How to up-cycle thrifted jeans into custom cut-offs:
Places such as Urban Outfitters and American Eagle have the all of the up and coming styles of clothing available for the new seasons, however prices can often be sky high. Most of the the time, I can never bring myself to pay a small fortune for items that may be "out" in the next six months. I've seen girls wearing distressed, denim shorts all summer and thought to myself, "You can do that!". So, I am going to share my tips and tricks to up-cycling a pair of men's jeans into a new, hip pair of jean shorts!
What you will need:
-
Men's Jeans
-
A black sharpie marker or chalk
-
Scissors
-
Sandpaper/Steel Wool/Cheese Grater
-
Tweezers
-
A star stencil or cookie cutter
-
Acrylic Paint
-
A Dry Paint Brush
Steps to Creating your Cut-offs:
-
1) I took a trip to my local Goodwill and found a pair of Men's Wrangler Jeans for $5.49! I highly recommend searching in a thrift store because you'll often be able to find quality brands such as Levi's and Wrangler that are cost efficient. Be sure to move around a good bit before purchasing your jeans to ensure that they fit your bottom and waist comfortably. I find that men's jeans work the best when cutting them into shorts because the legs in the pants are wider and flare out more than women's do after being cut. You’ll want to have plenty of room to move around in!
-
2) Before cutting your jeans, you will want to take a sharpie or chalk to mark where you'll make your first cuts. I find that chalk is more visual, and you can always wash the chalk out of your shorts later. Remember, it is better to leave a longer cut than a shorter initial cut because you can always make your shorts shorter. You can't make them longer!
-
3) After cutting your first leg, flip the short side over, and cut along the side you haven't cut yet. This way you know the legs will be even. Then cut straight across, and you've got a pair of shorts!
-
4) Your shorts should have a frayed edge already from your scissors. I recommend fabric or kitchen scissors for an easier cut. A typical pair of scissors are more likely to dull due to denim fabric being a very thick and durable material Take your tweezers and begin pulling each white thread out to create a distressed look. I often like to use a piece of sandpaper or steel wool to loosen the white threads. This fool proof method speeds up the fraying process. A cheese grater even works well; be careful not to cut yourself while doing this step!
-
5) I also added holes in my shorts by making two slits near the pocket and pulling each blue thread out from in between. Be sure to turn your pocket inside out so you don't cut holes into the actual pocket. For a more torn look, you can rip your jeans, and they’ll have a more tattered appearance.
-
6) Cut small slits at the seam of the legs if your pair of shorts are too tight. This will make them looser and more comfortable to move around in.
-
7) Throw your shorts in the dryer to help with the distressed look. The more you wash and dry your shorts, the more the denim will lighten and fray.
-
I didn't want any ordinary shorts that every other girl has, so I decided to customize mine by painting stars on them. This is also an easy method to utilize if your shorts have stains or discoloration on them!
8. I took three colors of acrylic paint and cut out stencils of stars. These stencils can be anything from stickers to cookie-cutters. Anything works! For each color, I used a dry paint brush! It is very important to use a dry brush so your colors don't bleed or run in each star. This paint is difficult to remove so stay cautious when you’re applying it. 
9. After your paint dries, wash your shorts with cold water, and dry them on a light setting. This will ensure that the paint will remain for a while. If your painted jeans begin to fade over time, you can always paint over your artwork to give it a fresh look. You've got your very own pair of custom denim shorts!
Don't forget that the back of your shorts are just as important as the front! I like to cut holes in the back pockets; however, you have to be very careful to not cut into the actual shorts itself. The back pockets do not flip inside out!
Relax, Breath, Create
Have fun with your DIY because it doesn't need to look perfect! The point is to make a distressed pair of shorts! Anyone can do this stress-free thrift-flip whether you're fifteen or fifty. The only set back to this project is your time! So, sit down, put on a good podcast or movie and start cutting. You'll be ready for the summer in no time with your new pair of cut-offs.
