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As a petite person, I’m constantly struggling to find a pair of jeans that fit me perfectly. I end up buying “ankle-length” versions that somehow end up right below my heels, and I’m constantly rolling up hems as a part of my denim look. Sure, I could take my jeans to the tailor and spend $15-$20 to shave off a few inches, but let’s be real — I’m just too lazy to bring them in to get hemmed. Hence, when I found out that frayed hems were gonna be a huge fashion trend in 2017, I was stoked. I could finally upgrade some of my old jeans without breaking the bank, and if I were to grab a new pair, I wouldn’t have to begrudgingly roll them up anymore. Scroll down to learn two easy hem treatments for your next denim purchase (:
The Tassle Trim Hem
Bring some cute flair to an outfit with this easy no-sew hack!
Materials and Tools:
- a pair of jeans
- tassel trim
- fabric glue
- chalk
- needle
- scissors
- measuring tape
Instructions:
- Try on the jeans and measure how high you want the jeans to rise.
- Lay the jeans on a flat surface and use a piece of chalk to draw a guideline.
- Snip off the hem.
- Use a needle to pull at the loose horizontal threads, one at a time.
- Fold up the hem.
- Line the tassel trim with fabric glue. Make sure to dab some on the edges of the trim as well!
- Gently press the trim onto the newly frayed edges of the jeans.
- Fold the hem back down.
Start off by trying on the jeans and marking off how high you want the jeans to rise. Lay them on a flat surface and use a piece of chalk to draw a guideline. Use your shiny gold scissors to snip off the hem.
Use a needle (or your fingers) to pull at the loose horizontal threads, one at a time.
Now to add some frills! Fold up the hem. Line the tassel trim with fabric glue. Make sure to dab some on the edges of the trim as well! This will prevent the edges from coming undone. Gently press the trim onto the newly frayed edges of the jeans. Let it dry for 30 minutes before folding the hem back down.
Ta-da! Your tassel trimmed jeans are ready to be rocked.
Irene looks mighty cute in these tassel-trimmed jeans!
Seriously, #obsessed.
The Uneven Hem
You’ve probably seen this denim treatment in stores. It’s not only on trend, but also easy to do! Customize your own version with the simple steps below.
Materials and Tools:
- a pair of jeans
- sand paper
- chalk
- needle
- scissors
- measuring tape
Instructions:
- Try on the jeans and measure how high you want them to rise.
- Lay the jeans on a flat surface and use a piece of chalk to draw a guideline.
- Snip off the hem.
- Measure out an additional two inches from the raw edge and draw a line across.
- Cut up the front panel of the jeans (avoiding the side seams), and then cut across the jeans, following the chalk line you marked.
- Use a needle to pull at the loose horizontal threads, one at a time.
- For a more distressed look, apply sandpaper to the edges and play with the lengths of the loose threads.
First things first, try on the jeans and make note of how high you want them to rise. Lay the jeans on a flat surface and use a piece of chalk to draw a guideline. Use your shiny gold scissors to snip off the hem.
Measure out an additional two inches from the raw edge and draw a line across. Cut up the the front panel of the jeans (be careful to avoid the side seams), and then cut across the jeans, following the chalk line you marked.
Now for the fun part… creating the frayed look! Use a needle (or your fingers) to pull at the loose horizontal threads, one at a time. For a more distressed look, apply sandpaper to the edges and play with the lengths of the loose threads. The hems will naturally fray more over time with wear and wash.
Annnnnd you’re done!
Dang, so much EDGE in one photo…
Are you planning to update some of your old jeans? If so, share your photos with us on Instagram by using the hashtag #britstagram, and follow us on Pinterest for more DIY inspo!
Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
DIY Production and Styling: Karen Pham
Models: Karen Pham, Irene Lee
Photography: Brittany Griffin
