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del.icio.usIt only takes an old T-shirt - everyone has ’em from basketball tournaments and bar mitzvahs, assures Nicolay - and a pair of sharp scissors to get engrossed in her new manual, "Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt."
The 26-year-old jersey girl has created easy-to-emulate patterns for anything from a scoop neck tee to a wedding dress made from seven white Ts (pictured).
Nicolay says that T-shirt fabric is so versatile and comfortable, that it was an obvious choice for a bridal gown.
"I do hope that someone takes me up on wearing it for their special day," says the author. "Think about how much money people would save; it would be the ultimate budget wedding! And she’ll learn new techniques and will have created something she’ll feel proud to wear."
Nicolay has attracted a following of women who enjoy customizing their old T-shirts into of-the-moment minis and tank tops.
"Now, the fashion trends are going towards this rough-edged, do-it-yourself look," she said, acknowledging that Jennifer Beals’s character in "Flashdance" was the first to sport it. "It’s one thing for somebody to compliment you on an outfit you put together, and entirely different when you can say, ’Thanks, I made it myself.’ You’re essentially designing your own label."
For those new to making clothing, Nicolay assures that one-third of the book’s ideas are no-sew.
In addition to being an inexpensive way to update a wardrobe, hosting a Tee Party is a fun way to spend time with friends - that’s considerably less expensive than a Tupperware or Party Lite event - says Nicolay.
"Just get a group of people together - drinking ice tea or Long Island Iced Teas to keep with the theme. Everyone’s making something with their hands, and at the end of the day, they have a perfect party favor - a garment they can wear and they know they’ll like," said Nicolay.
"It’s in the spirit of doing things yourself and making things yourself and empowering yourself, and being able to do it as a community," she says. "It brings together like-minded individuals to create one-of-a-kind, wearable art."
Megan Nicolay will kick off her book tour with a demonstration from her book "Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt" at the Park Slope Barnes & Noble (267 Seventh Ave. at Sixth Street) on March 15 at 7:30 pm. Bring a T-shirt or wear one of your own creations. For information, call (718) 832-9066.
©2006 The Brooklyn Paper
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