A 30-Second Way to Update an Old Pair of Jeans

Outfit Details:

Madewell Striped Top (more sizes here), Old Jeans – Refashioned (Similar Here), Nine West Heels (also more colors here), Rebecca Minkoff Crossbody Bag, Urban Outfitter Sunglasses

I’m sure all of you have an old pair of jeans lying around in your closet, yes? I tend to donate or sell a lot of my old clothing, but I had this one pair of jeans from Gap that I bought about 5 years ago that I just couldn’t ever get rid of. They fit so well on my waist and hips, but they’re more of a straight leg and a longer length, so I had to cuff them and it just never quite worked.

So a quick little update that literally took thirty seconds, and now they have a trendy step-hem. Also, now I can’t stop wearing them!

Also, I picked up this shirt a few weeks ago and have been wearing it nonstop. It’s a perfectly oversized casual shirt that can be dressed up or down, and it goes with literally everything. I’m wearing a size small for reference!

Step hems are showing up all over the place, and it’s just a hemline that’s an inch or so longer in the back than in the front. I’ve linked to a few pairs below, but if you have an old pair of jeans lying around, try your hand at the easiest DIY ever.

Here’s what you need:

• an old pair of jeans — I find that straight leg ones are the best, but skinny jeans work too!
• scissors
• washing machine

Step 1. Try on your jeans and measure how long you want them in the front. The length for the front is more important than the back! Make a little mark with a fabric pen.

Step 2. Remove your jeans and measure your marks against each other to make sure they’re even.

Step 3. Now cut off the original hem.

Step 4. Then without cutting the side seams, cut the front of the jeans up the side, across at your mark, and down the other side.

Step 5. If you need to cut the back shorter, do that now.

Step 6. Now toss them in the washer and dryer. The washing/drying will naturally make the ends fray!

[note: if you don’t want your jeans to get too frayed, sew a straight stitch with blue (or matching) thread about 1 cm above the edge of the hem after you’ve washed it. This will keep it from fraying above the stitches].