Shelly WhitneyWant the look of some frayed hem jean shorts?
Have a pair of jeans you can cut off to make some shorts?
That is all you need!
Get a pair of frayed hem jean shorts – without buying a new pair of shorts.
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The Old Jeans
If you are like most people, you have some old jeans that you no longer wear.
It could be that they have a leg style that you no longer like. If you have made the move from boot cut or flared leg jeans and are have now sworn to wearing skinny jeans, those boot cut or flared leg jeans could be the pair that you decide to make into jean shorts.
You may also have some jeans that shrunk and are too short.
Or it could be that you now wear lower heels and some of these jeans are now too long – and you have no desire to hem them – or pay someone to hem them.
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The only important thing is that the jeans fit you at the waist and hips. Otherwise, it may just be time to donate them to charity.
But, you are not here for that – you are here to find out exactly how to turn an old pair of jeans into a pair of frayed jean shorts – easily – so, let’s get to it.
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Step 1:
Put the jeans on.
On one leg on the outer seam, use some chalk or a pencil to mark your desired length for your shorts.
Step 2:
Take them off and fold them in half at the waistband so that the back pockets touch.
Make the same mark on the other leg or side.
Step 3:
Unfold them and mark the same point on the inseam of each leg.
Step 4:
Draw a light line across matching the 2 points.
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Step 5:
Cut each leg about 1/2″ – 1″ below the line you just drew.
The amount you add will depend on how much fringe or how long you want your frayed hem to be. The more you add, the larger you can make your frayed fringe.
Step 6:
Make some slits – slightly less than the extra length that you cut – or the length you want your fringe.
Pull out some of the threads at the bottom of the jean shorts.
Note that you should cut slits a little less than the amount you added so that it gives the denim room to be frayed. The fringe or fraying will creep up once the jean shorts have been worn and washed several times.
If you really want to secure your fraying edge, you can sew a seam along the line that you drew – where you want the actual length of the shorts to be – and then you can be sure that you can fray up to that point.
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Step 7 – the really Fun step:
Not really a step but, you have just completed your frayed jean shorts so, get out there and wear them – loud and proud.
I love mine, how about you?
Let me know how it goes and just how much you love these tried and true classic summer wardrobe staples, a pair of cut-off denim jean shorts.
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Pro-tip:
Use this technique for fraying other denim items such as a pair of jeans that are too long, a pair of jeans that you want at ankle length, or even an old jean jacket.
I think fraying the sleeves of an old jean jacket could be really fun and make it a custom designer piece.
Fraying denim is really easy – and FUN!
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