In spirit of Coachella, these festival shorts seem fitting! Sure, i'm just going to fantasize that i'm in Cali on April 14th but what better way than these shorties! Initially, I went searching for black, distressed shorts in American Eagle and Forever 21. AE's shorts are at a price point of $49.50 right now and F21 has shorts to fit your budget but not your waist apparently. I was unsuccessful on my quest. At home, Brandon had a pair of old Levi denim jeans that he was going to get rid of and your girl took this as a masterpiece! You can find your own denim from your boyfriends, brothers or even your local goodwill. Mens denim seems to fit better for this look due to their comfort in the thigh area but these shorts really are your preference. You can make them as long or short as you desire.
Cost: Less than $10 or free if you already have the supplies.
Supplies Needed:
- Denim Jeans
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Cloth Chalk or Pencil
- Ruler (recommended)
First thing first, I'm the realest. Just kidding. First thing first, try on your denim! Make sure they fit. You want your denim to be very comfortable. Skinny jeans are not ideal for this DIY.
Secondly, use the chalk to make a thin mark to determine the length you desire in front and back.
Next, take your jeans off and examine the marks you made. Use your ruler to draw a defined line the length in which you want your shorts to be from the crouch out. I positioned my ruler at an angle so that the outer sides would appear shorter. To me, this is what makes your shorts look store bought and more flattering. You can choose to cut straight across if you want more of a bermuda short look. You will complete this process on both sides (front and back). The back of your shorts you will need to likely make longer to cover your booty.
Then, take your scissors and cut directly on your chalked lines. Be sure to open the pants legs when you cut because the front length will not be the same as the back length. Once you've finished with your initial cut, fold your shorts in half and make sure the back left and right are even. Fold again and make sure the front left and right are even.
Try on your shorts to see if any final adjustments need to be made before continuing. This is the time to shorten them more if you need to.
Next, it's time for the fun part! DISTRESSING! So, take your shorts off and examine where you want your cuts to be. My recommendation is 2-3 cuts on front left and right side. I made 6 cuts on my shorties. Begin with your bottom cut of about 3 inches, aim about 2 inches above the bottom of your shorts. Your next cut up should be about an inch above your initial cut and should measure about 4 inches. If you choose to do another cut, cut another inch above your last cut and measure 2-3 inches.
Btw, if you don't find your pockets being displayed flattering, you can apply iron on patches to them or do as I did by cutting the front pockets out completely.
Done with the front! If you choose to distress the back, put two cuts measuring 2-3 inches in one of your back pockets.
Then, take your tweezers and tweeze away on every cut you made (this includes the length cuts!) This is what will give you that natural distressed look after your initial wash. This process also helps if you fix any mistakes with your cutting. For example, if you have a sharp cut thats just a tad bit uneven.
Finally, throw your shorties in the wash and voila! Your refurbished denim are now vintage festival shorties! Enjoy Peaches!
JNB