do-it-yourself polka dot skinnies

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You could spend $190 on a pair of designer dotted denim, or with just a few supplies and a little time you could make your own!

Keep reading for the rundown…

When I saw my friend Anne whip up a  pair of polka-dot jeans with a tapered candle and fabric paint on her blog, WobiSobi, I knew I had to recreate a pair of my own. So when Anne came over Saturday for a girl’s-night-in of cocktails and DIY’ing, I seized the opportunity to tackle the project with the restyle master herself.

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I’d just seen an Instagram by designlovefest of the most amazing pair of black Paige skinnies with white polka dots. With the image burned in my brain, Anne and I ventured to Wal-Mart to pick up a few supplies for her and — fingers crossed — an inexpensive pair of black skinnies for me. I found a pair in the juniors’ section for $12.88!

IMG_4793When we got back home, I found some gold metallic fabric paint in my craft stash, as well as a round stencil sponge from a big pack of kids craft brushes I’d picked up a week before. Dot size was top priority — I didn’t want them too big or too small — so I started with a trick I picked up from cotton and curls, using an old DVD as a stencil. Things got a little messy, and I realized that the stencil sponge made perfect dots all on its own.

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I covered the front in randomly-placed polka-dots {made all the more random by the whipped vodka cocktail I was sipping} until I ran out of gold fabric paint. So for now, the back of the jeans are dot-less, but I think I kind of like them that way! I can always pick up more fabric paint and finish the back if I change my mind.

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For more great DIY ideas, be sure to follow Anne and her restyle adventures on WobiSobi!

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55 Comments

  1. 5.17.15

    thank you .

  2. 4.28.13
    LucyBre said:

    Reblogged this on Being Weirdly Awesome.

  3. 4.16.13

    genius!!

  4. 4.7.13

    I LOVE THEM!!!!!

  5. 3.6.13

    Reblogged this on Balloons pop like promises being forgotten. and commented:
    LOVE <3

  6. 12.10.12

    Wow. They are great. I want to try them, but how would they wash. Do you think the dots will wash out after a few washes?
    http://www.lifeonbonita.wordpress.com

  7. 12.5.12

    Fantastic pants and shoes!
    Awesome imagination! Lol

  8. 12.4.12

    I now have something to do with a pair of black jeans I rarely wear. They started to fade and I got bored with them… A little refashioning will definitely bring them back to life. I’ve already spent my morning refashioning old t-shirts into fabric flowers and necklaces… What’s a pair of jeans?

  9. 10.7.12
    Annette said:

    awesome. I’m running out to the thrift store to snag a pair of jeans and try it out. that way, if it doesn’t come out exactly like I want, I won’t feel so bad!!

    • 10.8.12

      Great thinking! I always try to find inexpensive pieces to do DIY experiments with :)

    • 4.7.13

      Great Idea! I’m going to do that too!

  10. 9.26.12
    Stephanie said:

    Wow, I love this idea!

  11. 9.20.12
    Sarmistha said:

    Thanks for sharing this!! I so love polkas and it would be so great to convert one of my old jeans into a polka dotted one. :)

  12. 9.17.12
    Kelsey said:

    your blog has made my day! I’m all about cheap/chic deals & DIY.

  13. 9.9.12
    nives said:

    very very nice I like it

  14. 9.8.12
    Justpearlz said:

    Love this! Too cute

  15. 9.6.12

    Super cute idea!!!

  16. 9.6.12
    Jupe said:

    Um WHAT?! Make my own…such a great idea, why haven’t I thought of this? I’ve been dying for polka dot jeans…and def going to take a page from your book :)

    <3 Cambria
    jupefashion.blogspot.com

    • 9.6.12

      Super easy, right?! I’d love to see your dotted denim!

  17. 9.6.12
    jlofashionblog said:
  18. 9.6.12

    What a great DIY, thanks for sharing!

  19. 9.6.12
    georgeina said:

    what a fab idea. will be hunting down pair of trews to make my own! thanks for sharing

  20. 9.6.12

    Lovely! I definitely want to make my own!

    http://fashionoodles.wordpress.com

    xo Mel

  21. 9.6.12
    bunnymysweet said:

    Neat idea, they look so good!
    (\ /)
    ( . .)
    c(”)(”)
    http://www.bunnymysweet.com/

  22. 9.5.12
    nchanel said:

    Reblogged this on Chanel Wears and commented:
    Im soooo doing this!!

  23. 9.5.12
    shannon said:

    You are BRILLIANT! Great idea, and they look AMAZING!
    http://shannonhearts.blogspot.com

  24. 9.5.12
    arayofsun said:

    these are perfect! i would never have thought to do that and honestly haven’t even seen them in stores. so creative and cute but not overwhelming! i will definitely be trying this

    xoxoxo

    arayofsunblog.com

    • 9.5.12

      Thanks! I haven’t seen them in stores yet, just around my favorite blogs. I’d love to see your version!

  25. 9.5.12
    Beth said:

    They look so cute. In fact we have a pair of spotty black skinnies available in our local supermarket for about £14, but I don’t really have the legs for them. Doesn’t stop them being adorable though!
    xox

    • 9.5.12

      If you’re not super comfy in skinnies, you can always pair them with a big chunky sweater and boots to make them feel more like leggings! That’s how I broke myself in, and eventually grew to love them :-)

  26. 9.5.12

    This is such a great DIY, and I love the easy tutorial. Am definitely trying this ASAP! Best wishes and great blog.
    xo Sophie
    http://www.trendsandtribulations.com

  27. 9.5.12

    i LOVE them! how cute!!!

    • 9.5.12

      Thanks, Kels! I’m thinking little Rooney needs a pair ;-)

  28. 9.5.12
    rhiannon said:

    so cute! you did such a great job!

    http://www.modernsuburbanites.blogspot.com

  29. 9.5.12

    loved it!!! I love polka but guess Im not able to do something like that :D

    xoxo

    http://www.thefashionsecret.com

  30. 9.5.12
    steffy said:

    I imagine this would be fun to do with all kinds of shaped stencils!

    • 9.5.12

      Definitely! Hearts or stars would be really cute. Or little anchors in the summer!

  31. 9.5.12
    jlofashionblog said:

    What a fantastic idea – so creative!!

    Follow my new blog with loads of upcoming great reads, photos and even competitions and fab offers for you :)) http://jlofashionblog.wordpress.com

  32. 9.5.12
    7cakes said:

    Oh, wow. Seeing these just made my day! Am putting them on my to-do list =D

  33. 9.5.12
    Anne said:

    So great! I should probably give this a try as I have all the supplies necessary – since I did this exact thing on a set of cloth napkins!

    • 9.5.12

      Oooohhh, I should do cloth napkins, too! Or cute little kitchen hand towels… I’m always searching for cute hand towels!

  34. 9.5.12
    Brooke said:

    Looks so great!! BTW, who makes those killer heels? LOVE THEM! :)

    • 9.5.12

      Thank you! They’re Jessica Simpson, and I’ve had them for ages!

  35. 9.5.12

    These look incredible! It looks so easy to do but I feel like I would mess it up. lol

    • 9.5.12

      That’s why you have to work on cheapies; that way you won’t be too devastated if it doesn’t turn out exactly as you hoped :)

  36. 9.5.12

    this idea is too cute!

  37. 9.5.12
    RachelKLaplant said: