D.I.Y. Make new shorts out of your old jeans

Mackenzie Hurlbert – Copy Editor –

It is finally spring, and this beautiful weather is the perfect opportunity to show off those tanned, toned legs you’ve been working on all winter! Why not make your own shorts out of your drab winter jeans that are either too short, too long, or simply too ragged for next season? The great thing about DIY jean shorts is that they can be modified in many stylish ways. Grab your scissors, get creative, and have some fun!

All you’ll need is:

-An old pair of jeans

-Scissors

-Tailor’s chalk

-Ruler

-A pair of shorts that fit you well

1) Lay a pair of shorts over the jeans making sure the crotch matches up perfectly. Hold down the edge with a ruler and trace the edge of the shorts on each jean leg with our tailor’s chalk.

2) Using your scissors, cut the legs off about half an inch below the line you just created.

3) If you are happy with your shorts as is, throw them in the washer and drier! They will unravel naturally and create that frayed look without any of the work. The fun doesn’t have to end here though!

4) In order to create a distressed look, take your scissors, some steel wool, and some sandpaper to your jean shorts and rough them up. If you want to cut holes in them, cut a small slit and use your hands to unravel it further

5) If you want to add some color to the jeans, splatter some fabric dye on them or draw designs with fabric pens.

6) If you want to make them faded, dip them in bleach. I like splattering some bleach on my jeans, but you can also use a bleach pen to create cool designs! The back pockets of your shorts are good places to decorate. I suggest drawing or planning out what you’d like to design beforehand.

7) Printed shorts are really in now, so if you want to add some print to your creation, you can use fabric paint, stamps, and stencils. Metallic fabric paint would be really cool to use, or you can use a variety colors.

Make sure, whatever you do, think out of the box. You can recreate those shorts sold at Forever 21 for $30, or you can make them even better!

Plan what you want them to look like beforehand, and get going. Break is just around the corner, and an awesome pair of jean shorts is a wardrobe essential for summer fun.