I instagrammed a photo of these two weeks ago, and I've been restraining myself from taking scissors to my entire jean collection. I distressed these in a few spots and I love the outcome. These were a pair of vintage levi's boyfriend jeans that I picked up at a thrift shop that needed to be re-loved.
*Jeans
*Measuring Tape
*Chalk or Fabric Marker
*Sharp scissors
Slip on jeans and measure where you want to cut jeans with chalk (or fabric marker). If you plan to cuff them, add about two inches to your desired length. Cut jeans at marked lines with scissors.
With scissors, cut two slits in area where you want to distress. Keep in mind the distressing will occur inside of the two slits.
Once you have cut your desired slits, pull at the white threads with a fine needle to loosen and separate from the blue threads. Pick at the white threads individually and lift them away from the denim edge. This helps to loosen the white threads and also the blue ones.
Use your tweezers to pull the blue threads out. This part is a bit of a challenge, but once you get the first thread the rest come out pretty easily. Continue distressing in other areas to achieve your desired look. Don't worry if you mess up here or there, the whole finished product is supposed to look imperfect. That's the whole appeal to the distressed look.
After you're done, throw them in the washer and dryer to get that fraying and tattered look.
Voila! Final product after wash and dry.
*In order to create the perfect denim shorts out of jeans, choose a pair that is slightly looser in the thigh area. I chose a pair of boyfriend levi's.
*One way to choose the perfect length for your shorts is to measure the intended jeans against a pair you already own and are the perfect length. It's always better to make them longer, just to be on the safe side.
*You do not necessarily need to use the needle to dig out the white threads; but I did find it easier on time (and my hands!)
*Always throw them in the washer and dryer. This step is essential to achieving the distressed look.
*If this is your first time distressing, it would probably be best to test out on a pair that you don't have too much love for in the event the distressing doesn't come out exactly the way you want it to.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to email me. I'd be more than happy to help!
Have fun!
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What screams summer better than white nails reminiscent of wite-out?! Except it's not actually wite-out...stay with me here. It's Essie's Blanc. A true white that is opaque in color. It has become my celebratory summer nail color. And I love the way the white pops against my skin. It's difficult to apply, yes; it can be chalky, streaky, and show imperfections too easy for my liking. But, I have a few tips that I follow that may help you.
Step One: start with nails completely removed of polish. i like to buff mine to provide a smooth canvas before applying the polish and i swear this helps the polish last longer. if i have time, i apply a base coat. if you don't have time, start out by applying one thin coat of essie 'blanc.' this serves as the base or the 'primer', if you will. look away because if you are like me, you will be tempted to take the polish off because it hurts your eyeballs to look at your nails. umm, ok not literally. but seriously, don't worry about the streaks.
Step Two: once the first coat is set and dry, go ahead and apply a second fuller coat. for me, two coats is enough to get the perfect white lacquer. for others, three may be enough.
Step Three: do not skip this step, it is essential to any manicure. add one layer of 'no chips ahead' and let dry completely. the top coat helps to seal the polish preventing it from chipping and makes it shine. ever had a polish dry to a matte? not cute! my polish lasts a good 4-5 days without any chipping. LET DRY COMPLETELY.
A Few Tips:
- roll (don't shake) the polish bottle between your hands; this keeps bubbles out.
- to keep your hands (and feet) extra moisturized, soak them in a little olive oil and lemon juice once a week. this also helps soften the cuticles. you can also do this right before the mani.
- bottle of polish drying out or thickening? add a drop or two of nail polish remover to help thin it out.
- if you're in a rush, place hands in freezer or ice water to help dry faster.
HAPPY AUGUST
P.S. Thank you so much for those of you who emailed me on what to check out in the Lake George area. We didn't get to do everything we wanted, but that just gives us an excuse to go back right?!
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