Best clothing items in Stardew Valley & how to make them
Making the right clothing items can definitely up your fashion game in Stardew Valley, but you'll need to know what specific items to use in the machine.
Highlights:
- Clothes can be made using the Sowing Machine in Emily's house
- You'll need a piece of Cloth and another item to make an item of clothing
The best clothes in Stardew Valley will ensure that your farmer is looking their best at all times, but making them does sometimes require a little bit of effort.
Fashion is always worth it though - especially in this game, as you'll be able to don your favourite style while you harvest your crops, tend to your animals, and even traverse the Mines. The best part is, they don't even need a wash!
How to make clothes in Stardew Valley
Clothes can be made by using the sewing machine in Emily and Haley's house, requiring one piece of cloth and a specific item for each piece of clothing.
The sewing machine isn't available immediately, but it can seemingly be unlocked through a number of different ways. Waiting a week after completing the 'Rock Rejuvenation' special order seems to be one particular trigger, but you can also unlock it after obtaining one piece of Cloth - which is where most players, including myself, will get it.
You'll often be using rare items to make your clothes - like the Ancient Doll you'll need to get the secret Meowmere sword, but many can often be sourced from things you'll have lying around, so it's best to just experiment if you've got the spare Cloth!
Clothes can also be found as random loot from monsters, chests, and even dropped from things like weeds. However, if you're after a particular item of clothing, then the best place to head is the sewing machine.
Best shirts to make
Shirt | Item Needed (+Cloth) |
Crop Tank Top | Wheat |
Letterman Jacket | Energy Tonic |
Black Leather Jacket | Beer / Mead / Pale Ale / Piña Colada / Wine |
Emerald Shirt | Emerald |
Iridium Breastplate | Iridium Bar |
Bomber Jacket | Bomb / Cherry Bomb / Mega Bomb |
Fishing Vest | Bullhead / Carp / Chub / Largemouth Bass / Lingcod / Midnight Carp/Perch/ Pike / Smallmouth Bass / Sturgeon / Walleye / Woodskip |
Grey Hoodie | Geode |
Denim Jacket | Field Snack |
Oasis Gown | Tom Kha Soup |
High Waisted Shirt (Top Dyeable) | Deluxe Speed-Gro / Quality Fertilizer / Quality Retaining Soil |
High Waisted Shirt (Bottom Dyeable) | Basic Fertilizer / Basic Retaining Soul / Deluxe Fertilizer / Deluxe Retaining Soil / Hyper Speed-Gro / Speed-Gro / Tree Fertilizer |
Turtleneck Sweater | Copper Ore / Iron Ore / Gold Ore / Radioactive Ore |
Grey Suit | Esperite |
Red Tuxedo | Red Plate |
Vintage Polo | Hematite |
Chef Coat | Escargot |
Plain Overalls | Egg |
Prismatic Shirt | Prismatic Shard |
Flames Shirt | Spicy Eel |
Canvas Jacket | Chewing Stick |
Warm Flannel Shirt | Wheat Flour |
Dark Bandana Shirt | Truffle / Truffle Oil |
Bridal Shirt | Ornamental Fan |
Orange Bow Shirt | Winter Root |
Island Bikini | Golden Coconut |
Crop Tank Top
This shirt is perfect for the Summer season, and it can even be dyed into several different colours to suit your wardrobe best!
Letterman Jacket
Get your sports hat on with this Letterman Jacket - which is also perfect for anyone who loves a bit of Alex in their life.
Black Leather Jacket
Leather Jackets are timeless items that fit many different aesthetics, so it's never a bad idea to have this in your proverbial Stardew wardrobe.
Emerald Shirt
While looking fairly plain, this Emerald Shirt is a nice addition that'll go with most things you wear. For the price of just one Emerald - which can be found easily in the Mines - you certainly can't say so. You'll definitely have the eyes of Clint, Emily, and Penny too!
Iridium Breastplate
While this might not be the most fashionable, this Iridium Breastplate is perfect for keeping your fashion while venturing into the Mines or the Skull Cavern. It, unfortunately, doesn't give any defence benefits, but the enemies will be stunned by your style alone!
