Nasty Gal, Urban Outfitters, Shopbop, basically every online retailer that I love seems to be teeming with cute and colorful denim shorts in a wide assortment of bright colors....and I want them all! But I definitely can't afford them all. So I took it into my own hands to make my own pair from scratch for as cheap as possible! So here is my first ever DIY to make such short and I must say I was very pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
What you need:
jeans or shorts
fabric dye
a bucket
bleach
decorating materials
(studs, paint, fabric, etc.)
1. Start with a pair of old mom jeans that fit you from your local thrift store. I was able to score this old pair of Levi's for $1.99 thanks to a half off sale at my favorite Salvation Army.
2. Cut them as short as you would like, I prefer them a bit shorter in front and longer in back.
3. Think of something fancy to do with all your leftover scraps.
4. Fill a large bucket about halfway with water, enough to fully submerge the shorts and add 4 cups of bleach. Best wear protective gloves for this step and be careful not to spill the bleach. This is the longest step, it will take overnight for all the blue to come out. Make sure you stir the shorts using a stick every once and awhile to make sure the color is evenly removed.
5. Once all the color is gone pull the shorts from the bucket and let as much water as possible drain off.
6. Next, follow the directions on your pack of clothing dye. I used a brand called RIT in the color petal pink. It came in a powder formula but I've heard liquid works great as well. You can also do this in a bucket, but again make sure to stir it around a bit.
7. Play with a puppy until the color sets! I left it in for about 20 minutes to get my desired color.
8. Once the shorts are the shade you want, wash them in hot water to set the color and then dry. From here you can leave them plain or decorate them however you want! I bought a studding kit from
Studs and Spikes and used that.
Tadaaa!
