye, do you immediately stereotype them or think something about them based on what they're wearing? What are your tie-dye thoughts?

Here's a quick tie dye slide show from my pictures:



Andy's tapestry



Our tapestry from junior and senior year



Kelly's guitar box



Kitchen tapestry senior year



My mom and brother dancing before a prom of his



Me and She



E and Kelly (incomplete trio)



Lastly, me, courtesy of Jenna DeMayo