How To Make Ripped Jeans – 5 Different Ways

Ripped jeans are among those much-loved pieces of clothing that we can never get enough of. Since the punk era of the 1970s, ripped jeans have symbolized rebellion and self-expression. They have remained a staple, unlike many fashion norms that are fleeting. Over the years, they became very iconic in popular culture and were embraced by rock stars and other trendsetters. Today, they speak of individuality and represent a laid-back, edgy personality. The slightly tattered and worn-out look of the jeans gives them character and makes those who wear them look like a free-spirited soul.

But the issue is, they are often more expensive compared to regular jeans, which does not seem fair given that they are, after all, distressed. This question must have popped in your head. Instead of buying them, can you learn how to cut jeans at home to make them look attractive? So, if you want to know how to make ripped jeans right at home, then you can be happy to know that you have landed yourself in the right place. Today, in this article, we are going to teach you how to get yourself ripped jeans without having to burn a hole in your pocket. And since they do not require you to make proper ripped fabric, it gets further easier. Yes, this sounds like a great deal. So to achieve the goal, all you have to do is scroll down and give this piece a read. Without further ado, let us get started then. Come on!

Ace The Look

• Occasion: Ripped jeans are perfect for casual outings such as running errands, going out with friends for coffee or lunch, shopping, strolling in park and for concerts and movie festivals.
• Footwear: Pair your ripped jeans with a classic white tee or colorful sneakers for a cool look, or pair it with sandals or loafers for a comfortable summer look. For a polished look, pair it with ankle or heeled boots.
• Accessories: To enhance the look, add accessories like oversized sunglasses, layered necklaces, statement belts, stackable rings, or chunky bracelets that complement your style.
• Bags: Opt for a crossbody or statement bag that suits your style, adds a bold and eye-catching element to your ensemble, and is utilitarian.

What Is Ripped Jeans?

Take your regular jeans and add a few rips, shreds, scrapes, frays, and fades to them. You have yourself ripped/distressed jeans. We cannot point to who started it, but it was part of the grunge fashion movement, but now they have practically taken over. Jeans, shorts, jackets, and you name it — they are all ripped!

Did You Know?

Ripped jeans were popularized in the 1970s and 1980s during the rock, punk and metal era. Many people cut their jeans as a sign of anger and protest against the traditional norms and society.

• What Are Distressed Jeans?

Ripped, distressed, or torn — one way or the other, they all mean the same. Another thing you can do to make them distressed is to take darker shade jeans and bleach or sandpaper them to fade them out; to make them seem worn out or distressed. Yes, we are a generation that pays for stuff like this. So don’t get into this loop. Take this DIY ripped jeans project.

How To Make A Ripped Jeans – DIY Step By Step Tutorial

Wondering how to make your own ripped jeans at home? Making ripped jeans is no rocket science. It’s something that you can do with stuff you already have at home. Just needs a teeny bit of planning, patience, and practice.

1. Select A Jeans Or Shorts

Even before you start the process, think of the denim jeans you could use for this DIY process. Preferably something old but fits you well (or not). If you are a beginner, then see if you have jeans you already cut into shorts or one that you don’t mind if it goes wrong, just in case.

2. Bring All The Supplies You Will Need

Depending on whatever you plan to do with your jeans, you will need to get your supplies in place just so that you do not run to the convenient store mid-way and get distracted. Here’s what you will need.

• For holes, shreds (one or all of them) — Fabric scissors, or utility cutter knife.
• For removing threads — tweezers.
• For scrape and frays — razor or scissors.
• For a distressed look — pumice stone or sandpaper.
• For marking — marker, tailor’s chalk, or just a pen.
• For measuring – a ruler.
• For personalizing some fabric colors, patches, or embroidery.
• To protect your hands – a pair of gloves.

Quick Tip

You can also use a cheese grater to help create a frayed chic look.

3. Start Marking To Rip/Distress Them

The most important step in the process is a place where most of us (beginners) screw up. Decide what you want to do with your jeans and then mark it clearly. It is just an efficient way of doing it. If you are not sure how much is acceptable and where to do what, scroll through to find out. We are about to discuss that.

4. Start Ripping (Distressing)

At this point, you already know what you want to do, and the markup is done. Just start ripping it off or distressing it. To make it more personal and fitting to your style, use patchwork, embroidery, or fabric paint to add details. They can make your jeans custom-fit, turning your jeans into an original piece.

5. Finishing Touches

You are practically done; just ensure it’s not sloppy and the finished product looks neatly done.

Maria Angelica, a blogger, shares how she was able to get ripped jeans: “To make the rip look extra worn, I then do the same [scratch] using a nail file (you can use sandpaper if you have that) (i).”

5 Ways To Make Ripped/Distress Jeans

1. Remove The Threads

Your jeans basically have white threads horizontally and blue threads vertically. I was clueless about this up until the point I did this exercise. So, to get this distressed striped look, you have to start tweezing out the vertical blue threads of the patch you marked earlier. As a first-timer, removing the first few threads will be the hardest, but it will loosen up as you progress, and it gets much easier.

Click here to watch the video tutorial.

2. Fray The Edges

Fraying the edges is another fun way to distress your jeans. If you are not very experimental, this is a good place to start. It is fashionable, yet not over the top. Cut the end of the jeans or your shorts slightly and start removing threads with a tweezer. You could also scrape the edges off with a razor or sandpaper.

“Fraying the edges is a good way to give your jeans a wild and trendy look, especially if you are no longer in your teens,” says personal stylist Paola Farina.

