Old is gold
Who said that having old, dingy clothes is BAD? There are times when you
want a little dinge (hence the grunge look). On the whole, it's better not
to take fashion tips from a hobo, but vintage and slightly used might do
you some fashion good.
* Holes, tears, and wear
There was a time when holes in your jeans were all the rage. A little
modest skin, a little wear and tear on denim makes it look well worn. Just
make sure they are not in awkward places, and definitely no more than an
inch wide. You can create wear by dirtying clothes with fresh soil (in a
tied towel or sock), or by rubbing it with sandpaper.
* Faded glory
You can fade your clothes and denim by washing (don't use a color-safe
detergent). Make sure to wash them right side out. You can also scrub
clothes gently with pebbles or sand.
* New clothes that have been worn
A good thing about buying secondhand is that you don't have the stiffness.
But when you buy new, you can get the same look. Give a crisp t-shirt a
pull at the neck, button and unbutton, roll and unroll sleeves. Crumple
a shirt before you wear it. You can
also steam out fresh creases from pants with your iron.
* Shoes
Step in a shoe and press until the toe bends. You'll have a nice crease.
Walk around in them in the mud, or if you don't have the time, just stuff
them with socks so they loosen. You can also break in shoes by oiling and polishing them until they soften.
* Other stuff
Break in anything by wearing it a while, like hats, watch straps, and bags. The distressed look, rather than truly distressed, is better.