Bomber Jacket
Bomber jackets, like their leather counterparts, are timeless items that fit a wide range of different styles. While this doesn't have the puffy nature of a traditional flight jacket, it still looks great on any farmer.
Fishing Vest
Any seasoned fishing expert must have this ready to go before they cast into the water, as it'll definitely make you look the part and will any legendary fish into your rod.
Grey Hoodie
I just love grey hoodies, and this particular item is perfect for helping my farmer look as comfortable as possible as they perform their daily duties.
Denim Jacket
This particular denim jacket looks both classic and fantastic with the light grey shirt underneath - and the fact it only requires a Field Snack to make only makes it better.
Oasis Gown
If you've ever wanted to pair with Sandy - and frankly, who wouldn't - then this Oasis Gown is the perfect item of clothing for you! Just make sure to dye your hair too for the perfect match.
High Waisted Shirt
With long or high-waisted trousers very much being in style, what better way to integrate it into your Stardew wardrobe than with this item? There are two different versions of this item, with one letting you dye the shirt part, and the other letting you dye the trousers.
Turtleneck Sweater
Turtlenecks are perfect for the colder months, so definitely add this to your wardrobe if you want both function and fashion once the snow hits the ground.
Grey Suit
Keeping things formal isn't exactly fit for farm work, but this Grey Suit will help you stay smart in the moments when it matters. You might look a little bit like Agent 47, but hopefully, nobody will notice.
Red Tuxedo
This works excellently alongside the Grey Suit for those more serious moments too, and might even be a consideration if you're getting married to your favourite villager.
Vintage Polo
I love this T-shirt personally, as its lovely burnt orange colour goes well with many of the game's earthy tones.
Chef Coat
Any budding cook will need to jump at the Chef Coat, as this outfit lets you feel at home when you're cooking up your favourite recipes. What better way to get it too than with the classic Escargo dish?
Plain Overalls
There is perhaps no more iconic piece of farmer fashion than the Plain Overalls, so you'd regret it if you don't have these dungarees in your wardrobe.
Prismatic Shirt
If you simply want to show off then the Prismatic Shirt is the way to go, as this cycles through the rainbow in real time and is the sign that you have enough Prismatic Shards to throw away on clothes!
Flames Shirt
If you've ever wanted to look like Stardew Valley's own Guy Fieri then this shirt is the one for you, but in general, it's tough to resist the sheer cool of the Flames Shirt.
Canvas Jacket
As a lover of Canvas Jackets myself this is one I jumped at getting, but it's also a brilliant item to have that goes with plenty of different colours and styles.
Warm Flannel Shirt
Like the overalls, there are few things more classic than a Flannel Shirt, and this warm version looks wonderful in the Autumn.
Dark Bandana Shirt
I've actually got this Dark Bandana Shirt on my character right now, and the combination goes perfectly with the Dark Cowboy Hat that you get from Treasure Rooms in the Skull Cavern for that cowboy aesthetic.
Bridal Shirt
Much like the suits, this Bridal Shirt is perfect for your own wedding, so make sure to get the whole set to look your best!
Orange Bow Shirt
This is a wonderful shirt option that almost looks like a camp collar shirt, making it perfect for most Seasons in the game.
Island Bikini
Fancy heading down to the Beach or over to Ginger Island? Pack this bikini to make the most of the sun!
Best pants to make
Pants | Item Needed (+Cloth) |
Long Dress | Fairy Rose / Sunflower |
Pleated Skirt | Poppy / Summer Spangle |
Dinosaur Pants | Dinosaur Mayonnaise |
Genie Pants | Ancient Fruit / Starfruit |
Relaxed Fit Pants | Apple / Apricot / Banana / Cherry / Mango / Pomegranate |
Relaxed Fit Shorts | Orange / Peach |
Prismatic Pants | Prismatic Shard |
Prismatic Genie | Prismatic Shard |
Long Dress
This is the main dress option that you'll find in the game, and like most other items in the pants category, you'll find that it's fully dyeable to suit whatever outfit you're going for!
Pleated Skirt
If the dress is just a little bit too long then you'll maybe want to consider the Pleated Skirt, which once again can be dyed pretty much any colour.
