Hop on the Trend: DIY Distressed Denim We are big fans of DIY projects and even more so when it comes to fashion. The newest DIY project is distressing denim. Denim is such a staple to own. Whether it’s a pair of jeans, a jacket, skirt, shorts, or shirt, it goes with everything! Recently, people have been loving the torn, frayed, shredded, and just plain roughed-up look for their denim. It’s edgy and adds a kick to your every day style. We are here to show you some great resources you can look to for inspiration when distressing your denim at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6gbrDikNNU - Kallie Kaiser In this video, Kallie teaches us how to distress three denim items, transforming them into trendy, wearable pieces. A big trend at the moment is buying denim clothing from thrift stores and then distressing the pieces to your liking. It’s a forgiving practice, cost-wise, if you mess up while distressing your clothing. Kallie follows the trend by finding a thrifted pair of yellow-green jeans that she cuts into shorts and adds iron-on patches for a fun summer flare. She also distresses a pair of loose-fitting jeans by cutting off the hems at mid-calf length and frays them. For an edgy touch, she hammers in silver metal grommets/eyelets along both outside pant seems. The last piece she distresses is a classic denim jacket. She cuts off the hem so that the jacket loses its’ structure and then proceeds to cut from the bottom up in strips. The result: A wonderfully distressed denim jacket that has a casual, loose shape and fun movement to it. Watch Kallie’s video for more detail on how to achieve these awesome looks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8hov7_4yRo - Drew Scott This time around, Drew shows us how to cut up and detail our jeans. In this video, he shows us how to create seven unisex looks. Drew’s video is educational at a fundamental level. He points out the anatomy of the denim, showing that if you pull out the vertical blue threads, white horizontal threads will be exposed and vice versa. He recommends using an X-Acto knife to rough up the edges of the tears made in the fabric as well as throwing the denim piece into the dryer for a super distressed look. In the rest of the video, Drew shows us how to create looks involving metal hardware, paint, denim bleaching techniques, notched hems and more. Watch Drew’s video to learn how to get the looks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFQIz9sjiPs - Bella In this video, Bella shows us how to get the simple ripped-at-the-knee look. Different people will recommend using different tools to distress denim and Bella recommends using chalk, scissors, sandpaper, and tweezers. What’s great about this tutorial is that she shows herself trying on the jeans to visualize where she wants the rips to lie and then marks the area with the chalk. It seems like common sense, but sometimes we are hasty and go in blindly when we need to be more precise. Especially with ripped jeans! Who would have thought creating holes in clothing required any sort of method? It’s a great reminder to people altering their clothes in any way. Watch Bella’s video to see how she creates the perfect minimalist rip-in-the-knee look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gikQgYnHIdc - Q2HAN In this video, twin sisters Q2HAN, show you how to deconstruct two different pairs of jeans to create a two-tone, distressed, denim skirt. It’s a more challenging DIY project, but it is perfect for those who want to utilize their seam rippers and sowing skills. The video is detailed, showing step-by-step movements on how to fold, cut, and sew different pieces of the jeans to create this fierce, one of a kind skirt. Watch Q2HAN’s video to see how it’s done! https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/whowhatwearcom-2242/beginners-guide-to-distressing-your-jeans-5727081695 - Who What Wear This article encompasses the basic steps on how to distress your denim. What’s excellent about this resource is all the pictures at the end of the article. They show all sorts of cuts, color and fades on the denim, and outfits featuring the distressed jeans so everyone is surely able to find a style they like. Whether you prefer a busy look with lots of rips that are frayed or a few tears with cleaner lines serving a more minimalist look, there is a style for everyone. Explore these resources and find one that fits you! Images courtesy of apairandasparediy.com