Look, I spent my high school years in the South, so I’m no stranger to the allure of the pearl. But after having lived the Yankee life for the past ten years, these days I prefer to wear my pearls with a twist. That means instead of an heirloom strand, I opt for gumball-sized earrings or a modern two-finger ring. Even better? A perfectly slouched white t-shirt sewn with a carefree smattering of pearl beads that subtly catch the light like a handful of lustrous confetti.
I started with a $6 Hanes t-shirt and took to it with a needle and thread. About an hour later I was left with this ladylike statement piece that pairs perfectly with my favorite boyfriend jeans for a look that’s polished but not too precious. This is one of those low-effort-high-reward projects that quickly becomes addicting. Now I’m looking through my closet wondering what I can pearlify next…and I have a feeling an old pair of jeans may just be next.
For this project, you’ll need the following:
• plain white T-shirt
• pearl beads
• needle and white thread
1. Cut about 24″ of thread and thread your needle (it’s much easier to work with short pieces so it doesn’t tangle).
2. Starting at the top, sew the pearl beads on one by one, making sure to space them out evenly. It’s also important to make sure the thread is nice and taught before you tie it off, so the pearls don’t droop.
3. Style with your favorite pair of distressed denim for a cute ladylike-meets-edgy look.
