How to Wear Spring Trends Now – Tie Dye

Tie Die Trend

Growing up in Santa Barbara, tie dye was a part of everyday life. In the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, SB was filled with hippies who flocked there in the ‘60’s for the fabulous climate and small-town feel. This is long before Santa Barbara became the LA to the north and haven for single name, celebrities like Oprah and Ellen. Every Sunday, to this day, Santa Barbara hosts an arts & crafts fair along the beach with tons of tie dye among other fabulous craft wares.

Somehow, even in that environment, I never really got in to wearing tie dye. It was probably my firm commitment to the new wave movement (tongue definitely in cheek), the fact that my parents were the antithesis of hippies and the reality, I had to wear a uniform through Jr. High that kept me from it. Now the trend has come around again. But this time, there is something about tie dye that feels so fresh and new.

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Tie Dye for Dahlias?

I can hear you saying to your computer, well, tie dye is fine for younger people but I don’t think it is right for us dahlias. I firmly believe age should not be a factor in determining if a trend is right for you. If you like a certain trend, you can find a way to incorporate it into your wardrobe. So, I dive in, for the first time, incredibly, to the tie dye trend.

One easy way to try a trend without a major commitment is to purchase trendy items from more affordable stores. You can find tie dye items from Target to Nordstrom’s BP. I picked up all the tie dye items for this post at Urban Outfitters. UO is a great place for a well curated selection of trendy pieces. It is one of my daughter’s favorite shops and I usually find one or two things there anytime we go. People love this UO Insta-famous tie front thermal.

Tie Dye from Urban Outfitters

First up is this UO Courtland Tie Dye Long Sleeve Tee $49. You gotta love the subtle tie dye with lavender and blue. The tee is a nice weight and has a seamed detail across the front which elevates this top from simple tee to something a bit more.

For now, I am wearing this top with my AG Prima denim in Cavern or any dark denim with my Tamara Mellon boots and Madewell Car Coat. For the spring, this top will look great with white denim and sneakers or sandals.

Another Tie Dye Tee

I couldn’t resist this grey Authentic Tie-Dye Long Sleeve Tee $49. This top is lighter weight than the Courtland tee and has a more oversized fit. It has a fun neon green graphic on the back. For winter, I paired it with men’s Levi’s 501’s with an oversized fit and white ankle boots. You can add a faux fur topper easily or add a sweater blazer (which I just love, love, love) for a more tailored look. For spring, I cannot wait to wear this tee with biker shorts (please excuse the extremely pale legs) and a Madewell oversized denim jacket. What a fun, fresh, combination. Biker shorts are another major trend for spring (which I won’t be tackling for this series because who really wants to wear shorts in winter? Maybe those lucky folks in Florida) but I am super excited to add to my wardrobe.

And A Tie Dye Sweatshirt

Lastly, I picked up this The Beauty Within Tie-Dye Sweatshirt $59. It is a fabulous green tie dye and has the words, The Beauty Within written down the right sleeve. Green is another trend for spring. From mint to neon green, the shelves will be full of this shamrock color. Honestly, don’t wear much green but I found this color to be inviting and I love the sentiment on the sleeve.

I ended up wearing this outfit for the day and it feels the most me. The sweatshirt goes nicely with my Vince black leggings and Tamara Mellon boots. For an added layer of warmth, I added my Madewell Sherpa Lined Denim jacket. For Spring, I will wear this light weight sweatshirt with a black skirt or denim shorts.

Trying a New Trend

Trying a new trend doesn’t have to be scary. Add trendy items to your current rotation of tried and true pieces. It can be as simple as adding a tie dye scarf to your favorite outfit or adding a tie dye tee under your favorite blazer. Tie dye is no longer just for hippies. It is for the fashionista in all of us.

Coming Soon….

Up next, I am on the hunt for the perfect pair of oversized, baggy jeans. Since I am tall and need an inseam of 34 inches this has proven quite a challenge. The Levi’s 501’s from this post are my first attempt at getting the fit I want. I will share my trials and errors with you in an upcoming post. Have you checked out my take on the spring trend – beige? Have a great day Dahlias! See my tie dye picks below.