• Home
  • About
    • Disclosure
  • Categories
    • Wardrobe Capsules
    • Daily Outfits
      • Casual Work Wear
      • Travel
      • Holidays
    • How To Wear It
    • Trends To Try
    • Mom Style
    • Maternity Style
    • Thrifty Tips
    • Shopping
    • Beauty
  • Shop my outfits
    • Discount Codes
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Thrifty Wife Happy Life

Helping women love what they wear on a budget

How to: Distress Your Own Denim

October 16, 2017 by Katie Haller

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life | How to: Distress your own denim
Today, I want to share my latest obsession with distressing my own jeans.  I love the look of distressed denim, but I’ve had bad luck finding distressed jeans that I really love.  They are either too distressed or not enough.  I feel like the ones that I really like are way out of my price range.  I feel like you shouldn’t have to spend $70 + for a cute pair of distressed jeans.  That’s why this fall I started looking over some of the jeans in my closet that I never wear anymore and I decided that I would make them new again by adding some holes to them and distressing them a bit. (sounds weird to make something new by destroying them, but hey it’s the style.) 

I started searching on Pinterest for how to distress your own jeans and I was confused by some of the articles I found.  Some talked about using a cheese grader or sandpaper.  Luckily, I was able to find a good video on YouTube that broke it down for me. 
So here are the steps I took to distress my jeans. 
Step 1: Pick out a pair of jeans that you want to distress.  I would go for an older pair or a cheaper pair of jeans that you wouldn’t mind if you messed up.  The jeans I picked for this post are a pair of Express jeans that I’ve had in my closet for probably 10 years.  They needed a makeover!  I recommend that you do some research first on what style of distressed jeans you want.  I personally don’t like too many holes, so I kept it simple with 2 holes on the knee and a small hole on the upper leg on one side.
Thrifty Wife, Happy Life | How to: Distress your own denim

Step 2: I used a white eye shadow to mark where I wanted to make the cut.  (I read to use eye shadow instead of a marker or pencil because it washes out easily.)

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life | How to: Distress your own denim

Step 3: Once you have your spots marked, start cutting.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life | How to: Distress your own denim

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life | How to: Distress your own denim


Step 4: After you’ve made your cuts, use your fingers to fray the material a little until you see the white fibers.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life | How to: Distress your own denim


Step 5: Once you’ve frayed the ends, you will be able to see the blue fiber ends.  Use a pair of tweezers to pull the blue fibers out.  This is the time-consuming part.  I recommend you do this part in your bathroom or somewhere you can easily clean it up because it gets a little messy.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life | How to: Distress your own denim

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life | How to: Distress your own denim


Step 6: Once you’re done with one hole, move on to the next and do the same technique until you’re done.  I was very pleased with how my second pair of jeans turned out.  Now a pair of jeans that I was ready to put in my Goodwill bag a month ago are my new favorite pair of jeans.

Thrifty Wife, Happy Life | How to: Distress your own denim

I hope that was helpful.  Let me know if you have any questions.  I’d be happy to help!

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailOrganizing Your Small Closet on a Budget Default ThumbnailYear of Color- Blue Dress Default ThumbnailGrey Plaid Scarf

Filed in: Affordable Fashion, Thrifty Looks, Thrifty Tips • by Katie Haller • Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Thrifty Wife Happy Life Profile picture

Hi I'm Katie! Welcome to my blog! I am on a mission to help women build a wardrobe that they love without spending a lot of money doing it. I believe that everyone has the right to feel good in their outfit, no matter what your budget is! I am excited to have you here!
About me

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Follow me

Amazon favorites

Search

Archives

Disclosure

This blog contains affiliate links, which means by clicking on and/or making a purchase through a link I earn a small commission.  For more information click HERE!  Thank you for your support!

Follow

@thriftywifehappylife

thriftywifehappylife

Love what you wear, wear what you love!
Thrifted fashion + Affordable retailers (5'1)
👨‍✈️ Wife • Mommy 💙💗
📍Michigan
💌 thriftywifehappylife@gmail.com

Katie || Affordable Fashion
If you love online thrift shopping I highly recomm If you love online thrift shopping I highly recommend checking out @goodwillfinds_! In today’s blog post I am sharing everything you need to know about online thrifting at GoodwillFinds.com! I’m also sharing my amazing thrift treasures  and how I styled them! 

Head over to thriftywifehappylife.com for all the details! (Link in bio) 

#goodwillfinds #looksforless #onlinethrifting #thriftfinds #thriftythursday #thriftinghaul #thriftyfashion #thriftyshopper #affordablefashion #thriftystyle #secondhandfashion
I love this colorful short sleeve button-down shir I love this colorful short sleeve button-down shirt from @walmartfashion! It’s only $15 and it makes a great piece to bring some color to your wardrobe this summer! 

🛍How to shop my posts🛍
✨Click on the link in my bio and go to the button that says “shop my LTK page”. 
✨Download the free @shop.ltk app and follow @thriftywifehappylife for all my outfit details! 
✨ Links shared in stories for 24!
✨ Comment or DM me if you have any questions or need any help finding a link! 😊

#walmart #walmartfinds #walmartwednesday #walmartstyle #summerstyle #momstyle #affordablefashion #howtowearit #whattowear #momootd #momfashion #momiform #momstyleblogger #ltkstyletip #ltkblogger
Happy Memorial Day! ❤️🤍💙 I hope everyon Happy Memorial Day! ❤️🤍💙

I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend! Here is my weekly outfit round up of what I wore as a SAHM last week! 

