For many of us, tie-dye will have specific and possibly negative associations with the '90s. Back then, the tie-dye look was prevalent in teen TV shows and regularly spotted on famous girl-band members. It exuded a certain sort of bohemian spirit that demanded to be accompanied by ripped denim, accessories so bright they made your eyes water and a general too-cool-for-school attitude. Well, like it or not, the trend has returned—this time with a plethora of tie-dye buys cropping up on the runways of Off-White, Dior, Stella McCartney and Proenza Schouler.
I would've never put myself down as a tie-dye type, but thanks to the unexpected, chic stylings of brands like COS, I've found myself slowly coming around to the idea. While I won't be rocking full throwback outfits, I have enjoyed styling tie-dye tees with polished staples, such as tailored trousers or minimalist summer dresses. Similar to denim, tie-dye can be the perfect casual counterpoint to tailored and clean-lined pieces.
Available at all price points, this trend is thoroughly democratic. Who What Wear's Nell Block recently purchased a blue iteration from M&S and is a big fan. Meanwhile, I've invested in one of COS's navy tie-dye T-shirts. Of course, if you're more of a fashion extrovert, there are plenty of rainbow-coloured pieces out there. Rodarte has plenty of feel-good pieces right now, as does Free People. I understand if tie-dye is one '90s throwback too far for you, but I would suggest you not knock it until you've tried it. Scroll down to see and shop the coolest tie-dye tops of this season.
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