Amid the sea of dark t-shirts, sweats and neutral hues in the hallway, a splash of color is a stark but pleasant contrast. Students have been embracing this recently by wearing one of the most classic expressions of color on clothing: tie-dye. Tie-dying is named for the process of using highly pigmented dye on fabric that is tied and soaked in water to create vivid patterns.

Tie-dying originated over 3,000 years ago in India, and has been used in China, Africa and Peru over past centuries. The popularization of this trend in the United States did not catch on until closer to the 1960s, when the hippie movement became popular. It was prevalent throughout this time and through the 1970s.

In general, people associated the dyed garments with the free-spirited, bohemian feel of the era. It was popularized by the band, The Grateful Dead, as well as their huge following of “dead heads” who embraced both the hippie movement and the clothing. The concept and style was bolder and made a bigger statement than the more conservative and refined styles of the past several decades. Another reason for the bohemian generalization is that when the shirts are paired with other elements of a similar style, the effect could be overwhelming. Fringe, vests and tie dye were the epitome of a “flower child.”

It may have once been viewed as different, but tie-dye is making a statement at Annandale this year. The trick to mastering tie dye today is to pair and combine it with more modern, contemporary colors and pieces of clothing that help balance the brightness. A fitting example is that several sports teams have offered spirit wear in tie-dyed patterns, most recognizably girls lacrosse, who has shirts in deep rainbow colors.

“I like the shirts because they’re colorful,” sophomore JV lacrosse player Kalie Rosati said.

Tie-dying has become so mainstream today that the simple process is frequently used at summer camps and for arts and crafts with young children. From old trends to new trends (a bit confusing), the key idea behind their longevity is to update and modify a specific style to fit this time and the individual styles of everyone.