DIY: "not overly distressed" Levi cut off denim shorts

What you will need:

Pair of old jeans (I am using Levi 550 relaxed fit Mens Shorts) – make sure they are roomy on the waist

Scissors

Tweezers

Tape measure

Pencil/chalk

1.

Find a pair of old jeans that have a loose fit and are comfortable around the waist. I found these 550’s on ebay for around £7 – bargain.

2.

make sure they fit. Theres no point doing this DIY with a pair of tight jeans – tight is not the desired look. I had a look on pinterest to get inspiration by typing in “cut off levi’s”. By having something to base your shorts on, you're not going to go overboard on the distressing.

3.

pop your old jeans on and make a mark where you’d like the shorts to be. THEN add an extra ince. You can always cut more off later, but for now its better for them to be too long then too short.

4.

using a tape measure, measure the length your going to be cutting your jeans and mark that length on the other side, to ensure the legs are matching.

5.

now you have a mark on both of the outside legs. I like to have a bit more material on the inner leg than most of the levi shorts I have tried on, so I mark where id like my inner leg to be also. I flip the jeans inside out and make a line from the outside mark to the inside mark. I then start to cut along this line. When that’s done, flip the leg over and repeat on the other leg. 

6.

Try them on again and make any desired adjustments. I trimmed a little off one leg! Now for the distressing, use the inside of your scissors, run the blade along the edge of the material, fraying the edges. Rememeber that the more you wash them the more they will fray, so don’t go too crazy. You can use tweezers to enhance the distressed look. 

7.

by removing the blue strands you are left with stringy white bits – doesn’t sound great but looks lovely. Pop in the washing machine and you are left with a lovely pair of DIY cut off denim shorts. 

dunaahhhhh! Not too bad for a DIY. 

Enjoy! Any questions please ask. 

six tops for a british summer.

The british summer is a special time. Sometimes its hot, sometimes its not but most of the time it just rains. Splendid. There are the obvious choice of strappy's, vests and crop tops. So i'm not going to waste my time on those. These tops are practical, versatile and perfect for the (slightly) warmer months.

First of all we have this little beauty. summer is all about layering. thin tops are a must. this long sleeve stripy number from zara is slightly sheer and very breathable. this teamed with some cut off Levi's, loverly.

This is about as smart as it gets folk, so don't get too excited. i love the 3D rose detail on this top. it is completely see through, but looks great with a bikini or pretty cami underneath. This can be worn day or night. if your a little bit more adventurous then me, it could look exciting with just a black bra underneath. ohhh ey. she was from river island in the sale a couple years ago. 

Last christmas, when i was a poor poor student i remember seeing this top and thinking, actually i would rather not eat and own this top then spend my money on food. it was love at first site (pathetic i know). it was £17.99 from zara. i love the print. its slightly cropped. a pretty top like this draws attention away from pasty pins at the beginning of summer. guilty. 

Ohhhh this is one of the softest tops you'll ever touch. its from urban outfitters fairly recently. as you may have guessed i am slightly obsessed with stripes. if you'd like a lookbook on how i style stripes please comment :) This top is loose and airy, again, really pretty with denim shorts!

It wouldn't be much of a collection without a denim shirt. as i said earlier, layering is key. cami - demin shirt- thin jumper - light jacket = boom, ready for anything, come rain or shine. i love this oversized option from topshop. a denim shirt is essential in any wardrobe. the options are endless. 

Last, but by no means least, this beautiful v neck is from zara, very recently. I am so in love with this top. its the perfect v neck. i promise you. its striped. and its not bloody cropped. what more could a girl ask for. this top would be perfect any time of the year! 

peace. 

1st july 2014. ootd

So this is new to me. Not overly confident with taking pictures of myself. But hey ho. So this is what i wore today. I bought these jeans at a vintage renewal shop in Falmouth, Cornwall a few weeks ago and basically haven't taken them off since. I adoreeeeee them. This is a very simple, british summer outfit. Hope you enjoy. 

Jeans: Vintage levi 550

Cotton cardi/kimono: Marks and Spencers

Crop top: Topshop

Shoes: Birkenstock Arizona

Belt: Stole from my brother

Bag: 2nd hand from my Granny

peace.