How to up-cycle thrifted jeans into custom cut-offs:
Places such as Urban Outfitters and American Eagle have the all of the up and coming styles of clothing available for the new seasons, however prices can often be sky high. Most of the the time, I can never bring myself to pay a small fortune for items that may be "out" in the next six months. I've seen girls wearing distressed, denim shorts all summer and thought to myself, "You can do that!". So, I am going to share my tips and tricks to up-cycling a pair of men's jeans into a new, hip pair of jean shorts!
What you will need:
- Men's Jeans
- A black sharpie marker or chalk
- Scissors
- Sandpaper/Steel Wool/Cheese Grater
- Tweezers
- A star stencil or cookie cutter
- Acrylic Paint
- A Dry Paint Brush
Steps to Creating your Cut-offs:
- 1) I took a trip to my local Goodwill and found a pair of Men's Wrangler Jeans for $5.49! I highly recommend searching in a thrift store because you'll often be able to find quality brands such as Levi's and Wrangler that are cost efficient. Be sure to move around a good bit before purchasing your jeans to ensure that they fit your bottom and waist comfortably. I find that men's jeans work the best when cutting them into shorts because the legs in the pants are wider and flare out more than women's do after being cut. You’ll want to have plenty of room to move around in!
- 2) Before cutting your jeans, you will want to take a sharpie or chalk to mark where you'll make your first cuts. I find that chalk is more visual, and you can always wash the chalk out of your shorts later. Remember, it is better to leave a longer cut than a shorter initial cut because you can always make your shorts shorter. You can't make them longer!
- 3) After cutting your first leg, flip the short side over, and cut along the side you haven't cut yet. This way you know the legs will be even. Then cut straight across, and you've got a pair of shorts!
- 4) Your shorts should have a frayed edge already from your scissors. I recommend fabric or kitchen scissors for an easier cut. A typical pair of scissors are more likely to dull due to denim fabric being a very thick and durable material Take your tweezers and begin pulling each white thread out to create a distressed look. I often like to use a piece of sandpaper or steel wool to loosen the white threads. This fool proof method speeds up the fraying process. A cheese grater even works well; be careful not to cut yourself while doing this step!
- 5) I also added holes in my shorts by making two slits near the pocket and pulling each blue thread out from in between. Be sure to turn your pocket inside out so you don't cut holes into the actual pocket. For a more torn look, you can rip your jeans, and they’ll have a more tattered appearance.
- 6) Cut small slits at the seam of the legs if your pair of shorts are too tight. This will make them looser and more comfortable to move around in.
- 7) Throw your shorts in the dryer to help with the distressed look. The more you wash and dry your shorts, the more the denim will lighten and fray.
I didn't want any ordinary shorts that every other girl has, so I decided to customize mine by painting stars on them. This is also an easy method to utilize if your shorts have stains or discoloration on them!
8. I took three colors of acrylic paint and cut out stencils of stars. These stencils can be anything from stickers to cookie-cutters. Anything works! For each color, I used a dry paint brush! It is very important to use a dry brush so your colors don't bleed or run in each star. This paint is difficult to remove so stay cautious when you’re applying it.
9. After your paint dries, wash your shorts with cold water, and dry them on a light setting. This will ensure that the paint will remain for a while. If your painted jeans begin to fade over time, you can always paint over your artwork to give it a fresh look. You've got your very own pair of custom denim shorts!
Don't forget that the back of your shorts are just as important as the front! I like to cut holes in the back pockets; however, you have to be very careful to not cut into the actual shorts itself. The back pockets do not flip inside out!
Relax, Breath, Create
Have fun with your DIY because it doesn't need to look perfect! The point is to make a distressed pair of shorts! Anyone can do this stress-free thrift-flip whether you're fifteen or fifty. The only set back to this project is your time! So, sit down, put on a good podcast or movie and start cutting. You'll be ready for the summer in no time with your new pair of cut-offs.
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