The summer of 2021 is, once again, the summer of tie-dye. And while style might not seem like the most important concern in the world right now, you have to wear something. And right now tie-dye shirts, hoodies, bandanas and shoes are absolutely everywhere you look.
Did this tie-dye trend seem to come out of nowhere? Think again. Menswear designers like Off-White, Jacquemus and Misbhv have been showing the best men’s tie-dye clothing since last season. And if you’re an old-school jam band enthusiast, then tie-dye’s practically part of your DNA. Popular since the mid-60s, the mélange of swirling colors is a symbol of happy hedonism.
Since we’re living through the summer of tie-dye everything, we wanted to break down this fashion trend. In this post, we’ll explore the origins of this colorful style. We’ll also share some of our favorite tie-dye shirts, tie-dye hoodies and tie-dye accessories for sale right now, from classic t-shirts to limited-edition tie-dye watches and stylish cloth face masks.
Keep reading to find all of the best men’s tie-dye clothing for sale this summer.
Where Did Tie-Dye Come From? The History of Tie-Dye
How did the abstract dye become summer’s perennial go to print? Tie-dye’s modern popularity has murky origins, but it first started to appear in 1964. Some claim (or blame) Ken Kesey and his psychedelic-soaked Merry Pranksters, who experimented with model airplane paint and fabric as seen in found footage that floated around during that era, and was later incorporated into 2011 documentary, Magic Trip.
The trend has also been hailed as saving clothing dye brand Rit Dye from extinction. In 1965, an exec from Best Foods, the parent company of Rit Dye, flew to New York City looking for artists who’d be open to experimenting with tie-dye using Rit. Exec Don Price scoured Greenwich Village and found two out-of-work window decorators, Will and Eileen Richardson, who gave it a shot. Using velvet and chiffon, Price was thrilled with the results and showed them to a bunch of designers. Famed designer Roy Halston placed a $5,000 fabric order and dressed Ali McGraw and other celebs in chic tie-dye wear. A few years later, menswear designer Gordon Deighton was selling upscale tie-dye menswear in London’s Simpsons of Picadilly department store.
By the time Woodstock rolled around (1969) Janis Joplin and Joe Cocker (who reportedly made his own tie-dye apparel) wore tie-dye on stage. Every decade since then, tie-dye in some way or form comes back into fashion. Weirdly enough, tie-dye socks were a very big thing in the 80s.
Tie-dye isn’t a modern invention. The oldest piece of tie-dyed fabric is pre-Columbian and dates back to 500-800 AD. The traditional colorways of red, blue, yellow and green wouldn’t look out of place today. Ancient tie-dye styles can also be traced back to Japan, as their Shibori dying techniques (pleating, folding and then dipping into dye) are sometimes named as the forerunners of modern tie-dye. Menswear company John Elliott has been incorporating traditional Japenese Shibori dying techniques into his clothing, as seen here:
DIY tie-dye?
Yes, you can create your own tie-dye creations at home. All you need are rubber bands, clothing and, of course, clothing dye. You can buy Rit Dye online and either soak your clothing in a basin or use a washing machine. YouTube’s littered with tons of tie-dye instructional videos to help you along. You can also pick up a tie-dye kit. The kits come with lots of colors and tips.
How Do You Style Men’s Tie-Dye Clothing & Accessories?
First, remember that not all tie-dye is created equally. The bold psychedelic colors of your typical Grateful Dead t-shirts aren’t actually in style right now. Instead of the rainbow vomit colorways you’re used to, modern tie-dye has a distinctly modern look. In terms of color, designers are currently experimenting with both darker tie-dye and pastel tie-dye. You’ll also find lots of barely-there tie-dye prints that use plenty of white space in their designs. Finally, lots of popular tye-dye clothing is designed to resemble marble or a cloudy sky, and blue is definitely the most common color used for modern tie-dye clothing and accessories. Some of our favorite men’s t-shirts feature a light blue print that resembles the sky.
John Elliott has embraced all of these trends, as seen in these selections from the brand’s Double Dye collection. The brand’s men’s tie-dye hoodies are a work of art.
When it comes to tie-dye style, you only want to incorporate one piece of clothing into an outfit. Consider that a hard limit. You may have a closet full of tie-dye sweats, pants and hoodies, but one piece of tie-dye is enough for any outfit. The only exception would be accessories. If you wear tie-dye socks, a hat or watch, then you can combine them with another tie-dye item. Likewise, if you’re wearing tie-dye footwear, it’s okay to wear a tie-dye top, but not a bottom.
If you like the tie-dye clothing trend but are worried about feeling overwhelmed, try tie-dye socks, boxer briefs or any tie-dye accessory.
