In California, summer is officially here. With that, comes the re-emergence of the high-waisted cutoff. These simple essentials can MAKE an outfit. I live in mine throughout the warmer months (and I wear them a lot during colder months as well…with tights.)
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to make a great pair of cutoffs that you (if you’re anything like me and a lot of my friends) will wear for the entirety of the summer…
What you need:
-A pair of high-wasited shorts or pants that fit you well in the waist, hip, butt and thigh area. I usually purchase mine from the thrift store. If they’re too big in the leg, no worries! You’re just gonna cut them off anyways… I usually find that pants are easier to cut, just because there is more fabric to hang on to while you’re cutting. That being said, don’t be afraid of a challenge. Shorts are sometimes better just cause you can cut with the seam that’s already been made.
-A pen
-Scissors
Step 1:
Put on the shorts/pants and map out where you want the cut to be. If you do this blind, you run the risk of making these babies WAY too “Daisy-Duke-Esque”. Usually, if I want a pair of more conservative shorts, I cut them to the tips of my fingers. In this case, I wanted these to be a little bit shorter, so I curved my hand. Mark the spot with your pen. A simple line is fine. You just want to remember where the point was!
Step 2:
Cut where you marked the pants, being sure to angle your cut (as you can see in the image above). The outside of the leg should be cut higher than the inside of it. Make sure to start the cut directly on the seam.
Step 3:
Place the remnant from the first leg onto the second for a marker. You want both legs to be even in length and this will help you achieve that. Again, make sure you start the cut on the seam…you may have to re-angle the shorts to do this, which is fine!
Step 4:
Try them on again! You can never really know how they’re going to turn out just by looking at them. If you like how they look – perfect! Throw them in the washer and then the dryer a couple of times to get the desired fringe. Not gonna lie, they look better and better with each washing.
If you choose to distress your cutoffs (with holes), this can easily be done with a cutting board inserted into the leg. Then, take a knife or box cutter and cut horizontally against the denim. Create as many holes as you desire, then wash.
Easy, Easy, Easy!
Let me know if you have any questions!