Dinosaur Pants
It's Dinosaur Pants, what's not to love?
Genie Pants
If you're looking to give your trousers a bit more volume then the Genie Pants will be perfect - and there's even a set that you can create too to give that perfect bottled-up look.
Relaxed Fit Pants
Relaxed and wider-fit trousers are all the rage now, so you'll definitely want to swap out the boring standard pants for these. The default colour is based on the colour of the fruit you use, but they can also be dyed whatever you like.
Relaxed Fit Shorts
These are the same deal as the pants just before, only even more perfect for the breezy summer month when you need a bit of air on your knees.
Prismatic Pants
These offer the same shape as the standard pants you'll have when you first start your adventure, only this time they'll cycle through the whole rainbow for some extra flair.
Prismatic Genie Pants
The same is true for these Genie Pants too, although these perhaps fit the Prismatic theme the best with that bit of magic needed by a genie.
Best hats to make
Hat | Item Needed (+Cloth) |
Dinosaur Mask | Dinosaur Egg |
Wearable Dwarf Helm | Dwarf Gadget / Dwarvish Helm |
Fashion Hat | Caviar |
Spotted Headscarf | Red Mushroom |
Floppy Beanie | Maple Syrup / Oak Resin / Pine Tar |
Fishing Hat | Ice Pip / Midnight Squid / Scorpion Carp / Slimejack / Spookfish / Stonefish / Void Salmon |
Blobfish Mask | Blobfish |
Party Hat | Fireworks / Pizza / Chocolate Cake / Fish Taco |
Propellor Hat | Miner's Treat |
Bridal Veil | Pearl |
Witch Hat | Golden Pumpkin |
Dinosaur Mask
It's a Dinosaur Mask, what's not to love?
Wearable Dwarf Helm
This is the perfect item if you're best friends with the Dwarf at the top of the Mines, but I'd maybe avoid wearing it around Krobus!
Fashion Hat
This is eerily similar to the hat worn by one Mr Qi, but it looks fantastic in its own regard and might be the finishing touch you're looking for.
Spotted Headscarf
This headscarf will help you avoid any hair mishaps with the wind, and can also look very cute when you put it on your animals too!
Floppy Beanie
The beanie is one of fashion's most reliable headpieces, so definitely add this to your wardrobe and whip it out whenever it works.
Fishing Hat
Going perfectly with the Fishing Vest, this hat will keep you protected from the sun in those long days by the river or sea.
Blobfish Mask
Pretty disgusting, but if that's what you're going for then knock yourself out!
Party Hat
Wear this on your favourite villager's birthday and pretend that you're throwing them a party - they'll love it!
Propellor Hat
I can't say no to a Propellor Hat whenever it's presented to me, although it might get blown away in the winds that the Valley seems to produce some days.
Bridal Veil
Pairing this with the Bridal Shirt will make for the perfect wedding outfit, so now it's up to you to cultivate a worthy romance.
Witch Hat
This spooky hat is the perfect way to get close to the Wizard - although his past might leave him a little prickly. You can easily get the Golden Pumpkin through the maze during the Spirit's Eve Festival in Year One too.
How to dye clothes
Clothing items can be dyed by using the dye pots right next to the sewing machine in Emily's house, and they're both unlocked at the same time.
Unfortunately, not every item of clothing can be dyed - but ones that can give you a greater sense of flexibility when it comes to your fashion in Stardew Valley.
Typically I found that trousers were more commonly dyable compared to tops, letting you coordinate your colours better and create a cohesive outfit.
That rounds off everything you need to know about clothes and dying in Stardew Valley, but before you hit the runway make sure to check out all of the Community Center items, the best sprinkler layouts, and how to get Stardrop Tea.
About The Author
Harry Boulton
Harry is a Guides Writer at GGRecon, having completed a Masters of Research degree in Film Studies. Previously a freelance writer for PCGamesN, The Loadout, and Red Bull Gaming, he loves playing a wide variety of games from the Souls series to JRPGs, Counter-Strike, and EA FC. When not playing or writing about games and hardware, you're likely to find him watching football or listening to Madonna and Kate Bush.