Although Summer is long gone, you can never be quite sure with this weather. Sometimes November features warmer weather and oftentimes unbearably humidity (yay SJ!). You may find yourself looking for that perfect pair of shorts, even though you were wearing your parka yesterday. Cut-off denim is a staple for any versatile wardrobe, and my favorite is high-waisted cutoff denim.
You can go out and buy a full priced pair even though they are really just old jeans cut in the right places, or you can do it yourself, either with an old pair of jeans you own or with a pair from Goodwill or your local thrift store.
For finding the right pair of jeans for turning them into shorts, the main point to consider is the waist. If they fit in the waist and your legs can fit them, they will make fine shorts. I also recommend paying attention to the fabric. The thicker and more authentically denim they are, the better the fray will look, and the less DIY-ed they’ll look.
Something I love about making my own shorts, is that I control the length. They will fall exactly where you want them to on your leg. The only problem sometimes is cutting them even and in the right place. For the actual cutting process, put your jeans on and look in the mirror to find where you want them cut. Then, use a pen or marker to make marks on both legs of where you plan to cut. Take them off, get a ruler out, and draw thin lines connecting the marks, then start cutting!
There are various ways to cut your denim. My favorite is the straight across with frays at the bottom look, but other options include the cut-and-cuff where you leave enough length to cut them, cuff them, then permanently sew the cuts, or the scalloped edge.
To create a scalloped edge, grab a bottle cap that is the same size as you’d like the scallops to be (I used a Gatorade cap because they are larger). Then, use the cap as a guide and trace half moons using the bottle cap along where you want the cut to be. After both legs are traced front and back, get to cutting.
After cutting, I suggest throwing them in the wash just to get the frayed look that is so desirable nowadays. Good luck with your denim; I would love to see results!