I think I live a quarter of my life or more in jeans. Dark rinses mostly, but the styles range from skinny to straight leg to flare and then there’s the multitude of denim shirts I own. My Super Easy co-host Jesse Brune-Horan and I decided to do a little wardrobe tweaking with a “Fashion DIY: How to distress and fray denim.” We each took a pair of jeans to fray the hems and I added in a denim shirt to give a more distressed look to it. The denim shirt ended up looking like I’d worn it for years and was now vintage.
Fashion DIY: How To Distress & Fray Denim
To create this frayed hem on the jeans I cut the bottom of the jeans off and then used a knit picker tool usually used for sewing and fixing knit sweaters. Use the tool to pull at the threads of denim fabric off the bottom of the jeans. As you pull off threads the jeans will begin to fray. You’ll need to do it multiple times around the entire hem. Be patient since it’s not quick, but with a few wears and washings it will look even more frayed.
Here’s our Fashion DIY: How To Distress & Fray Denim video.
Materials needed to fray denim include sharp scissors, a knit picker tool and a dremel. When using a dremel be sure to wear protective glasses.
For these Parker Smith high waisted jeans below I created a high-low frayed hem. I cut the front of the leg shorter than the back.
How To Distress & Fray Denim
For the denim shirt I used a dremel tool, specifically the small round head with sand paper attachment. It immediately wears away the fabric. I used it on the cuffs and hem of the shirt to create a frayed, worn in effect. On the sleeves and even lower back of the shirt I used it to create small tears in the fabric.
Lifestyle experts Alison Deyette and Jesse Brune-Horan
Loved this one? You might like to try another fashion DIY of how to bleach denim.
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Style Expert Alison Deyette is a TV + digital host and Los Angeles stylist who was recently named one of the top stylists in Los Angeles by Variety, WWD, Angeleno, and Modern Luxury magazines. Known as “The Fixer,” she can help you solve your fashion conundrums, take the reins of a home decorating transformation, or hand you the hottest trend without breaking a sweat. When teamed up with her bestie Jesse Brune, they share fun tips from fashion to food to DIY and décor in their Super Easy videos on their Super Easy YouTube channel.