Fortunately, there’s no shortage of options, as virtually every menswear company has at least one tie-dye product for sale right now. Scroll on for the best tie-dye clothing and tie-dye accessories for men to wear this summer.
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RicherPoorer Recycled Fleece Hoodie
Image Credit: Photo Credit: RicherPoorer BEST TIE-DYE HOODIES
Based in California, RicherPoorer is all about sustainability. Their tie-dye fleece hoodie’s made from 40 plastic water bottles and cotton. The hood is lined in jersey, and the kangaroo pocket is big enough to stow stuff. It also comes in solid shades and an ombre print.
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APiece Of Cake Tie-Dye Sherpa Bucket Hat
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Urban Outfittters BEST TIE-DYE HAT FOR MEN
Adding a hat to whatever you’ve got on can make your fit look trendy. This season’s hats are all about the bucket hat, so why not wear a tie-dyed one? This soft sherpa bucket hat sports a blue and pastel tie-dye print. The unstructured crown makes it easy to stow in a bag.
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Everlane 100% Human Face Mask (5 Pack)
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Everlane BEST MULTI-PACK
You know that Everlane makes incredibly soft clothing that’s made with a conscious, and these tie-dyed face mask sets are no different. For every set sold, 10 goes to the ACLU.
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Polo Ralph Lauren Tie-Dye Print T-Shirt
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Far Fetch BEST TIE-DYE T-SHIRT FOR MEN
It’s like Ralph Lauren grabbed every drop of summer fun and tossed it into the bright tie-dye T-shirt. The tie-dye’s done at an angle, giving the appearance that it’s cascading down the cotton T-shirt. It’s got a classic cut, so this tee’s easy to wear tucked or not.
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Gramicci Tie-Dye Track Shorts
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Gramicci BEST RAINBOW HUES
Happy hues come together in these tie-dyed cotton-blend track shorts. They have an elasticated waistband and side slit pockets. And they go with everything you own.
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Echo Tie-Dye Face Masks (Set of 2)
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Bloomingdale's BEST TIE-DYE FACE MASKS
These triple-layer cotton face masks have a back pocket to place a filter. The twin tie-dye face masks can be either hand or machine-washed.
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Cotton On Special Edition Tie-Dye Active Sock
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Cotton On BEST CREW SOCKS
Shades range from coral to teal on these active cotton crew socks. Let the tie-dye peep out when you sit down. They also come in red, purple and black tie-dye patterns.
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SHEIN Tie-Dye Patched Swim Shorts
Image Credit: Photo Credit: SHEIN BEST SWIM SHORTS
On or off the sands, these swim shorts give off vacay vibes.
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Liquid Blue Grateful Dead Tie-Dye T-Shirt
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Amazon BEST CLASSIC LOOK
What’s a tie-dye clothing roundup without a little something from The Grateful Dead? This tie-dye band t-shirt is as cool now as it was in the psychedelic 60s. Made from 100% cotton, the shirt’s been hand dyed with active fiber dyes so the colors won’t fade away.
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Men’s Tie-Dye Crocs
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Amazon BEST DAD SHOES
Sure, Crocs may not be stylish in the technical or literal or figurative sense of the word, but they are comfortable af. And even though Pride Month is over, these tie-dye rainbow crocs are still the perfect beach shoes for summer. In addition to the classic rainbow tie-dye, these Crocs also come in pastel tie-dye and patriotic red-white-and-blue tie-dye prints.
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Saint Laurent Logo Men’s T-Shirt
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Nordstrom BEST DESIGNER
Saint Laurent’s tie-dye T-shirt looks like an artistic interpretation of waving palm fronds. It’s the type of shirt that’ll get you noticed . . . in a good way.
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John Elliot The Daze Sorrel Tie-Dye Pants
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of John Elliot BEST DENIM
No menswear designer is doing tie-dye better than John Elliott, and the brand was definitely ahead of the curve on this trend. Last summer, his tie-dye jeans and tops sold out fast. He’s created a new line of tie-dye clothing for this spring and summer, and they’ll probably go as quickly as last year’s, so if you like what you see, don’t hesitate. These pants were way ahead of the TikTok complaint about skinny jeans. Cut straight with a relaxed fit, with a subtle tie-dye print, they’re are sure to be another big hit.
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Isabel Marant Purple Tie-Dye Benkeenh High Sneakers
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ssense BEST TIE-DYE SNEAKERS
French designer Isabel Marant’s reinvented the high-top sneaker and made it tie-dye. She uses a mix of purple, black and white for an urbane print. The sneaker has a rubber cap toe, there’s a logo patch on the tongue, and the logo is repeated on the side.
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SHEIN Tie-Dye Jacket
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of SHEIN BEST JACKET
Toss on this cotton tie-dye jacket anytime you’re feelin’ the trend.
