How to Make Your Own Daisy Dukes (2024)

Daisy dukes might just be my favorite summer accessory. But length and style can be kind of a challenge, so rather ather than obsessing over finding the perfect pair, I decided to make my own!

Here are a few ways to turn your drab old jeans into the perfect pair of summer shorts in just a few easy steps!

Classic Distressed Shorts

Maya McDonald

What you’ll need:

• Loose jeans (boyfriend or straight jeans should work perfectly)
• Scissors
• Masking tape
• A seam ripper
• An Exacto knife

Maya McDonald

1.To start, try on your old jeans to figure out your desired shorts length. For my own, I measured about fiveinches from the inseam to keep my shorts short but not too revealing. Take a long piece of masking tape on either side, and mark up the length on each side before chopping off the legs of your denim. Just remember, it’s easier to trim later than to make your jeans too short right away—so give yourself an extra inch to work with.

Maya McDonald

Maya McDonald

2.Grab your favorite distressing tools, and get to it! I love to use a seamripper ($3.99, Amazon.com) to create frayed holes and to add a fringe to the newly chopped areas. You can also make incisions with an X-Acto knife and fray the edges for a more worn-in look.To keep your jeans classy-ish, keep the holes and distressed marks to just the lower half of your shorts.

Maya McDonald

And voilà! With just twoeasy steps, you should have an easy, chic pair of shorts your can rock all summer long. Pair your new daisy dukes with easy breezy tanks.Or go witha structured blazer and heels for a more dressed-upnight-on-the-town vibe.

Maya McDonald

Scalloped Skinny Shorts

Maya McDonald

What you’ll need:

• A pair of well-loved skinny jeans
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• A white piece of chalk or a tailors pencil
• A small lid or top for tracing

Scallops are always chic for summer, so why not DIY your own trendy pair?

Maya McDonald

1.Grab your favorite pair of old skinny jeans to get the party started. Kick off the process by trying them on to determine how short you’d like them to be, and then add at least threeextra inches before cutting them off (you’ll need extra material to add your scallops!)

Maya McDonald

2. Once you’ve cut off your extra denim, take tape, and mark the shortest you’d like your shorts to be. With the material underneath the tape line, start creating your scallops with the top as your guide. Start from the outside seam of your shorts, and work your way in, tracing each half circle with your pencil or chalk.

Maya McDonald

3.Once you’ve gotten your tracing groove on, you’re ready to cut your scallops. Take pins to secure the front and back of your shorts together to make sure your scallops will look similar from the front and back. Cut along the chalk line with your scissors, ensuring that you don’t cut too far into your masking tape (otherwise your shorts will become a smidge too short).

Maya McDonald

And just like that, your favorite skinny jeans are transformed into super trendy (and not too skan*y) short-shorts! Pair them with your favorite casual tee or a funky 70s style top to mix a few fun summer trends together flawlessly.Seriously, go there—your summer style won’t be sorry!

Maya McDonald

See? It’s not so hard to make your new summer shorts chic with your favorite old jeans and a little creativity. Let us know if you have any other DIY short styles you’re trying out this summer—we’d love to get the 411!