DIY Denim Chaps
with Chanté Gibbs
I was inspired by Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter Tour! She’s iconic and has showcased so many cute variations of the cowboy denim chaps.
My goal before heading to Goodwill was to find denim shorts that look good with the black denim jeans I already had at home.
I searched through the racks and came across a pair of Aeropostale shorts. It had a nice blue wash to it with cute distressed detailing that I knew I wanted for this project.
How do I make it?
- First I tried on the black jeans to see where I’d like to add the cut outs. These jeans weren’t super baggy on me, so I decided to mark a couple inches under the crotch area.
- Near the waistband and about an inch or two from the side seam, I made a line where it would connect to the notch I had just made under the crotch. I made sure it would have enough space to show the shorts underneath.
- After I laid the jeans down, I used my rulers to connect the curved lines on each side of the pant legs.
- Time to Cut! Once lines were all marked, I focused on the front of the jeans and cut along the lines, then did the same for the back.
- Lastly I put the shorts on and tried on my new denim chaps just to make sure everything fit properly.
I can’t wait to add fringe or bedazzles on it when I wear this again!
Chanté is a local thrift blogger and sustainable designer. She is our inspiration and guide to exploring what can be done with some creative alterations and updates of thrifted finds. Each month she starts with a concept, shops our stores, and reworks her thrift finds into high-fashion pieces.