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Russell Athletics Men’s Tie-Dye T-Shirt
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Russell Athletics BEST ON AND OFF THE COURT
Here’s a men’s tie-dye T-shirt you can get sweat in. Russel Athletics is known for clothing that does well on any type of court, oval or off-road. This relaxed fit cotton men’s tie-dye T-shirt also comes in blue, green and yellow tie-dye patterns.
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Good Threads Short Sleeve Tie-Dye Shirt
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon BEST BARGAIN
Looking to add a trendy piece to your summer stuff? Good Threads is an Amazon brand that delivers well-made items for a wallet-friendly price. This cotton short-sleeve shirt sports an easy-to-pair tie-dye print.
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KEEN Kona Flip Flop Beach Sandal
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Amazon BEST FLIP FLOP
Looking for a way to pop the trend and not feel overwhelmed? These molded flip flops that have arch support, flash the print when you walk.
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Ksubi Venom Shirt
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of East Dane BEST IN AND OUT OF THE OFFICE
What do you get when you mix tie-dye with plaid? A button-down that looks good for your next Zoom meeting and when thrown over a t-shirt and shorts for the weekend.
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Herschel Classic Tie-Dye Backpack
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Herschel Supply Company BEST TIE-DYE BACKPACK
Herschel’s classic backpack has a tie-dye body, with an exterior black zippered compartment and a roomy lined main compartment. Heading off to a coffee shop? Stow your laptop in it and arrive in style.
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Hudson Zack Super Skinny Jeans
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue BEST MARBLE TIE-DYE
Like the tie-dye trend for men, but don’t think you can pull it off? You can with these Hudson tie-dye jeans. The colors are soft and neutral, a passing glance might register these five-pocket jeans as a soft sand shade. Made with cotton and stretch, these jeans move when you do. Some of the best tie-dye clothing for men boasts a modern marble design, and these jeans are the perfect example.
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Vilebrequin Moorise Swim Trunks
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of East Dane BEST LUXE SWIM TRUNKS
Made from a lightweight technical weave, these cheerfully printed swim trunks dry in a flash. They have two front slash pockets and one back pocket.
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Amri Tie-Dye Key Ring
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of FarFetch Best Key Ring
You’ll never lose your keys again. A tie-dye scarf is attached to a leather key fob.
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Freestyle Shark Classic Leash Tie-Dye Watch
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Amazon BEST RETRO ACCESSORY
Going back in time with a vintage or shall we say retro 80s watch. The Freestyle Shark is coming back. It has a digital face read out, Velcro band modeled after a surfboard leash, and is water-resistant to 100 meters.
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Sanuk Vagabond St Tie Dye Slip On
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Sanuk BEST SLIP-ON
Sanuk updated their classic sidewalk surfer slip-on for the summer in a tie-dye print. The slip-on has a cotton tie-dyed upper and a hemp blend lining.
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Duluth Trading Armadillo Cooling Tie Dye Boxer
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Duluth Trading BEST COOLING BRIEFS
Summer days are sunny and bright. Summer days and nights can be drippingly, horribly hot too. Microscopic jade is infused in the nylon/spandex knit boxer briefs, so you’ll feel chilled out. The one-and-a-half-inch waistband won’t dig. Plus, the fabric wicks away moisture. They also come in blue.
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Neighborhood Purple Gramicci Editon Tie Dye Ball Cap
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ssense BEST BASEBALL HAT
Neighborhood’s cotton tie-dye baseball cap keeps the sun out of your eyes and stops you from squinting. Made from cotton, it has an adjustable back.
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Old Navy Gender Neutral Tie-Dye Raglan Sleeve Shirt
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Old Navy BEST GENDER NEUTRAL
Old Navy just debuted a line of gender-neutral separates, and we’re digging this tie-dye baseball shirt.
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Wolfgang Man and Beast Dog Collar
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Wolfgang Mane and Beast BEST BFF ACCESSORY
When you’re taking your doggo for a walk, it’s nice when they can show off how fashion forward they are. Wolfgang Man and Beast’s tie-dye collar is adjustable and comes in a variety of sizes.
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BDG Vintage Sun Bleach Crew Neck Sweatshirt
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Urban Outfitters BEST TONAL TIE-DYE
This boxy cut sweatshirt tie-dye print is a cool mix of different shades of red. If you want to get in on the trend but stand out from the crowd, this is an easy way to do it.
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Acne Studios Multi Color Tie-Dye Print Card Holder
Image Credit: Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ssense BEST CREDIT CARD HOLDER
Flash a bit of color every time you pay for something when you use this earth-toned tie-dye credit holder from Swedish brand, Acne Studios.