Because sunny spring days are slowly creeping towards us, I wanted to do a tutorial on how to make some high-waisted jean shorts.
A few weeks ago, I was shopping in Portland and saw a super cute pair of high-waisted Levi shorts… and then I looked at the price tag and cringed—60 bucks for a pair!
I knew I could make some that were just as cute for much less money. I found a perfect pair of high-waisted jeans for a fraction of the price and set out to make my shorts.
Here’s how you can make some of your own:
What you need:
- One pair of high-waisted “mom” jeans
- Scissors (preferably fabric scissors)
- Sharpie/Pencil
- Optional: fabric for pockets, studs, bleach & a spray bottle (I’ll explain later)
Instructions:
- Put on your jeans & mark how far you want them to go with the pencil or sharpie. *Remember: you can always cut more off, so start a little longer than you want. Also, if you want them to be cuffed like mine, mark them 2 or 3 inches longer.
- Take off the jeans and cut away! To make sure you aren’t mooning the world in your new jeans, cut them at a diagonal, so the back is longer than the front.
- I wanted them to be cuffed for mine, so I cuffed them while they were on, pinned them, and sewed a couple of stitches on the outside hemline so they wouldn’t un-cuff.
- This is the step where you get to be creative! Try finding a cute floral or tribal fabric and adding it to the back pockets, adding studs for a grungy look, or using a spray bottle and bleach to make them a retro acid wash (wet the jeans, wring out the extra water, spray on the bleach, let sit for 10 minutes, and then wash them in the washing machine).
- Voila!
Now you have awesome high-waisted shorts for a fraction of the price of ones from the store. My favorite parts? Because you made them, no one will have the same ones, AND this is a super sustainable practice!
Stay tuned for more DIY projects!