Click here to watch the video tutorial.

3. Fray The Pockets

Frayed pockets are subtle and an interesting way to distress your jeans. It adds extra spunk and makes it cool. Just take off the top layer of the pocket without going too deep. Then, either scrape the surface with a razor or sandpaper or just remove some threads with tweezers.

Click here to watch the video tutorial.

4. Make Holes

Making holes to distress your jeans is also a style that is in vogue right now. But how to cut holes in jeans properly? As a beginner, try cutting smaller holes using a fabric scissor. If you want bigger holes, try cutting them closer to the pocket so you can use the pocket cloth if the hole gets big or awkward. If you are confident, by all means, do it. Cut off the portion with scissors and then fray the edges, or you could just remove threads with a tweezer.

Quick Tip

You can use white or blue thread to sew around the perimeter of the holes and keep them from getting bigger.

5. Scrape Or Bleach Off

Add subtle touches to distress your jeans with a combination of other methods or just as a stand-alone. Either way is totally fine. You could add bleach for a faded edgy look or take a pumice stone, sandpaper, or even steel wool and scrape off the parts of the jeans on which you want the faded look.

Click here to watch the video tutorial.

Where And How To Manage A Ripped Jeans

• Now that you have learned how to scrape, shred, and drill holes into your denim jeans, let’s go over a few things you should know.It is also important to understand how to strike a balance without actually ripping the jeans apart or making them look like rags. Also, know the best placement for each of these.

• Unless you prefer to go all out, overdoing the distressed look can leave a bad aftertaste. So, according to the fashion police, the two-and-a-half rule (give or take) looks and works best. So, two holes, two shreds, and a scrape is a good starting point. Feel free to tweak it, but this is a good reference for amateurs.

• Shreds look best in the thigh region, and a couple of inches long is good.

• Holes usually start on the knee and go up two inches (for obvious reasons). Don’t go overboard with the holes; keep the length to an inch and only as wide as your leg because they show more skin when you sit. Plus, horizontal ones are better.
• Scrapes near or above the thigh are great.

Infographic: DIY Ripped Jeans: 5 Steps To Make Them At Home

Ripped jeans emit a cool-casual vibe and instantly amp up the style quotient. They are one of the most versatile pieces in your wardrobe and can be paired in endlessly stylish and creative ways. You can rock them with a crisp white shirt or a blazer to shell out serious boss babe vibes. Also, you can pair them with a simple tee or a corset top and sporty shoes to nail the street-style look. Want to create your own unique ripped jeans? Check out the infographic below for more information.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I care for my ripped jeans after making them?

Ripped jeans must be handled with care as the holes or the distressed part need to be maintained. It should be hand-washed, inside out, on a gentle cycle to reduce wear on the rips and frays. Avoid bleach as it weakens the fabric. It’s better to let them air dry instead of drying in a machine, as the dryer might cause more fraying.

How do you rip jeans without tweezers?

You can use a razor or scissors to scrape the jeans. Pumice or sandpaper can also be used to create a distressed look. It can also be done manually by marking and ripping the jeans carefully.

Is it OK to wear ripped jeans to school?

No, ripped jeans are not allowed in many schools. They are not suitable for school attire and may be considered inappropriate in many institutions.

Can I make ripped jeans without damaging the overall integrity of the fabric?

It is possible to do so but it is very difficult, the key is to carefully cut and distress it without weakening it too much. Using sturdy denim fabric and reinforcing the areas around the cuts with stitching can help prevent further damage to the fabric.

What are some popular styles or designs for ripped jeans?

Some popular styles of ripped jeans are small-cut ripped jeans, sequel ripped jeans, and huge-cut ripped jeans and they are available in different types like skinny ripped jeans, bootcut ripped jeans, boyfriend ripped jeans, and frayed hem ripped jeans.

Can I make rips in jeans that have stretch or elastane fibers?

Yes, it is possible but it is more challenging than making rips in 100% cotton jeans. The stretchy fibers make it more difficult to control the size and placement of the rip. Additionally, utmost care is needed to not cut the elastane fibers themselves as it will cause the fabric to lose its elasticity and fit.

Illustration: How To Make Ripped Jeans In 5 DIY Methods

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Learn how to distress your jeans for a stylish, edgy look from the video below! Get tips on how to rip, tear, and destroy your jeans for a unique fashion statement.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Paola FarinaPersonal Stylist

   

Paola Farina is a personal and event stylist and a certified image consultant with 4 years of experience. She collaborates with individuals and companies. After graduating from classical studies, she won a scholarship from Image Fashion & Communication, the first Italian institute for training professional editors and stylists.

Read full bio of Paola Farina

Pratima AtiFashion & Lifestyle Writer

 

Pratima Ati is a postgraduate in International Business from Staffordshire University. After working in Marketing and Business Development for a few years, she jumped ship to pursue two things she loved – fashion and writing.

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Subhrojyoti MukherjeeAssociate Editor

Subhrojyoti is an associate editor at StyleCraze with four years of experience. He has a master’s degree in English from Presidency University, Kolkata, and has also done a post-graduate certificate course in Editing and Publishing from Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

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Pahul NanraBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Pahul Nanra is a content writer with a penchant for all things fashion and beauty. She has two years of experience in writing across beauty and lifestyle genres. She is an English Honors graduate from Delhi University with a diploma in Fashion Designing from YMCA.

Read full bio of Pahul Nanra