I am loving the warmer weather! It always gets me excited to get dressed in the mornings! 

🛍How to shop my outfits🛍
✨Download the free @shop.ltk app and follow @thriftywifehappylife for all my outfit details! 
✨ Click on the link in my bio for my shopping page on my blog!
✨ Message me if you have any questions or need any help finding a link! 😊
✨ Go to my SAHM Outfit highlight for all the links to my everyday outfits! 

#sahmoutfit #realmomoutfits #momootd #wiw #momstyle #momoutfits #momoutfitinspo #realmoms #momstyleblogger #momfashion #casualoutfits #summerstyle #aummerootd #momiform
If you buy one piece from my summer wardrobe capsu If you buy one piece from my summer wardrobe capsule I recommend these pull-on shorts from @loft! They are so comfortable and perfect to wear all summer long! 

These shorts are currently on sale this weekend for $25!! They run slightly big. I’m wearing an xsmall. 

🛍How to shop my posts🛍
✨Click on the link in my bio and go to the button that says “shop my LTK page”. 
✨Download the free @shop.ltk app and follow @thriftywifehappylife for all my outfit details! 
✨ Links shared in stories for 24!
✨ Comment or DM me if you have any questions or need any help finding a link! 😊

#loft #loftstyle #howtowear #summerstyle #summeroutfits #momoutfit #momootd #momstyle #momstyleblogger #styleover35 #michiganblogger #whattowear #greenshorts #shortsforsummer #easyoutfits
I’m loving this summer dress from @somaintimates I’m loving this summer dress from @somaintimates! It’s so comfy and versatile! Best of all it has a built-in bra so there’s no need to worry about what style of bra to wear with it!! 

I’m 5’1 and wearing an xsmall. It runs slightly big! 

🛍How to shop my posts🛍
✨Click on the link in my bio and go to the button that says “shop my LTK page”. 
✨Download the free @shop.ltk app and follow @thriftywifehappylife for all my outfit details! 
✨ Comment or DM me if you have any questions or need any help finding a link! 😊

#somapartner #summerstyle #bradress #builtinbra #easystyle #summerdress #summeroutfits #howtowearit #outfitideas #momoutfits #momstyle #styleover35
I’m re-sharing some of my favorite @gibsonlook p I’m re-sharing some of my favorite @gibsonlook pieces!! I have been loving all these pieces, especially the tops! 

✨Get 20% off with my code: THRIFTYWIFE20

Sale runs from now until Monday 5/29/23 11:59pm. 

🛍How to shop my posts🛍
✨ Comment “LINK” and I will DM you the link directly! 👏🏻
✨Click on the link in my bio and go to the button that says “shop my LTK page”. 
✨Download the free @shop.ltk app and follow @thriftywifehappylife for all my outfit details! 
✨ Comment or DM me if you have any questions or need any help finding a link! 😊

#gibsonlook #getthelook #wardrobestaples #momstyle #everydaystyle #easystyle #salealert #memorialdaysales #summerfinds #wardobeessentials #summerstyle #michiganblogger #michiganstyleblogger
✨My mom-friendly summer capsule wardrobe is here ✨My mom-friendly summer capsule wardrobe is here!!✨

This wardrobe capsule is full of easy to mix and match pieces that will help you stay stylish all summer long! Head over to the blog where you can find all the details on how to stay stylish when the weather is hot and also what bras to wear with your summer tops and dresses!! 

🛍️How to shop the summer capsule wardrobe 🛍️
✨ Comment “LINK” and I will DM the link to my blog post directly to you! 
✨ Go the link page in my bio and click on the button that says “read the blog”. 
✨ Go to thriftywifehappylife.com to read this blog post and more! 
✨ Comment or DM if you have any questions 😊

#momwardrobe #momstyle #summercapsule #momfriendly #fashionideas #momootd #wardrobecapsule #capsulewardrobe #momstyleblogger #casualoutfits #summeroutfits #summerstyle #summerwardrobeessentials #summerwardrobecapsule #petitestyle #petitefashion #petitefriendly
🖤 GoodwillFinds Pinterest Inspired Looks! 🖤 🖤 GoodwillFinds Pinterest Inspired Looks! 🖤

#ad I found so many great pieces online thrifting at @goodwillfinds_! They work perfectly to recreate these Pinterest inspired looks I have saved to my boards! You can currently shop the Buy More Save More Memorial sale at GoodwillFinds!! 

🖤 Outfit 1: Inspired by @jeanwang 
Blouse- Express
Jeans- Express
Blazer- J.Crew 
Shoes- Fanco Sorto
Purse- Steve Madden
Jewelry- Madewell, J.Crew, Alex Ani, Poly
Sunglasses- Feisedy

🖤 Outfit 2: Inspired by @lillydemello 
Green striped button-down- Anthropologie
White jeans- Paige
Shoes- Franco Sarto
Purse- Steve Madden
Sunglasses- Feisedy

#goodwillfinds #looksforless #thriftstorefinds #onlinethriftstore #onlinethrifting #thriftyfashion #thriftstyle #affordablefashion #recycledfashion #secondhandstyle #michiganblogger #styleinspo
Load More Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Thrifty Wife Happy Life