Shredded

I have an absurd emotional attachment to my clothes. I take painstakingly incredible amounts of time choosing what I want, stalking the stores and sale sights, ad nauseam. You can find me many mornings well before dawn sitting at my computer with a cup of black coffee pouring over sale sights to find the perfect piece at the perfect value. Then I plan the outfit usually as I am falling asleep the night prior to when I wear it. In my mind I imagine how each part fits together right down to the accessories. That doesn't even begin to describe what happens after I wear something to a special or meaningful event. Then I attach sentimental value. Let's not even go into here how I am brutally loyal to certain brands. I guess you can say when it isn't broke then don't fix it. Unless the piece is completely out of style like these jeans from American Eagle. I rarely shop there but I picked these up at a resale shop and loved the way they looked on me. However their time has come, so instead of just donating them, I re-purposed them into denim cut-offs. I know you can buy jean shorts already distressed, but there was something super fun about doing these myself. Great for going fishing, hiking, kayaking, etc and with summer just around the corner....well anyway here's your "how to".

{Acid wash flares. Eeek!}

Get in front of a mirror to mark where to cut. Use chalk if you aren't good on the first go.

Fold them in half to ensure your marks line up. Use utility scissors to cut the denim.

Cut up the back of the seam two inches at least to avoid the "sausage effect".

Get out your preferred tools for distressing. 

Start scraping the denim and make sure the pocket is pulled out and back it with cardboard in case you cut all the way through.

I used a pumice stone to distress the jeans further. Nail files also work. The darker the denim the more white threads will show giving more of a contrast.

If you want to create a hole where only the white threads show then you have to snip two tiny holes apart as far as you want the hole large. Then taking your time pull out only the BLUE threads. Again this is easier if the denim is darker to begin with.

I cuff mine a bit in the front and leave them a little longer in the back for better coverage. I thought they turned out pretty great!! 

{This post is dedicated to Audrey who always has a leg up on fashion.}